A/N: OMFG, GUYS! I honestly thought I had posted this last Tuesday. I had it all planned that I would post it on my birthday as a gift to ya'll and then I guess something goofy happened and it didn't post, but I'm so sorry you guys didn't get it until now. I hope you all love the last installment of Making Exceptions. I absolutely love all the positive feedback and suggestions I've gotten along the way. Thank you all so much for joining me on this crazy ride! You're all wonderful souls! (Also, special thanks to kylieslovato to bringing it to my attention that it never posted.)
Regina sat in her study, behind her over-crowded mahogany desk. It was the end of the semester again, and not only did she have a couple hundred essays to grade, but she also had all the paperwork that came with being the head of a college. At least she had the entirety of winter vacation to complete it all. She also had a mother who would help her with all the files that had possibilities of confusing her, a son to entertain her, and a girlfriend to keep her busy.
The brunette smiled at the the thought of her family. If she were told ten years ago that she'd be a widowed mother and professor who falls in love with her female student, she'd scoff at the idea. It sounded like a poorly written lesbian romance novel. She didn't even want to think about the comic relief her mother and Kathryn would provide between the chapters of erotica involving herself and Emma.
Her mouth formed into a frown as she thought Emma. More specifically, how secretive the blonde was being lately. It wasn't just her girlfriend, though. It seemed that everyone knew some sort of secret about Emma but herself, and it was truly driving the brunette insane.
A knock sounded at the door, and a sweet, soft voice broke through the professor's thoughts.
"Sweetheart, I brought you a little snack," Emma said, shuffling into the room with a mug of coffee and an oreo cupcake.
Speak of the devil, Regina's mind supplied, but the words that left her plump lips were much different. "Thank you, my love," she said as Emma set the snack on her desk and leaned in for a chaste kiss.
"Absolutely," the blonde responded. "I figured you'd need a little something to keep you going, so I brought your favorite."
"My favorite?" the brunette asked haughtily, punctuating the sentence with a scoff. "What makes you think these fattening treats are my favorite?"
"Well, it could be the fact that you devour them every time Henry asks me to make some," Emma scratched her head, "or, it could be the sentimental value they hold between us."
Regina smiled at the memory of the day they met, and even let loose a light giggle. "I do seem to enjoy entertaining the memory of a bumbling blonde goofball stumbling in and apologizing for something that hadn't even happened yet. I even tend to enjoy the part where she pushed for friendship, but my favorite part," the brunette laughed once again. "My favorite part was when that blonde said I was a hardass and was afraid I'd kill her or hate her forever."
"In my defense," the blonde chuckled along with her girlfriend, "I had no idea I was speaking to you."
"Either way, the memories these delicious, carb-loaded treats bring back just enough lovely memories to definitely be worth the pounds I must be gaining by eating them."
"Can you really be complaining, though, babe?" the blonde questioned. "I mean, it seems to be going to all the right places. Plus, if you really want to work off all those carbs, I'm sure I can think of a few ways." Emma wagged her brows and winked, causing Regina to choke on her coffee as she laughed.
"And that, I believe, is your cue to leave." Regina stood from her desk, meeting her lips to her lover's before shooing the woman from the room. She fought off all of the blonde's reasons for staying in the room, and finally got the woman to agree to leave as long as she promised to grade Emma's essay next.
Regina sat back down and shuffled through papers until she finally found the one she'd been looking for. In the upper left-hand corner, she read the header:
Emma Swan
Prof. Regina Mills
Creative Writing 101
17 May 2015
So far, so good, Regina thought to herself with a smile. At least she wouldn't have to dock Emma points for incorrectly heading her paper. She had become better on her grading of the blonde's assignments, though she still struggled not to specifically search for said mistakes.
Regina shook the thoughts of the harsh gradings out of her head and continued on to the rest of the paper. She'd read through it thoroughly before returning to make any marks.
Passion: A Strong and Barely Controllable Emotion
Hello. My name is Emma Swan, and for my final grade in Creative Writing 101, I was asked to write an essay on something I feel passionately about. I know this is not how one should start an essay at all, but I hope that you'll look past this terrible start and just listen to what the rest of the essay has to say. I think you'll quite enjoy what I have to say once we get further into it.
Regina sighed, hoping that Emma was right and the essay would get better. So far, the blonde was receiving a C, and that's only because the professor felt bad about her earlier gradings.
I have to tell you, as soon as I knew the topic, I knew exactly what I would write about. And just what mystery topic did I choose? Well, I chose my professor, Regina Mills.
Regina gasped. She felt her heart stop and her eyes tickle with tears, and there was still pages left to go.
I'm telling you, I could go on for days and days about the beautiful, magnificent, amazing woman that is Regina Mills. I wouldn't want to take too much of her time grading this, though, because that's less time that I get to hold her in my arms. So, I'll try to just give you an overview of my time spent with her, and hope that I don't get too sidetracked by her beauty or something equally as awe-inspiring.
The first time I met Regina Mills, I had no idea I was meeting Regina Mills. My roommate, Ruby, had told me about this no-nonsense, hardass of a woman that I honestly thought would be an old, dragon lady who was ready to breathe fire down my neck. Imagine my incredible fear when I realized I was late for her class.
I ran as fast as I could across campus and into the classroom and started bumbling like an idiot to some woman about how scared I was that Miss Mills would kill me, or hate me, or kick me out. Do you know what this woman said? (I know you do, but I'll tell you anyways.) She said, "Actually, dear, I'm not much for murder. Torture, maybe, but not murder. I am capable of finding much better ways to punish someone." Then she laughed. It was long and melodious, and I've spent every day since trying to hear that laugh again. The smile that followed was stunning.
In that moment, I knew I was in love with my professor.
I also knew I was incredibly screwed. How exactly does one go about having class with a teacher when they're in love with her? It's not easy, I'll tell you. I tried so hard to pay attention to what she was teaching, but then she would smile, or drop something and come up with an "accidentally" unpopped button on her shirt (I know they weren't accidental, Professor), and I'd lose all train of thought for the rest of the period.
Regina laughed through the tears streaming down her cheeks. She thought back to the sappy romantic novel she thought fit her life earlier, and laughed even harder. This moment fit that novel perfectly.
I remember the first time she actually scolded me in class. Granted, it was her fault I was completely zoned out in the first place, but I didn't mind the scolding or the punishment. In fact, they were quite enjoyable. I got to see the love of my life in a sexy teacher role and I got to spend more time with her. I thought things couldn't get any better...until I kissed her for the first time.
It happened on the same night that I thought she was seeing someone, but then found out it was only her and her son. I was so relieved, and we were joking around, and she tickled me, and I kissed her, and it was the best moment in my life. Her lips were plump and so incredibly soft. She wasn't wearing her usual red lipstick, but a minty chapstick. She tasted a bit like the cupcake I had given her with her meal an hour earlier. She responded for a second. Then she rejected me.
Regina Mills is so perfect that even her rejection had me wanting more. I look back now and see how my attempts to 'woo' her after she tried to let me down so easily could be misconstrued as stalking or annoying, but I guess she fell for it, and I'm so glad she did.
Soon after I won the heart of the most amazing woman I've ever known, I met her family. It was an accident, really, and resulted in extreme trauma and a hospital bill of epic proportions, but I wouldn't want it any other way. You see, I've grown to love the family that I was presented with on that day, and I've grown to love the fact that nothing between Regina and I has ever been easy.
Regina's sister and her mother are two of the funniest people I'll ever meet. They are definitely the comic relief in any situation, and no matter how awkward they make things, I love it because I know it's done out of love for Regina. I don't even mind all the questioning or the background checks that they think I don't know about.
Now, we're getting to one of my favorite parts of Regina Mills. Her son. Henry Mills stole my heart the moment I saw him. He was cute, and adorable, and tiny, and his chubby little cheeks just drove me crazy. He's small, but he's so smart. He asks so many questions that I never would've thought of at his age, and no matter how many times he asks "Why?" I can't find myself annoyed. It might be his cuteness, or it might be the fact that he and his mother have the same eyes, the same dark brown hair. It might be the fact that they both scrunch their noses up in the same way when they don't know the answer. It doesn't matter, I guess, because I'm just as wrapped around his finger as I am his mother's.
Speaking of his mother, you must know that there are many different sides to Regina Mills. There's the no-nonsense professor we spoke of at the beginning, the sexy dominatrix (I really like that one), the doting girlfriend, the caring daughter and sister, but my absolute favorite side of Regina Mills is the loving mother. When she's taking care of Henry's bath, or putting the little guy to sleep, or bundled up, ready to go outside in the blistering cold to please her baby boy, Regina is gorgeous. She glows when she's being a mother, and I can't wait to give her more reasons to glow like that.
Regina Mills and I have not had the easiest of relationships, but I don't know where I'd be without her, and I thank whatever God exists for allowing our family and friends convince us to take chances. Without them, I would probably be a culinary student taking way too many English credits in hopes of catching a few more hours with a goddess, and Regina would be a professor denying a crush on a student.
I was told to write an essay on something I was passionate about. I never thought I could be so passionate about anything in my life before I met Regina. I never thought I'd want to get married or have kids. I never thought I'd be taking college courses over English. I never thought I'd be on a world-traveling competitive culinary team. I never thought I would fall in love. I never thought I'd spend nights watching animated movies about dinosaurs, or helping raise a little boy. But at the advice of a few very good friends, I've begun making exceptions, and I'm so thankful that I have.
There's one last exception I have to make before I end this paper, though, and I'm not talking about letting Cora Mills proofread it. I tell myself every day that this woman I've fallen for could never give me more happiness than she already does when I wake up next to her everyday, but I have to ask for one more thing:
Regina Mills, will you marry me?
Regina closed her eyes. Her hand moved to cover her mouth and a sob escaped as she replayed everything she read. The amount of love Emma held for her was astonishing. Of course, she would love to marry Emma, have her children, grow old with her.
Regina removed her hand from her face and reached up to wipe the dampness from her cheeks. When she blinked the tears away and opened her eyes, she was met with the most perfect sight of her life. Emma and Henry knelt side by side, both holding open jewelry boxes. Henry wobbled slightly next to the blonde, unused to the stance.
"Why you cry, Momma?" the boy asked, obviously confused and worried. He turned to Emma, "Why is Momma cryin', Ems?"
"I think she's just really happy, Hen," the blonde replied with a smile, seeing the brunette nod her head slightly. "Do you remember your line, Bud?"
The boy nodded before opening his mouth to speak, "Dear Momma, I propose you to be the best Momma forever and ever." The boy nodded in satisfaction at saying what he wanted to say. "Now I'm sposed ta put the ring on your finger. Give me your finger, Momma." Henry thought for a moment before adding, "Please."
Once he was done, he gave Emma a nod, telling her it was now her turn.
"Well, I have no idea how to top those impeccable manners, but I guess I'll try," the blonde joked with a smile, reaching up to hold Regina's hands in her own. "I'm assuming those are tears from reading my essay, so you already know how I feel about you, but I still want to tell you anyways. You, Regina Mills, are the light of my life. Your smile makes me smile; your laugh makes me laugh; your tears make me cry. You are my everything, and I know how hard our relationship was for you, but I also know how worth it every bit of it is. I love waking up to you, and going to sleep with you by my side. I love every piece of you, and have no idea where I'd be without you. I'm so thankful that you make an exception, and decided to date a student. Now, I'm asking you to make that student the happiest woman in the world and marry her."
Regina took a minute to wipe her tears before smiling a heart-stopping smile. "I guess I could do that," she said, pulling her newly-appointed fiance from the floor and into her arms.
Lips met in a salty kiss full of love, tears, and promises. The two women lost themselves in one another until they heard a little voice in the background.
"EWWWWWW, MOMMA!"
A/N: Again, thank you all for sticking with me throughout this crazy ride. I hope you all enjoyed the ending (I couldn't help throwing in cock-block Henry). Stay around for my next story, I'll try to post the first chapter before summer is over!