So this is the end. Thank you all for reading, following, favoriting, and commenting! You are all so damn nice. I love you all. Thanks for taking this journey with me for my second multi-chapter fic. Hope to see you all for my next. :)

2 Months later

"'The Swan-Mills family'? Really, Ruby?" Emma asks with a glare as she sits down at a diner stool and the brunette leans on the counter across from her.

Ruby throws her head back and lets out a loud laugh.

"I see you and Regina got your invitation?" Ruby asks as her laughter quiets down and Emma crosses her arms as she settles on the stool. "It was actually Marian's idea to address it that way. God I love that woman."

"We did." Emma responds, holding her glare for a few seconds before her face breaks out in a smile. "You guys picked a really beautiful location for a spring wedding; I'm so happy for you both."

"We agree and thank you." Ruby says, a big smile on her face.

They chat for awhile, occasionally interrupted when Ruby needs to help other customers or goes to retrieve Emma's order. Emma tells Ruby about drama at the hospital and Ruby talks about the little wedding planning battles she's having with Marian.

"And Alice has been so helpful, she's such a good kid." Ruby says when she returns from wiping down a newly vacant table. "Marian and I are so grateful for her help."

Several months ago Ruby and Marian had come over for dinner at Regina's and while talking about some issues with a few wedding planning details, Alice, who is usually very quiet and reserved piped up with a few ideas. Since then Ruby and Marian, to Alice's delight, have been utilizing her for more wedding ideas. Regina has been so proud to see her so engaged and excited for a project.

"And things are good in the Mills household with you two, I presume?" Ruby asks as Emma bites into her grilled cheese.

"Yes." Emma answers as she chews, grin appearing on her face after she swallows. "I keep thinking Regina can't get any more amazing than she already is but she keeps proving me wrong."

"Good." Ruby says, smiling back at Emma, placing her hand on the blonde's shoulder and squeezing it before heading to help another customer.

Finishing up her sandwich and fries, Emma pulls out her wallet to pay for her lunch. She is on her way back to Portland for an evening shift at the hospital. She had stayed the night in Storybrooke and then helped Regina and the kids shovel out from the overnight snow storm. She couldn't resist stopping into the diner to see her friend and give her a talking to about how she had addressed her wedding invite.

"Have a good night at the hospital, Dr. Swan." Ruby says as she walks past the blonde who is pulling on her coat and scarf.

Starting to make her way towards the door Emma pauses as she hears her friend calling after her.

"Oh, and 'Swan-Mills' does have a nice ring to it though, don't you think?" Ruby says with a wolfish grin.

"Goodbye, Ruby." Emma says flatly, turning and pulling the door open.

Stepping out the door and into the cold air Emma pulls her coat tightly around herself against the winter chill and closes her eyes and smiles.

4 months later

Steam fills the air and hot water hits her skin as Regina closes her eyes and runs her fingers through her hair. Only a few minutes pass before she feels two hands snake around her sides, landing just below her breast, followed by a familiar feeling of soft skin pressing against her back.

"Mmmm" Regina hums as she moves to make room for Emma under the spray of the shower and then leans her back into her. "Where are the children?"

"Well," Emma starts as she begins peppering kisses onto Regina's shoulders and neck while she trails her fingertips along wet skin. "Belle, Jeffy, and Phillip, by the miracle of my expert storytelling, are all upstairs fast asleep for a nap."

"Have I mentioned lately that I love you?" Regina whispers with a smile tilting her head back as Emma continues to tease her with kisses and light touches.

"And," Emma continues softly, still placing kissed on Regina's skin, "Ruby called a few minutes ago asking for Alice to come help again with some last minute wedding preparations so Wendy is going to drive her. Peter, and Henry are with them and they are all going to get pick up lunch to eat in the park. They promised to be back within an hour and a half to get ready for the wedding."

Emma starts trailing her fingers down Regina's abdomen, pausing with her hands on her hips.

"So," Emma whispers into Regina's ear, "We have a little quiet time to…"

Emma trails off as she moves her right hand lower, through Regina's curls and between her legs. Finding wetness there against her fingertips, Emma makes contact with Regina's clit and the brunette lets out a gasp and then a whimper at the touch.

They press their bodies hard against one another, Emma's arms wrapped tightly around Regina from behind, the blonde's left hand gripping hard on Regina's hip as the fingers on her right tease. Soon they are moving together, bodies rocking as one, steam surrounding them, and Regina's moans muffled by the rushing of the shower.

Increasing the speed and pressure of her teasing fingers, Emma bites into Regina's shoulder as she lets out a moan of her own at the feeling of Regina's backside pressed into her front.

"God I love your body," Emma whispers into Regina's ear before pulling her earlobe into her mouth, teasing it with her tongue.

Regina hums again at that, pressing harder into Emma, feeling her breasts against her back.

It isn't long before Regina is coming undone and her knees almost buckle under her but Emma holds her up. Letting the hot water bring her back to earth she turns in Emma's arms so that they are face to face, bodies still flush against one another. Regina's heart flutters in her chest as she meets Emma's eyes and sees the way she is looking at her.

Regina reaches a hand up and brushes a few strands of hair off of Emma's face before quirking a brow and shooting her a devilish look. Before Emma can ask what the look is for Regina moves her mouth to the blonde's neck nipping softly.

"I don't know if Ruby will ever forgive me if I have a hickey in her wedding pictures, Regina." Emma says, her voice raspy at the feeling of Regina's mouth on her.

Regina laughs at that, moving her hands to Emma's breasts and gliding her thumbs over each nipple.

"I guess I'll have to occupy my mouth another way." Regina whispers, her voice an octave lower, pressing her tongue to Emma's neck, moving down and not stopping until Emma spirals into oblivion.

"With the power vested in me by the state of Maine, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss your bride."

Emma and Regina watch Ruby and Marian lean in for a kiss before linking hands and turning to face the crowd that is erupting in cheers. Their faces are radiant as they walk down the grassy aisle and through their friends and family.

Emma, Phillip on her hip, tucks her head into the crook of Regina's neck. Regina holds tightly to Belle in her arms as she leans her own head on top of Emma's and smiles at the two woman in white making their way past them.

The crowd slowly starts to make their way to the tent several yards away from where the ceremony was held for drinks and hors-d'oeuvres. Regina gives several of the kids permission to go play with the other kids at the wedding while several others go to check out the food.

"Go for a walk?" Emma asks, watching Phillip run off with Rolland.

"Sure," Regina answers, "Just a sec." She adds, walking over to Robin and Will to ask if they'll keep an eye on Phillip and then to Wendy and Peter to keep a lookout for the others.

When she returns to Emma, the blonde extends her hand for Regina to take and they start to make their way to the rocky beach that was the backdrop of Ruby and Marian's wedding. Both woman remove their shoes to avoid sinking into the ground and tripping as they walk through the soft grass on their way to the rocks. The breeze picks up as they get closer to the water; salty air cleansing and peaceful as they both breathe it in fully as they walk together in silence.

They finally find a flat rock near the water big enough for them both and they lower themselves onto it carefully in their dresses. They sit, sides pressed together and Emma wraps her arm around Regina and they both gaze out into the endless view of ocean in front of them. They stay this way for several minutes, enjoying the sounds of the waves and the smell and feel of the warm breeze.

After a few moments Emma sighs and turns towards Regina who is still looking forward and the blonde tucks her face into Regina's neck and smiles.

"I love you so much, Regina." Emma whispers into the other woman's neck.

Regina smiles and leans tighter into the blonde, turning her head to face Emma who then lifts her head from her neck. They both lean in, pressing their foreheads together, eyes closed and smiling. Regina reaches a hand up and cups Emma's cheek and moves her face upwards so that they can bring their lips together.

"Hey lovebirds." A voice says behind them and both women jump, startled.

"Jesus, Ruby." Emma says, partially out of breath from fright. "Not nice."

Ruby is cackling, Marian is smiling at her wife and shakes her head.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Ruby says, dabbing at the tears in her eyes. "We are actually here for a reason. We were hoping to chat with you, well mostly Regina, later but since we spotted you here alone we thought that maybe now is a good time."

"You need to speak to me?" Regina asks, confused.

Placing a hand on Ruby's arm, Marian speaks first.

"Well first we wanted to thank you again for letting Alice help us with a lot of the wedding planning." Marian starts with a smile, lowering herself very carefully onto a rock next to the pair. "She is such an amazing girl."

"Honestly, I haven't seen her this engaged outside of the house probably since she arrived almost two years ago," Regina says, her eyes moist as she smiles. "I should be thanking you both for discovering such a passion in her."

"Well," Ruby continues where her wife left off, "We were hoping, even though the wedding is over that we could still keep spending time with her. Marian and I have talked very seriously about this in the last several months, and it was always something we had planned looking into in general once we were married but…" Ruby pauses for a minute and then, with a very serious look, says to Regina. "We want to pursue a foster to adopt scenario for Alice with us."

Regina's mouth drops open and Emma's whole face lights up, tears starting to appear as she looks at her two friends who are staring at Regina with hopeful expressions.

"You want to…" Regina starts but she's having trouble forming a sentence.

"We'll obviously need to go through all the necessary paperwork with the foster system and the state of Maine and everything to get there but," Ruby pauses and looks at her wife for a moment before turning back to Regina. "If Alice is interested and if you approve of course, we very much want to move forward with this."

Emma is smiling ear to ear as she looks back and forth between Regina and the newlyweds. There is a moment of silence as Regina just silently stares at the other two women.

Suddenly a sob escapes Regina as she stands from the rock and wraps the brunettes in a tight hug. They embrace for a long time like this before Regina starts trying to get more words out.

"At her age…" She starts, struggling to make full sentences through her tears. "Kids her age...it's really hard for them to find...I was starting to assume…"

Regina lets out a long breath before continuing with a whisper instead that Emma just barely catches.

"Thank you."

Finally pulling away the three of them are all smiles and their cheeks are wet from happy tears. They all look down at their dresses to make sure nothing is out of place as they stand up straight.

"We'll talk more about this soon, but for now let's get back to the party, shall we?" Ruby says, wiping any remaining tears from her face.

"We'll be right behind you," Emma says and the two newlyweds begin the trek back to their reception.

Turning Emma wraps Regina in a tight hug, arms around her neck.

"How are you doing?" Emma asks into brunette hair.

"Oh, Emma. I'm so happy right now." Regina says, still sniffling a little.

Emma smiles and holds her a little longer before stepping back and taking the other woman's hand.

"Come. I think this calls for a drink and a dance." Emma says as Regina slips her hand in hers and they make their way back towards the others.

"Come this summer and fall I'm going to know what all these plants are, no repeat of last year's embarrassment." Emma says with determination, bent over in the garden, a bag of seeds in one hand and a trowel in the other.

"If you say so, dear." Regina says next to her with a chuckle, settling a plant into the ground and moving dirt around it to secure it in place.

"Don't doubt me, I'm ready to impress you with my extensive gardening knowledge." Emma counters, serious expression on her face as she sprinkles seeds in the ground.

"I'm already impressed with you." Regina says softly pausing and looking up at the blonde.

Emma looks up at her then with a huge smile and they look at one another a moment before Regina leans forward and places a quick kiss to Emma's lips.

"Now get back to work." Regina says, giving Emma a stern look but she can't help the smile that sneaks through

"Yes, ma'am." Emma responds, moving her hand to salute but instead showers herself in the face with fresh garden dirt.

Belle and Henry giggle from across the garden where they are working on their own planting.

Awhile later Emma is perched in her usual and now favorite spot on a stool next to the chicken coop as Regina gets ready to retrieve some eggs. Her heart still flutters in her chest as Regina whispers to the chickens as she takes their eggs, patting them fondly each time. Emma lets out a happy sigh as she moves her gaze to look out at the yard.

The sun is starting to make its way behind the trees and all of the children are running around chasing a soccer ball and each other. Emma watches them, smiling especially large each time Anton, the newest addition to the household and nicknamed "Tiny" despite the fact that he's much bigger than Peter and Wendy at just 14, scoops up Jeffy or Phillip and they screech with delight. Henry takes advantage each time to steal the ball away and run it in for a goal, running in circles in victory, hands in the air.

The amount of bliss that Emma feels sitting in the grass on that stool, the woman she loves talking to chickens on her left while children's laughter fills her ears is something she doesn't think she'll ever get used to. It's days like this that make her nearly forget her stressful days at work and the scars of her childhood. This is happiness; this is family and Emma can't imagine it getting better than right now.

Emma hears Regina exit the chicken coop, sidling up beside her and placing the small basket of eggs in Emma's lap. Emma places both hands on the basket to hold it in place as the brunette wraps an arm around the blonde's shoulders and leans her head on Emma's.

They both watch the kids playing for several minutes, their giggles and cheers filling the air, before Regina finally speaks.

"Hard to imagine that almost a year ago you asked me to take a chance on something and I was so afraid." She starts, "I was so afraid to open myself up again just to be hurt. I didn't know if it would be worth it. Emma, I'm so glad that I did. You make me so unbelievably happy."

"You make me so happy as well Regina, and these kids," Emma starts but doesn't finish as Regina shifts next to her, pulling something out of her pocket and placing it into the basket that Emma is holding in her lap. Emma's lips part a moment in shock but she is speechless as she stares at a small black velvet box.

"I'm not afraid anymore, Emma. You've helped me strip away that fear." Regina says, looking down at the box and then back into Emma's eyes. She smiles before she continues, "Be mine." She pauses to look out at the children and gesturing to them adds, "Be ours."

Emma's hands are shaking and her eyes are growing blurry. Regina picks up the box from the basket, moving the basket to the ground before opening up the box to reveal a simple, yet beautiful silver ring with several small but brilliant diamonds mounted on it.

"Emma, w…" Regina starts but is interrupted.

"Yes." Emma whispers before letting out a choking sob. "Yes." She says again nodding several times before standing from her stool and wrapping her arms around Regina's neck and burying her face, letting out another sob.

They hold onto one another for awhile before an extra loud screech is heard from across the lawn and they both pull apart to look over to see several children ganging up on Henry and tickling him from several angles.

"My life is never going to be quiet again, is it?" Emma says, laughing through her tears.

"Is that a problem?" Regina asks, smiling, tears in her own eyes as she looks over at her fiancee.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Emma answers with a grin as she leans in to capture Regina's lips in a kiss.

The End.