A/N: Sadly, turns out we did need a little fluff after that finale (or a lot of it, rip my heart out, why don't you), and while I'm not the best at pure sugar, I can guarantee that in this story, Regina gets her happy ending. I hope you enjoy.
Blue moon, now I'm no longer alone, without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own.
Two years later, Storybrooke was once again graced with a moonstruck blue moon.
A lot had changed since Emma and Regina's moment on the pier. The returned memories lead to the defeat of Zelena. Snow and Charming had their healthy baby boy. Emma returned to her post as Sheriff, and Regina remained Mayor. Their respective beaus had moved on, with considerably less fuss than anyone had expected—It was difficult to argue with True Love's kiss.
The same had applied to Henry. They had caught him just in time, appearing in a cloud of periwinkle smoke as he was planning to run out the door of Granny's in slippers. He instantly bowled into Regina. A smile burst across her face in the embrace, the kind that rivals the sun in its intensity.
In no time at all, however, he had let go and demanded to know how they did it. They hadn't known what to say at first—sure, it was True Love, and they did know that even without it they cared deeply for one another, but they hadn't even gone on a date. This wasn't how either of them would have introduced Henry to a significant other. But between their perplexed looks to one another, and their comfortable closeness, their brilliant boy deduced the truth on his own.
His shock and slight concern had disappeared by the time Snow and Charming had arrived, having been explained away by promises from his mothers, who swore they wouldn't hurt each other and that while things would be different, he would always be their first concern. He didn't much care about that, only wanting credit for inadvertently playing matchmaker, and declaring that of course it made sense, the Savior needed to save everyone and get her happy ending. The trio had a much more in depth conversation later on, but at the time, they were content to revel in Henry's exuberance.
And to try to explain the whole thing to the Charmings.
"True Love" got them a lot of leeway. In fact, the only lasting protest they encountered, other than Hook's bout of moping, came from Tinkerbell. It wasn't mean-spirited; she was just unwilling to accept that her magic had been wrong. Ruby gave them plenty of sass, but only in the form of clichéd jokes, particularly when Emma had permanently moved into 108 Mifflin just weeks after that fateful night. Of course, all it took was one perfectly timed comment from Regina about how jealousy really didn't suit the wolf in her molasses voice for Ruby to stop joking and start flirting with Regina just to see Emma get riled up. Though when they came into the diner with Henry, she would just gush about how adorable they were as a couple, delighting in the red faces of all the Swan-Mills until Henry would beg her to stop, saying he could always call her "Great-aunt Ruby." That boy certainly belonged to Regina.
They were a family.
Regina was impressed with how easily Emma had taken to the "mom" role from her year in New York, often finding that she was the one guilty of spoiling Henry. Not that she cared. Actually, she found that she frequently liked doing it just to see the look of responsible disapproval on Emma's face. They'd argue about little things like that—town paperwork, the "in-laws," whether Henry should be allowed to have his own sword—but it was just the spark between them exercising itself in one of the few ways it knew how. The other predominate way certainly wasn't appropriate for public viewing. But after a time, they didn't bother to keep their affection secret. They would kiss each other in public, much to the embarrassment (and secret delight) of Henry. They would never leave each other for the day without saying "I love you." And every full moon, they would try to take a midnight walk, or at least have a moment to themselves—a moment that more often than not turned steamy.
They were in love.
This full moon—their first blue moon officially together—they made the effort to take the full walk to the piers. Neither of them had been much for conventional anniversaries, or a conventional relationship for that matter (considering they had started things with True Love's Kiss and had Emma moving fully and permanently into Regina's house less than a month later), but this—their blue moon—they had agreed it was an opportunity to appreciate what they had.
After a late romantic dinner of Emma's creation in a repurposed dry-dock emptied out for spring only to be filled with candles and white and purple flowers of all kinds, they strolled out along the piers, hand in hand. Emma was humming what had become "their song," though she really just loved hearing Regina sing it.
That was exactly what she had in mind when she stopped humming to plead, "C'mon, Regina, please?"
"Emma—"
"There's no one around but us, babe."
Regina stopped walking, her arm stretching with Emma's continued momentum until the blonde rounded back to face her.
"How many times do I have to tell you. I am not a 'babe'."
Emma smirked, walking back to Regina and placing the brunette's arms around her waist, hands still joined.
"First of all, you totally are. Second of all, forever, 'cause you don't like any of my other nicknames for you, and I like this one best. Third of all, I'll stop using babe when you stop using dear, which won't ever happen."
"I rather thought you liked being my dear." Regina growled mischievously, her voice rumbling low in her chest.
"I do. That's why you're never gonna stop using it."
Emma punctuated her reasoning with a short kiss and cockeyed grin, and once again, Regina was amazed at how she continued to find this behavior endearing. Whatever had happened to her?
"So, please? I'll provide the accompaniment!" Emma unclasped Regina's hands, resuming her lead out to a clear bit of pier before letting go of her to stand at attention as if it were a formal dance.
Regina stood in place, watching amused as her princess tried her best to be a prince. "To think all those years, I had no idea where Henry got it from."
"Please, mama?" Emma did her best puppy-eyed impression of Henry, knowing full well it would have the desired effect, though a thought struck her mid-pout, and she tilted her head, looking Regina over.
"What about mama? That suits you! And you can't say you're not a mama."
Regina put her hands on her hips, raising a signature eyebrow. "Does that make you papi?"
"If you always sound that sexy saying it, then yes, absolutely."
She scoffed at Emma's good-natured cockiness. "Don't press your luck."
Regina sauntered towards the blonde, stepping into position, draping her arms around Emma's neck as Emma wrapped hers around her waist. Emma started humming again, softly, swaying them back and forth, and with one last pleading look, Regina supplied the lyrics. She remained quiet, not liking to sing for anyone other than her family in the privacy of her own home, but as the words fell through her and she looked into glistening green eyes, she couldn't help be moved by the music and the magic and what had happened on that glorious evening when she truly had thought all had been lost. She didn't even notice when Emma's humming had turned into the sounds of an actual piano, the Sheriff having become much more adept at magic in their time together. It continued as she stopped singing, a bit of beautiful improvisational jazz that once again reminded her of her love's complexity. Emma was a magnificent musician—the sounds were all her own.
"This is lovely, Emma."
"Between the moon and my beautiful muse, I find myself quite inspired. Thank you for singing for me," she whispered as they danced.
"Anything for you, papi," Regina whispered back just to catch the glimmer of surprise in Emma's eyes. She was not disappointed when Emma practically gaped at her.
"Ahh, I've created a monster. An incredibly sexy, incredibly talented monster. I'm quite the genius."
"Don't get ahead of yourself, dear, you do still have Charming genes."
"Like I said, a snarky, sassy little monster."
"I'm only letting you get away with that because Young Frankenstein was as amusing as you said it was going to be."
A wave of realization crashed over Emma, her face falling from its flirty smile to a frown of immediate contrition, stopping their swaying but holding Regina even closer. "Dammit. I'm sorry, Regina."
"Don't be, dear." They would stumble on moments like this sometimes. Where Regina's life as the Evil Queen came up to the surface, or one would say something insensitive not knowing the entirety of the other's story. It happened much more frequently with Emma considering Regina had lived so much she hadn't seen and was rarely willing to talk about—like her first love actually becoming Frankenstein's monster—and that Emma did happen to know just about every bastardized pop culture version of events. But that was all they were. Stumbles. Ones that caused progressively less heartache as they let each other in. Regina barely even snapped or closed off anymore. It wasn't worth it.
"You can't help that your cultural knowledge seems to be limited to things that I have actually lived through. Besides, I'm afraid all the qualities you have listed belonged to me long before you arrived."
"Arrived, huh?" Emma sensed Regina wasn't truly bothered by the careless comment by the way her fingertips played along the nape of her neck, and she was quick to bring her playfulness back. "We're placing the moment of your transformation at the very second I came to town? In love with me already?"
"Yes," Regina deadpanned, "I do always try to kill my romantic interests first thing; it weeds out the weak ones."
Emma laughed. A true indicator of their given comfort at any time was definitely in their joking about murder.
"Good thing all of your other suitors were weak then. I wouldn't have wanted to get almost spliced by trying to teleport on hopped-up moon magic for nothing."
Emma froze, wanting to rewind 30 seconds. What she had just let slip could ruin things all over again.
Regina's reaction was delayed, thrown by the fear that flashed through Emma's eyes as she processed her words. "Trying to…you did it on purpose. You knew about blue moons."
Emma couldn't tell in Regina composure whether she was about to explode or if it wasn't a big deal after all so she tried to head it off at the pass, spewing quickly and apologetically.
"Ruby may have mentioned something about magic being stronger and magical connections being more powerful or something like that."
"You meant to show up at the docks? It was a plan?" Regina's eerie calm was still entirely disconcerting to Emma, particularly as the brunette had pulled back from their embrace. Emma fumbled to explain.
"Well, I meant to show up wherever you were, though I was kind of hoping that was at home because of the whole barefooted, pajamas in the cold deal. And I really did try to practice and do all those little things beforehand to limit my chances of screwing up, but it turns out I had you on the brain anyway."
At that, Regina softened a little. She had assumed that Emma's interest in her had been the same as hers in Emma—a mysterious pull, undefined—hardly fully-formed thoughts of love or even friendship, just connection. But this…
"You…knew?"
"No, actually, not so much about that," Emma reflected honestly. "I was maybe a little surprised by that turn of events. Very, very happily surprised." She looked deep into Regina's eyes as the truth of it all sunk in once again. She was incredibly lucky. "I just knew I wanted to be friends. And that you'd be more willing to accept my company if it was the result of magical incompetence."
Regina's mask cracked a little further, chuckling at the thought of the blonde's mishaps.
"How right you were, dear."
Emma reached out for Regina's hands, holding them firmly as she saw she would be making it through this slip up, too. "I'm sorry that I tricked you. But I'm really not sorry how it turned out."
Regina absorbed the sincerity of Emma's apology, feeling the heat from her palms warming her hands in the evening chill. "I suppose I can let it go, considering the end results, yes."
She had become downright easy-going where Emma was concerned, the idea of best intentions actually holding weight when it came to her true love. Emma hadn't hurt her. Not truly. And whatever little pains she brought, she always stumbled over herself trying to make up. Grudges wouldn't do. Not when Emma depended on her staying just as much as she depended on Emma.
Emma used the leeway to pull Regina closer, wrapping her arms around her waist once more. "They were some pretty great end results."
"You're just trying to make sure I don't punish you for lying to me," Regina pressed.
"Not lying! Willfully misinforming?" Emma cringed as she accepted the reality. "Okay, yes, sorry again." She gazed into espresso eyes, hoping for a clue. "Is it working?"
"I don't know. Kiss me."
Emma joyfully complied, always happy to settle against warm, full lips. Regina broke the kiss shortly after, knowing she wouldn't be able to keep up her front against Emma's gentle caresses.
"Hmm," she pretended to deliberate. "Blue moons apparently are quite powerful. No punishment this time. At least not one you wouldn't enjoy."
Emma tugged her closer at her provocative suggestion, her smile returning in full force with Regina's teasing. "I love you, you know that?"
"I do, actually."
"Good. Because I do. And because you should know. Always. I love you."
They both stilled with Emma's seriousness. Regina was always surprised by the blonde's capacity for it, when it was so hard to think of her as anything other than another 12-year-old boy to take care of. But Emma was a full-grown woman. The Savior. Who cared deeply enough to remind her of her love every day. Because she knew better than anyone how Regina needed to be reminded, how she needed to remember that she deserved it.
"You should, too, Emma. You are so very loved."
Emma smiled but glanced up to the moon above, making sure Regina was still firmly in her arms. "I still can't believe it sometimes. Like it's the moon or our magic playing tricks. It's too good to be true."
"It's meant to be, Emma," Regina avowed. She may not have put much stock in fate, but she did believe in the winner's spoils. Emma was a victor, in more ways than one. "The Savior's happy ending certainly deserves to be the brightest of all." She took in the blonde before adding her own whispered confession to the moon. "I just can't believe it includes me."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Emma whispered back.
"Good," Regina affirmed, stepping back from their embrace only to hold both her hands.
"Emma Swan, will you marry me?"
"Wait—what?"
The shock on Emma's face was unrivaled by any Regina had ever seen. She had not meant for Emma to be so startled, but she certainly did enjoy it, Emma's eyes wide enough to reflect the moon. Regina did always have a flair for the dramatic. But that didn't make her any less earnest.
"Emma," she started, squeezing Emma's hands to ground her in their reality. "I love you more than I have the words to say. Your appearing on this pier saved me. As inane as it sounds, you did, you saved me. I was alone. Forever alone. And for you to come and open your heart without reservation, when you had been hurt so many times before, when we were both better suited to hurt and hurting—you were a prayer fulfilled. You are. You drive me insane in more ways than I can count, but I have a feeling the sentiment is mutual. There's no one I'd rather be insane with. You're my heart. You're my family. Marry me."
Emma was flabbergasted, stumbling through her few memories of discussion of marriage to stutter out, "But Regina, your history, I thought—"
"My protectress," Regina purred fondly, cupping Emma's cheek to cut her off. "This isn't about me. Or a piece of paper. This is the only way I know to promise you that you will be a part of me forever. You may say no. I've already drawn up the paperwork for you to formally regain your custody of Henry, and nothing between us will change. But I love you. And you deserve my formal commitment and a celebration and a chance to be the princess that I made sure you'd never be. You deserve so much, Emma. I want you to know that all you have to do is ask."
Regina was surprised at how easy it had been to get everything out, to say the words she never expected to say to another human being, not after Daniel, but as Emma's wide eyes shimmered with gathering tears, she couldn't have imagined it any other way. Those green eyes could effortlessly have her spilling her whole soul, and she would be powerless to stop it.
Emma searched her eyes in the way she did when her super power was telling her that everything that had been said was true, but she couldn't possibly believe it. Little Orphan Annie finally getting her Tomorrow. Her open mouth tried to form words, but it was hopeless. Instead, she pulled Regina in to kiss her deeply.
As they broke apart, breathless, Regina was planning on confirming that was in fact a "yes" when Emma interrupted her thoughts.
"Regina?" She asked, pulling out a beautiful black diamond ring from one of her red leather coat's many pockets. "Will you marry me?"
Then it was Regina's turn to be dumbstruck. "You…?"
"I've been carrying this around for ages. But I didn't…I mean, I never thought I'd be the one to propose, and your experience with marriage…I never thought I would, but I couldn't shake the idea of your wearing my ring. I was just going to give it to you as a promise, of how much I love you, of how I'd always be around. But now, now I wasn't the one to propose," Emma explained, chuckling through the tears that trailed down pale cheeks. "And you said all I had to do was ask."
Regina burst out in laughter, her own eyes beginning to fill with tears. "I already asked you, you idiot. Yes, of course I'll marry you."
"Good," Emma's smile grew even further than Regina thought her face could allow. "Because I love you. Even idiots can love."
"They seem to be the best at it," Regina considered the Charming family as her own charming slipped the ring onto her finger. "It's exquisite, Emma."
Emma held her hand up to better watch the reflections from the dark stones. "Black is your color. And red, and purple, and that deep blue…"
"Well. Green is certainly yours." Regina pulled out a ring of her own hidden in her coat pocket, a simple gold band with a pristine emerald sided by diamonds.
And she once again got to revel in Emma's astonishment.
"You planned this!"
"Of course I did. Have you ever known me not to plot?" Regina teased, placing the ring on Emma's hand and admiring her work. It was perfect for her. Emma joined in admiration until her eyes lifted to meet Regina's and she once again claimed the brunette's lips with her own.
Their kiss held all the promise of their first but none of the fear. Just sheer, unwavering adoration that melted into itself, and had them melting into each other, until they were once again joined as they had been while dancing, arms possessively claiming the one they loved.
Emma started them swaying again, this time with only their breathing and the waves as accompaniment, imagining their first dance. "I cannot wait to see you in a gorgeous white gown."
"Emma…" Regina cautioned.
"Aw come on, I'm clearly no virgin, but you know Mary Margaret will flip if I have a wedding wearing anything other than a big, fluffy, white princess gown. So I at least get to see you in one, too. You did say all I had to do was ask." Emma's self-satisfied grin was all together less endearing than the one she had been sporting moments before, but Regina recognized she had lost this one.
"I'm going to regret that, aren't I."
"Yep!" Emma popped the p like a piece of gum, still entirely smug. Regina, however, had plans to change all that as she leant her chin on Emma's shoulder in a show of deep thought.
"I could always wear a suit…"
Emma instantly stepped back to look at Regina, and Regina was reminded once again that the wolves from Henry's cartoons certainly had their inspiration.
"No. Stop. I can't even think about you in a tux. I'd never let you make it to the altar. You know what, can we do this twice? So I can see you in both?"
Regina smiled even as she rolled her eyes. "Emma, dear, I know you don't actually want to plan two weddings."
Emma sighed at the reminder, her shoulders sinking. "Planning this is going to be a disaster, isn't it."
"Hmm," Regina hummed in agreement. There undoubtedly would be some issues in the marriage of the Savior and the Evil Queen—outside of what they would wear—but Regina had never let that stop her before. "As long as your mother limits her meddling, I think we can figure something out. And," she added, dropping her voice, "I promise you'll have plenty of opportunities to see me in whatever you want me to see in."
"Oh god, Regina," Emma shivered at the guarantee. "I don't understand how you can still do that to me."
Regina smirked. "I have many skills."
"That you do, my brilliant bride-to-be." Emma smiled her lopsided smile, lacing together their left hands, their rings side by side.
Regina had been many things in her life. But never had she felt so entirely content. A son, a home, a love, it was all right. This was the happy ending she imagined. This was what she had dreamed of. This was what she had prayed for. She glanced at the moon, following its bright beams across Emma's golden hair, the flecks in her eyes, the metal of her ring. Everything shimmered.
It was magic.
"Yes, my loving fiancée," she replied, squeezing Emma's hand before running her thumb slowly across her palm and looking up to meet her eyes. "However shall we celebrate?"
Sometimes, Emma thought as the periwinkle smoke rose around them, Regina really was evil.
And that was exactly how she loved her.