*** Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Belated I know but this is still my most favorite time of the year. I hope everyone had as great a holiday as I did. I love this time of year. The snow won't stop falling, the kids are asleep, and I have my toes warming up between my wife's legs. ;D For me, it tis a score! ***

EPILOGUE

Regina dragged herself into her house after a town meeting that lasted an hour longer than it should have. Life was so much simpler when the idiots were just under her spell and did as she told them instead of asking 1000 questions about things they never understood in the first place. And still didn't even after it was explained to them 1000 times over.

As the sounds from her den began to reach her ears, she instantly perked up. She put her coat away then stepped out of her heels. She quietly made her way to the back of the house.

"Ollie Ollie oxen free!" Emma cried out as she waved a cookie at their almost 1 year old son. "Come on Ollie. Come to Mama. That's such a good boy!" she crooned down to him. "Livie! Olivia, come to Mama baby!" When Olivia's head turned her way she waved at her frantically, "That's my girl," she nodded. "Come to Mama!"

Meanwhile Henry was on the other side waving a cookie at them also. "Ollie, Ollie come on boy. Come to Henny! Come on bro. Who's your big brother?" He turned to his baby sister, "Livie, Livie!" He placed his hands on his chest beating at it, "Come on Olive. Come on. Come to Henny!"

Regina had to stifle her laugh at the nickname the twins had given Henry as they'd learned to talk. They still had a hard time saying the r.

"No Liv," Grace joined in. "Us girls have to stick together. Come to sisser. Come on Ollie, come to your big sisser."

Oliver Hastings and Olivia Harper Swan Mills sat in the middle of the floor in the matching footie pajamas that Emma had had made especially for them. Oliver's was blue with a picture of a swan that had a crown on its head. It said Mommies Little Prince. Olivia's was purple with the same swan photo and hers read Mommies Little Princess. The two sat staring at the chaos around them. Their heads swung back and forth as they looked at their family members around them in confusion.

Regina stood out of their line of sight while she took in the state of her den. She grinned at the scene as warmth began to make its way into her chest and throughout her being. All the tension and weariness she'd felt moments ago disappeared as she took in her family in their family room.

There were pillows all over the floor. The babies should be in bed by now. But she had known when she'd left them with Emma that sticking to her schedule wasn't going to be big on her list. And even though the sweets past their bedtime gave her a slight frown, she still laughed as they all worked hard getting the kids to choose one or the other of them in another round of their neverending Baby Games.

Their competition of who could get the baby to do whatever first began even before they left the hospital. Henry had started the challenges after swearing Olivia had smiled at him. Regina was sure it was just gas but the rest of her family didn't care. They immediately began to set up competitions of who said their name first, who got them to talk, walk, or laugh first. Or any and everything in between. Most of the time it was harmless. But Regina had drawn then line when they wanted to see who could push the baby the farthest before it toppled over. She shook her head and stood her ground even as they swore the babies loved being pushed down the hallways.

The truth is everyone had stepped up in every way. They'd all helped to decorate the babies nursery that had sat unused the first months after bringing them home as Regina sat rocking in a chair and ordering them around until it was just so. The town accepted the family as a family from the moment Grace announced to her crowd that she and Henry were now officially Grace and Henry Swan Mills. Things had been perfect and the family had been allowed their peace.

It continued all through the delivery of the twins. Regina had been terrified all of the way until they had been placed in her arms. Until that moment she hadn't been sure she could love her children. The thought of her taking her own personal issues out on them terrified her. She'd squeezed her eyes shut tight and turned her head away as they were held up for her inspection not wanting to see their father when she looked at them.

But as a crying Emma brought them to her after they'd been cleaned up she'd gathered her courage and looked. Emma kissed their little heads and placed them in her arms, one after the other, making her heart immediately expand and flood with so much emotion that the ugly thoughts had quickly flown out of her head.

When she looked at their golden curls and big blue eyes all she could see were her beautiful children. It wasn't exactly difficult to figure out the father's identity from there. But she had been glad. This meant that Grace didn't have to feel anymore conflicted over the babies than necessary. That was a pain she was willing to bear alone for her children.

Olivia began to cry. Regina knew it was due to the over stimulating an already tired system.

"Aww, Mommy's here!" she came out from her hiding spot. Olivia immediately began to make her way to her Mommy on legs that were still a little unsteady. They had been walking for a couple of months now but they still resorted to crawling occasionally after a fall. Regina bent down to swoop her up, "Miss Swan, I certainly hope you're not using our children in another one of your Baby Games," Regina glared at her as she picked up her daughter and cuddled her close. She rubbed her back as she rocked her back and forth to comfort her.

"That would be Mrs. Swan Mills," she said as she bounced up and pointed her ring finger in the air. She kissed the ring which had a platinum band and a round cut diamond haloed by smaller cuts of everyone's birthstone. She loved to run around excitedly telling any and everyone about her beautiful 'wife' and kids every chance she got.

The two of them had been wed just after the twins had been born. Emma had thought that it would help legitimize the family as a complete unit. They had wanted a small wedding but once Snow got word that they had finalized a date that was that. People began inviting themselves and stopping the family here and there letting them know that they would be attending. Regina had at first been upset. But Emma had reminded her that they'd promised them at their town meeting that as long as they behaved they could come. And the town had held up their end of the bargain. The family had been allowed to live in peace. So they'd ended up moving the ceremony from underneath Regina's apple tree with only a few guests to having a large church wedding that from what they could tell the entire town showed up for.

Regina had taken one look at the crowd and at first been mortified. She just knew it was going to turn into a catastrophe. And their family would be turned into a spectacle. Which was why Henry and Grace, of all people, had had to calm her down right before the walk down the aisle.

Except it hadn't. They had been accepted just as anyone else. The town had come out in full force to support them. And they'd left the wedding reception that night drunk and with grins on their faces. Emma, sensing her nerves, had kissed her as she'd joined her at the altar even before the wedding started. "I think it's now safe to say the Evil Queen is dead, Mrs Swan Mills." From the moment they'd said their I Do's, they'd all lived on a high that lasted weeks.

Granny had caught the bouquet and everyone loved teasing her to no end about it. She pretended to hate it but a slight flush would come over her cheeks as she looked at a certain Marco.

They had taken a month long vacation with all of the kids for their honeymoon. Neither one of them wanted to leave them behind so they'd just made it a family thing. Regina had worked with Rumple to come up with a way for Grace to leave town without losing her memories. Thankfully things had worked out fine for all of them in that department. They'd toured Europe and rode the high speed train back and forth between London and Paris. They'd done the traditional sightseeing of the traditional places. But they still wanted more. Regina had vowed they'd all go back soon.

"The kids did it," Emma pointed at Grace and Henry. Henry and Grace 'hrpmhed!' and crossed their arms while glaring at Emma as they sat back trying to catch their breaths. "I just told them that since they're my babies they'd come to me over them anytime," she said as she reached for Ollie. She kissed the side of his head and jumped up. She went over to her wife and kissed her too before doing the same to their baby daughter.

"We were just trying to get them worn out. They didn't look ready for sleep."

Regina raised her eyebrow letting her know that her excuse wasn't working on her. "Is that why you're waving sugar in their faces when it's already an hour past their bedtime?" Emma reddened but still grinned sheepishly.

"Love you!" she crooned as she went in for another kiss. Regina tried to turn away but she grabbed her arm and refused to let go. She kept making kissing noises at her as she backed away and fell down onto the couch. "Gotcha!" Emma said as she collapsed beside her giggling wife. She instantly pinned her with her free arm and began kissing her and both of their babies.

"Gross," Grace got out of the way fast.

"You remember that when you want permission to go to that dance of yours with that Hansel boy," Emma told her. She and Regina shared a smile as Grace's cheeks reddened.

"Well, it's time to get these two on up to bed," Regina rose. On her way out the door she stopped long enough to kiss Henry and Grace. "Make sure you get this mess cleaned up before we get back down here."

Emma stuck her tongue out at the kids as she danced past them with Oliver. "And since I'm the one holding him that means I win."

Henry and Grace shook their heads at her retreating figure as they began clearing away the mess.

SMF

Regina and Emma stood in shock when they came back downstairs. "What's this?"

The kids stood back proudly. "I just put it in the oven," Grace shrugged nonchalantly.

Regina put her arm around her shoulder and gave her a kiss. "Thank you my big baby girl."

"Hey, I'm the one who set the table," Henry chimed in.

Regina put her other arm around him, "and thank you too my big baby boy." Henry blushed as she kissed the side of his head. Then she frowned as she looked back and forth between them. "My goodness, you two are getting big." They used to stand just below her armpits. Now they both leaned their heads on her shoulder.

"That's what happens with kids, Mom," Emma ever the pragmatist jumped in before settling down in what had become her chair at the head of the table. "Let's eat." She grabbed a couple of slices of the pizza that Grace had laid out and dug in. Everyone else followed suit.

The family sat together enjoying their dinner and conversation. When they were done, Grace and Regina handled the cleanup while Emma and Henry made their customary rounds. They locked all of the doors and windows and made sure that everything was secure. It was a habit that Emma had taken up shortly after moving in. Henry had joined her giving the two of them time to go over their day and bond as they made sure their family was safe at night.

SMF

Emma and Regina were fast asleep in each others arms as they were awakened by a loud knocking. The twins began screaming and they raced into their room. Regina ran to the kids and Emma ran to the other side of the room where the commotion had happened. She shut the window that had flown open. "Your apple tree is that same one from Poltergeist," she said as she closed and locked the offending window. She surreptitiously took a walk downstairs. She did another security check from the bottom floor to the top before going back up to the nursery. She took Olivia from Regina to comfort her.

Regina rolled her eyes as she rocked Oliver back and forth. "It's okay baby. Mommy's are here." She looked at Emma, "I think we're having company tonight."

Emma nodded and the 4 of them padded their way down to their bedroom. They climbed into bed and laid the twins out between them. They lounged beside them staring down at the two little miracles that had brought their family together. A few minutes of rubbing their backs later and the babies had fallen back to sleep.

Grace and Henry appeared sleepily in the doorway. "What was that?" Henry rubbed at his eyes.

Regina laughed at his bed hair which was sticking straight up. "It was nothing. Just a window that wasn't closed the right way. You two can go back to bed. We've got the babies."

Grace and Henry looked at one another. Then they looked longingly back at their Moms.

Regina looked at Emma knowingly and smiled. Emma was already scooting over by the time Regina raised the blankets in invitation. The kids immediately accepted.

The kids climbed in and got comfortable. Henry was leaning on one side of Regina while Olivia slept on the other. Oliver was on the other side of her followed by Emma who had her arm around Grace keeping her safely tucked in.

They had come a long way together. And even though their family had started out in chaos the end result was something she wouldn't change for anything.

She grinned across at her wife. As if she could read her mind, Emma reached across the babies and grabbed Regina's hand and squeezed it.

Emma hated her moniker. But to Regina and the kids she really was the white knight. She'd come in and saved them all.

Regina had never been happier. And she had never felt safer. In the arms of her family was where she always wanted to be. It was where she could be free. Wrapped in their arms made her feel safe and warm and loved.

*** And we're done. It's been a long time coming I know. And you guys have been great from start to finish. But I'm satisfied with the end result. I hope you all are too. And as promised, one story goes down and another one takes its place. Be sure and check out the new fics. Hopefully this won't be the last journey we take together. Have fun and stay safe, warm, and hopefully in the arms of those you love! :D ***

BTW Sweet Child of Mine will be up soon. I just have a little tweaking to do there first. See ya on the other side :)