A/N: And away we go with the sequel to the Twilight series! I think I honestly will enjoy Ruby being a part of this way more than I was forced to tolerate Jacob in the films and books lol (Sorry Jacob fans!) But New Moon is my least favorite because of him. However, I will still put all of my heart into re-creating this story for you, as well as the others to come. :) Happy New Year, everyone! And Happy reading!

Don't forget to drop a review if you want more!

Regina walked through a meadow of flowers. The same one, her and Emma shared constantly since their relationship bloomed like these flowers that surrounded her. Except today… something was different… apart from the sun shining brighter than before; Regina found herself staring at a woman right in the middle of the flower bed. Her brow crinkled at the sight of her, her feet continuously carrying her across until she was a little closer. She waved, and the woman waved back.

"Grandma?" A tiny smile settled along her lips. How was this possible? Her grandmother has been dead for six years now, and as far as she could remember, she resided in New York's cemetery.

Regina whirled around, seeing Emma come from within the forest, out onto the open flower bed. Her eyes wide in alarm as the sunlight struck Emma's porcelain skin, turning her into the beautiful sparkling creature that she spent centuries hiding.

"Emma, don't, she'll see you!" Regina shouts, but as Emma continues to walk toward her, a wave of encouragement settles over Regina. She wants to be seen. She smiles, reaching for Emma's hand, her fingers lacing through pale cold ones.

Regina guides Emma through the flower bed, preparing herself for what she would say to her grandmother as far as an explanation on her superhuman girlfriend's behalf. Grandma, this is Emma. Oh, my girlfriend sparkles, but don't be alarmed. It's just the kind of thing she does.

As Regina takes her final step toward her grandmother, her grandmother is smiling. "Grandma, I'd like you to meet…" Regina frowns, noticing the frown along her grandmother's face. Her eyes sparkled the same way Regina's did when she looked at Emma. She brought her hand up and her grandmother mirrored that motion. Regina's eyes took in the older sight before her and like a ton of bricks- it hit her. That's me! She was staring at a gray-haired, older version of herself.

Soon Emma is by her side, reaching out to touch Regina's wrinkled hand, pressing her icy cold lips along her even more fragile skin. "Happy birthday, Gina." she whispered.

Regina's eyes spring open just like the flower bed in her dream. She's relieved to find another gray and gloomy morning greeting her as she wakes. Her Romeo and Juliet book nestled along her bed. She must have fallen asleep while finishing up the book last night. It was a dream… Just a silly dream. She sat up, brushing back her bed hair.

She looked down at her still youthful hands, and sighed. Her calendar along her tack board stared back at her where her father had written and circled in red pen Regina's Birthday! She rolled her eyes at the date. September thirteenth. It was today. Her birthday. Just another ordinary day for Regina, but to everyone else it was, apparently, a big deal.

She was eighteen.

And Emma would never be.

There's a knock outside of her bedroom door, her father's happy bright eyes, and smiling face peeking through the door. "Happy Birthday!" He beams, entering his daughter's bedroom.

"Thank you," Regina tried for a smile. A frown setting in as her father holds out a silver Panasonic digital camera before her. "Dad… I thought we agreed, no presents."

"Well…" Henry breathes, a hand along his hip. "The one from me isn't wrapped, so it doesn't count."

Regina reaches for the camera, smiling a little at the sight of it. It was a beautiful gift.

"It goes with this one-" Henry holds out a thick, squared present, wrapped up with perfectly creased corners. It must be from her mother. "From your mom. We coordinated- well, she coordinated me. It goes with your camera."

Regina unwraps her gift, the paper tearing and crumpling in her hands. A photo album.

"It's for you to put your pictures of Senior year."

Regina smiles, "Thanks, dad. I love them." She stretches up from her bed, hugging her father.

Henry sighs, his eyes on the verge of tears. "Senior year…" He breathes. "Boy… when did you become so old so fast, Regina?"

"I didn't," Regina frowns, her good mood gone. "Eighteen is not that old."

"Well, I don't know…" Henry's brow crinkles. "Is that a gray hair?" He reaches for a strand of Regina's jet black hair.

Regina's eyes grow wide, "No…" She skyrockets out of bed to look at herself over in the mirror, checking for a single gray hair. Her eyes roll upon seeing her father's grinning face along the mirror.

Henry chuckled, holding up his hands in defeat at the glare his daughter threw at him, "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"That's very funny, dad." Regina glares harder. She waits until her door is shut and she is alone to look at herself over in the mirror once more. This time, checking for any signs of wrinkles along her face, her hands- anywhere. She's relieved to see no sign of them, however she was still one year older than Emma. That was not exciting at all.

Regina reached for her backpack, swinging it over her shoulder as she shut the door to her truck and walked along the parking lot.

"Hi, Regina!" A girl waved, walking past Regina with a smile that reached her glasses.

"Hi," Regina smiles, happy that at least someone wasn't familiar with today's date. She sighs upon entering the grounds of Forks High School. Senior year. Another sign that she was just getting older, when she had been dating a now hundred and nine year old vampire who could easily freeze her aging process, but adamantly refused to.

Lily was leaning along a wall, her eyes bright and smile happy at the sight of Regina. "Happy birthday!"

"Shh!" Regina's cheeks flush as she looks around for any signs of turning heads.

"I already wrapped up your present and guess what? You'll love it." Lily grinned. "Did you like your gifts from your parents?"

Of course Lily would know what her parents gifted her. "Yeah," Regina nods. "They're really nice."

"I think it's a great idea. You're only a senior once. You have to document the experience." Lily smiles.

"How many times have you been a senior?" Regina's eyes narrowed.

"That's different." Lily walks alongside Regina. She faces forward, her smile growing.

Regina follows her line of sight and it lands on Emma, who is waiting for her by a set of lockers. Suddenly, Regina's gloomy mood is gone at the sight of her porcelain skinned girlfriend. In difference to other times, Emma wore one of her many flannels, a multicolored brown one that looked radiant on her, tucked into the waistband of her jeans, the two first buttons undone, exposing her V-neck tee underneath.

Emma still amazed Regina after all this time. She questioned how on earth did the heavens open on the day of her arrival in Forks, Washington; gifting her with the luck of dating someone so perfect for an entire year and a half now.

Emma reached out, taking Regina's hand into her own. Her cool, soft and hard touch still the same against Regina's skin. If not better. Emma's icy palm settles along Regina's cheek, her thumb softly stroking along that scar above her bottom lip. "So, as discussed, I am not allowed to wish you a happy birthday, is that correct?"

"That's correct," Regina nods, leaning into Emma's touch a little more.

"Just checking," Emma stands tall and straight, "Most people are excited about gifts and birthdays. You know, Regina, your birth is definitely something to celebrate." Her cool finger traces along Regina's bottom lip.

"Yeah, but my aging is not," Regina shakes her head, her mood glum at the reminder.

"Your aging…" Emma chuckled, "isn't it a little early to start worrying about growing older?"

"That's one year older than you."

Emma and Lily share a grin that upsets Regina all the more.

"Technically, but just by one little year, though." Lily winks.

Regina rolls her eyes, looking up at Emma.

"You aren't older than me, remember? I'm a hundred and nine." Emma whispers, her arms holding Regina closer as they wrap along her waist.

It was Emma's birthday nine months ago, officially making her a hundred and nine years old- eighteen to those who asked- although technically she was immortally stuck at seventeen. And every day, Regina just became more envious about it.

"Well…" Regina freely wrapped her arms along Emma's form, "Then maybe I shouldn't be dating such an old woman."

Emma smirks, bare teeth and all. She captures Regina's lips, and Regina's world spins out of control. Kissing Emma still had that effect on her and she didn't think it would ever stop, for her or Emma.

Emma's hands land along Regina's hips, gripping onto her carefully as she abruptly pulls away, "You'll be the death of me…" She murmurs.

"Technically, you're already dead," Regina whispers.

Emma chuckled, taking Regina by the hand as they walked along the hallway with Lily by Regina's other side.

"So, what time are you coming over tonight?" Lily asked.

Regina's brow lifts, "I didn't know I was supposed to be coming over."

"Oh, be fair, Gina…" Lily smirks, her face mischievous. "You aren't going to ruin all of our fun like that, are you?"

"I thought my birthday was about what I wanted." Said Regina.

"I'll pick her up from Henry's right after school," Emma smiled, ignoring Regina all together.

"Emma, I have to work," Regina protested.

"You don't, actually," Lily said smugly. "I already spoke to Mrs. Locksley about it. She's trading your shifts. She said to tell you 'Happy Birthday.'"

"Super," Regina forces a smile. "I guess I'll see you tonight."

"Great!" Lily clapped excitedly, pulling Regina in for a hug. "It'll be so much fun!"

Once Lily walked off, Regina was quick to turn to Emma, glaring up at her.

"Just humor her. Lily has missed throwing a good party around the house. Before you there was no reason for her to throw one. In fact, the last party she ever threw was for August in 1935." Emma smiled, her arm hanging loosely along Regina's shoulders, pulling her close. "I promise it's private. It'll just be us vampires and the human." She chuckled.

"Hopefully not human for long," Regina murmured, ignoring Emma's glare.

"Regina, we've discussed this…" Emma muttered.

"We have, and I have a feeling we'll keep discussing it until we come to some type of agreement."

Emma chuckled, "You mean until you get your way."

"Well… there's that." Regina smiled, reaching up to entangle her fingers with Emma's.

No one looked their way anymore as Emma and Regina took their usual seat in the back of Mr. Berdy's classroom. They had almost every class together now and Regina couldn't be happier about that. It was amazing how influential Emma's charm could be with the administration from the office. Even Robin Locksley stopped giving Regina glares due to her relationship with Emma. And it only took an entire year. Now he smiled.

Over the summer, Regina picked up a job at Robin's mom's sporting goods store. It didn't pay much, but at least she was making some money on the side. Of course, she would never be as rich as Emma and her family. Money meant nothing next to Emma and the Swan's. Mal worked hard because she loved helping people, but really, she could retire without a problem. And it helped to have a daughter, Lily, who could predict the future and help with stock bonds.

Regina learned more about Lily over the summer, too. She learned that she actually had her degree in fashion design and interior decoration. While Kathryn, she had her bachelor's in engineering, and also in the medical field as a favor to Mal. Kathryn still didn't like her, but Regina hoped that slowly she would win her over with time. Something the Swan's had a lot of. And Emma… Regina was impressed to learn that Emma had achieved her degree in business, engineering and medical as well, although she never practiced being a doctor like Mal. She didn't think patient's would trust a seventeen year old doctor.

Emma attempted to buy her a Mercedes for her birthday, but Regina objected to it. What explanation would she give to her father if she showed up in a luxurious Mercedes, parking it along the driveway? Emma wanted to do many things for Regina, like take her out to dinner at an expensive restaurant, or once she offered to pay for her college tuition. But Regina didn't feel comfortable accepting any of those gifts. Emma had chosen to be with her, for whatever reason, Regina would never understand. Having Emma buy her expensive items would just throw them off balance, when Regina didn't have even half to off her in return.

She also learned the fun fact that vampires didn't have to breathe. Although to hold their breath for far too long was physically painful.

Romeo and Juliet played along the television set in Mr. Berdy's class. The lights were off, and everyone's attention was to the film.

"You know, I've never had much patience with Romero," Emma commented in a soft voice.

"What's wrong with Romeo?" Regina asked, a little offended. Romeo was always one of her favorite fictional characters… until she met Emma.

"Well, first of all, he's in love with this Rosaline- don't you think it makes him seem a little fickle? And then, a few minutes after their wedding, he kills Juliet's cousin. That's not very brilliant. Mistake after mistake. Could he have destroyed his happiness any more thoroughly?"

"Are you even watching this?" Regina whispered back.

Emma's eyes turn to lock on Regina, "I'd rather watch you." She smiles.

Regina's pulse quickens as she turns her attention back to the film. Would Emma ever not have this effect on her? She hoped not.

"I'll admit, I do sort of envy him here…" Emma whispered, her thumb drawing those familiar circles in the back of Regina's hand.

Regina's brow furrowed as what played on the screen was the moment Romero cried over Juliet. "I can see why. She's really pretty."

The corner of Emma's lip tilts into a small smirk, "No, not the girl. The suicide." She clarified in a teasing tone. "You humans have it so easy. All you have to do is drink a little poison… a dagger through the heart… so many different options."

"What?" Regina's eyes are on Emma, drinking in her beautiful profile with alarm.

Emma's thin pale lips are grim, "It's something I had to think about once, and I know from Mal's experience that it wouldn't be simple. I'm not even sure how many ways did Mal try to kill herself in the beginning… after she'd realized what she'd become…" Emma's voice which had turned grim, turned light. "And she's clearly still in excellent health."

Regina couldn't blink as she stared at Emma in disbelief, "What are you talking about, Emma? What do you mean this is something you had to think about once?" She demanded.

"Last spring, when you were… nearly killed…" Emma drew in a slow and steady breath, Regina wondered how she could talk about suicide so calmly, but didn't dare to ask. Up until now- she didn't even think suicide was possible for vampires. "Of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive, but part of my mind was making contingency plans. Like I said, it's not as easy for me as it is for a human."

Regina's memories play back to the dance studio, the mirrors with Hyde's sinister smile. She shakes her head like an etch-a-sketch, and focuses on what Emma is telling her. "Contingency plans?" She repeated.

"Well, I wasn't about to live without you." Emma's eyes are locked on Regina, and she can see the fatal decision in them. It was troublesome. "But I wasn't sure how to do it- I knew my brothers, August and Jefferson would never help… so I started thinking that maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi."

Regina never wanted to think of Emma ever hurting herself, if such a thing was possible for a vampire. It infuriated her, "The what?" She demanded.

"The Volturi," Emma whispered. "They are a family. A very old, very powerful family of our kind. They are the closest thing our world has to a royal family, I suppose. Mal lived with them briefly in her early years, in Italy, before she settled in America."

Regina remembers an old painting in the Swan's home, in it was Mal, so poise, young and with such elegance- very much like she has now. With her were a trio of vampires that were equally beautiful to her. She remembers their names to Aro, Caius, and Marcus, but she had never heard them be referred to as the Volturi before.

"Now-" Mr. Berdy's voice startles Regina as he speaks and the film stops all together. "Who'd like to repeat the last few lines of our lambic pantameter just to show that they were paying attention?" His eyes scanned the room, already deciding they would land on Emma. "Ms. Swan?"

The entire class whirled, giving their attention to Emma. Robin, hoping she would screw up.

Emma drew in a breath, and blinked, she almost looked human to Regina. "O here will I set up my everlasting rest and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last. Arms, take your last embrace. And lips, O you, the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss a dateless bargain to engrossing death."

Regina smiled a little, however their previous conversation still lingered worryingly in her mind.

"Eyes on the screen, people." Mr. Berdy frowned, playing the movie from where it left off.

Regina decided to dress in an all black dress, Emma was holding the door open for her, dressed in a pair of black pressed pants and a white shirt tucked to her waistline. Her hair was surprisingly in a ponytail, with no strand out of sight. Even a simple look like that looked perfect on her.

"So, if you won't let me buy you that Mercedes for your birthday, what do you want?" Emma smiled, walking up the steps of her home.

Regina halted just outside the door, looking up at Emma. "You know what I want."

"Regina, not tonight, please." Emma shook her head.

"Well, I've been thinking… maybe Lily will give me what I want." Said Regina.

Emma's frown turned grim, "She wouldn't dare. This isn't going to be your last birthday, Regina."

"No, you're right… because once you change me, I will have forever birthday's to be tormented by." Said Regina, she was relieved once Emma released a light chuckle.

"Let's get you inside and get this over with, and remember…" Emma held Regina's hand in hers. "Smile."

"Smile," Regina nods, drawing in a deep breath. "Wait, I just had a thought…" She clutched her camera in her hand. "If I take pictures tonight with you in them… Will you show up in the film?"

Emma laughed a wholehearted laugh, it warmed Regina's heart. "I promise to be there." She pushed the front door open, holding it in place, entering after Regina.