The very final chapter :) I'm sorry that "tomorrow" turned in to "two days later" lol! But I had some last minute back and forth over the epilogue. Nothing got changed lol! So enjoy! I'll try and get the new story up and running as soon as I can! Please leave one final review on this story! They mean a lot :)

David hummed slowly as he stepped up behind her and buried his nose in to her neck. As he left a kiss on her soft skin his hands slid over her sides and to her stomach, interrupting and then reversing her efforts to redress herself.

"David," she scorned but shamelessly enjoyed the way his large hands slid slowly over her bare stomach and undid whatever buttons she had managed to close. And then one hand dropped down to heavily slide over the waist of her skirt while the other began palming at her left breast over her bra. "I have to get back to work," she sighed as she leaned back in to him and he kissed his way up the side of her neck, "you are distracting me."

"Likewise madam mayor," he breathed and then smiled against her skin when she gave him a gentle laugh, "you are far too sexy."

"I think you just like fucking me in my office," she grinned with her smooth voice as she turned her head to try and look at him.

"I think I like how much you love being fucked in your office," he countered with a kiss to her jaw and she laughed.

"I love it when you say that," she breathed and leaned a little heavier back in to him as her insides cluttered with his heavy and bold hands.

"Say what?" He questioned against her ear and she hummed and slid her hands over his thighs.

"Any variation of the words 'fucking' and 'you' whilst talking of me. It is so...uncharacteristic of Prince Charming to use such a word," she smirked and felt him grin against her skin, "it does things to me," she purred and his fingers hooked in to the cup of her bra and started pulling.

"Good things?" He smirked despite knowing the answer.

"Very good things," she promised with a turn of her head so her lips were almost grazing his. They were interrupted by a knock on the door and it had the both of them sighing in irritation. Before she could really protest, he had begun slipping himself from her and smoothing her skirt and hair as she begrudgingly started buttoning her shirt. "Just a moment," she called irritably to the door as she turned to watch David pull on his own shirt only to frown when his toned body was once again hidden from sight.

"What?" David chuckled lightly as he stepped up to her to help her button her shirt just because he could.

"I like it better when you're not wearing a shirt," she pouted and he laughed as he closed the button over her breasts.

"Likewise, madam mayor," he smirked and she followed suit. "Love you," he grinned and gave her a quick kiss.

"I love you too," she purred softly and he hummed as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He didn't do anything else. He simply studied her with that stupid lovesick grin of his that she hated herself for loving so much. "What are you looking at?" She asked softly with a gentle smile and he simply shook his head. But his bright blue eyes never left her.

"Just you."

"What for?"

"I'm not going to tell you yet," he smiled and she raised a single brow as she pursed her lips and rocked her head. It made him happy and a quiet laugh bubbled up in his throat at the stubborn determination in her face to find out what he was doing. "Now get to your desk," he nodded and she hummed in defiance and tipped her chin higher to tell him that the conversation wasn't over despite the fact she was walking from him, "and I will leave you with your untimely guest," he chuckled and gave her a light and playful spank the moment she turned her back to him. It had her gasping and laughing as she spun back around and continued backwards, "nice ass."

"Shut up," she laughed and he gave a rich laugh in return as he walked to the door, "thank you," she added with a smirk she tried to bite back and it only had him grinning wider.

"You're welcome," he winked and she rolled her eyes as she sat down in her chair behind her desk.

With a shake of her head she looked back at the paperwork on her desk that she had been working on before David and surprised her with a few rounds of much appreciated afternoon sex. She only glanced up to watch him leave but her eyes were quickly back down and she didn't see who walked in her office after David had left. She knew it was a man but that was only because she had heard David share a few polite words with him. She didn't even look up when his steps hit gently across her marble floor.

Only when he stopped in front of her desk did she pay him any mind, "what can I do for you?" She asked plainly and halfheartedly glanced up at the man. But just that momentary glance had her brow furrowing at her papers and she immediately did a double take because surely she hadn't seen who she had thought. But her eyes had not lied to her and standing there on the other side of her desk was her father.

Despite how impossible she knew it was, he stood before her as though he had never left. It scared the hell out of her and she knew it showed on her face but she couldn't pull herself together while his kind and gentle face looked back at her, "daddy?"

His heart twisted at the small voice that left her once commanding presence. Now she was so small and timid. When he had first walked in and laid eyes on her she was strong and powerful and made even himself feel wary of approaching her. She was nothing like the daughter he knew, "not quite, child," he smiled softly and she softly shook her head in confusion. But soon enough her clever mind put the pieces together.

"You are the queen's father," she surmised and made her eyes fall back down to her desk. Her efforts didn't last long though and her eyes were soon back on his.

"Yes."

"She sent you."

"No."

"Then what are you doing here?" She asked in confusion and tried her very best to separate him from her father. But she really couldn't. She missed him too much and the guilt she felt now that she was seeing his face again was enough to make her want to run. And whether that desire was to run away or run to him was still undetermined.

"It had been brought to my attention that you have some things residing in your past that still haunt you. I am rather certain I was not supposed to hear them but I did put the pieces together. I came here to apologize to you," he told her gently and she started shaking her head once again in confusion, "and I came to forgive you."

"I..." She shook her head and then gave a small and rather teary laugh as she tried to gather her bearings. She couldn't recall the last time she felt so small. "You have nothing to apologize for. Nor did he. And you certainly have nothing to forgive me for."

"Not myself directly, no. But I am here to give you peace of mind for I am certain that very much like yourself and my daughter, your father and I shared a very similar character," he nodded and she watched him as though she was afraid to blink lest he disappear. "I am here to tell you on his behalf how proud he would be of you," he started and immediately her jaw was tense and her eyes shone with tears. "It may have taken longer than you both had hoped for but you did find your happiness. And I know that he is sorry he couldn't be here to enjoy it with you," he promised gently and her teary dark eyes snapped to the side of the room to try and crush her need to cry.

"I hope you believe me when I say he does not blame you for what you did," he shook his head and she crossed her jaw and closed her eyes, "he blames himself as much as you blame yourself for what happened. He loved you with everything he had but he simply was not strong enough to do what was right for you. He should have done so many things to keep you safe but he did none of them. His lack of strength played as big a part in your downfall as Rumplestiltskin's teachings," the old man shook his head solemnly and watched the tears fall down this beautiful woman's face. This woman with the same face as his darling daughter.

"He is sorry it took so long for you to be happy. But I know he is so proud that it was his heart that finally gave his daughter her chance to be happy. Even though it was a world and a lifetime away, he is proud and he forgives you," he assured and the lovely mayor brought shaking fingertips to her lips to try and stop herself from vocalizing the pain that came with her tears, "you are his daughter, child, and I cannot tell you how happy he is that in the end he gave you something right," he nodded and she pressed her eyes closed and covered her mouth with her palm. With a frown, the old man walked around her desk and carefully and gently urged her to her feet with a hand slipping behind her tense shoulder, "come, child."

With her eyes closed she couldn't help but fall in to the idea that he was her father. It hit a spot in her heart she didn't know was there and with his kind voice and gentle touch she gave in to the idea and stood. She didn't bother with opening her eyes. She simply wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in to his neck. He wasted no time in hugging her back and she honestly couldn't remember the last time she hugged her father. It felt so good.

"I miss you," she breathed in to his neck and wound her arms tighter as she sucked in a small cry though her teeth as he hummed softly. She knew she shouldn't fall for her heart's desire to believe it was really her father and not the queen's but she couldn't help it and she wanted to fall in to the illusion. So she tried to remember that he wasn't hers but took full advantage of his presence to try and soothe her sore heart.

"I am here, child," he assured kindly and she nuzzled her face in deeper as her weight grew heavier against him, "everything is alright."

...

David hadn't known that the man he had let in to Regina's office had been her father. Or a version of him anyway. If he had known he probably would have lingered nearby and listened in on their first conversation. But he had more than enough time to listen to the pair talk once she had brought the man home with her. David liked him and Henry was absolutely thrilled to see him once again.

The man was kind and calm and David couldn't help but wonder how he had played a part in producing such a fiery and hot tempered daughter. However, she did have his kind and gentle heart when it came down to it. David was so glad he got to meet him. Or a version of him he supposed. But really they couldn't truly be that different could they. Surely not after Regina spent hours with him talking and laughing and sometimes crying. The pair were practically inseparable until well after David had carried Henry up to bed after the boy fell asleep with his head in his mother's lap.

He had almost gone back downstairs but paused at the top of the stairs and smiled when he heard the pair endlessly chatting and decided to leave them be. He was only going to be ignored anyway. And rightfully so. So with a laughed breathed from his nose and a shake of his head, he went to the master bedroom and after changing he climbed in to bed with a book. A book from Regina's home library that had a good few empty sections after the younger queen had raided it with Regina's permission and even help.

He missed having the queen around. He missed the other David too but there was something so completely enjoyable and unique in the queen's vibrant personality that he missed in particular. The past few weeks without them had been difficult to adjust to. It was still so amazing to him how one choice in a person's life could change it so drastically.

He didn't know how much longer Regina was downstairs but he had made a good sized dent in his book by the time she silently stepped through the door with a hopeless smile on her face, "hey," he greeted gently and she walked up to the side of the bed and cradled his head in her warm hands.

"Hey," she parroted softly as her thumbs slid over the light stubble on his jaw. And then she dipped her head down and kissed him and smiled just a fraction wider when he hummed against her lips.

"You have a good talk?" He smiled and she nodded back, rolling her smiling lips in to her mouth as she pulled away and slowly pushed her hands in to his hair, "I'm glad," he smiled and then lifted a hand to her forearm and turned his head so he could press a kiss to the inside of her wrist. His lips lingered there and then his nose did the same before he entwined his fingers with hers and tipped his head in to the hand still residing in his hair. Her eyes were just radiating with utter happiness. Her entire body was. It made him happy. "Go get ready for bed. I have something for you," he smiled and she smirked in curious excitement before complying with a laughed 'alright'.

It didn't take too long for her to come back in a loosely fitted silk tank and a pair of short silk shorts in matching indigo. Her face was clean of any makeup, her hair was brushed smooth, and she was grinning like a lovesick fool as she crawled across the bed and promptly snatched the book from his hands as she straddled his lap. He would be lying through his teeth if he said he wasn't grinning like a lovesick fool with her.

"You have something for me?" She grinned with a quirk of her head as she reached over to her left and set his book on his bedside table.

"I do," he laughed and then settled for a moment and just looked at her. Just enjoyed her. She let him do as such and sat patiently with a softened and more loving smile as she draped her arms around his shoulders. His hands slid slowly and heavily up and down her sides, a few fingers catching the fabric without intending to but enjoying the softness of her skin regardless.

"If this gift is...mutual," she smirked and he breathed a soft chuckle, "you could have told me to come back without clothing," she teased and he shook his head as his eyes slowly studied hers in a way that made her heart flutter.

"I prefer indulging in the task of removing your clothing," he smirked back and she laughed happily through her teeth, "but that is not what I am after tonight."

Regina hummed in contentment and let herself watch him as he studied her. She didn't know what he was doing or what he was looking for but she very much enjoyed how he was looking at her. It almost had her forgetting about her curiosity regarding what he had for her. He surprised her though when he jumped forward and kissed her. It had her laughing and moving her hands to hold his face as she closed her lips around his in return. His cheeks lifted in a smile beneath her palms and it had her laughing in delight once more and biting her bottom lip when he pulled away.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she smiled and ran her thumb over his bottom lip.

"There are two parts to this."

"Oh?"

"One is in that drawer," he tipped his head and her dark eyes followed to movement to his bedside table, "and the other is in my pocket."

"...What's the catch?"

"There's no catch," he laughed softly in amusement with a shake of his head.

"Well it sounds like there's a catch," she argued back with a laugh of her own, "does it matter which one I pick first?"

"No."

"Are you going to make me wait for a predetermined amount of time between the two?"

"What? No," he laughed with a shake of his head, "they go together quite nicely. It wouldn't work if you didn't see both tonight.

"...Does it matter which one I see first?"

"No. But I am hoping for a certain order," he smiled and she watched him thoughtfully for a moment or two before she looked to his bedside table with pursed lips. Then she looked at him and then to his waist in the general vicinity of his pocket. But her gaze went back to the drawer so with a light smirk, he reached over and pulled it open so he could pull out the smooth black folder inside.

Curiosity peaked, Regina gingerly took the offered folder of paper and gave him a curious look. He merely watched her with a smile and stayed quiet. So she opened it and furrowed her brow at the words that met her gaze. She skimmed through it, catching a few words here and there as she flipped the pages from her thumb. The pieces came together all at once and she stopped flipping the pages when her eyes snapped up to his he moment they did. His expression remained unchanged. Still calm and content as she dropped her eyes back to the last page caught between her thumb and finger.

Right there. Two signatures. David's surprisingly tidy and sharp signature, and another that was completely elegant and smooth, each letter cursive and loose and free. Snow White. Divorce papers. Her breath was stuck in her throat with her voice and she could do nothing but stare at the bottom of that page. Snow White and Prince Charming were a symbol, a legend, a force, and now they were apart. The Enchanted Forest couldn't have provided such a blade to sever the pair, but this world? The world Storybrooke resided in. It lent them such a tool. The laws and morals were different here. She didn't know how to respond to such news.

"I...you..." She stuttered as she looked back in to those calm blue eyes. She had spent so many years wishing for the day to come that he and Snow would be torn apart. That dream had faded awhile ago in to begrudging acceptance. And then it came back in the most sore and tender places in her heart and she spent many moments throughout her days wishing to be the only one he loved. The only one he chose to be with. Those sore and tender places were crying out in hope, screaming out above the racket of the parts trying to shut them up once more. They sang louder than ever before at the sight of those two signatures.

"I left her for me. You played a part, of course, but it was mostly for me," he told her gently and she watched him with big brown eyes that were wide with her tender fear. They seemed so much bigger now that her mouth appeared so small. She still straddled his lap and the divorce papers still sat between her fingers and he wished he was in her head right then so he could soothe what excuses she was reasoning with herself. "I wanted to be me again. And the longer I spent being me the more I realized how much I wanted to spend my time being me, with you. And that made me happier than I think I have ever been," he smiled and slid his hands over the sides of her thighs so his fingers settled at the bend in her knees. "To finally know for certain, without a doubt, what I want in my life. With no interruptions, distractions, or threats filling parts of my mind, I have seen what I want. It is something I lost sight of long ago and I cannot express how thrilling it is to have that back."

"...What is in your pocket?" She breathed softly as worry and hope ran amuck in her head.

"What do you want it to be?" He questioned gently and watched in fascination and adoration when terror and love shone in those beautiful dark eyes of hers. She hesitated to answer but he knew what was on her tongue. He knew but he waited for her to find the courage to expose her heart to him, to be brave in a moment where she could be hurt beyond comprehension. He waited because he knew she could do it.

"I want it to be a ring," she replied quietly, nervously as anxiety caused her muscles to tense and feel weak at the same time. She was so intently focused on keeping her eyes on his that she almost missed his hand slipping beneath the blankets and in to his pocket. There was no change in his expression with her answer. He remained so gentle and soft and kind and so infuriatingly calm while she shook apart at the seams. She didn't dare look down at what he had pulled out until his eyes dropped. Then hers followed suit.

In his hands was a little blue velvet box and her brow furrowed as she covered her mouth with both hands and tried not to cry.

"Regina," he started as he moved a thumb over the top of the box and then looked up at her and she did the same. "The day you told me you loved me you also told me you wanted me to marry you. I was too overwhelmed to tell you that I wanted to marry you too. It wasn't the right time anyway. I wanted to enjoy this moment, I wanted to do it right when we were both sure that this is where we wanted to be for the rest of our hectic lives. I do want this, Regina, more than anything I have ever wanted. I want to spend my days making certain that you are happy just because you make me happy.

You understand me, you understand and accept that despite my best efforts I cannot always be your Prince Charming. But Prince Charming or not, I will always be there for you. I will always love you. You have shown and taught me so much and, Regina, I simply cannot envision life without you at my side. One may argue that I once said the same thing about Snow. But the difference is that I actually tried to think of such a thing with you. I tried to picture my life without you in it. It was lonely and sad and I am not about to give up the person in my life who makes it so bright and gives me such incredible strength and support in becoming the person I want to be.

So I am asking you, Regina, if you will grow old with me. If you will sit on the porch with me behind our white picket fence and let me kiss every wrinkle that carves a memory on your beautiful face. I am asking if you will love me even when I turn old and grey because I know I will die loving you. I am asking you, you beautiful and darling woman, if you would be so kind as to give me the honour of calling you my wife," he spoke gently and tenderly as he opened the box but she never looked down at the ring. Her teary eyes were focused only on his eyes as she slowly shook her head.

Not in denial, of course not in denial. It was disbelief that had her shaking her head so softly before she sprung forward and kissed him. Her hands were so gentle around his jaw and her mouth was so soft and warm against his as she kissed him like a lover should. Gentle and loving but strong and definite.

"What honour is there in being my husband when all the honour is taken by being your wife?" She breathed against his lips with a light smile as her fingertips followed the line of his cheekbones.

"Do not take yourself for granted, my love. You mean more to me than words can say."

"I hold little faith in the spoken word," she teased softly but she knew he was aware of how much truth her statement held.

"Will a ring on your finger suffice?" He smirked and it spread in to a hopeless grin when she laughed against his lips.

"It is certainly worth a try," she smiled and combed her fingers in to his hair so she could pull him in the centimetres needed to share one more kiss. When she pulled away she let out the smallest of gasps at the diamond sitting atop the ring he held between his finger and thumb. It was a magnificent cut. It sparkled and it shone and that was just by the light of the lamp beside them, not the full light of the sun. It was a simple ring but it was stunning. Just a thin elegant band of silver and the single diamond that was roughly the diameter of a pea. Not too small and not too large and designed to shine as bright as it could.

"It's beautiful," she breathed slowly and watched in mild terror and overwhelming excitement as David took her left hand and singled out her ring finger.

"I am glad you think so," he smiled and then lifted her hand in his so he could kiss her knuckles. She had tears brimming her eyes and slowly she started laughing. It started out quiet and then it grew in to inexplicable joy and she tackled him in a hug and laughed in to his neck. He knew he was probably holding her too tight but she didn't protest so he didn't stop and gave his own sudden and teary laugh in to her hair, "I love you so much."

"I never thought I'd have this," she laughed as she blinked open her eyes to focus on her ring through her tears.

He didn't realize how much tension he was holding in himself over her answer until she let him put the ring on her finger. He felt so light and free, like he could do anything with her at his side. He had loved Snow. But this engagement...it felt like so much more. It felt so right. It felt like a piece of his life had just clicked in to place and he was one step closer to seeing the completed puzzle. It was just...perfect.

"I've been talking with the agency that gave Henry to me," she admitted and felt a little rush of anxiety hit her when he pulled back and she did the same so she could look him in the eye. He was smiling and that quickly reassured her, "it is just in the early stages and I didn't want to bring you in in case it was nothing but...you've gone and made this difficult now," she laughed and he laughed with her, his pure joy and excitement causing her heart to skip.

"What do you mean?"

"You can't cross the town line to come to Boston with me," she laughed and he shook his head and wound his arms tighter around her waist.

"Take the ring off then when you go. They never have to know about me," he laughed with a shake of his head and she shook hers in response.

"No. No, I will find a way to get you across that line safely and you will come with me," she argued and kept his face between her hands as he remained smiling at her, "understood?"

David couldn't help but laugh. It was a mixture of both excitement and amusement for he adored this woman and the way her mind worked and he had never been outside the borders of Storybrooke and was now desperately excited to see what laid beyond them. "Henry has to come too," he told her and she gave him a smile that was bigger than anything he had seen on her before.

"Of course he will come."

"I can't wait to marry you," he breathed with a grin and a shake of his head and when she started laughing, he rolled them over and laid her on her back with himself on top of her. Then he kissed her laughing mouth and put every ounce of himself toward kissing this woman senseless. When the morning came they would start building.

I want to thank all of you for reading this, it has been such fun to create this story and your feedback has been super encouraging. But now it is over and I hope that you all follow me in to another story and help me build it. Please leave one final review :) nothing gives a writer a better kick in the ass to get moving than a review lol!

I'll see you soon!

Emily