A/N: Thank you all for waiting for this next update that I promise you is well worth the wait. I know ya'll have been wanting a little Emma and Regina moment as much as me, so I added a little flashback along with a very short encounter between our favorite ladies. ;) Unfortunately you won't like how this chapter ends (or maybe you will) but, I promise you that a lot more is still to come. AND YES- I promise: That Emma and Regina will eventually get back together and Emma will stop being so cold. Just be patient. Happy reading and please, don't forget to review.

Chapter 32: Dream Home

"Ah, Emma!" Samuel rises from his chair, extending his arm to motion to the seats before him. An all white smile splitting his lips. "Just the woman I wanted to see."

"Mr. Locksley," Emma gives a curt nod. She sets her briefcase down along the floor before taking a seat. "I looked over that report you sent over. I'm truly impressed. However," she crosses one leg over the other. "I do have some concerns for your safety measures."

"I would be surprised if you didn't," he chuckles. "I was actually thinking about heading down to a few mines today, if you'd care to join me. I would be delighted to hear all the changes you suggest we make. And honored to have you by my side."

"I would love to." Emma smiles. "Thank you."

A knock at the door causes both Samuel and Emma to turn. "Ah! Henry! Come in, come in," Samuel motions the man inside. "You are just in time."

"Ms. Swan," Henry nods, giving Emma a little smile. "It's always a pleasure to see you."

"Mr. Mills," Emma accepts the man's extended hand in a firm handshake.

"What's going on?" Henry asks, eyeing both Emma and Samuel.

Samuel's smile grows excitedly. "I was just inviting Emma down to the mines today. She's going to be directing us on how to better our safety measures. You should join us, Henry. Get out of this same old routine."

"Well, what time were you thinking about leaving?" Henry asked.

"I'm good with now, if that's what you gentleman prefer." Emma pitched.

"I can do now." Samuel grinned. "Henry?"

"Sure, what the hell? Let's go." Henry brightens to the idea, following Samuel and Emma close behind. "Will Robin be joining us?" He asked.

"Robin," Samuel's eyes perform a dramatic roll. "He hasn't been in all morning. God only knows- let's just go without him. He'll get over it."

"I can't believe what you are telling me, Regina," Kathryn walked alongside Regina, her jaw hanging to the floor. Cups of coffee held in their hand. "I mean, Emma and Robin…" She breathed.

"I know. I couldn't believe it myself when Mary Margaret told me the whole story." Said Regina.

"Tell me about it. Neither can I," Kathryn murmurs, her mind working overtime as she takes a tentative sip out of her coffee cup. "You do realize how crazy this is, don't you? I mean, Emma and Robin?"

"Of course, I realize it, Kathryn." Regina's brow furrows.

"No, no," Kathryn halts, placing a delicate hand along Regina's forearm. "Regina. Think about it for a moment. How crazy this whole situation is. This woman, Mary Margaret has this whole novel of a story behind her, and you and Emma follow, meeting by pure chance since you decided to take the bus that day. And who would've thought that you two would end up falling madly in love with one another, and on the same day you meet not only the man who is disturbingly obsessed with you, but that also turns out to be Emma's brother."

"Half-brother," Regina corrected.

"Same thing," Kathryn shakes her head. "Point is," she chuckled. "I wouldn't want to spend a minute in your shoes. I mean, you had both- a sister and a brother without even realizing it."

"Kathryn, please, be serious," Regina glares. "And you know I have never slept with Robin."

"I'm sorry." Kathryn nods, wiping away that tiny little smile that had manifested a second ago. "You're right. But in all seriousness, you have to admit that is a little awkward to find out."

"I know," Regina sighed. "I can't even imagine how Robin or Emma for that matter, will react when they find out."

"Not to mention, if Robin ever finds out that you and Emma, you know," Kathryn looks around as if anyone would be listening in before joining both of her index fingers side by side to one another.

That was something that Regina didn't want to even think about out of fear of it happening. Kind of like when you think of something hard enough, so much that it eventually came true. Robin already made it very clear how much he disliked Emma, since day one. And knowing this, Regina just knew would finish pushing him over that edge she feared he would someday reach.

"You're not thinking about telling Emma the truth, are you?" Kathryn asked, horrified.

"How can I?" Regina shakes her head. "Emma doesn't believe a word of what I say, anyway. And I did promise Mary Margaret. Besides… it's not my place to say. I am worried however, about what Robin might find out once the investigation on Emma follows through. But no matter what happens, I have decided that even if Emma doesn't want me to be in her life, I will be there, and I will protect her against her own brother if necessary."

Kathryn walked slowly alongside Regina, reaching a sidewalk crowded by kids. "You do realize that you protecting Emma, means you would have to go against Robin."

"I know. And do it here or in any other life." Regina nods, her eyes locked onto Kathryn. "I may have married Robin, but my heart has and always will belong to Emma."

Kathryn breathes as she reaches for Regina's hand. "I truly admire you, Regina. Going through what you've gone through, many would have given up. And if after this, Emma can't see and understand what you've been through… Well, then she's an idiot."

Regina chuckles, unable to help it. "Kathryn," she follows as she grows concerned with, "You have to promise me something, okay?"

"Anything."

"You have to promise me- swear to me- that you absolutely will not tell Graham anything about what I told you here today."

"I promise, I won't," Kathryn shakes her head.

"And I do mean anything-"

"I know."

"Because if word of this gets out and Emma finds out by tomorrow morning, I'll know that it was because of you-" Regina said sternly, her eyes directing a glare into Kathryn's.

"Regina. I swear," Kathryn marks an X along her heart, followed by her lips. She does a locking motion and flips the imaginary key along her shoulder to prove her loyalty. "You have my word, okay? I solemnly swear that I won't breathe a word of it. I will take it to my grave and the afterlife."

Before she can respond to Kathryn, her attention is pulled away by a small little boy with tousled, thick brown hair that's pulled up in all directions due to the brush of wind that blows in their direction. His little blue shirt that has a tiny hole along his right shoulder going strangely well with his appearance. "Hello, there." She smiled sweetly.

"Hello," the little boy shyly replied. A paint brush coated in thick blue paint clutched in his small right hand.

"What are you doing all the way over here? Why aren't you joining the others in painting the wall?" Regina motioned to the mural she thought of would be a great way to have orphaned kids practice their art skills.

"Excuse me a moment," Kathryn said to Regina. "I'm going to see about more supplies so the kids don't run out."

Regina gave a small nod directed at Kathryn before she knelt down to be at eye-level with the little boy with thick, tousled hair. "Tell me, then," she smiled brightly at him. "What's the problem?" Her arms rest loosely along her knees.

"Well," the little boy begins shyly. "I wanted to paint a blue car, but I can't."

"Why can't you?" Regina's brow furrows.

The little boy's lip twists and turns slightly before he says, "I'm not very good at drawing the tires. Mine are always too big."

"Is that all?" Regina smiled reassuringly. "What's your name?"

"Henry."

"Henry," Regina echoed, giving him the pleasure of another smile. "That's my favorite name in the whole world."

"It is?" The little boy's big brown eyes light up as they look away from the dripping brush in his hand to meet Regina's eyes.

Regina nods, "It's a great name. My father's name is Henry, too."

"And is your little boy's name Henry, too? Just like me!" The little boy's innocent eyes shine bright.

Regina's smile slightly drops. "I suppose… it would be. If I had one."

"Oh." Henry frowns. His eyes moving down to the wet paintbrush in his hand before looking back up at Regina. "Well, then we have something in common."

"We do?"

"Uh-huh," Henry's head bobs. "I never had a mother, either. Just like you don't have a little boy named Henry."

"That's true." Regina smiled again, feeling her heartstrings being pulled by this little boy.

"We could be friends!" Henry's eyes light up again. "And that way we both won't get lonely."

"You know something, I was thinking the same thing. It does get pretty lonely without another friend in the world, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Henry's little shoulders slump. "I had a best friend once, but he got adopted and was taken away."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Regina frowned. She couldn't resist brushing back the long bangs that coated over the little boy's kind eyes. She wanted to keep looking into them a little longer. "But, you know, friends come and go. All the time. It's just a way of life. I have Kathryn," she motions to Kathryn. "Who's my best friend, but I also lost another friend that was very important to me. Still is."

"You lost a friend, too?"

Regina nods, "Long ago. We were inseparable, in fact. She would always have this way of making me smile."

"Where is she now?"

Regina sighed, brushing back a strand of her own hair behind her ear. "She's still around. Only we aren't friends anymore."

"Why not?" Henry's little frown deepens.

Regina's eyes water over as she tries to think of the best possible answer for a six-year old looking boy to comprehend. "Because… I made a mistake, you see. I hurt her badly, and she thinks I never wanted to be her friend, but really, I never stopped."

"Oh. Well, maybe you can paint her a picture and then maybe you can make up!" His little eyes light up again in the most adorable way.

Regina chuckles, wiping away a fallen tear. "It's not that simple, Henry. I wish it was." Her eyes travel down to the little boy's chubby hand, coats of blue paint adorning along his skin and chubby fingers.

"Don't worry. I'll be your friend, that way you won't be alone." Henry promises with a little smile.

Regina can't help but grin. "Why don't I help you with the tires on your car? What do you say?"

"Would you?" His big eyes turn larger.

"Of course. That's what friends are for, right?" Regina stands and extends her hand out for the little boy to take.

"Right," said Henry. His tiny fingers gripping onto Regina's hand once again.

"Come on. Let's see what we can do about those tires."

"So, as you can see, gentleman," Emma walks along the mines, her hard hat settled on her head. "From my report, the machines are a bit pricey, I'll admit, but the safety measures with them stationed down here and in every single mine Locksley Incorporated owns, I promise you that the cost will be replaced with the reward of what we will earn in triple."

Samuel nods, beaming with admiration for Emma. He exchanges a look with Henry, who quickly busies himself with finishing up reading over the report. "I am truly impressed, Emma. Truly. You've thought of absolutely everything down to the last detail. That to me is great tenacity. Don't you think so, Henry?"

Henry looks up from reading over the report. "Certainly," he shuts the folder in his hands, delivering a satisfactory smile in Emma's direction. "You are truly a woman to admire, Ms. Swan. Mallorie Page is very fortunate to have you as part of her team."

Emma smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Mills. And not to slightly disagree with you, but I'm the fortunate one. Mallorie taught me everything she knows and then some. I owe a great deal to her."

"Indeed. And it shows." Samuel pitches in, placing a hand along Emma's shoulder. "In just a short time with us, you have shown that you are without a doubt a woman who drives herself with a clear head for this business, Emma and that's what this business needs. Clear heads."

"I do what I can, Mr. Locksley. I just keep the ball rolling." Said Emma.

"Mr. Locksley! Do you have a minute, sir?" A voice boomed from their right.

"Excuse me for a moment, please," Samuel strides across the caves, but not before clapping his hand along Emma's shoulder once more in appreciation.

Henry reaches for a handkerchief from his breast pocket, dabbing the tiny pearls of sweat that station along his forehead. His chest rising and falling a little too excessively.

"Are you alright, Mr. Mills?" Emma asks, taking note of the man's uneven breathing.

"Huh? Oh," Henry nods, taking a glance at the handkerchief in his right hand. "Yes, I- I'm fine. It's just… nerves, you know." He chuckled nervously. "I had a near death experience out in a construction sight- a while back now- and was trapped under a lot of debris and dirt, and anything your imagination can conjure. I guess it stuck with me."

Emma nods. "I understand." She observes Henry just a little further before she suggests, "How about a walk farthest to the exit?" She motions to the clear opening between the cave. "It'll help."

Henry smiled graciously at Emma, motioning for her to lead the way before he followed close behind. You didn't have to tell him twice when being offered a chance to exit a cave like this. As they reach the exit, and the slight breeze strikes against their skin, Henry's chest puffs out and in, finally feeling like he is able to breathe.

"Thank you," he continues. "I know it must sound boring to someone as young as you, but give me a desk and a comfy chair and I would gladly take that any day of the week over being down here. I honestly don't know how you engineers do what you do."

Emma chuckles. "I guess that's why I do it. So people like you don't have to."

Henry observes Emma for a while, while he finishes dabbing the sweat off of his left cheek. "How old are you, Ms. Swan? Please, I hope you don't mind my asking."

"Not at all." Emma shakes her head. "I'm twenty-eight."

"Twenty-eight. Regina, my daughter, she's as young as you are." Henry's eyes sparkle as he speaks about Regina. "I tell ya… I remember the day she was born, and I could bounce her on my lap. She loved that. And in the blink of an eye…" he snaps his fingers. "She just grew. Poof! Like magic. I'm sorry, don't mind me. I'm just a father reminiscing." Emma gives a tight smile. "I'm sure your father is very proud of everything you've accomplished for yourself."

"He is," Emma nods, giving off a more relaxed smile.

"And your mother?"

"She passed away. Years ago. Cancer."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Henry frowned. "God, that's so inconsiderate of me."

"It's fine," Emma shakes her head.

"Well, I'm sure that wherever she is," Henry looks at the sky before turning back to Emma. "She's proud of you, too."

"Thank you, Mr. Mills."

"Please, call me Henry, for goodness sake." Henry smiles. "Oh, by the way, did you ever find a place to live? I recall you mentioning that you still lived with your father."

"Not yet, no sir. Truth is I barely started looking."

"Well, look no more. I know a perfect place for you. There's a house just behind ours, that I think you would like. It's a one story, but I promise you it's spacious and it recently went up for sale."

Emma stops breathing for a moment. Could it be? But she just smiled.

"Slow and steady…" Regina slowly guided Henry's little hand along the wall, going in a perfect small circle. "See!" She smiled. "You made a circle."

"I did it! I made a circle!" Henry beamed. His little body sheltered between the space of the wall in front of him and Regina, who was crouched behind him.

"It's easy, right?"

"Uh-huh," Henry nodded. "Can I try another one?" He asked eagerly.

"Go for it. The more you practice, the better you get." Regina stands, backing up a few paces to give Henry enough space. "Remember, slow and steady."

"Slow and steady…" Henry murmured. His hand brought up the brush that he had previously dabbed into the black paint. His tongue sticking out in concentration from the corner of his mouth as he allows himself to get to work.

"You're good with kids," Regina is surprised to see Lily smiling and walking up to her. "No wonder your husband is so eager to have children with you. You have natural maternal instincts."

Regina swallows a lump that forms in her throat. What was Lily doing here? Was Emma with her? Her own question answered once her eyes scanned behind Lily, not seeing sight of Emma anywhere.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Said Lily.

"You didn't," Regina blinks. "I'm just surprised to see you around here."

Lily smiled, "Well, I would have called you but I'm afraid I don't have your number. So, I asked around. Turns out you're not that hard to track down."

Regina brows raise. "Well, you found me." Why Lily would be looking for Regina was beyond her. But there was only one way to find out. "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to offer you a job." Kathryn stood by Regina's side as soon as Lily said this.

"A job?" Regina's brow furrowed.

"That's right."

Regina exchanges a puzzled look with Kathryn before she turns back to Lily. "Well, thank you. In advance, but, I don't know if you remember that I already have a job. I don't think I would be good at doing anything else out of my level of expertise."

Lily chuckles. "You're funny. Actually, it's your level of expertise that I am requiring, Regina."

"Well, I have to be around for this." Kathryn crosses her arms along her chest.

Lily's eyes dart to Kathryn. "And you are?"

"Kathryn Midas. We've met before. You and Emma were at Regina's anniversary brunch."

"Oh, right. The best friend." Lily nods.

"And associate." Kathryn proudly corrects her.

Lily simply smiled, directing her line of sight onto Regina. "As I was saying, Regina, I am in need of some of your artistic experience."

Regina also had to hear this. "I'm listening."

"Well, you see, I was in Emma's office again this morning, and I got this wild idea-"

Again. In Emma's office. For the second time- that Regina knew of. She hated to think that Lily practically lived there.

"I thought, who better than you to help me with that?" Lily grinned. Of course, there were professional painters for that, but Lily's suspicions about there still being feelings on Emma's part for Regina needed to be put to rest.

"You know, they have professional painters for that, Lily." Said Regina, as if reading Lily's mind.

"I'm aware. However, Emma-" again, she tests the waters with bringing Emma into this decision that was entirely her own. "Obviously knows your style and enjoys it." She shrugs. "I don't just want a plain color however, I want…" Lily's eyes dart over to the kids' paintings along the mural. "Designs." She looks back to Regina.

Again, Kathryn and Regina share a silent look.

"Look, you don't have to give me an answer now. Take your time. Think about it and get back to me when you have your answer." Lily digs into her giant purse, pulling out a green folder. "And, I know that what I'm asking for will take a while so…" she hands the folder over to Regina. "Here's the contact. You can keep it and read it over tonight." Her eyes look to Kathryn who reaches for the contract to read it over before locking eyes with Regina. "I do hope you say yes. Like I said before, I don't have any friends here, apart from Emma and I would like to think that I could consider you as another friend."

Where was all this friendship talk coming from? What exactly was Lily's plan? Regina didn't know why, but she didn't fully trust Lily, and no- it had nothing to do with her jealousy over her friendship with Emma. There was just something about her that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Yet.

"Pull over here, Sidney, please." Emma instructed. Her eyes focused on the wooded area, followed by the house that slowly came into view. What caught her eye was the large FOR SALE sign hammer into the dirt, right beside the wooden fence that closed off the entire land belonging to the house. The opening that carried a large and clear dirt road that reached its way up to the house was big enough to drive right in.

It was just as Emma remembered it. Except for the fact that something had changed. And as Emma exited the passenger seat of her Lexus, that's when she realized that a few of the trees from behind the house had been dramatically cut down. Which probably meant that she would have a big backyard, along with a perfectly good view of Regina's home right from behind. She could see the top of it, along with one of the large windows from upstairs without difficulty.

The one story house looked just the same as she remembered it as well. Just like one of those nights she had come along this very road with Regina as they mapped out how their future home would look.

"You see that wall there?" Regina pointed straight ahead, driving Emma's eyes to look past one of the large windows that looked into the living room.

This wasn't the first time they enjoyed looking out at the house, through hours of the night, when the lights were left on but yet no one ever seemed to be home. At least not that they could see. They weren't there to bother anyone, anyway. They just wanted to look. No harm in looking and dreaming, right?

"I see it." Said Emma, laser-beam focused on the exact wall that Regina pointed to. It was a little empty and dull looking with only a large flat screen television to compliment it.

"I want to place bookshelves there."

"Bookshelves?"

"Yeah! And I want it filled with all the books we've ever read or plan to read." Regina continued. "Not the entire wall, though. Maybe, two shelves, with a few inches of space between them because that's where our fireplace will go."

"Fireplace?" Emma's brow lifts as the corner of her lip curls upward. "So, let me get this straight. You want… a fireplace… surrounded by books?"

"That's right." Regina grinned, obviously proud of her idea.

"Isn't that a hazard? To have a fireplace surrounded by a ton of books?"

Regina shakes her head. "Not the way I've designed it. Besides, the fireplace won't be huge. It won't even reach the shelves."

Emma's smile beams. "You've designed it?"

Regina's hand goes to her back pocket of her jeans to retrieve a folded sheet of paper that is creased into four squares. She holds out the page as it crinkles in her hands while it is being unfolded and hands it to Emma. Green eyes quickly scan through the detailed drawing of the vivid image that has clearly been living in the privacy of Regina's head until now. There it all was. The large living space, with a large L shaped couch facing the exact wall that was adorned with the bookshelves that formed a U that started at the top of the fireplace and worked its way around from both ends. The fireplace was a 60 inch rectangular shape object that was small for that wall, but perfect all the more. And in the connecting room, just behind the L shaped couch was the kitchen that was large enough for two people to cook in. It was beautiful. Almost as if Regina had been inside the house before and knew exactly how everything could look for when they lived in it.

"What do you think? Do you not like it?" Regina's face falls as she can't quite make out the expression on Emma's face. "You don't like it, do you? I knew it- it was a stupid idea-"

"No!" Emma quickly shakes her head. The crease along her brow relaxing until it disappeared and the corner of her lips growing into an even larger smile. "This isn't stupid at all."

"Really?" Regina's body finally relaxes.

"Are you kidding me? Regina, this is the most beautiful idea ever!" The sparkle in Emma's green eyes grow as they lock onto Regina's brown orbs. "I just didn't expect for you to know what our home will look like in a couple of years."

"Well, of course." Regina smiled. "It's my favorite thing to think about when we're apart."

"It is?"

Regina nods, watching Emma's smile bloom a little larger. Her smile was always contagious, always making her smile along. "And we'll always have our windows open. So that the whole world can envy what you and I have built together."

Emma chuckles. "They will envy us," her arms envelope Regina into her body as Regina's arms lazily rest along her shoulders. "We'll have the most beautiful house in the entire block."

"It will be beautiful." Regina agreed. "And we'll always make each other happy, won't we?"

Emma's head bobbed, "For all eternity." The soft response that is breathed past Emma's thin lips invites both her and Regina to dip their heads where they are met in a kiss that slowly deepens.

Emma whirls around to the sound of a twig snapping, followed by Regina's baffled and wide eyes, locked strictly into her own from three feet away. And God strike her down, if Emma didn't think that even in a pair of running pants, her old college hoodie that was coated with a dark spot of sweat along the neckline. Beads of sweat built along her slender neck, jawline and cheeks, ending along her forehead with her hair held back by a large enough black headband- that Regina was still the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

Of course, she wasn't about to tell her that out loud. Not anymore.

"Emma. What are you doing here?" Regina breathed, her panting breath's obvious evidence of her afternoon jog.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"Well, I happen to live just there," Regina points straight past the house to her own. "Did you forget? Besides, I always run through here in the mornings or afternoons."

Emma's cheeks grow a tiny shade of pink that she turns her attention to Regina's home. Focusing on the large window that is visible to the line of sight. She didn't know what to say to that.

"I didn't know it was for sale." Regina asked, nodding to the for sale sign. Her heart accelerated more at the thought of having Emma as her neighbor rather than because of her run. "When was it placed on the market?"

"I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine. I only found out about it this morning." Emma replied.

Regina walked a little forward, standing a little closer than three previous feet from Emma; her eyes focused on the house. Despite her being sweaty, Emma could pick up the scent of a little bit of body wash. Or maybe it was her perfume. She remembered both always smelling good on Regina, so really, it didn't matter which of the two it was that decided to torture her nostrils.

"Are you… Thinking about buying?" She attempted to ask this without sounding too hopeful.

Emma hesitated for a moment, but quickly shook her head after. "No. I don't think so."

An ache filled Regina's heart at the thought of someone else buying what was their dream home, once upon a time ago.

"It wouldn't be a good idea." Emma quickly added.

"Right," Regina withdrew a breath, attempting to calm her crazed beating heart. "Of course. Yes. You're absolutely right. It wouldn't be a good idea. Best to keep looking, then."

"Yep." Emma gave a solid nod. She coughed, feeling her throat ache as she glanced down at her watch. "I should go."

"Yeah." Regina nodded.

Emma backed away a few paces before turning her back on Regina, but not before glancing over at the empty house once more. No. She would have to be out of her mind to even consider buying the house.

Regina sighed as she watched the car slowly start to disappear along the curve of the road that would take her to the front of Regina's house and out of the neighborhood. Once again, Emma walking out of her life.

"Darling?" Regina whirls around, expecting to see anyone but Robin walking right up to her. His brow furrowed questioningly. "What are you doing out here?"

"Running, obviously. I just decided to take a pause to stretch out my legs." Regina reaches for one of her legs to stretch it behind her for good measure.

Robin's eyes narrow at his wife before his entire head turns to the house, ending on the for sale sign next to him. "Beautiful home."

"Yeah," Regina replied, eyeing the house.

"I never would have guessed we had neighbors back here." He turns back to Regina.

"It's a beautiful property. I've always been in love with it." Regina's smile is directed at the house and all of her memories that conjured up with thoughts of a past future with Emma.

Robin studies the gentle smile along Regina's lips. So genuine. A smile he didn't see often enough, if not ever. "By the way, the reason I was looking for you was because I bought you something today."

Regina's eyes look down to a velvet box that Robin now holds before her. "What is it?" She asks.

"Open it."

She's hesitant at first, but Regina reaches for the box, pulling the lid open. Her lips part at the sight of a new matrimonial ring that was so identical to her first one, Regina would almost believe that Robin had someone dive into the ocean just to retrieve it.

"Do you like it?"

"Another ring?" Was all Regina could ask. Her eyes meeting up with Robin's.

"I know you felt bad for losing your other one, so I made sure to get you a new one." Robin reached for the box from Regina's hand, followed by the ring, while his free hand grabbed a hold of Regina's left hand. "This time…" The ring feels cold along Regina's finger as it slides right in, locking with ease before her knuckle. "Let's hope for no more accidental slips."

Regina blinks as she takes in Robin's little secret smile. It's a smile she feels he reveals every single time he knows she's lying. "No, of course not." She breathed.

Robin's smile changes before her eyes into not quite a large smile, but still enough to be different. "Good." He brought his wife's left hand up, pressing his lips along her knuckles and her new engagement ring. "Until death do us part." He murmurs before placing another kiss along her skin.

Emma's green eyes darkened as she watched the entire scene unfold from inside her vehicle after she had instructed Sidney to station it out of view. "Let's go, Sidney." She ordered, feeling the car in motion.