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The argument starts over something stupid.
Or at least, that’s what Emma thinks at first.
A town budget meeting. Missing supplies. Snow insisting they should prioritize rebuilding part of Main Street before funding magical protections around the town line again.
Reasonable. Entirely reasonable, actually.
Which is exactly why Emma knows Regina is digging her heels in out of pure stubbornness now.
“You’re overreacting,” Snow says for what is probably the fifth time.
Regina’s jaw tightens instantly. “And you’re underestimating the risk.”
“There hasn’t been magical activity in weeks.”
“There also hadn’t been magical activity before the sleeping curse,” Regina snaps.
Emma, sitting quietly beside Regina at the long meeting table, winces internally.
This is escalating.
Around the room, everyone else has gone suspiciously silent. David is pretending to study paperwork. Ruby looks delighted. Because of course she does.
Snow exhales sharply, frustration finally bleeding through. “Regina, not every disagreement has to become a battle.”
“And not every optimistic assumption deserves blind trust.”
Now they’re fighting-fighting.
Emma rubs a hand briefly down her face.
Marriage has taught her many things, but one of the most important is that Regina gets sharper when she feels defensive. More stubborn. More impossible.
And right now?
Emma knows her wife.
Knows the tightness in Regina’s shoulders means this stopped being about town budgets ten minutes ago.
Knows the clipped precision in her voice means she feels cornered.
And worst of all, Emma knows Regina isn’t going to back down now even if she wants to.
“Regina,” Snow says carefully, trying for calmer this time, “I’m not saying protections don’t matter…”
“But you are saying they matter less.”
“I’m saying people need help now.”
“And I am trying to ensure they remain alive long enough to appreciate it.”
Snow stares at her. Regina lifts her chin slightly. God. Emma loves her so much. Even when she’s impossible. Especially when she’s impossible.
The room goes tense again. Then Snow suddenly turns toward Emma.
“Okay,” she says. “You tell her she’s being unreasonable.”
Emma blinks. “…Me?”
“Yes, you.” Snow gestures between them. “Whose side are you on here?”
Regina goes very still beside her. Emma feels it immediately. The shift. Not anger. Something quieter. More vulnerable.
And suddenly Emma realizes this isn’t about winning anymore.
It’s about whether Regina will have to stand alone in this room. Again. Emma glances sideways. Regina isn’t looking at her. Which somehow makes it worse.
“Emma?” Snow presses.
The answer comes easily. Easier than it should. Emma leans back slightly in her chair and says, very calmly—
“Regina’s.”
The silence afterward is immediate. Snow stares at her. David looks up sharply. Ruby actually chokes on her drink.
Beside her, Regina turns so fast Emma almost smiles.
“Excuse me?” Snow asks.
Emma shrugs lightly, completely steady. “I’m on Regina’s side.”
Snow blinks. “Seriously?”
“Yep.”
“You can’t be serious.”
Emma crosses her arms slightly. “Pretty sure I just was.”
Regina is staring at her now. Not smug. Not triumphant. Just… startled. Like she genuinely hadn’t expected it. Emma feels something warm twist in her chest at that. Because apparently Regina still doesn’t fully understand this yet. Still doesn’t understand what she means to Emma.
Snow looks deeply betrayed. “Emma.”
Emma doesn’t even hesitate. “Regina’s right. The protections matter.”
Regina’s eyes soften almost imperceptibly beside her.
“And if Regina thinks they should go up now,” Emma continues calmly, “then I trust her.”
That lands harder than Emma expects. She sees it immediately in Regina’s face. The slight widening of her eyes. The way her shoulders loosen just slightly. Like trust still surprises her.
Snow looks between them slowly. “You’re taking her side just because she’s your wife?”
Emma genuinely frowns at that. “No. I’m taking her side because she’s my wife.”
Like there’s a difference. To Emma, there is.
Apparently everyone else hears it too, because Ruby immediately makes a wounded noise.
“Oh my God, that’s disgustingly devoted.”
David mutters something that sounds suspiciously like they’re married-married.
Emma ignores all of them.
Because Regina is still looking at her. Softly now. Warmly. And God, Emma would choose her every single time.
Eventually the meeting moves on, the tension easing little by little, but Emma catches Regina glancing at her several more times throughout the evening.
Each one quieter than the last.
Each one saying something Regina would never say aloud in front of everyone else.
******************************************
Later that night, the mansion is warm and quiet.
The argument is long over.
Emma is halfway through taking off her jacket when she feels Regina watching her from across the living room. Not tense anymore. Just thoughtful.
Emma glances up. “What?”
Regina tilts her head slightly, wine glass loose in her hand. “You agreed with me very quickly earlier.”
Emma smiles faintly. “Yeah.”
“And yet,” Regina says slowly, “I know you.”
Uh oh.
Emma tries for innocence. “That sounds ominous.”
Regina ignores that entirely.
“You thought Snow was being more reasonable.”
Not a question.
Emma exhales through her nose softly.
“Well,” she says carefully, “technically—”
“Emma.”
There’s no real annoyance in it. Just curiosity. Maybe even uncertainty. Emma’s expression softens immediately. She walks closer without thinking, stopping directly in front of Regina. Close enough to touch.
“You wanna know the truth?” Emma asks quietly.
Regina nods once.
Emma sighs softly. “Yeah. I actually agreed with Snow.”
There’s a brief pause.
Regina’s eyebrows lift slightly, though she doesn’t pull away. Emma reaches for her automatically, fingers settling against Regina’s waist.
“But,” Emma says before Regina can speak, “that didn’t matter.”
Regina blinks once. “Didn’t matter?”
Emma shakes her head gently.
“I can disagree with you,” Emma murmurs. “I can argue with you. I can think you’re being stubborn as hell.” A tiny smile. “Which you were, by the way.”
Regina huffs out the faintest laugh.
“But none of that changes whose side I’m on.”
Something in Regina’s expression shifts immediately. Small. Fragile. Emma’s chest aches at the sight of it.
“So yeah,” Emma murmurs, thumb brushing lightly against Regina’s side, “maybe Snow had a point.”
Regina huffs quietly. “She usually enjoys that.”
Emma smiles a little. “Probably.”
Then softer—
“But I’m still on your side.”
Regina looks at her like the words physically hit her.
“You shouldn’t encourage me,” she murmurs weakly.
Emma grins. “Too late. Married you already.”
That gets a real laugh out of Regina. Quiet. Warm. Beautiful. Emma feels hopelessly fond all at once.
“You really meant that?” Regina asks after a moment, voice quieter now. “That you trust me?”
Emma’s expression softens immediately. Without hesitation, she reaches up and cups Regina’s face gently in both hands.
“With everything,” she says. And she means it. Regina can tell.
Emma sees the exact moment it settles somewhere deep inside her, the realization that this is real, steady, permanent.
That Emma isn’t choosing her because she’s easy. Emma’s choosing her because she’s hers.
Regina closes her eyes briefly, leaning unconsciously into Emma’s touch. When she opens them again, there’s something almost overwhelmed in her expression.
“You are extraordinary,” she whispers.
Emma huffs softly. “Nah.”
“You are,” Regina insists quietly.
Then, after a pause—
“I spent so long believing love was conditional.”
Emma’s heart cracks a little. Regina’s fingers slide slowly around her wrists, holding gently.
“And you,” Regina murmurs, eyes unbearably warm now, “keep proving me wrong.”
Emma swallows hard.
Then leans in and kisses her. Slow. Certain. Full of every answer she doesn’t know how to say aloud.
When they pull apart, Regina rests her forehead lightly against Emma’s, smiling faintly.
“So,” Emma murmurs, “next time maybe don’t start a near-war with my mother over budgeting.”
Regina looks entirely unapologetic. “No promises.”
Emma laughs helplessly.
Choosing Regina is still the easiest thing she’s ever done.