EPILOGUE – 10 years later

Thursday, December 14, 6pm

"I can't wait to see Santa!" six-year old Faith says as she jumps up and down in line.

"I know, honey, we're almost to the front, but we have to wait our turn," Emma says as she holds onto the girl's hand. The girl's light brown curls bounce with every jump, and Emma runs her fingers through them to try to prevent them from tangling. She doesn't want a meltdown when it's time to brush her hair before bed. It's bad enough trying to get a young child to sleep this close to Christmas, and Emma has quickly learned that the more bedtime arguments she can avoid, the better.

"Here you go, dear," Regina says as she hands Emma her traditional Christmas treat as she steps back in line. "The ultimate chocolate chiller."

"Thank you," she replies gratefully as she takes a sip. "I'm surprised Starbucks hasn't driven them out of business yet."

Regina shakes her head. "I think Gloria Jeans has the mall market cornered."

"Mom!" Emma hears the call behind her, causing her to turn around just as Regina steps out of line to run and hug her son.

"Oh my God, Henry!" Regina says after releasing him from her embrace. "What are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be back from NYU until tomorrow night."

"I came back early," he shrugs. "I was done with finals, so I figured I couldn't pass up the chance to spend a few extra days at home. Emma told me you guys would be here."

Regina turns and smiles at Emma. "You knew he was coming?"

"I did. He wanted to surprised you."

Regina grabs Henry's hand and pulls him into the line, quickly pecking Emma's lips and muttering a thank you as she does. "Okay, Faith, we're almost there. Do you remember what you want to ask Santa for?"

The little girl nods excitedly. "He brought me what I wanted last year. I hope he does this year, too!"

Emma and Regina share a knowing look, and Emma winks at Regina as she sees her wife struggling to hold back her tears.

The year before, Regina had gone with Emma to the annual holiday party for children in the system. Emma had been on the organizing committee, as it was her duty as the newly-appointed head of the child advocacy and family services department. While her role has primarily been administrative in recent years, she still takes on a few clients each year to stay actively involved in the work. Faith had been one of those children, a young girl who had entered the system when her parents were tragically killed in a bank robbery early that summer. She had no living relatives to take her in, so Emma had overseen the legal aspects her case. She had immediately taken to the girl and for four months watched as she moved from foster home to foster home, through no fault of the girl's own. She saw the toll it had been taking on the girl who had gone through so much in such a short amount of time, so when she had brought Regina on as a volunteer at the holiday party, she had had a hidden agenda.

Emma had told Regina about Faith's struggles, but she had wanted Regina to meet the girl who, despite all the things she had been through, still managed to radiate a positive energy. She had watched anxiously as she introduced the two. Regina handed the little girl a Christmas cookie from the dessert table where she had been stationed, and the girl beamed back at her in gratitude. "So…" Emma had said after Regina commented that she understood why Emma was smitten with the little girl. "I know we've talked about having kids and the timing hasn't been right thus far, but what do you think about becoming a foster parent in the meantime?" Emma had known that it may not be the appropriate venue for such a serious conversation, but she couldn't wait any longer to mention her idea. Regina had looked at her in shock and said that it was a big decision, admitting that she had never thought about it, before quickly finding another task to do to avoid further conversation. However, when that new task involved helping kids getting their picture taken with Santa, and she had overheard Faith's Christmas wish of having a family for Christmas so she wouldn't have to spend it in the group home, Regina's heart had broken for the little girl. After completing a mountain of paperwork, they had been granted a temporary foster license the day before Christmas Eve, which had allowed them to bring the girl into their home for Christmas, and officially become Faith's foster mothers shortly after the new year.

Emma feels an enthusiastic tug on her arm, jarring her back to the present. "Only one more to go!" Faith says excitedly, as the little boy in front of her runs up to meet with Santa.

"Yep, sweetie, you're next," Regina laughs. Emma sees the glint in Regina's eye and has no doubt that she had just been replaying a similar memory in her mind.

"Who's that girl with Margot?" Henry asks, nodding toward the center of Santa's Village in the mall's center court.

The two women look over at their niece, who picked up a seasonal part-time job as an elf assisting the photographer. The girl adjusts her large glasses as she toys with the end of her hair, a smile on her face as she talks with another young blonde.

"I have no idea…but, they're flirting, right?" Emma asks, looking to Regina for confirmation.

"That's definitely what it looks like from where I'm standing," she smirks.

They watch as the girl in question takes the hand of the little boy who runs back after hopping off Santa's lap, and that's when Margot calls them forward to take their turn.

"Okay, Faith, go on up there and let Santa know what you want him to bring you this year," Regina encourages.

"Will you go with me?" Faith asks, suddenly unsure of the strange man.

"Of course, sweetie," she replies. "And Emma will join us as soon as she pays."

"And Henry?" Faith requests.

"And Henry," Regina says, looking pointedly at her son.

"Absolutely," he smiles and follows his mom and foster sister up to where Santa is seated, leaving Emma to fill out the form and pay the photographer's fee.

"So, Margot," she teases as she enters her information. "Who was that girl?"

"What girl?" the teen blushes.

"The girl who was just up here and we could tell from 20 feet away that you were into," she grins as she hands Margot a twenty dollar bill and the iPad with the requested information.

"Oh. Her name is Tilly."

"Uh huh…." Emma prods.

"And don't you have a family who is waiting for you up there?" Margot deflects. "You're holding up the line."

"Fine. But you know your aunt and I want details."

The seventeen year old rolls her eyes, muttering a "fine" as she pushes Emma toward the others, before retaking her spot with the photographer.

"So?" Regina smirks as they stand a few feet away, letting Faith have her moment with Santa.

"Margot definitely has a crush. She promised to fill us in later."

"I'm going to hold her to that," she laughs. "Besides, she may need some dating advice from her favorite aunts. God knows my sister will be useless when it comes to how to woo a woman."

"I don't know…Margot seems to be doing okay on her own. Tilly definitely seemed into her."

"Is there anything else you want for Christmas, young lady?" the elderly gentleman asks, his voice reminding Regina and Emma why they're there. There's plenty of time to gossip about their niece later.

"To stay where I am so we can be a real family forever," they hear the little girl respond, and it simultaneously breaks and warms their hearts.

"When should we tell her?" Regina whispers in Emma's ear. "Should we wait until Christmas morning?"

Emma smiles, quickly wiping a tear from her eye as she thinks of the adoption papers that are sitting in Regina's desk drawer in their study at home. "How about Christmas Eve, before we set out the cookies for Santa?"

"That's perfect."

THE END

A/N: Thank you all so much for reading and for the lovely response to this fluffly Christmas ditty. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas (for those who celebrate) and I wish you all a Happy 2019!