They couldn't have been more public at the festival, and Regina had been correct, quite a number of people Snow had considered her friends felt the need to inform her of just what a fool she was making of herself. And yes, some of it was not just because Regina was the Evil Queen, but because she was leaving a handsome man for a woman. The town didn't suddenly go from a bastion of tolerance under the curse to someplace being in a same sex marriage was considered horrible, but there were many things about their world did seep through. Like that princesses should be married to princes not queens.

No one was stupid enough to make such comments to Regina and Snow supposed that was going to be the nature of things to come. She'd have to be protective of Regina and Regina of her. But either way it was a good way of seeing which people were really her friends.

And on the day she was moving back home, all seven dwarfs, and ruby, showed up to help her carry things.

"I didn't tell anyone..."

"It's a small town sister," Grumpy said, "And do you really think you needed to announce this?"

She shrugged and laughed. It was true. Rumors about her marriage... marriages... did one have to get a divorce for an enchanted forest marriage? Was her marriage to Regina still valid? That was a question for another day she guessed... rumors of her marriage were likely to be town gossip for a while.

Red put her hand on her arm after they'd finished clearing everything out of her room at the B&B. "Maybe I was wrong for pushing. I just... know a thing or two about monsters. And I wanted to protect you."

Snow smiled, "Monsters never frightened me."

Ruby shook her head, "Your virtues and your faults can be the same thing, my friend. If you ever find yourself needing to talk about your monster... "

"I know who to come to," Snow put a hand on her arm. "Come on, we should get going before the dwarfs find themselves alone with Regina."

Alone didn't happen that night. Because somehow there was a party. A really weird and sometimes awkward party where Regina did her best to play host and everyone did their best not to be freaked out when she offered them baked goods or booze. But a few hours in, and after some of the more casual friends who had shown up had left, Mary Margaret looked around her living room, full of people laughing and smiled up at Regina, who was leaning against the back of the chair Mary Margaret was sitting in. She reached up to touch her hand.

"We've never had a party before."

"Well... we were basically repeating the same day over and over in a curse, that limits venues for socializing," Regina said with a smile.

"It's nice to have the house filled with laughter."

Regina smiled. "It's nice to have someone who brings the laughter."

Regina leaned down and kissed her, "Thank you for coming home."

"Always."

Author's Note: Thank you for coming along on this ride with me. I've written a fair bit of Romantic Snow Queen and this is the first story that seems to have really caught people's imaginations. I appreciate each of my readers who came here giving it a chance and for giving me such lovely feedback. Though this particular story is over, I think other stories in this universe are highly likely.