Weeks passed by quickly and turned into months and the seasons changed just as quickly, the summer fading fast by the middle of September and the winds changed, bringing a chill to the air that brought autumn roaring in.

By the beginning of November and in the last stretch of Emma's days at the academy coming to an end just before Thanksgiving, their lives became extremely hectic and Emma's weekends became non-existent as they were spent preparing for exams she'd need to ace to graduate at the top of her class. Regina had nothing but solid faith in her that she'd be able to do it even when Emma didn't believe in herself enough to think that way. Regina was her support system, but she wasn't the only one who had Emma's back and believed in her through and through.

Ruby was over almost every other evening and it started out with her coming to see Emma, and then as Emma became busier with her studies and training at the academy, Ruby and Regina started spending more and more time together whenever she came around. For the first time in a long time, Regina had a friend and not just a friend she knew through her company or through a family friend or some other connection, it was a genuine friendship that she'd formed with Emma's best friend.

Regina hadn't spoken with Kathryn in months and she was quite content with that. After Kathryn had finally signed the divorce papers, from what she'd heard, Kathryn had taken off for New York City with Peter. It was just a few days after that that Regina had heard rumors that Kathryn had married the man she'd been having an affair with while she'd been married to David all those years. It wasn't even long after those rumors started to spread that David caught wind of them and then, one gray and windy afternoon in October just before Halloween, he and Mary Margaret got married at the courthouse just hours before Mary Margaret went into labor two months early.

At least that's what they'd all thought until the baby boy was born perfectly healthy, albeit a little underweight at five pounds and six ounces. Regina had spent most of that night at the hospital with Emma and Ruby while they waited for the news, any news. At three in the morning, after Mary Margaret gave birth to her baby boy, the three of them went down to The Velvet Lounge for celebratory drinks.

And now, just three days before Thanksgiving and on the eve of Emma's graduation, Regina paced the floor in her office with the safe open and the ring sitting in the open box on her desk. She wasn't worried that Emma would walk in as she was down in the gym with Zelena, working on setting up a new routine for Zelena and giving herself one last hard-core workout before her graduation. Regina had been thinking about it for months and she had decided just weeks before that she would ask Emma to marry her after the ceremony.

The nerves were already building and for a whole host of reasons. It had barely been six months since they'd met and yet it felt like it had been years. She was so afraid that Emma would think it was all happening too soon even though they'd been living together since the beginning of July.

Regina picked up her phone the instant it rang, and thanks to Emma changing each of her contacts to a customized ring, she knew exactly who was calling before looking at the display.

"Are you busy?" Ruby asked before she could say a word. "Please tell me you are not busy."

"I'm not busy," Regina chuckled. "Hello to you too, Ruby."

"I'm freaking out!" Ruby exclaimed. "I know I said I'd bring the trimmings for dinner on Thursday but I'm sitting here trying to figure out what the hell those are. I called Granny and she hung up on me. Can you believe that? She hung up on me!"

"Ruby—"

"She called me back like ten minutes later in a rage," Ruby continued and Regina shook her head as she closed the ring box and placed it back in the safe. "She told me I should damn well know what trimmings are. She called me a dumbass, Regina!"

"Ruby, just bring some of those scalloped potatoes you cooked the last time we all got together for dinner. They were simply divine."

"Really?" Ruby exhaled sharply. "That's not what trimmings are, right?"

"Side dishes," Regina replied. "Don't worry too much, dear. Mary Margaret sent me an email just this morning of what she and David are bringing along as their contribution to our Thanksgiving dinner this year. We'll have more than enough food, I assure you."

"Oh good," Ruby sighed in relief. "Scalloped potatoes is a go then. Anything else?"

"Aside from your company?" Regina asked teasingly. "A bottle of wine, or two if you wish. I fear we may need it since Mary Margaret is going on two days of no sleep and is completely unbearable."

"Oh, I know! David came here this morning, like really early, because she was being moody and he hasn't slept a full night in days because of the baby. He crashed in her old bed until almost noon!"

"They've only just begun and the baby is still very young. They have many months ahead of them of those sleepless nights."

"That's what I told him," Ruby laughed. "I don't think either of them has a clue what they're in for."

"Indeed, but as with all new parents, it's just another life experience they get to loathe and enjoy all at once."

Regina smiled as she heard the door open and the sound of the familiar clunk of Emma taking off her running shoes and letting them drop to the mat by the door. She shut the safe and placed the picture back over it before telling Ruby she'd see her in the morning when they were to meet for breakfast at Joe's before attending Emma's graduation ceremony at eleven.

Regina exited her office and headed straight for the kitchen since she knew she'd find Emma in there obliging in her post-workout routine of drinking from the milk carton and gorging on the homemade cookies they'd made the previous evening together. She also loved seeing Emma in her post-workout glow, from the color in her cheeks to the heat of her skin and even the slightly tangy smell of her sweat. There was just something about her when she was in that mode that turned Regina on beyond belief.

Regina walked into the kitchen only to be greeted by the sight of Emma sitting on the stool at the island with a piece of frozen steak being held against her left eye by Zelena. She frowned as she rushed to Emma's side and lifted the piece of frozen meat away from her eye.

"What happened?"

"Zee has a wicked right hook," Emma chuckled listlessly. "Caught me off-guard."

"I didn't mean to hit her!" Zelena groaned. "She was testing me and I just lost control."

"Emma—"

"I'm fine," Emma said as she grabbed the frozen meat out of Regina's grip and held it firmly against her swollen and blackening eye. "It is fine, babe. Barely hurts."

"You're graduating tomorrow!"

"I know."

"There are going to be pictures. Lots of pictures!"

"I know," Emma groaned. "Zee already promised she'd help me cover it up tomorrow morning. It's nothing, babe. Don't worry."

"Oh, I worry," Regina replied and she cast as venomous glare at her sister. "Why were you hitting each other in the first place?"

"Boxing," Zelena replied with a shrug. "Emma suggested it."

"Yeah, that was before I knew you hit like that!" Emma countered and Regina just shook her head and stroked her fingers over her right cheek. "I thought it'd be good for her to release some of her aggression, you know?"

"I know."

"Fuck," Emma groaned. "Do you think we can cover this up?"

"We'll try, mi amor."

"Speaking of," Emma said as she slipped off the stool. "I should go check my grades. They were supposed to send them out about an hour ago."

Regina just smiled at her as Emma rushed out of the kitchen and her smile quickly turned to a glare as she looked over at Zelena. Zelena held up her hands and frowned. Just as Regina was about to stalk over towards her and give her hell for hitting Emma, accident or not, she heard Emma whoop from the office and then a moment later she came running back into the kitchen. Regina wasn't sure what to do, what to say since Emma looked as if she was on the very verge of breaking out into a panic attack.

"Emma, what is it?"

"I—I—"

"Breathe," Regina soothed as she placed her hand on Emma's shoulders. "Did you get your grades?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"Oh for gods sake," Zelena groaned. "Did you pass?"

"Yes?"

"Emma?" Regina asked gently and she moved her hands to cup Emma's face gently. "What is it, my love? Did you do better than you expected?"

"Uh huh," Emma said under her breath and she wrapped her arms around Regina's waist and spun her around a little. "Guess what they ranked me?"

"Top three in your class?" Regina asked and Emma motioned up with her head and Regina laughed. "Top two?"

"Top of the class, baby!" Emma whooped and she spun Regina around happily. "Oh my god!"

"Breathe, my love," Regina whispered. "That is absolutely wonderful!"

"Do you have to speak at the graduation ceremony tomorrow?" Zelena asked and Emma turned to look at her and shook her head. "Well that's a relief, isn't it? Especially since that shiner of yours is going to be pretty hard to cover up."

"It's just a small yet formal ceremony. The only one speaking is uh, is the uh Commissioner of Boston Police. I hear he's new and a pretty intimidating guy too. God, I should go and make sure that my dress uniform is—"

"It is ironed to perfection and hanging in the closet, dear," Regina reminded her gently. "All you have to do is get up in the morning, shower and dress after you've taken Bear out and had some breakfast, and figure out how you're going to cover that shiner of yours before we are due to be at the academy for eleven."

"What about Tink?" Zelena asked. "She was a make-up artist for a while back in college, wasn't she, Regina?"

"Yes, I believe she was."

"If anyone can cover up anything, it's her, isn't it?"

"I'll give her a call and see if she's available tomorrow morning."

"Actually, Regina," Zelena said slowly. "I'm going to be meeting her for drinks in an hour. I'll ask her when I see her about taking care of Emma's shiner tomorrow morning."

"You are going out for drinks with Tink?" Regina asked skeptically. "Why?"

"I don't have a lot of friends, Regina, you know that, and well since you and Tink have known each other forever and she's a lot more pleasant to be around than Kathryn, I thought there wouldn't be any harm in attempting to become friends with one of yours."

"And you can't make friends of your own, Zelena?" Regina asked and her sister frowned as a flash of hurt appeared on her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"It's fine," Zelena replied tightly and in a tone that reminded Regina too much of their mother for her liking. "I'll be seeing you two tomorrow morning."

Regina waited until she heard Zelena walk out the door before she leaned in to kiss Emma, their lips lingering as Emma began to back out of the kitchen, leading the way to their bedroom. Regina stopped her and shook her head as she broke away from the kiss. With a playful slap to Emma's rear, she chased her lover into the bedroom and into the en-suite bathroom. Mindful that Emma couldn't be completely exhausted the next morning, she didn't tease, only please as they showered together and headed to bed early.

And the nerves continued to build even hours after they made love until they'd both succumbed to the pull of sleep in one another's arms. Regina woke up just before two in the morning, her mind racing a mile a minute as she thought of what she'd be asking Emma in what she hoped would be in less than twelve hours.

[X]

Emma stood proudly in the middle of the long row with twenty of the other cadets in her class as the ceremony winded down. Regina hadn't taken her eyes off of Emma for the long two-hour ceremony nor had she taken her hand out of the pocket of her fitted gray blazer she'd slipped on that morning. The ring box was clutched tightly in her hand and every once in a while, Zelena just cast her a look and glanced at her hand in her pocket with a smug, knowing smile.

Boston's Commissioner, Chief Logan Randal, closed the ceremony with a drawn out speech and still Regina didn't take her eyes off of Emma as she stood straight, tall, and proud with her special pin that noted her to be the top of her class along with her brand new, shiny badge that adorned her left breast pocket.

"Are we meeting her outside?" Zelena asked in a stage whisper as the crowd clapped and cheered as the Commissioner congratulated the newest officers for the Boston police force. "Regina? Are we meeting her outside or were you planning on asking her to marry you before they're due for pictures for the newspapers?"

Regina turned to her sister and shrugged. "Honestly, I haven't thought of the exact moment yet, Zelena."

"Are you procrastinating?"

"No!"

"Then get up there and ask her to marry you!" Zelena hissed. "Go!"

Regina made her way through the crowd to the front stage where Emma was surrounded by those in her class and a couple of politicians who had gotten to her first to congratulate her for her accomplishments in the academy. Regina tried to push her way past the crowd that was growing denser near the stage and she felt the panic rise in her chest when she was idly pushed out of the way by a man wearing a black leather jacket.

She watched curiously as the man approached Emma and after a moment, Emma squealed and nearly jumped into his arms. Confused, Regina continued to make her way to the stage, following Emma and the man in the leather jacket off to the side where a table filled with refreshments was being set up.

"I heard you were going to be a cop," the man said as Regina approached Emma from behind. "I can't believe it, Em. You're a freaking pig! Oink!"

"August!" Emma laughed and she hit him playfully in the left shoulder with a loose fist. "I figured I had to do something with my life and hell, maybe this is that something I'm going to be good at, you know?"

"Well, you are the top of your class, kiddo," the man chuckled. "Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"Emma," Regina said softly as she reached out for Emma's hand. "Congratulations, mi amor."

"Hey!" Emma laughed as she spun around and enveloped Regina in a tight hug. "Regina, I want you to meet someone I used to know a long, long time ago."

"Oh?"

"This is August Booth," she said as she stepped back and motioned to the man in the leather jacket. "August, this is Regina, my girlfriend."

"No shit!" August chuckled obnoxiously. "Since when does my kid sister have a girlfriend?"

"Since the spring," Emma chuckled with a shake of her head. "August and I grew up together in foster care, at least we did until he took off when he was seventeen."

"Pleasure to meet you, Regina," August said as he reached for Regina's extended hand and instead of a shake, he leaned forward to place a light kiss on the back of her hand. "Do you think we could catch up?" He asked Emma once he'd let go of Regina's hand. "Go for a beer, celebrate you becoming one of them?"

"Actually, I have to get outside. We're kind of obligated to pose for pictures as a class for the press," Emma said with an awkward shrug. "Maybe later?"

"Sure, sure," August said quickly. "You do what you gotta do, Em. Here," he said and he pulled out a worn business card from the pack pocket of his black jeans. "Give me a call when you're free?"

"Of course."

"August?" Regina asked before he could turn to walk away. "Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving?"

"Nope, not a single plan that can't be changed. Why do you ask?"

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Regina asked and she didn't miss the surprised look on both of their faces. "There will be more than enough food to go around and since you are a part of Emma's family, we would love to have you there."

"Yeah?" August asked and once Emma gave him a small nod, he grinned. "Perfect. Em, call me and let me know when and where and I'll be there."

"Promise?"

"Of course. It's been almost twenty years, hasn't it? We've got a helluva lot to catch up on, don't we, kiddo?"

They shared a quick hug goodbye before he disappeared into the crowd. Regina tightened her grip on the ring box as she laced her fingers with Emma's with her free hand. She wanted to kiss her, but she respected their privacy far too much to do so in front of such a large crowd. Instead, she leaned in to whisper to Emma to follow her out of the room to go somewhere quiet to talk before she was due to be out front on the lawn for the pictures with the press.

Regina wasn't familiar with the building, but thankfully Emma was and Emma led them down one hallway and then into another where they were completely alone and the sound of the crowd in the hall had all but become a faint whisper.

Regina stole a quick glance up and down the hallway before she let go of the ring in her pocket and placed her hand at the nape of Emma's neck and pulled her in for a long, deep, passionate kiss. A noise just down the hall caused them both to part with a gasp and Regina just grinned as she used the pad of her thumb to wipe at the lipstick she'd left behind on Emma's lips.

"Emma—"

"We should probably get out front," Emma said as she took both of Regina's hands in her own.

"Em—"

"I don't want to miss out on being in every newspaper in Boston, you know?" Emma continued and she started down the hallway in the direction they had come. "Plus, it's kind of expected of me since I'm top of the class and everything. I was told by a few people I'd probably have to do some interviews too."

"Of course, but Emma, can I talk to you for a moment before you go outside?" Regina asked and Emma stopped and turned to face her and the smile on Emma's face made the butterflies in Regina's stomach instantly take flight. "Emma, it's hard to believe that six months ago we first met in the middle of the night."

"Has it been that long?" Emma asked teasingly. "Best six months of my life, honestly."

"Emma, I—" Regina inhaled sharply and she shook her head. "Emma, I love you."

"I love you too."

"I love you," Regina said again. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else in my whole life and I am more than certain that I will never love another as much as I love you."

This wasn't exactly the moment she had pictured in her mind, but right in that very moment, everything felt right. Regina shakily held on to Emma's hands and wet her suddenly dry lips and she watched a host of emotions flood through Emma's eyes.

"I have known for quite some time now that you are the one, Emma. You are the one, my love, my true love, the other half of my very soul. I know we moved terribly fast, but in all this time, all this short amount of time, every step we've taken in our relationship, it has always felt right and it has never felt to be too fast even if others have thought so. Before I met you, I had been so convinced I'd never find someone who made me feel more like myself than I've felt in a very long time. Before I met you, I had lost hope that I'd ever find love again, much less a love that runs as deep as the love I feel for you."

Regina didn't let go of Emma's hands, but she could feel Emma tremble as she was overcome with emotion. Regina just smiled and leaned in to briefly steal a kiss before she blinked back the happy tears from her eyes, not daring to cry. Not yet.

"We have had our moments and I know we always will, good moments, bad moments, everything in between, but I know one thing is for certain, Emma Swan, I cannot imagine a life without you. I cannot imagine a future without you in it. Emma," she said and she shook her head before letting go of Emma's hands to reach into the pocket of her blazer to pull out the ring box. "I have been gravitated towards you right from the start and for a while, I never knew why it was, but now I do. Now I know it is because we were somehow destined to be together, that we were meant to be, that even possibly we were made for one another. I want to spend my life with you if you'll have me, Emma Swan because I want to be your wife and I want to be yours."

In hindsight, she had envisioned getting down on one knee as she opened up the ring box, but her tight pencil skirt and heels made the movement impossible. She laughed incredulously and shook her head as Emma stood still in front of her with her hands still trembling and her eyes filling with tears.

"Will you marry me, Emma?"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes," Regina laughed. "I'd get down on one knee but—"

"Yes!" Emma squealed as she wrapped her arms around Regina, lifting her slightly off her feet to spin her around. "Oh my god," Emma laughed as she let Regina down and she reached into her pocket of her own blazer she wore and pulled out a similar ring box. "Way to steal my thunder."

"What?"

"I was going to ask you to marry me," Emma stammered and her hands continued to tremble as she opened up the ring box. "I had this whole thing planned out right? I was just waiting for the right moment."

"As was I."

Regina slipped the ring out of the box and reached for Emma's left hand. With a nod from Emma, she slipped the ring on then pocketed the box before Emma dropped down to one knee. Her heart began to race faster and faster as Emma pulled out the ring and held on to both of her hands a second later.

"I never imagined I'd meet someone like you or that I'd ever experience the love that I feel when I'm with you, Regina. You said it better than I ever could, but I truly do believe we were meant for one another and I'm so happy we found each other, even if the first time we met wasn't exactly ideal," she said and they both chuckled, oblivious to the fact that a few people who had trickled out into the hallway were now watching them. "I want nothing more than to spend the rest of our lives together. I want to marry you, I want to have a family with you, but most of all, I just want you. So, will you marry me, too, Regina Mills?"

"Yes. Yes, of course!" Regina laughed and Emma excitedly slipped the diamond ring on Regina's finger before rising to her feet, their lips instantly meeting for a passionate kiss. "I love you."

"I love you," Emma whispered against her lips. "And later, I'm going to show you how much I love you, but right now we kind of got a bit of an audience."

"Do we?" Regina laughed and she turned just as she saw a few people snap some pictures with their phones and digital cameras, Zelena right in the middle of the small crowd that had gathered.

Regina kissed Emma once more, delighting the crowd that had gathered to witness their dual engagement and she had to stop herself from taking things too far out of respect that it was still very much Emma's day. Emma just slipped a hand in hers and they barely took their eyes off of one another as Emma led the way out to the front lawn where she was expected to be for the press that had shown up to take pictures of Boston's newest members of the police force.

As it had been during the ceremony, Regina never once took her eyes off of Emma, her fiancée, and word started spreading fast amongst the crowd and the press that they were now engaged. Suddenly, Regina was surrounded by members of the press, asking her questions about her engagement to Emma Swan, and she kept her answers short and as vague as possible, living up to the image she'd created that was both mysterious and alluring in its own right.

By the time the hype died down, they were in the back of Jerry's town car and being whisked away to the after party one of Emma's new friends from the academy was hosting at a house just outside the city along the coast. They stayed for an hour before Emma was dragging her out of the house and to where Jerry was still sitting in the car and on the phone with his wife. The ride back home felt like an eternity and the moment they were alone, Regina very carefully disrobed Emma of her uniform, and she took her before she too could take off a stitch of clothing.

Yet, despite the voracious sexual hunger, Regina loved those moments where sleep was about to take them, where they clung to one another, fighting and succumbing to the pull of sleep all at once. It was the moment she felt the most vulnerable and a moment where she knew Emma did as well, much more than she did because she could feel that tremble and she could feel those walls trying to slot up into place despite how much Emma fought it.

But she understood. She understood in ways she couldn't quite describe and in ways that she knew Emma never had before. It only made her love Emma more and more, it only made her want to hold on even tighter and never, ever let go.

There were quite literally no words to describe how Regina felt the moment they fell into their bed together that night. It was right, more than right. Emma felt like home. Emma was everything to her and with the rings on both of their fingers; it only solidified a future for them where they would not only always find home within one another, but everything else and everything in between.

[X]

(Eight Months Later…)

As the last few lines of their first dance as wives rang through the room, Regina felt at mercy at the hands of her wife as they kissed without abandon in front of the few hundred guests that were gathered there to celebrate their marriage.

The day had been perfect despite the fact that she'd woken up with a hangover due to the drinks she'd had the night before with Zelena, Tink, and her mother. The moment she first saw Emma in her white tuxedo, it was clear that she wasn't the only one feeling the after-effects of the night before and one too many drinks. And yet the moment she laid her eyes on Emma, the whole rest of the world fell away and all she saw was her soon-to-be wife waiting for her at the altar.

They had originally planned to get married at a church in Boston, but after some reflections over the months of planning and preparing for the wedding, they ultimately decided to get married at the Mills' vineyard with the sun setting as the backdrop while they exchanged their vows. Despite the many changes they'd made over months upon months of planning the wedding, everything turned out to be just perfect in every single way.

As the band finished the song, Regina found herself being whisked away from her wife by her father and she laughed as a new song began and Regina recognized the Latin beat as a song she and her father once danced to when she was a young child.

"Enjoying your day?" Henry asked and Regina just smiled as she moved to lay her head on her father's shoulder. "You look absolutely beautiful today. Beautiful, happy, and in love."

"Thank you, Daddy. You look as handsome as always."

"Shall we show everyone how it is done?" Henry asked and Regina leaned back and grinned. "Do you think you can keep up with an old man, dear?"

"Of course I can, Daddy. Let's show them how it is done."

They moved fluidly and flawlessly together, the steps coming back to Regina instantly. People cheered and clapped along as she and her father danced circles around the few others who had joined them on the dance floor. Regina's heart was racing and she could feel a thin sheen of perspiration covering her body and causing her dress to stick to her in different places. When the band finished the song, they took a bow and Regina hurried over to the head table where her wife was waiting.

Emma just smiled at her before taking her by the hand and whisked her out of the big white tent. Overhead the sky was clear and the stars were shining brightly, and just over the horizon of the trees that surrounded the vineyard, the full moon had just begun to rise. Emma spun around and wrapped her arms around Regina, grinning as they felt into a slow dance under the moonlight.

"Do you think it is okay that we escape?" Emma asked.

"I don't know, but maybe just for a little while."

"Come with me," Emma said as she reached for Regina's hand and led her down to the path that went into the woods. Regina hesitated and Emma urged her on. "Come on, Regina, just for a little while like you said."

"Where are we going?"

"Someplace where we can finally be alone."

"Emma—"

"Just for a few minutes, okay?" Emma grinned and Regina nodded and allowed herself to be led down the path into the woods. "Don't worry, babe."

"I'm not worried about my wife taking me into the dark woods at night. Not at all," Regina replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Where are we going?"

"I had something set up earlier," Emma said and as they ventured deeper into the woods, Regina could just faintly see the flickering of a torch or two off in the distance. "I sent Ruby off to get it all set up before the speeches started."

"I had wondered where she went off to."

"She promised me that nobody will miss us," Emma continued. "At least not for a little while."

"We will be missed sooner or later, Emma. It is, after all, our wedding day and everyone that is here is here for us."

Emma just shook her head and motioned for Regina to close her eyes. She sighed as she closed her eyes and Emma led her the rest of the way down the path. Regina could smell incense burning along with the citronella torches she'd seen from off in the distance before. She smiled when Emma moved to stand behind her and wrapped her arms around her snugly.

"Can I open my eyes now, my love?"

"Yes."

Regina opened her eyes to take in the sight of the small canopy tent in front of her with a plush sofa, candles and two large glasses of white wine. Regina turned in Emma's arms and they shared a loving kiss before Emma let her go and she sat down on the plush sofa. Emma knelt down in front of her, lifted the hem of her dress, and carefully removed her heels that had been killing her for the last hour and a half.

Emma dropped a light kiss to each of Regina's legs before lowering her dress. She sat beside Regina once she'd taken off her tuxedo jacket and draped it over the back of the sofa. They picked up their glasses and raised them in a toast.

"To my wife," Emma said, her voice wavering with emotion. "Here is to many, many happy years together. Forever."

"To my wife, here is to a life filled with happiness, with love, and…" Regina trailed off as she cast a glance down at Emma's toned midsection. "Perhaps even a family one day."

"Speaking of family," Emma said after they took a sip of their wine, a year Regina recognized as one her parents very rarely let anyone outside the immediate family drink as it was a private reserve. Emma took another sip and pulled out a hefty looking envelope from under the cushion she was sitting on. "One of the social workers who come down to the station a few times a week told me about this closed adoption of a little boy, barely a month old really, and she asked if we would be interested in pursuing an adoption."

"Adoption?" Regina blinked in confusion. They hadn't talked much about having a family of their own, but she had thrown adoption on the table a few months ago when the topic had arisen over a family dinner there at the vineyard. "Honey, adoption takes months, years even."

"I know, but I was asked by Sophie if we'd be interested. She said she'd push for us to get the baby within weeks."

"Emma, couldn't we talk about this another time? It is our wedding day, after all."

"I know, I know, but I think we should do this. I think we should pursue this adoption."

"What did you do?"

"What?" Emma chuckled nervously. "Why do you think that I did anything?"

"Emma."

"I know I should've talked to you about it and I am now, but it's not like we're getting him tonight or anything."

"Emma."

"We're still going to have our honeymoon," Emma continued in a rush. "Babe, when Sophie told me about him, I don't know, I just knew we would be the right family for him, the right parents, you know?" Emma sighed and she pulled out a small photograph of a newborn baby from the folder. "He was abandoned to an orphanage in Augusta hours after he was born. At least his mother had the decency to take him somewhere and not leave him at the side of the road."

Regina's heart broke at hearing Emma talk about her past in a flippant way. It was something Emma never spoke about and when she did, it always made Regina's heart and soul ache for her. Just from what Emma told her about the baby, she knew exactly why Emma had gone ahead and made that decision without talking to her first and there was no way she could be upset with her when she knew all Emma was doing was trying to do the right thing. That all she wanted was to give a child a chance, one she never had herself.

"I know that we've only talked about adoption once and that was at dinner with your parents," Emma said quietly and she shook her head as her eyes filled with tears. "But when Sophie told me about this I hoped that you'd want this as much as I do, Regina."

"Starting a family with you is something I want, my love. Are you sure this is the right way to do this?" Regina asked. "It is awfully quick and this is the last thing I expected you to bring up, especially on our wedding day of all days."

"I know it's so quick and I know there is still a lot more that we need to talk about, but I want to do this with you. Only if you want to? If not this baby, maybe there'll be another one?"

"A few weeks you said it'd take?" Regina asked and Emma just nodded as she handed the envelope to her. Regina pulled out the small folder from inside that had some minimal paperwork on the baby boy in question, paperwork that was lacking signatures from both of them. She placed the folder back into the envelope and sipped her wine with a whimsical smile curling over her lips. "Are we ready for this, Emma?" She asked tentatively. "A baby is a huge, huge responsibility."

"I know."

"Do you really want to do this, Emma?"

"Yes," Emma nodded. "I'm as sure about this as I am about spending the rest of our lives together. I know we're both working and we're busy and the condo isn't exactly baby-proof. Then there is the fact that Bear is terrified of Neal."

"Terrified," Regina chuckled. "I'm surprised Mary Margaret and David even bring him around still after the last time."

"At least it hasn't been as bad as the time we had dinner with your parents and Bear tore through the house after that damn cat."

"The first time or the last time?"

They laughed and laughed until Regina turned to her wife and pulled her in for a deep, passionate kiss. Regina pulled back with a heartfelt sigh and in that very moment, nothing in her life ever looked as optimistic or as true as it did then.

Regina already had a full life long before she met Emma Swan, but something had always been missing, even back before the accident robbed Danielle of her life and the life they could've had together. There were times that she wondered what her life would've been like had that accident never happened, but now all it did was remind her that she wouldn't have found her true love.

Whatever forces had been present that night she first met Emma in the Laundromat, whether it be fate or sheer luck, it had brought them together and for that, she would forever be grateful to have had that chance to meet Emma Swan in the middle of the night in the middle of a rainstorm.

"What are you thinking?" Emma whispered.

"Every once in a while," Regina said softly as she smiled at her wife. "You meet someone you're drawn to and you never want to let them go."

"Never."

"Never."

The End

Author's Notes: Just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been supporting me (both positively and negatively) throughout this story. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I want to thank you all for giving me inspiration to continue to write this story and the many more that are, without a doubt, coming in the future :)