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"Regina, how can you not dress up?" Snow asked, accompanying Regina into Granny's diner. "It's a Halloween party. There's no reason not to."
"The number of 'costumes' I've endured as the Evil Queen will make up for every Halloween I don't dress up," Regina stated, greeting Emma and Henry at a booth before sliding in next to her son. Snow followed suit, sliding in beside her daughter. "Trust me, I'm doing myself a favor."
"What's going on?" Emma asked, looking at her mother. "Dressing up for what?"
"I'm trying to get Regina to join the Halloween party this weekend. Practically everyone in town will be there," Snow said, shifting her focus between both women. "It wouldn't be fair if the mayor didn't join in on the fun."
"That'll be me doing them a favor," Regina added, resting an arm around her son's shoulders. "I'm not the partying type and that's that."
Snow watched Regina avoid her gaze, deciding to lay the conversation to rest as she handed her a flyer instead.
"Well, if you change your mind, we'd love to have you," she said, a hopeful look in her eyes. "Trust me, you won't regret it."
Snow squeezed Emma's arm and waved goodbye to Henry before leaving the table. Regina didn't budge - skimming over the flyer and already sure of her decision - until Henry caught her attention.
"Mom, you should go," he spoke up beside her. "Ma's going too, it'll be fun."
"Who said I was going?" Emma responded, eyeing him suspiciously. "Where'd you get that idea?"
"You're not?" Regina asked, surprised Snow didn't manage to persuade her own daughter. Emma shook her head in response. "Well, if she isn't even going, then why do I have to?" Regina questioned, bringing her attention back to Henry.
"Actually," Emma said, reconsidering, "maybe we should go. We can be the three musketeers or something," she suggested, mulling over the thought. Regina's laughter shot that idea down immediately.
"I'd rather go as Snow White than be caught dead in ridiculous trousers and a giant feather in my hat. Again," she added, realizing her days as the Evil Queen had their moments.
"Wait, that's it! You should go as Grandma," Henry said. Emma struggled to suppress her laughter from behind her coffee mug.
"Henry, I think you've forgotten a few details about the history between your dear grandmother and I," she stated, brushing her fingers through his hair and glaring at Emma. "Anyway, I told you I'm not going, so I don't want to hear another word about it."
"Mom, it's perfect," he continued, disregarding her wishes and swatting her hands away as the excitement in his smile reached his eyes, "and Ma can be Grandpa." This time Emma nearly choked on her coffee at the suggestion, looking directly at his other mother who only began to shake her head.
"No. Not a chance. I refuse to be the Snow White to her Prince Charming," she stated, regretting running into Snow at all today. Emma mocked offense, but didn't expect anything less from Regina.
"Don't worry, just think of it as a prank," Henry explained. "Grandma doesn't expect you to be there. They won't even see it coming and it'll be like a big joke, I promise. Plus," he added, finishing the last bite of his French toast, "you guys already act like an old married couple."
"We do not," they both exclaimed, realizing their mistake as they looked at each other.
"Whatever you say…" Henry averted his eyes, washing his meal down with hot cocoa as he smiled to himself.
"Kid, I think you're about to give your mom a heart attack," Emma spoke up. And I won't be far behind. She was still recovering from hot coffee burning down her throat at the thought of being Regina's - for lack of a better word - date, dressed as her parents nonetheless. "What are you dressing up as, anyway?" she asked him, hoping to give both mothers a chance to distance themselves from this conversation. "A knight? A warlock?"
"How about a thirteen-year-old running late for school?" Regina commented, handing Henry his backpack and sliding out of the booth to let him go. She knew her son, and a change of topic wouldn't get past him. If she didn't stop the train wreck that has been this morning, she'd never hear the end of it.
"Fine," he sighed, already aware of where this was heading, "but I'm telling you, it's a great idea." Henry didn't want to go down without a fight, but he surrendered, tossing a goodbye over his shoulder before exiting the diner. Emma looked on, amused, but Regina found no humor in the situation.
"What has gotten into your son today?" she asked, returning to her seat and looking at Emma as though she was the cause for his behavior. Between his unwavering persistence and his childish eating habits, she was usually the one to blame.
"So now he's my son," she laughed, setting her mug down. "I have to hand it to him, Regina, it is a clever idea." The more Emma thought it over, the more she enjoyed picturing Regina accompanying her to the party.
For the prank, of course.
"Yup, definitely your son," Regina muttered. "As hilarious as you may find this, I will have no part in it."
"Hey, it could be fun," Emma insisted with a shrug, treading carefully as she continued. "We can dress up how they used to back in the Enchanted Forest. You can wear hair extensions, maybe borrow my mom's bow and arrow, and we can even put a wig on Henry."
"Why, pray tell, would our child need a wig?" Regina questioned, doubtful she'd want to know the answer.
"Who else would be me?" Emma asked.
"Ah, of course," Regina responded in realization. "As if this experience wouldn't be traumatizing enough for me, now we can subject the same torment to our son." She wasn't even sure why they were still discussing the idea in the first place.
"Keep fighting it, but who wouldn't want to be a part of the greatest True Love story of all time?" Emma replied, a mischievous glint in her eye as she raised her mug to her lips again, hoping a bit more of her unwavering persistence would persuade the other woman. "Especially when the product of that gets to be their date."
"If you don't recall, I was a part of that story, and not the part anyone would prefer," Regina stated, to which Emma nodded in understanding. "Also, please let that be the first time and the last time you call it a date," she added, surprised by the assumption.
"Are you agreeing to it then?" Emma asked, trying to sound indifferent, but she found herself hoping Regina wouldn't dismiss the idea. "Henry might be happy to see us there, you know, together."
"He would be thrilled…" Regina agreed, tugging her lip between her teeth and tapping her fingers against the table as she contemplated the thought.
"So... is that a yes?" Emma asked, holding herself still in anticipation.
"I'm considering it- For Henry," she added. "The entire ordeal is humiliating enough, but if it'll make him happy then I suppose I might as well look into it."
"I promise it'll be a blast," Emma said, perking up as she looked at her. "Can we throw in a few, 'I will always fi-"
"No," Regina said, response firm. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Miss Swan."
"Not even once?" Emma pleaded.
"Fine, once, but I can't guarantee I'll be there for you to find," Regina said, rising from her seat and already regretting her decision.
"Then it's a d-" Regina turned her head as she walked to the door, shooting Emma a look of warning, "-eal, it's a deal."
"I agreed to the prank, I put in these cheap hair extensions, I'm even showing up with you," Regina said, ignoring Emma's huff in response, "but I draw the line at wearing that nightmare of a costume."
Regina was wallowing in complete and utter regret as Emma held up her mother's banditry outfit, Henry by their side trying to help coax Regina into wearing it. Even if she gave into the initial idea, she was nothing short of resistant throughout the entire process.
"C'mon, Regina. Do you know how many strings I had to pull to get this thing to Storybrooke? And behind my parents' back on top of that? I still have scars from jumping that last portal straight onto a thorn bush," she said, rubbing her hip in discomfort.
"Well, I'm sorry the Enchanted Forest doesn't do FedEx, but I spent most of my life loathing those flea-infested rags. I may not have my crown anymore, but I still have my dignity," she stated, arms crossed. "Isn't the bow and arrow enough?"
"If I have to hear you complain about being my mother for the entire night, I'd rather you dressed for the part," Emma said, inching the hanger closer to her. "I promise I tossed them through the washer at least three times, just for your sake." More like once, but who's counting?
"Fine," she sighed, snatching it away from her, "but don't be surprised if my arrow finds its way to your head by the end of the party."
"A risk I'm willing to take," Emma said as she smiled, pleased with herself. "Anyway, if Henry can deal with the blonde wig, you can d-"
"Whoa, wait. Blonde wig?" Henry asked, taking a wary step away from them. "What would I need a wig for?"
"To be me, duh," Emma stated, gesturing to the wig on his mother's nightstand. "We can't be Snow White and Prince Charming without our True Love baby," she said with a smug grin, reaching out to pinch his cheeks. Regina flinched at the thought of having 'True Love' anything with Emma of all people.
"I love you, Ma," he began, escaping her grasp, "but being my mother for Halloween isn't on my To-Do list. I'd rather stick to being Grandpa this year."
"David? But isn't Emma…" Regina was in the middle of trying on Snow's archery quiver when she looked between them, confused.
"Not that grandpa. Don't worry, you'll see tomorrow night. Speaking of," Henry said, swinging his backpack over his shoulder, "I have to go do some research for my costume." He made his way to Regina's bedroom door before eyeing the wig. "Can I borrow this?"
"It's all yours, kid," Emma said, digging through the pile of clothes meant to be her own costume. "My leather jacket's waiting for you if you ever change your mind."
"Thanks, but no thanks," he said, grabbing it in a hurry to leave the room. "I'll be home later."
"Okay, but be back by dinner, and don't be surprised if your mother isn't here," Regina said, picking at the fur on the collar of Snow's vest. "If she makes anymore ridiculous additions to my costume, I may be busy throwing her off the pier," she added, earning a laugh from their son as he nodded in agreement and walked out.
"Hey! Don't plot my murder in front of our kid," Emma whispered once she was sure he was out of earshot.
"Sorry, you're right," Regina replied, fixing her hair in the mirror before pausing to glance over her shoulder, "the less witnesses the better."
"Very funny." Emma glared at her, picking up a loose hair extension with the tip of David's sword and tossing it in Regina's direction.
"Emma!" she shrieked. All that followed was Emma's laughter as Regina sought refuge in her bathroom. "You're a child," she groaned, yelling at her from behind the door.
"So much for being a fearless bandit," Emma remarked, wielding the sword and practicing her stance in front of the full-length mirror.
Even with Regina's complaints, Emma had a feeling tomorrow night would be worth it.
"How do people live with these things?" Regina asked, itching her head as another lock of hair slid out of place. "Remind me to burn them later."
"Don't do that," Emma said, taking her hand off of the steering wheel to lower Regina's arm. She didn't tear her eyes away from the road, afraid of running into a mailbox as rain pelted down onto her windshield. "You'll ruin your costume."
"The costume was already ruined long before I got my hands on it," Regina whispered, annoyed. "Why do I even need the hair? Your mother's hair is shorter than mine now anyway," she commented. "The best decision she's ever made."
"Technically, it was your decision when you cast that curse," Emma noted. "You also did the same thing to yourself, come to think of it."
"Neither were by my choice, and do you really need to bring that up?" Regina questioned, freeing her arm from Emma's grip.
"Well, if you didn’t threaten my parents' happiness for a majority of their lives, then I wouldn't need to," she shot back. Regina looked at her wide-eyed as Emma realized she'd gone too far. "Sorry, just… getting into character."
"I didn't realize Prince Charming was so hot-headed." Emma ignored her comment, parking in front of the entrance to the building. She exited her side of the bug, circling around the front to wait for Regina who remained seated, staring out of her window.
"Are you okay in there?" Emma asked, opening her door. Regina immediately stepped out without a word. "Regina?"
"I was waiting for you to open my door," she said, adjusting the arrows strapped to her back. Emma looked at her bemused. "Do princes not know how to be chivalrous now?"
"It's a Volkswagen, not a horse-drawn carriage," Emma pointed out, shutting the door when realization hit her. "I knew you'd do this."
"Do what?" Regina asked, feigning innocence as she examined the string of her bow.
"You didn't want to do this so now you're overdoing it," Emma said, hands resting on her hips as she approached her. "Are you really going to make me work for it?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, refusing to look in Emma's direction.
"Two can play at that game. Hold my hand," Emma said, reaching it out to her as the other settled onto the pommel of her sword.
"Please tell me you're joking," Regina said, finally looking up to stare at it.
"It's the night of the party and you continue to be stubborn about this," Emma sighed. "My parents are in love, Regina. If you're going to be dramatic, the least you can do is hold my hand." Reluctant to oblige, she slid her leather-clad hand into Emma's. "Thank you," Emma said with another one of her pleased expressions, dragging Regina toward the entrance of the party.
"Don't mention it, and I mean that quite literally," Regina muttered, stepping in behind her. "Do you know where Henry is?" she asked, searching the room for their son the moment they entered. Henry decided to surprise his parents with his costume and she was eager to find him.
"I haven't seen him yet," Emma said, eyes scanning the crowd surrounding her as she struggled to push them through. They made it to the other side when Emma felt Regina squeeze her hand.
"He should be around here somewhere," Regina commented, catching Emma's attention as nerves began to creep up on her. "Didn't your parents bring him? Where are they?"
"Relax, I promise we'll find him," Emma replied, a thought hitting her. "You know us Charmings," she said, stepping into a heroic stance. "We always find each other."
"Are you wasting your only use of that dreadful catchphrase on me?" Regina asked, letting go of her hand as she found Emma's entire display insufferable.
"That doesn't count," Emma replied. "I was just-"
"Getting into character, I know," she said, cutting her off. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll go be responsible and look for our son while you have fun playing dress up in your father's clothes. Don't move," Regina warned, holding her bow above her head to squeeze through the crowd again.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Emma replied, ignoring Regina's usual snark and eyeing the array of food in front of her. Regina didn't fail to notice her Princess Charming had pulled them all the way over to the refreshment table. She managed to make it back across the room when Ruby stopped her.
"Excuse me- Regina?" she questioned, eyeing the mayor's costume in disbelief.
"Ms. Lucas, can I help you?" Regina asked, smile so tight from embarrassment she was ready to explode.
"I just came over to say how much I loved your costume," Ruby began, "but knowing it's you wearing it, I have never been more impressed." Her smile was genuine and Regina knew even the scowl threatening to appear on her own face couldn't make it falter.
"Well, it took an army to make this happen," she replied with a nervous laugh, gesturing to her entire look.
"There you are," Emma said, stepping past the crowd of party-goers to Regina's side.
"I thought I told you to stay put," Regina responded, she and Ruby focusing their attention on her.
"I couldn't wait, and you know I will always find you," she said, face serious, but Regina saw pure mischief in her eyes.
"Red's a witness so that one counts." Regina's response was quick, leaving Emma without a chance to say otherwise. She was thankful no one else would have to hear it, but turned her head in surprise when Ruby erupted with laughter and pulled out her camera.
"This is by far the best thing I've seen all night," she said, snapping a picture of them both. Emma posed; Regina almost shoved her into the table behind them. "You guys have to enter into the costume contest tonight."
"Costume contest?" Emma asked, watching as Ruby pointed toward the stage.
"Anyone can enter, but there's a catch. You have to be fully in costume," she stated. Regina processed Ruby's explanation, looking back and forth between herself and Emma.
"That sounds simple enough. We couldn't look more like your parents if we tried," she said with a shrug. It could be an easy win.
"No, fully in costume. If I'm dressed as a cat, then I have to act like one. Breaking character is an automatic disqualification," she explained. "So, you two can't be Snow White and Prince Charming without-"
"Don't get any ideas, Swan," Regina said, already seeing the gears turning in Emma's head, but it was too late. "That's it, I'm going home," she stated, heading toward the front entrance.
"Regina, wait," Emma said, gently grabbing her by the hand. "Please don't go, it'll be fun."
"What will be 'fun'?" Regina asked. "An arrow to your head? Throwing you off the pier? Yes, I agree, but making myself look like a complete moron? That is not my definition of fun."
"No, I- You really want to get rid of me, don't you?" Emma was used to Regina's empty threats, but now was not the time to test them. "It's just a prank."
"As if I want to draw more attention to myself," she said. "I thought you agreed this prank would have limits."
"Look, if it'll make you feel any better, you can sacrifice me to a bunch of trolls or shoot an arrow into my chest or knock me out with a rock or-"
"Don't tempt me," she stated. Emma stared at her, unsure of what could convince Regina to try. She decided her last resort would be the best option.
"You promised you'd do this for Henry," she said. Regina's face immediately softened, mouth opening to protest. "He'd be happy to see us win," she added, knowing exactly which buttons to push. "Please?" Emma's hands joined together in front of her; a moment longer and Regina feared she'd get on her knees to beg.
"Fine," she said, arms crossed in front of her. "Anything to keep you from pulling at my leg like a child." Regina slumped her shoulders in defeat and walked past her to sign them up for the contest. "I really can't stand you."
"Yell at me all you want after it's over, just pretend to tolerate me for now," Emma said with a smile, following her to the stage.
"I've been doing so since the moment I met you," she replied, reading over the contest qualifications. "It shouldn't be hard to keep that up."
"Well, aren't you a breath of fresh air," Emma said, rolling her eyes as shifted behind Regina to read over her shoulder.
"Anyway, if we're doing this, then we should really sell the part," Regina said, hesitant as she wrote her name down on the sign-up sheet. "I mean, if we're going to win this thing, but only by my rules."
"Okay, fair enough," Emma said, signing her name next to Regina's. "What are your rules?"
"Hand holding is fine," she began.
"Can I say the-"
"If you insist," Regina replied, unable to understand her obsession with that phrase, "but if you say it every time you lose track of me, I'll burn you to a crisp." Emma took a cautious step back, nodding in agreement. "Also, no kissing of any kind," she warned. "I don't care if they're 'True Love' or not, I'd rather go this entire night without complaining about my costume than endure that."
"It's not like I'm dressed as Frankenstein's monster, Regina," she responded.
"Okay, I didn't mean that last comment. I'm sorry," she confessed, realizing she'll have to avoid making sarcastic remarks for the rest of the night. "Do we have a deal?" she asked, extending her hand.
"It's a deal," Emma said, meeting it with a shake.
For the next hour or so, Emma and Regina navigated their way through the crowd, introducing themselves as the royal couple that had yet to grace both women with their presence tonight. Regina remained awkward in her Snow White-esque mannerisms, her usual wit held back by the bite of her tongue. Emma, however, fell into Prince Charming's role immediately. After all of the practicing in front of Regina's mirror, it wasn't difficult for her to emulate her father's heroic stance, his sincere smile, his look of intoxication every time her eyes landed on Regi- err, Snow…
All for the sake of winning the contest, of course.
"Snow," Emma called out to her. Regina looked in every direction but Emma's, assuming her parents finally joined the party. "Snow," she called out again. This time Regina chose to ignore her as realization settled in. "Regina!"
"What?" she asked, turning her attention away from a group of party-goers to join Emma. "What is it?"
"I was calling you," she said.
"I'm well aware," Regina replied in aggravation, making her way past Emma, toward the restroom. "You don't have to keep up the charade when it's just the two of us. I have a name and I'd prefer you use it."
"We can't break character," Emma whispered, trailing along behind her. "Plus, I thought you were enjoying this. What will it take for you to just give in and have fun?" Emma asked, tired of the push-and-pull she's had to deal with all night.
"Not even a ride home and an ocean to toss these clothes into," she replied, shutting the door before Emma could follow her in. As much as she convinced herself she was staying for Henry, Regina couldn't find him anywhere and already made her peace with losing that ridiculous contest.
Before she had a chance to decide her next move, however, Regina heard something shuffle in one of the stalls behind her.
"Hello?" Regina called out, turning away from the door. "Is someone there?"
Fingernails scraped against porcelain, the figure struggling to keep themselves upright. Regina stepped cautiously toward the noise, a firm grip on her bow. She may be shaky at aiming an arrow, but she was fully aware of how to beat something with a stick if need be.
What she didn't expect was a whimper sounding from behind the stall door in front of her.
"Are you okay in there?" she asked as she set her bow against the wall, mentally kicking herself for thinking she would find any kind of threat in here of all places.
"I'm fine," a young girl said. Her response was followed by a choked sob. "Please go away."
"Violet, is that you?" Regina stepped closer toward the familiar voice, hesitant to knock on the stall door.
"Regina?" she asked, reaching out to unlock the door as she peeked through the opening. She was taken aback by the woman's appearance, dressed head-to-toe in the last thing she expected to see. "Whoa… What happened to you?"
"Don't get me started," Regina laughed, her face softening as she pulled the door open. "Did something happen? Are you alright?"
Violet shook her head, arms crossed over her stomach as she stepped out of the stall in front of Regina. She was dressed in a cropped sweater, midriff bare above her knee-length skirt. The girl reached up to wipe her cheeks, struggling to form words as Regina stared at her. With humiliation overwhelming her, Violet gave up and lowered her gaze to the floor, fresh tears threatening to escape.
"Violet," Regina whispered, heart beginning to swell as she settled her fingertips beneath the girl's chin, lifting her face up. "You can talk to me, I promise. I know I'm, well… me, but - especially in this outfit - I only want to help."
"Okay," Violet replied, nodding in response. She let out a final unsteady breath before her eyes met Regina's.
"Good, but let's clean you up first, okay?" she asked with a smile, taking Violet's arm and leading her to a sink as she attempted to find a paper towel dispenser. Pulling out a clean piece, Regina handed it to Violet and focused her attention back on the girl. "Now, tell me what's got you locked up in here all by yourself."
"My costume," she said with a sniff, dabbing at her eyes. "I'm supposed to be a vampire and I really wanted to wear my costume tonight, but when Ruby started taking pictures and I saw how I looked in them, I-" Violet took another deep breath, arms covering her stomach once again as she struggled to hide her face from Regina.
"Oh, sweetheart," she knelt down in front of her, taking both of the girl's hands in her own. "I know sometimes you look in the mirror and think you look ridiculous - believe me, I can relate," she sighed, looking down at her own attire. "It's easy to trick yourself into thinking you need to put up a wall in order to look or feel or... be a certain way," she explained, "but you don’t. I definitely learned that the hard way…" she trailed off, glancing over at her bow. "I still am."
"But it's not that easy," Violet replied, looking down at Regina in frustration as she caught her attention again. "Everyone says I shouldn't feel so bad about things like this, but I do. I just do."
"And what would you do if your best friend was feeling bad about themselves?" Regina asked, stroking her thumbs over the back of Violet's hands. "Or me, if I was the one in here crying?"
"Tell you, you have nothing to be ashamed of," Violet confessed, "but that's easy. You're already pretty."
"Thank you, but frankly, my dear," Regina said, smiling up at her, "being pretty has nothing to do with it. Who you are - as you are - matters so much more. You wouldn't want a friend to feel bad about who they are, would you?" she asked.
"No, I guess not," Violet responded, hesitant as she shook her head.
"Then if you saw yourself sitting in here, alone and upset, you shouldn't want yourself to feel bad either, especially when you know that person is pretty terrific. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Violet offered her a timid nod before looking down at her costume. "Sometimes you're the closest thing you have to a best friend, and it's important to learn to take care of yourself like one."
"I know, I know," she admitted with a smile. "I barely have friends here anyway," she added, to which Regina stood up and grabbed her tissue, wiping it across Violet's cheek.
"Well, now you have me, and you have Henry, and you have Emma," Regina said, "who I'm sure hasn't left that door since the moment I stepped in here," she added, raising her voice as she looked toward the restroom door.
"Busted," Emma sighed, opening the door to find Violet and her runaway princess. "I was just-"
"Staying in character, I know," Regina replied with a smile, resting her arm around Violet's shoulders.
"Actually, I was going to say 'giving you space', but hey, I'll always find you," she said, giving her a sheepish grin before realizing Violet was staring between them.
"Wait, who are you both supposed to be?" she asked, taking in Emma and Regina's costumes.
"Probably the worst attempt at Snow White," Regina confessed, "and that's my pain in th-" she cleared her throat before continuing, "Princess Charming." Emma's arms were crossed, scoffing at her in return.
"Don't let her fool you," Emma whispered, leaning into Violet, "I think she's warming up to me." Violet giggled in response, turning to hug Regina who was caught off-guard by the affection.
"Well, I think you make a pretty great Snow White," Violet said. "Thank you, Regina."
"Anytime," she whispered, returning the hug as she looked up at Emma who couldn't tear her eyes away if her life depended on it.
"I'll go find Henry," Violet said, pulling away and waving goodbye to Emma as she walked out of the restroom.
"Tell him to come find us if you do," Regina called after her, but before she could follow Violet out, Emma caught her hand.
"I think the Hope Commission owes someone a quarter," Emma said, releasing her grip as she leaned against the sink.
"Don't remind me," Regina groaned, standing next to Emma who only laughed in response. Regina played with the feather of one of her arrows, staring at the doorway where Violet had just passed, unaware Emma's gaze at her hadn't faltered since she entered the room.
"I'm serious, Regina," she said, eyeing her costume, "that was really… nice… of you." She wondered if Snow sprinkled some kind of Hope potion onto her clothes, starting to believe it was rubbing off on Regina.
"Hey, I can have a heart if I want to," Regina responded, bumping the heel of her boot against Emma's as she playfully whipped the shaft of the arrow against the other woman's arm. Emma smiled to herself, Regina focusing her attention back on the feather.
She watched Regina, teeth scraping against her bottom lip in deep thought as frayed ends of fletching dusted over her fingertips. They aimlessly trailed along the length of the arrow and Emma's eyes wandered along with them, but Regina's train of thought halted when her gaze shifted to Emma again, bumping the heel of their boots together once more as she noticed her stare. All Emma wanted to watch was Regina - her body slouching against the tiled wall, hair hanging over her eyes, her lips parting as she said words Emma failed to make any sense of - and it didn't take long for the other woman to catch on, returning a concerned gaze immediately thereafter.
"Are you okay?" The woman on Emma's mind waved the arrow in her face, that very concern evident as Regina's brows furrowed the longer Emma stared. "Emma?"
"Hmm?" Emma hummed, shaking herself out of her thoughts before she grabbed the shaft of the arrow. "Careful, you'll poke an eye out with that thing," she stated.
"I was saying, is Henry showing up at all tonight? Did you call him?" Regina's expression shifted from contentment to worry before Emma had a chance to react. "And where on Earth are your parents?"
"Regina, relax. I told you, we-"
"I hope the Charmings aren't cheating their way through the contest," Ruby said with a smirk, appearing at the doorway of the restroom.
"No, of course not," Emma spoke up with a taut smile, arm sliding around Regina's waist out of habit. She pulled her closer before she had an opportunity to think it through. "Reg- Snow and I were just... Uh..."
"Talking about how much I wish Hen-"
"Emma," Emma whispered in her ear.
"-Emma was here. You know, because she's our daughter," Regina said, plastering on a smile as she looked up at the woman beside her, "and despite our family's luck, she hasn't been so easy to find tonight."
"I'm sure she's lurking around here somewhere," Ruby replied with a smug grin. "Don't hide away for too long, Granny's announcing the winners soon," she added, winking at them before walking off.
"They really take this contest seriously, huh?" Emma laughed, shifting her focus from Ruby down to Regina, immediately taking a step back when she realized her hand hadn't left the other woman's hip. "Sorry, I was just-"
"I know, I know," Regina answered with a nervous laugh. "Speaking of, I guess I should apologize for being such a bad sport," Regina confessed. "The contest is basically over and I haven't been fair throughout it. I'm sorry."
"No, are you kidding? I know it took a lot for you to even consider this," Emma replied, lifting Regina's bow from against the wall. "To be fair, Henry and I - especially the 'I' part -" Emma stated, handing it over to her, "shouldn't have pressured you in the first place. I'm the one who's sorry."
"Well, it's greatly appreciated," she said, hanging it over her shoulder as she reached out for Emma's hand.
"Really?" Emma asked, eyeing it in hesitation.
"Well, we still have a few more minutes," Regina said. "We might as well enjoy it." Emma smiled at her, taking her hand.
"You know, I think you did my mom justice. She'd never let you live that hope speech down," she said, following her out of the restroom.
"Oh, God forbid," she groaned again, both women shuffling through the crowd for the umpteenth time tonight. "I'll ruin your life if you mention it to her."
Emma couldn't help herself from laughing at Regina's comment, ready to shoot back with one of her own when the party-goers surrounding them began to turn toward the stage.
"Attention fellow ghouls and ghosts," Ruby announced, squinting against the bright stage lights as she stared out into the sea of people. "I hate to put the party on pause, but it's time to have Granny declare a winner for tonight's costume contest." Her smile was bright at the following applause, gesturing to the side of the stage when Granny walked out.
Emma took in everyone's appearances as excitement buzzed around the room, many dressed predictably as Batman or Dracula. Others, however, were covered head-to-toe in costumes with such intricate details, she had no doubt they'd win. Unexpected nerves bubbled inside of her at the thought until she felt Regina intertwine their fingers. Emma's gaze drifted away from the crowd, down to their hands, and then up to the back of Regina's head. Regina had her eyes fixed onto the stage like everyone else, awaiting Granny's words, but Emma found herself forgetting anything that wasn't the other woman's thumb stroking against her own as she pulled her closer.
Like Regina feared the crowd may swallow her whole if Emma wasn't by her side.
Emma took a step forward in return, the curve of Regina's spine resting along the length of her arm as their hands remained clasped between them. The empty space she left filled in an instant, the crowd huddling them closer together. Cheer after cheer erupted around the two as Granny announced each runner up, but as much as she tried, Emma remained distracted by the lack of distance between herself and Regina. So much so that something came over her and she-
"Regina," Emma said, biting her tongue when Regina's head began to turn. Emma tried to avert her eyes, but they fell onto brown ones staring up at her in anticipation. It was neither the time nor the place to have this conversation, but she was too late to stop herself now. "Regina, I-"
"And the place of first runner up goes to Snow White and Prince Charming," Granny said, stopping Emma mid-confession as they both looked up at the stage. The crowd surrounding them began to step away in realization, congratulations coming in from all around as they were ushered toward the stage steps. Regina and Emma stumbled forward with each push, staring at each other in a daze.
"I can't believe it worked," Regina said to her, stunned as she looked out at the audience. Emma, on the other hand, was lost in her own thoughts. She was still recovering from almost pouring her heart out before the interruption. They both walked to center-stage, hesitant for far too many reasons, and unable to tell who was gripping the other's hand the hardest. "You don't think it was a mis-"
"Well, if it isn't Snow White." Emma stopped in her tracks as the crowd fell silent, pulling Regina back to her before she had a chance to react to the woman standing in front of them. "I have to admit, this is the last thing I expected to see tonight."
"Mom?" Emma said in disbelief, mouth hanging open when she took in Snow's appearance. In an instant, laughter sounded from all around, Emma realizing everyone in the room had their eyes on the three women.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Regina said, letting go of Emma to let her hands fall to her hips as the crowd roared again in response. "What on Earth do you think you're doing? Is that my dress?"
"Emma isn't the only one who pulled a few strings for tonight," Snow responded with a stoic expression, adjusting her posture as she straightened in her corset and settled into an Evil Queen-esque stance.
She walked toward Regina, hands on her hips as the length of the gown swayed with every step. Her stare was cold, eyeing Regina's costume when she began to circle her. Regina - to no one's surprise - found no reason to feel intimidated under her gaze, and at this realization, Snow dropped her regal persona to hold in her laughter, clasping her hands against her chest and bouncing on her heels like only Snow White would.
"Surprise!" Snow shouted, looking between Regina and Emma to gauge their reactions. "Oh, Regina," Snow continued, tugging at the aggravated woman's arm. "You have to find this even a little bit amusing."
"This is it," Regina sighed, arms crossed as she looked up toward the ceiling, "this is my worst nightmare. This is what karma has bestowed upon me."
"C'mon, Regina, its funny," Emma said, delighted by the situation until Regina scoffed. She knew Regina's blood was boiling at the sight before her, but the crowd cheered, supporting Emma's remark.
"I'm supposed to find you dressed as me 'amusing'? Where on earth would you get an idea…" Regina failed to finish her argument as she and Snow both looked down at her own appearance. Without a moment's hesitation, she continued, "Wait, no. That's not fair, this is different."
"How is you and Emma dressed as me and David any different?" she said with a smug grin. "We both know you wouldn't be caught dead in any of my clothes unless you got something out of it."
"Wait," Emma said, hands held up between them, "I want to know what's going on here. Granny said Regina and I won first runner-up."
"I believe she said Snow White and Prince Charming, Emma. I don't think we heard your names called," Snow clarified, looking to Granny for a sign of approval.
"But we technically are you and Dad," Emma replied, gaze shifting over to Granny as well who was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the situation.
"Speaking of, where is your father?" Regina asked, looking between both entrances to the stage. As Emma and Snow followed suit, the crowd parted in half, turning their attention to the back of the room to watch a figure approach the stage. It didn't take long for all three women to do the same, Regina ready to exchange a confused glance with Emma - only to be met with a look of horror.
"You did not," Emma shouted, watching as David climbed up onto the stage dressed as none other than his daughter.
"Mom, Dad, there you are," he responded, embracing both women as they brushed strands of blonde hair from their faces. Although the crowd made no attempt to hide their excitement over David's theatrics, Snow hid her laughter behind her hands, entertained by the view. "I've been looking everywhere for you guys," he added in a high-pitched tone.
"Are you kidding me?" Emma's expression didn't falter as she stared at him, taking in his appearance; his arms barely fit into the sleeves of her red leather jacket, obvious to her that alterations were made. Regina composed herself as she exchanged a glance with Snow, finding the moment too perfect to resist.
"C'mon, Emma. It's funny, remember?" she responded with a smirk, letting the memory of Snow's appearance escape her for a moment. Emma, however, shot her a glare she was all too familiar with.
"Not to intrude on this family reunion of sorts," Granny stepped in, gaze shifting between the four of them, "but we have a winner to announce and a party to continue."
"Wait, but who won first runner-up? Us or…" Emma gestured to her parents, feeling as though she and Regina were looking at their own distorted reflections.
"I was only told to say Snow White and Prince Charming. The rest is up to all of you," she responded. Before Granny could continue, Ruby hurried to the middle of the group, looking toward the audience.
"I know what we can do. Why don't we make this a fun little game?" she asked, waiting for the audience's applause of agreement.
"As if this isn't fun enough," Regina muttered to Emma, her burning gaze once again refusing to tear away from Snow's dress.
"Preaching to the choir," Emma responded, an unsettling feeling creeping up on her as she watched her father - dressed as herself - kiss her mother - looking as Regina as she could be.
"To break this tie," Ruby continued, "why don't we have each character do something that's unique to them? Something the person playing them would never do."
"Well, I'm not ripping any hearts out," Snow stated, the room erupting in laughter as Regina narrowed her gaze.
"I'd like to see your husband try giving birth to Henry," Regina spoke up, the room's laughter growing in response. "What are you going to do, Savior? Eat a grilled cheese? Chase Pongo around town?"
"Hey," Emma said, nudging her arm when she realized Regina was referring to her. "I'm right here, you know. Plus, you're supposed to be playing my mother, not yourself." Regina rolled her eyes before throwing an apologetic look her way.
"What about you two?" David asked, hands sliding into his back pockets and hair flipped out of his face for nothing short of dramatic effect.
"What? Do you want us to declare war on you or something, Mom?" Emma asked, looking at Snow.
"No, of course not. The most 'us' thing you could do is give each other True Love's kiss," Snow responded without hesitation.
"Pass," Regina laughed, looking between Snow and David before she realized they weren't kidding. "What? Are you serious? There's no way in Hell I'm doing that."
"Then the award will have to go to a new runner-up," Granny decided, walking back to her place at the podium. Emma's mind began to reel, biting her lip as she took Regina's hand and pulled her to the side.
"Regina, it's only a kiss," she reassured her. "It doesn't mean anything."
Regina looked at her, stunned by Emma's will to keep fighting for a contest everyone would forget about soon enough - one Regina was already looking forward to forgetting.
"Emma, it's only a contest," she stated. "I know you're committed to this charade, but there's no way I'm going to continue standing out there, pretending to be, well…" she gestured to Emma's parents, sharing intimate glances of affection as if a crowd of people wasn't watching their every move. "That."
"I know you don't care about this game or the contest, but please, for Henry's sake? I just want to win this for him," Emma confessed, biting her tongue to keep from spilling out the whole truth. "Please?"
"Emma, I-" Regina hesitated, staring at the other woman as she awaited rejection. What was going on with her tonight? It was as if the weight of the world rested on holding that trophy. With a sigh, Regina took her hand. "So much for my rules."
"Really? You're in?" Emma asked, to which Regina nodded in response. "Thank you," Emma said with a smile, leading her back to center-stage. "I promise you won't regret this."
"And the place of first runner-up goes to-"
"Wait," Emma interrupted Granny, who was ready to throw her arms up in defeat. "Regin- Uh, Snow and I are willing to go along with Ruby's game."
"Really?" Ruby and Emma's parents responded, dumbfounded, before all three cleared their throats as Ruby continued. "I mean, great! Go for it," she said, stepping away to let them stand before the audience.
"Don't pull a fast one on me, Swan. Keep it simple," Regina warned her, laying down on the now-emptied trophy ta- uh, coffin, impatiently waiting to wake up from this nightmare.
"What could be worse than pretending to kiss my mother?" Emma laughed, realizing what she had said and shuddering at the thought. "Trust me, this will probably be harder for me than for you."
"I know waking me up took a while, David, but I don't remember it taking this long," Snow commented, nudging her husband and basking in the amusement of the crowd as they both let out a yawn.
"Would you like me to take those readjustments into consideration the next time I put you under a sleeping curse?" Regina asked, sitting up to shoot a glare their way. The crowd fell silent, but Snow didn't flinch, and before she could continue, Emma stepped closer to block Regina's view.
"Eyes closed," Emma whispered, forcing Regina to oblige as she laid her head back down and tuned the presence of a room full of people out of her mind.
Regina let out a deep breath, counting the seconds in her head until she realized Emma hadn't made a move yet. Emma, on the other hand, was leaning over her, almost wishing she got to lay down instead, ready to pass out from the anxiety pounding in her ears.
"If you want this trophy, give the crowd what it wants," Ruby teased into her microphone, pressing them for time in the audience's favor. Emma bit back a comment, reminding herself to talk to Ruby about this later, but later felt lightyears away.
She couldn't do this. Emma felt as though she'd collapse before their lips even touched.
"Guys, maybe this isn't-"
"Oh, for Heaven's sake," Regina stated in aggravation, interrupting Emma before slipping her hand behind the other woman's head and crashing their lips together. The crowd drew a collective breath. Emma's eyes widened at the gesture, letting out a startled hum in response.
"I… don't remember you doing that…" David stated, he and Snow both caught by surprise as she failed to loosen her - increasingly tightening - grip on his arm.
Emma and Regina's mouths remained closed, lips sealed firmly as if they believed the other had any courage to tread further. Even if either one did, they didn't need an entire room full of witnesses.
Witnesses erupting in applause the longer neither of the women thought to pull away.
"Eh-hem," Granny said, clearing her throat in the microphone. Emma reluctantly lifted her head up, the older woman catching their attention as the crowd fell into a fit of laughter. "I'd hate to break this up, but I have a spare room above the diner if you'd prefer to put this contest on hold."
"Granny!" Ruby exclaimed, rushing to her side and gesturing to a piece of paper on the podium. "Stick to the script."
Emma looked around the room, Regina tugging on her arm before pulling herself to her feet.
"That was…" Emma trailed off, unsure of how to break the awkward tension as they let go of each other's hands.
"Very in character?" Regina asked with a laugh, wiping lipstick stains from around the edges of her mouth. "I've unfortunately witnessed enough of those to last a lifetime."
"I'd beg for you to spare me the details, but we both know that's off the table right now," Emma responded, quick to match Regina's silent agreement to avoid eye contact.
"Again, unless you want to take this to the B&B for the night," Granny suggested, both women shooting her a glare, "do we have a winner?"
"Snow?" Ruby asked, looking between her and David. "Your rebuttal?"
"I… I don't think we can beat that," she stated, exchanging a glance with her husband. "Unless David-"
"Oh, not a chance… Unless Snow adopted a baby ten years ago that I don't know about," he said, a less than hopeful look on his face, "because if that's the case, then we have a lot more than this contest to worry about."
Snow wrapped an arm around her husband's waist as she laughed at his comment, David wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulders in return with another dramatic flip of his blonde locks.
"Besides, dressing up as you two was Henry's idea," Snow confessed. "He mentioned your prank and thought it'd be a fun surprise."
"So that's why Henry needed the wig..." Regina eyed David's appearance again, still beside herself with delight.
"Henry told you?" Emma questioned, feeling betrayed by his scheme.
"I guess spilling secrets runs in the family," Regina stated.
"And the winner of tonight's costume contest is…" Granny handed off Emma and Regina's trophy before lifting up the largest one from beneath the trophy table.
"He'd never manipulate us like that," Emma said, failing to pay attention to the rest of the contest.
"He would if he was-" Regina began, until she was cut off.
"Rumplestiltskin!" Granny declared, placing the award in Henry's hands as he presented himself to his family.
"Henry?!" All four of them turned to look at him, his scaly, green skin glistening under the bright stage lights above them.
"Surprise," Henry said with a sheepish grin.
"So that's what you've been up to," Emma said, in awe as she inspected the details of his costume closely. "You're such a sneak. If I wasn't so impressed, I'd ground you."
"I second that," Regina stated, tugging at his long, gray wig, "but I don't even want to know the lengths you went through to pull this together."
"Hold on," Emma said, looking between Regina and her parents before settling her eyes on Henry. "Exactly how much of this did you plan?"
"Well…" He trailed off, scrunching his nose as he timidly answered, "all of it?"
"Even the…?" Regina presse her fingertips against her lips as she averted her eyes away from Emma's. "But Ruby…"
"…feels really bad that she let a thirteen-year-old talk her into this, but had everyone's best interests at heart, and will let you have free breakfasts at Granny's for the rest of her life?" Ruby finished, hiding behind Snow in fear of Emma's glare and - more importantly - Regina's wrath.
"But mom and dad…" Emma began.
"…only want what's best for you," Snow stated reassuringly.
"And have already suffered enough," David said with a grimace, readjusting his stance as much as his tight jeans would allow him.
"Even though I want to brag about how much fun this all was," Henry said, "you guys deserved to enjoy it too, especially because there's no better way to prove how good you are together than by putting you in Grandma and Grandpa's shoes."
"But did you literally have to put us in their shoes?" Regina asked.
"Regina," Emma said, eyes sore from rolling themselves into oblivion at every one of Regina's complaints tonight.
"Mom," he stated, looking at Regina, "you wouldn't have even considered doing this - coming here, kissing Ma, giving Violet that hope speech -"
"She did what?" Snow asked, gaze softening when she looked at Regina.
"Oh, here we go," Regina sighed, resting her palm against her forehead.
"My point is," Henry continued, "you came here and you opened yourself up to doing this, no matter how hard you tried to act stubborn."
"He's right, you know," Emma said, tugging at Regina's bow to catch her attention.
"Emma," she sighed, glancing up at her - eyes pleading for the other woman to think twice about her next words.
"No, I've let you get away with all of your rules tonight," Emma said, pulling the bow closer until she could see every freckle on the other woman's skin, every lash surrounding her eyes, every strand of hair swept across her forehead - pausing to chuckle at the extensions in Regina's hair falling out of place again. "I told you not to itch your head."
"Since when do I listen to you?" Regina asked, eyes flickering back and forth between Emma's before landing on her lips - an opportunity that escaped her when she had her eyes closed just moments ago.
"Fair enough," Emma responded, tugging the bow closer one last time until their lips met again, closing the distance between them.
"Wait, is the contest back on?" Regina asked, pulling away after mere seconds.
"No, no. Princess Charming's retired for the night," Emma stated, dropping the bow from her grasp as her arms circled Regina's waist. "This one's for me."
Regina's eyes lit up, smiling into their third kiss of the night - not as tightly sealed as before, but she had no reason to protest.
"The diner is right down the str-"
"Granny, if you want someone to use that bed so badly, maybe you should go lie down in it," Ruby stated, holding her grandmother's arm as she ushered everyone offstage - Regina and Emma reluctant to break apart.
"I have to admit," Regina said, looking at her son as the group made their way to the front entrance, "your plan wasn't the worst thing I've had to endure."
"See?" he said, examining the inscriptions on his trophy. "I told you it was a great idea, but does anyone ever take me seriously? No."
"Alright, alright," Emma said with a smile before glancing down at Regina. "You weren't entirely out of your mind, kid."
"I'm a little worried about what you're planning on doing with this sneaking around and scheming you've seemed to mastered," David commented, helping Snow into her coat.
"Either way, I'd retire the green scales if I were you, Henry," Snow added in response.
"Don't worry, I can't take all of the credit," Henry said, pulling on his own coat. "I had a little help."
"You're gonna need a lot more if you want to rub this gunk off," Emma said, wincing as she ran her fingers over Henry's skin. She shrieked, however, when Henry peeled a piece off from the back of his hand and threw it her way, eyes filled with mischief as she hid behind Regina.
"I don't want to see a single speck of that on your bathroom floor," Regina warned, unable to stay serious and suppress her laughter as she nudged Emma away, who only pulled her closer.
"I know I said we did this for you guys, but I'm really beginning to regret it," Henry said, shuddering in disgust as he watched them tease each other. He decided to catch up with his grandparents instead, although, they weren't any easier on his eyes.
"You okay?" Emma asked, noticing Regina's distant gaze when Henry ran out ahead of them.
"Yeah, I- I'm just glad I came tonight," she said, tracing the string of the bow with her fingers like she had with the arrow earlier.
"Told you it'd be a blast," Emma said, smile so wide she was afraid her cheeks would burst.
"You are your child's mother, aren't you," Regina responded, realizing how much those two loved to prove themselves right.
"I'm beginning to question that considering he was better at asking you out for me than I ever will be," Emma said in realization, a hard blow to her ego. Regina chuckled in response, both women catching up to their family, trailing a few feet behind their son and Emma's parents.
"Of all the things I will admit tonight, I have to say this was quite the date," Regina confessed.
Emma smiled at the word, beaming in response, "Ahh… So it was a date. Didn't take long to admit that."
"Only after wearing your mother's clothes, hair falling out of my head, and a kiss," Regina said looking down at the trophy in her hand, "or three…"
"And she's been counting? We should pull pranks on my parents more often," Emma stated.
David shouted from the front of the group, finally pulling the wig off of his head, "Not if I have to get into another pair of my daughter's jeans, you won't."
"My jeans too? Really?" Emma groaned, burying her face in Regina's hair, at which Regina, Snow, and Henry exchanged glances, failing to hide their amusement.
"And I want to know the details on this ever-so-successful hope speech everyone's buzzing about," Snow said over her shoulder, stopping Regina's laughter in its tracks.
"Over my dea-" Regina paused, interrupted by a pair of lips. Emma's arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer beneath the streetlight.
"Four."