Chapter Four: SwanQueen

Emma's POV

"Once my ankle and wrist were better, I left. My job in National City was done since Kara and Lena admitted their feelings for one another. The press was a little surprised since Lena is the C.E.O. of a multibillion-dollar corporation and Kara, to them, is just a reporter from CatCo."

It was clear that Henry had grown more than he could ever have here in the time he was gone. Which was good for him but that didn't mean we enjoyed not seeing our son every day. As he continued to tell us about the places he visited, I tried not to laugh at my wife's expressions. I worried about him being safe but I knew he could hold his own. Regina, on the other hand, wanted to kill anyone who even looked at Henry the wrong way. "It sounds like you need some down time."

"You have no idea!" Henry smiled. "It's good to be home. I really missed you guys."

"We missed you too, kiddo." The three of us fell into a comfortable silence. Regina and I mulling everything over and Henry debating something.

"Did you ever grow the magic beans again?"

"And the other shoe drops." I leaned forward on my elbows. "Maybe. Is that how you plan to get everyone here?"

"Yeah. I figured I could drop off letters to each couple using my bike and they could use the bean to get here. Once the party is over, we could get them home with another bean."

"You are definitely Regina's son. Planning all of this ahead of time." Smiling, I moved my attention to the stoic woman. "What do you say? Shall we invite more craziness to our little town?"

Rolling her eyes, Regina smirked. "It has been rather slow the past few years."

"Then it's set. I'll work on the letters and you can plan the party." Regina's brow rose. "You're better at planning parties then me and Ma. Need I remind you of the insanity from the Christmas before I left?" Both Regina and I groaned. "Exactly. How long until the beans are ready?"

"Probably about a month. That gives me enough time to plan this party of yours."

"Thanks, Mom."

Xxx

A month passed quickly, and it was time for the party. Because of the dimension differences, we weren't sure just how many people would actually show up. But Henry was optimistic. The three of us waited on the porch as seven approached. "Henry," Regina began but was cut off when a portal opened. "Never mind."

"No way!" A curly haired brunette poked her head through followed by a shorter British woman.

"Are you really surprised, Darling?" Here's H.G. and Myka Wells. The older woman's attention moved from her wife to us. "You must be Emma and Regina. We've heard a lot about the two of you. Hello, Henry."

"H.G., good to see you again. You too, Myka."

Our son hugged the women before introducing us. "Yup, these are them. Mom, Ma, this is Helena and Myka Wells."

"Pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Storybrooke." Regina never lost her mayoral tendencies. Another portal opened every five to ten minutes until there were four couples standing before us.

"It seems everyone's here." Henry began. "Mom, Ma, you already know Helena and Mayka. This is: Carmilla, Laura, Waverly, Nicole, Kara, and Lena. Everyone, this is Emma and Regina, my moms."

"I wondered what you did after you escaped." Nicole grinned. "I suppose it was Emma who taught you how to pick a lock? Regina doesn't look the type."

"You were arrested?!" Regina and I glared at our son.

"It…it's a long story?" Henry smiled sheepishly. "Uh…"

"Carmilla," fireball in hand, Regina took a step towards the dark headed woman and her girlfriend. "You're the one who almost got my son sacrificed to a demi God."

"Back off, Queenie. I saved him." She paused, "eventually."

"Mom!" Stepping between the two women, Henry placed a hand on each of Regina's shoulders. "I'm fine. She saved me. I'm alive and here. Please don't kill the three hundred plus year old vampire."

"He has a point, Regina. Henry's safe and home now." I tried reasoning with my wife but I could only do so much. She's got that look in her eyes.

"Fine." Blowing out the fireball, Regina composed herself. "Henry is safe now. And I wouldn't want to ruin someone else's happy ending after I worked so hard to get my own."

"Are we all okay now? No one's going to try and kill anyone?" Laura spoke up after making sure Carmilla wasn't going to go all Lizzy Borden on us.

"Yes. As long as no one hurts you." Pulling Laura close, Carmilla kissed her forehead.

"Oh God. Henry was right." H.G. chuckled. "I suppose that's what we all have in common then? One of each pair has a dark past while the other is their light."

"Exactly." Henry spoke triumphantly. "I wanted you all to meet one another. Each of you were changed because you fell in love. Mom stopped being the Evil Queen because she wanted to be better for me and Emma. Carmilla wanted to be better for Laura and went against her mother. Helena didn't destroy the world because she fell in love with Myka. Lena's family have all been known to hate aliens and be pretty underhanded but Lena's not. She loves Kara. And the love Waverly has for Nicole kept her from destroying their town when she was possessed by a demon." As Henry spoke, each couple thought about their journey to this point. It was a beautiful sight.

Henry brought all of them together because of me and Regina. We taught him that love can win and isn't a weakness. "I'm sure everyone is probably starving. I know traveling through dimensions always made me hungry. There's plenty of food and beverages inside."

"Emma, you're always hungry." Regina kidded as she walked by. "But yes, let's go inside before the food gets cold."

"Even if it is, I could zap it." Kara joked as she laced her arm through Lena's.

Once everyone got food, we took a seat at the long table Regina poofed into the dining room. It was so odd seeing Henry drinking cider. I know he's old enough but still. It's odd. I always thought I'd buy Henry his first drink. "Sheriff Haught," Regina began causing me to tense. Seven years and I still have a mini panic attack when I hear that tone. "How, exactly, did our son get himself arrested? Seeing as how his mother is a sheriff, I thought he would know better." Henry sank in his seat like he did when he was younger.

"Mrs. Mills, it was honestly a misunderstanding. Henry was out and got caught in the crosshairs of a…" The woman paused a moment.

Smiling, Henry chuckled. "You can say it here. We've had flying demon monkeys before."

"Yes, that your mother slept with." Regina murmured with a glance in my direction. "Thankfully, she came to her senses."

All I did was groan. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Not a chance, Dear."

"A demon." She continued. "We call them reinvents. Waverly's sister takes care of them. Henry got mixed up in the fight because, like most people, we can't tell a reinvent from a regular person. Henry thought Wynonna was fighting a human. The deputy just locked both Wynonna and Henry up until the next morning. Except when I got there, Henry was gone. Whatever he told Wynonna made her trust him." Nicole paused with a crease in her brow. "What did you tell her?"

"I can't say. All I can tell you is it deals with a book."

"Yeah, the leather journal you carry around and never let out of your sight."

H.G. scoffed slightly. "Trust me Officer Haught, you don't want to know what's in that particular book." Quickly, yet smoothly, she changed the subject. "It's nice not being the oldest in the room. When were you born, Carmilla? The look in your eyes tells me you've been through quite a lot. Much more than I have."

"1680 to be exact." Carmilla took a sip of wine. "How old are you?"

"151. Born in 1866." Myka gave her wife a firm stare. "Darling, we're in a bubble. If anyone leaves this town and says anything, they'll look mad."

"Crazy to think that you're the actual H.G. Wells. I like your work more now knowing most of the research was done by a woman. It has that essence to it."

"You mean Laf was right?!" Laura exclaimed. "But… How could they know?"

"You're the one who watches Doctor Who Miss. I own a T.A.R.D.I.S. mug and dragged me to every Comic-Con that had any of the actors or actresses attending."

"More of a bookworm than a T.V. person?" Myka grinned. "Helena and I own our own bookstore. It specializes in books from the 15th century to the 19th century."

"Hmm. Interesting."

"Oh, you don't work at the…" Henry paused, "I.R.S. anymore?"

Snorting, Myka laughed. "No. Once the…I.R.S. moved, we decided to leave. As long as we were together, nothing else mattered. If Claudia needs us, she'll appear. But for the most part, we enjoy our flat in London. It was just good timing that we were in the states when you arrived."

"That explains why Claudia wasn't around."

"Mmhmm."

The rest of us were totally lost to the conversation Henry was having. The one thing we knew was: they did not work for the I.R.S.

After dinner, everyone split off into groups. H.G., Kara, and Lena spoke of technology from their different worlds. Carmilla and Myka spoke of literature. Waverly and Laura talked about their girlfriends and the craziness they've been through. While Nicole and I swapped small town arrest stories. "I'll be right back. Need to make sure everyone has a drink. If I don't help host, Regina will make me sleep on the couch." Nicole laughed and walked away.

Entering the kitchen, I wrapped my arms around Regina. "Tonight's been great."

"It has been." Pouring the last glass of cider, Regina turned to wrap her arms around my neck. "Don't think being nice will get you out of dish duty."

"Damn it." Hanging my head, I grumbled. "Fine." Noticing a bottle of red liquid on the tray, I frowned. "What's Hemo Soy?"

"It's for the vampire. She must have put it in our fridge at some point."

"That's gross." Taking the tray, I rejoined everyone in the living room.

"I prefer older literature than what's written today. It doesn't paint a picture any longer. Now anyone can write a book and it becomes a best seller. Look at the Twilight saga for example."

"Sorry to interrupt your roasting of that horrible series, but your Hemo Soy."

"Thank you. I wondered if Regina would see that in her fridge." Sipping the thick, red liquid, Carmilla sighed. "Not as good as the real stuff but I've dealt with worse."

Trying not to gag, I moved along to Lena, Kara, and H.G. "More cider?"

"Yes, thank you." Each woman took a glass. "Emma," H.G. spoke. "You and Regina did an excellent job raising Henry. He's a fine young man."

"He truly is." Lena added. "I just wish we could have met under better circumstances."

"I've learned that people come into your life when you need them. Whether they're there for a reason or a lesson. We just have to figure out if the person is permanent or temporary."

By night's end, it was clear that Henry had touched each of these people in his own way. It was bittersweet to see them leave but we knew they couldn't stay. Each left as they came and soon Storybrooke was back to being vampire and alien free.