They dated again. Dinners, plays, even returning to the drive in on their revival nights. It was tentative at first, like fanning a dying flame, cautious that too much force would put it out, but they got to know each other once more. They fought, more often than usual, because Regina was a tad too protective whenever Emma stepped out the door, and Emma was still quite stubborn in her need to be strong in front of her family. For every argument, they loved twice as hard because time had been stripped from them, and wasting it was a hard lesson learned. There were family road trips to Quebec; cheering at Henry's Boy Scout ceremonies; matching Halloween costumes as Jim Hawkins, John Silver, Captain Amelia, and Doctor Doppler. Making up for lost time became their favourite pastime.
The family that Emma craved, the family Regina ached for, came together when Henry was ten. He had very formally sat Emma and Regina down at the kitchen table and handed out booklets to both of them with pictures and anecdotes outlining why exactly he should be adopted by Emma, if that was okay, of course. Emma smirked at his spunkiness but the pleased grin on her face gave way to her true emotion. Regina, loving she had raised such an organized little man, kissed his temple and looked to the blonde in question, silently backing up the boy's claim.
Henry had officially become the first Swan-Mills by the end of the summer.
Call it fate, good timing, or just plain luck, the unadulterated happiness overwhelming Emma to the core made everything they had gone through—every bullet, every letter, every second spent apart—worth it.
Today, she was able to tell the world that she loved Regina, and no one could stop her.
Emma waited just inside her change room and shook with excitement as Ruby exited the room and made her way up the stairs. No doubt Henry, their ring bearer though the teen liked to be called the Best Groomsman, was already up the stairs and waiting by the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the ocean. A beat passed and heels clicked on the stairs. Tina, Emma guessed. After another few seconds, Neal left with an encouraging squeeze to her bicep.
"Almost," August whispered in an attempt to ease the excited agitation as they heard Kathryn make her way up the steps. He turned and winked at Emma, leaning over to tickle her cheek with his scruff in a quick kiss before moving forward out of the room, following Regina's Maid of Honour.
Her heart was pounding now and her cheeks hurt from grinning because in a few minutes, she would walk up those stairs and wait by their family as Regina made her way to her. Their relationship had been anything but conventional, and even their marriage held in front of a judge was a quick decision to grasp onto a good while it was still there, so this wedding had been as by the books as they could possibly get. Emma hadn't seen Regina since the night before, and separating on the eve of their wedding day was harder than it should have been. Ruby had housed Emma and Henry for the night, while Regina, Tina, and Kathryn had stayed at the mansion. Neither friends nor Henry could keep the women's phones away that night as they constantly checked in on one another and even snuck a phone call in before bed to wish each other good night. A quick phone call had turned into a whispered conversation about their excitement before they nodded off, falling asleep to the sound of each other's breathing.
Her trembling fingers shook in anticipation, but Emma reminded herself yet again that soon, she would be able to see her bride. The instrumental music waving in the bridal party shifted to a different tune. Inhaling deeply, Emma squared her shoulders and stepped out of the room. She had half a mind to look for Regina's dressing room, if just to shoot the woman a reassuring wink, but Emma moved forward, turning onto the middle of the stairs and carefully lifting the hem of her dress to step up. Breaching the halfway point, Emma ascended up into the main banquet hall that was lit up by paper lanterns in pale colours matching their theme. The guests stood, grinning her arrival, some already teary-eyed while others, Graham specifically, throwing her a thumbs up.
Emma giggled at that but kept her composure as she walked through the short aisle of guests. Over the years, it still felt surreal for the wanderer to have made so many close friends, but as she grinned at the men in their army blues sitting by the front, Emma wondered why she ever doubted the fact.
Henry, tall and lanky now at thirteen and wearing a suit that matched his Uncle August, stood on the right with Tina and Kathryn, smirking at her with a grin that was all teeth and dimples. Emma nodded to Archie, the host of the celebration, because both Regina and Emma deemed the man perfect for the role as he helped them heal on their still continuing journey. She stopped and stood beside August, Neal, and Ruby on the left before turning back toward the crowd.
"Ready, Ma?" Henry sidled up and whispered into her ear.
She winked playfully at him then turned forward at the change in music, her grin faltering in wonder.
Regina ascended up the steps, and it just about stole Emma's breath away. She always knew the older woman was beautiful, even during that day she had nearly collided into her at the diner, but as Regina's head popped through the opening of the stairs, her eyes dead set on Emma's and a grin so wide it made the blonde's look like a wince, the only coherent thought running through Emma's mind was—wow.
Regina's hair was pinned up in a classic chignon bun as her bangs swooped to the right, framing her face and baring her shoulders, showing off the dog tag hanging from a silver chain around her neck. Emma, after receiving the pendant necklace Regina had kept safe for her all those years, saw her bare neck and sought to rectify it. Regina never took it off since.
Emma had always been a sucker whenever Regina painted her lips red and was basically goo when those lips smiled at her. Now was no different as Emma fought to remain standing by the window, counting down every step it took Regina to get to her. Her dress was every bit as elegant as Regina sought to be. The champagne-coloured sweetheart mermaid-style dress looked painted on the tanned woman before it ruffled at the side of her waist and glided outwards in pleats. Months ago Emma had asked Regina what her dress looked like, but the brunette shook her head, reminding her that it was tradition not to see it before the wedding. The blonde had teased that if they showed up to their ceremony in the same outfit it would be her fault, but even as Regina looked absolutely stunning in her dress, all Emma could focus on was the woman inside it, approaching her, reaching out her hand to meet Emma's.
"Hi," Emma whispered planting their foreheads together for a second as she breathed in the other woman.
"Hi," Regina grinned meeting her for a quick kiss.
Archie cleared his throat and reminded them of the audience they had before them. When the guests were seated once more, he adjusted his spotted bow tie and spoke. "Good evening, friends and family of Regina and Emma Swan-Mills. I've been asked today to preside over their reaffirmation of love ceremony as they share with you their most beloved union. I was so thrilled when they asked me to host such a special event, and I couldn't have been more honoured to accept. I've been privileged enough to witness firsthand the trials and tribulations this young couple have gone through over the last few years, but along with the struggles, what I've seen is them bloom."
He took a moment to smile down at the lovers with a fondness of that of a father waving goodbye to their child as they head off for college. "Emma, Regina, you two have moved mountains, not only for each other, but within your own lives. Your love is strong, deep, and true, and I, along with everyone gathered here today, wish you all the best in your lives together."
Emma grinned and inched closer when she felt Regina squeeze her bicep before waiting for August to finish up. "The couple has prepared their own vows today, so—" At Emma's motioned head, Archie turned to Regina and signaled for her to speak. "Regina."