You watch what you love and you write the rest.

"Why do you need me, then?" Emma mumbles as she moves forward, wishing she were going anywhere else in the world. She'd even go back to the Enchanted Forest if it meant getting away from this.

"We need to rehearse, silly." Tink laughs.

"You do realize that with Robin and his Merry Men gone off on their bachelor adventure in the woods," Emma does her best to keep the scorn out of her voice, "that this rehearsal is the farthest possible thing from what the wedding will actually be like, right?"

"We need to rehearse!" Tink says again, her tone a little harder, and when Emma looks at her, she can see that her hands are shaking just the littlest bit.

Oh.

She needs to rehearse. This is Tink's first official duty after getting her wings back, so Emma guesses she's a little nervous.

"Okay. Fine. Here I am." Emma takes the spot to Tink's left, staring down at the ground instead of looking up the aisle to where Regina will be in a few moments. "Let's get this over with."

"Alright, here we go!" Tink claps her hands together and music begins to quietly play as David and Kathryn walk down the aisle. Kathryn is Regina's maid of honor and David has been tapped to play the part of Little John in this rehearsal. Emma supposes it would be amusing to watch them walk down the aisle together if this were another time for another occasion, but right now, she's doing her best to keep her mind blank.

Once they're in place, Snow comes down the aisle, taking the place of Roland who will be carrying the rings and the binding cord. For rehearsal purposes, she's just carrying a length of ordinary rope – it looks kind of like the rope that they'd used to lower Emma down the mine shaft to save Henry and Archie with, she thinks – and no rings, thank god. There's no way Emma could make it through sliding a ring on Regina's finger.

It's after Snow has settled in that the music changes and Emma feels her stomach flip and her heart drop. Her eyes seem to have a mind of their own because even though the last thing in the world that Emma wants to do is watch Regina walk down the aisle, she cannot tear her gaze away. Even as she screams inside her head to just blink or look away or something, her vision stays focused. All she can see is Regina and Henry walking towards her. And all she can think is how much she wishes this were actually real.

Regina and Henry stop in front of her and Henry carefully places his mother's hands into Emma's, holding his own on top and giving them his blessing. Emma feels her eyes well up and then she does manage to look down, to stare at their hands instead of Regina, because Regina cannot know, she cannot see what is so plainly written all over Emma's face.

Tink goes through the words of the ceremony, but Emma doesn't hear a word she says. All she hears is the rushing of blood in her ears and the pounding of her heart. She feels like she's barely hanging on to her composure and it's all she can do to stay put and not wrench her hands away and take off at a run.

She thought she could do this. She thought she could handle it, but now she knows for certain that she can't. She can't attend the wedding. She can't sit there and watch Regina marry Robin when all that she wants is to be the one in his place, just like she is now. This is torture, plain and simple, and Emma can't take it.

She lets go of Regina's hands, taking a step backward, ready to run for it, but Tink's voice cuts through and stops her.

"Ah, just one more thing, Emma. We still need to practice the binding."

"Tink." Emma's voice is weak and she's probably begging but she doesn't care. She just needs out.

"Oh don't worry, it won't actually bind you." Tink actually laughs, as though that's what Emma's worried about. "Snow?"

Snow steps forward with the rope and hands it to Tink. She says some words about the binding cord, how it will hold True Loves together forever, and all the other platitudes of the Enchanted Forest that Emma really doesn't want to hear right now. She doesn't want to know about how this will bind Robin and Regina together forever. She doesn't want to think about how they are True Loves foretold by pixie dust or some bullshit. Because Emma loves Regina and shouldn't that count for something? Shouldn't the Savior get to have her happy ending too?

Tink leans over and begins wrapping the rope around their wrists, the rope looping over and under and pulling them tight together. Emma finds her fingers interlacing with Regina's of their own accord and Regina doesn't pull away, more than likely because with the slight tension on the rope, she can't. But Emma thinks she feels some pressure from Regina's fingers against her own too and it makes her heart soar and ache all at once because this will be Regina and Robin soon and god, she just wants it to be her.

Tink says the little enchantment that goes along with the binding and she tosses her hands up in a show of showering them with pixie dust, which is what will actually happen at the ceremony – it's the dust that truly does the binding, or at least that's what Emma understands – even though there's none in her hands at the moment. No pixie dust or real golden binding cord or magic at all.

Except.

Except that before Emma can pull her hands away and get the hell out of here and rebuild all her walls, the rope begins to glow bright red and suddenly it tightens around their wrists. There's a tingling and warmth spreading into her skin from all the places that the rope is touching and her heart feels suddenly full enough to burst. She looks up then and sees that Regina's eyes have gone wide at whatever is happening with them and the rope.

Then, just as suddenly as it started, the rope stops glowing and somehow falls away from their hands to land at their feet in the shape of a heart. Emma notices that her hands are still holding onto Regina's and the rope is no longer white, but golden now. For one spectacular second, her heart leaps and a smile spreads across her face as she realizes what has happened.

But a second later Regina realizes too. And her reaction is the exact opposite of Emma's.

**

"What the hell have you done?" Regina is practically snarling, just as she has been from the moment she realized what happened.

They've relocated into her study, just Emma, Regina, and Tink, and once again Emma finds herself wishing she were anywhere else. It's been a long time since she's felt the heat of Regina's anger like this and whereas it used to fuel her own emotions, now it just leaves her feeling hurt and empty.

"Regina, I swear to you that I don't know –" Tink tries again, but Regina is having none of it.

"You said it was just a rehearsal. You said nothing would happen."

"And it shouldn't have. I don't understand how it did. I didn't use the binding cord or the pixie dust. There was no magic involved so –"

"Well there had to have been because the damn cord was glowing."

"Regina –" Emma tries because she's got a sinking feeling in her gut that there was magic involved, just not from Tink.

"No." Regina snaps. "You don't get to speak."

And they're back to that again, Emma thinks as she sits back down, biting hard on her tongue and forcing back tears.

"What's happened?" The door to the study opens and The Blue Fairy enters. "Snow called and said there had been an incident and that I might be needed."

Regina growls as she turns on Blue. "What happened is that this sorry excuse for a fairy somehow managed to bind Emma and I together during the rehearsal for my wedding!"

Blue blinks as she looks from Emma to Regina and then finally over to Tink. "I thought I told you there was to be no using pixie dust until I gave it to you. Did you not learn your lesson about stealing the last time?"

"I didn't use any dust!" Tink huffs.

"She didn't." Emma offers. "She didn't even use a real binding cord. It was just plain rope."

"Well, then, Regina, you must be mistaken. If there was not a real binding cord or pixie dust used then it isn't possible for you to be bound."

"The rope glowed red. It tightened around our wrists. It felt –" Regina stops there and Emma wonders why, but doesn't have time to think on it.

"It's possible that there may have been some sort of a spell cast, but I assure you that it could not have been a binding. Here, I'll prove it." Blue pulls out a wand and waves it over both Emma and Regina, a smug smirk on her face.

The smirk fades quickly though as she waves the wand back over them. "But that's not possible."

"That's what I said!" Tink exclaims.

"Wait, are you saying we really are bound?" Emma asks. "Like, married?"

"I – it shouldn't be possible – but – yes."

"This is a disaster!" Regina roars. "Undo it. Undo it right now."

Tink looks like she wants to shrink to the size that Emma always thought she was based on the movies she'd seen. Blue stands her ground just a little bit better, but not by much.

"Regina, you know as well as I do that bindings are –"

"To be for True Loves. Miss Swan is most certainly not my True Love." Emma flinches visibly at that, but Regina's so worked up, she doesn't even notice. "There is no way we should ever have been bound in the first place. So you will find a way to undo this."

"Hey," Emma finds herself piping up, unable to stop the words, "is the thought of being married to me really so bad?"

Regina spins on her and Emma wishes she had never asked. "Yes! Of course it is. I am to be marrying my soul mate in three days time and now I am stuck bound to you! I swore that I would never again be tied to someone who didn't –" Regina's words cut off but Emma knows what she means. She's talking about her marriage to the king. In Regina's eyes, being married to Emma is just as bad as being married to Leopold. Emma turns away to hide the tears that she can't stop from spilling onto her cheeks. Regina doesn't even notice, her focus shifted back to Tink and Blue.

"I will be marrying Robin on our wedding day, so you had damn well better figure out what needs to be done to undo this monstrosity!" And with that, she storms out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Tink and Blue leave a few moments later, whispering heatedly back and forth.

Emma collapses into a chair and cries.

**

"It wasn't you." Emma says when Tink opens the door to her room at Granny's a few hours later.

"What?"

"The magic, the binding, it wasn't you." Emma says she comes into the room, beginning to pace back and forth. "I think it was me."

Tink's eyes widen. "You?"

Emma shrugs. "We know I have magic. And I think – I mean – my magic is unpredictable at times. I don't exactly have control over it yet. And you obviously didn't mean to bind Regina and I but –"

"But?" Tink asks, trying to coax the rest of the confession out of Emma.

"But I think I did. I wished – I was thinking, at that moment, about how I wished it was real. And I think my magic just… made it happen."

"Emma." Tink gasps, watching as the savior collapses on her bed, head in her hands and shoulders shaking. "Are you saying that you wanted to be marrying Regina?"

"Yes." The word comes out muffled, but Tink still hears it.

"But – but that means –"

Emma looks up from her hands, her eyes and nose red. "Yep."

"Oh my god!" Tink gasps. "But Regina doesn't – she doesn't know, does she?"

"No." Emma whispers.

"Why haven't you told her?"

"She's marrying another man, Tink. I think it's pretty obvious where her feelings lie, especially after her blow up today." Emma wipes at her eyes and clears her throat. "That's why I'm here. I know what you and Blue said, but there's gotta be a way to unbind us, right?"

Tink frowns. "Emma, binding is supposed to be a life long thing. It isn't like your marriages here. You can't just get a divorce."

"So there's no way to unbind us?"

"Well, I mean, I suppose if one of you died then –"

"Whoa! I don't think either Regina or I want to die right now, okay? There's gotta be something else." Emma looks at Tink and sees it. The look on her face that says that there is another way. "Tink? There is something else, isn't there?"

"Binding is supposed to keep True Loves together forever. Besides death, the only way to break it would be to prove that you no longer wish to be with that person… by giving up the thing you love most forever."

"Jesus!" Emma shouts, getting up from the bed and resuming her pacing. "What the hell is it with you guys and your fucking extremes? True Love and soul mates and binding forever and if you want to get out of it you have to die or give up the thing you love most forever? You all are fucking crazy!"

"I'm sorry, Emma. Blue and I have talked it over and I've been researching all night. Those are the only two things that I've found. We'll just have to tell Regina that –"

"No." Emma shakes her head.

"No? Emma, what do you mean?"

"We're not telling Regina anything, except that her wedding is back on. I'll do it. I'll unbind us."

"Emma! You can't kill yourself!" Tink gasps in horror, rushing over to grab Emma and try to shake some sense into her.

"No, Tink, I'm not gonna kill myself."

Tink's eyes widen as she realizes what Emma means. "But Emma, giving up the thing you love most –"

"Storybrooke." Emma says, her eyes shining with tears. "I love Regina but I love Storybrooke and everyone in it, too. My son and my parents, my little brother… they're what I have to give up to unbind us. I can't stay here and I can't see any of them anymore."

"But you can't!"

Emma smiles, even as tears slip down her cheeks. "You said it yourself, Tink. It's the only other way." She breathes in a shaky breath and wipes at her cheeks. "I've still got my place in New York. I'll go back there. Henry will be with Regina and they'll have Robin and Roland, a whole new family. And my parents have the baby. They'll be fine. They'll all be fine."

Tink frowns as she looks at Emma. Maybe everyone else will be fine, but will Emma? "Emma, you love Regina. How can you –"

"You heard her today. She doesn't want to be bound to me. She wants to marry Robin. He's her True Love."

"But –" Tink suddenly isn't so sure. Emma's magic may be powerful, that's very true, but for a binding to work the parties need to be soul mates.

"Don't." Emma shakes her head, not wanting to hear what Tink may say. It's easier if she believes that there are no feelings on Regina's part. "I love her. And that's exactly how I can do this. Because I believe that when you love someone you should be unselfish enough to give them what they want. She wants to marry Robin and so I will give her that. She deserves to be happy. I want to give her that."

Tink feels tears well in her own eyes as she realizes what Emma is willing to do for Regina.

"I – will I be able to say goodbye to Henry? Just – I don't want to leave without telling him goodbye."

"Yes, of course." Tink reaches out, squeezing her arm. "I'll wait for you at the line. We'll do it there, so once you cross over, it will be done."

Emma nods. "Thanks, Tink."

"Emma." She calls, watching as Emma turns around in the doorway. "Are you going to tell Regina?"

Emma just shakes her head and leaves. Tink sighs sadly.

**

Emma's eyes are red when she climbs out of the Bug at the town line. Tink's heart breaks for her as she moves forward, ready to try and talk her out of this once again, but Emma just shakes her head.

"The kid gets it. He – uh – he knows that Regina deserves a happy ending and that that's why I have to do this." Emma says, trying to convince herself as much as she is Tink.

It had been the hardest thing she'd ever done, trying to explain to Henry what needed to happen and why. He'd cried and fought her, until she'd broken down sobbing too, begging him to understand.

"Please, Henry. Please. She's not a villain. She's your Mom. I have to give her the happy ending she wants. I have to. She already gave you up once and it nearly killed her. You can't be without each other. But you can be without me. You'll be fine without me." She'd assured through tears that clouded her vision and snot that nearly choked her.

"But what about you?" Henry had asked, tears slipping down his cheeks but nowhere near as hysterical as Emma. Resignation had already started to set in. "You won't be fine without us."

Emma had smiled and kissed his forehead, pouring as much love, if not more, into that kiss as she had the day she'd nearly lost him forever. "But you'll be fine. Both of you. And that's what matters."

Emma shakes her head, shakes away the memories and the pain and forces another smile. "I couldn't tell my parents… I wrote them a note. Regina too. Henry said he'd explain it to my parents." She lets out a ragged laugh. "I'm leaving my eleven year old son to explain why I'm leaving town and never coming back. God." Emma brushes away the tears that slip down her cheeks.

"Emma, you don't have to –" Tink tries again.

"Yes. I do." She is resolute. "So, please, don't make this any harder than it is, Tink. Just… unbind me and let me go."

Tink nods and takes Emma's hands, saying the words that she'd read over and over after Emma left and making Emma go through a ritual of sorts, promising to give up the thing she loves most. It ends with Tink holding up the rope that had bound her to Regina and Emma cutting it with a knife. It feels like the knife is slicing through her heart as she severs the rope and she barely makes it back into her car for the tears blurring her vision and the pain stabbing at her.

"Goodbye, Emma." Tink whispers, watching as she drives away.

Emma crosses the town line and cannot help but remember the last time she left Storybrooke behind for New York. She only wishes that her memories could be erased once again, but that's the price she's paying for her magic and her feelings for Regina.

She's cursed to remember, instead of forgetting.

**

"I was thinking," Regina says as she looks at herself in the full length mirror, running her hands over the white dress that she thought she'd never wear, her fingers shaking just the smallest bit for reasons that she doesn't want to think about, "that perhaps while Robin and I are on our honeymoon, you could go to New York and visit Emma. Maybe convince her to stop this silliness and come home."

Henry's head snaps up from where he's been fiddling with his tie. He's been quiet and withdrawn these past two days, ever since Emma left with nothing more than a note that made little sense to explain herself and it's just one more reason for Regina to curse Emma Swan. She could hurt Regina by leaving – not that Regina would admit that she had – but she couldn't hurt Henry without drawing Regina's ire. "Wh-what?"

Regina turns to look at him with a frown. "Henry, just because your mother has decided to run off to New York on a whim, it doesn't mean that I would keep you from her. Surely you know –"

"Mom." Henry says and there's such gravity to it that Regina stops cold. "I can't go to visit Emma."

"Henry, the line is no longer keeping us here in Storybrooke and you've always been able to leave so –"

"No." Henry shakes his head, his voice growing louder, angrier. "Stop. Why are you doing this? Why are you acting like this? Why –"

"Henry." Tink is standing in the doorway. Her voice stops his barrage of questions, causing both he and Regina to look at her. "She doesn't know."

"What?" Henry whispers, shaking his head. "No. Emma had to have told her. Why wouldn't she tell her?"

"I don't know what?" Regina looks from Tink to Henry, trying to understand what she's clearly missing. "Emma had to have told me what? What are you talking about?"

"I can't go visit Emma." Henry repeats, his voice cracking. "I can't see her ever again. None of us can. That was her price."

"Her price for what?" Regina huffs in exasperation. "What has she done now that could possibly –"

"She unbound herself from you." Henry tells her.

He states it so simply, but Regina feels like the air has suddenly all disappeared from the room and she's been punched in the gut on top of it. She turns to Tink with wide eyes. "What?"

"You said that you wanted to be unbound from her." Tink speaks plainly too and Regina can't understand how they can both be this matter of fact right now. Don't they understand what's happened? Hell, does she understand what's happened? No. The answer is no. Because surely Emma wouldn't have – she couldn't have.

"Didn't you stop to wonder how it was that you were suddenly able to marry Robin?" Tink asks, raising an eyebrow.

"You – I told you to unbind us – I told you and then you said – and I thought –" Regina stumbles over the words, realizing that she hadn't stopped to wonder about the how when Tink had told her the wedding could still be on. She had simply assumed that the fairy had figured out a spell or a loophole.

"I tried to tell you that it wasn't possible, at least not without a huge sacrifice but you… weren't exactly listening to reason then." Tink shrugs.

Regina knows it's true, thinking back on the scene in her study – her angry words and the way she'd snapped at Emma. She'd thought nothing of it when Tink came to her the next day and told her that she was free to marry Robin. She'd thought nothing of the fact that she'd received a note from Emma saying she had to go to New York and how sorry she was and that she wished Regina all the happiness in the world. Now it's all she can think about.

"A huge sacrifice." Regina repeats the words, the truth slowly seeping into her mind. Emma had made a sacrifice. For her.

"The thing she loves most." Henry sighs and he just sounds tired. Tired of magic and curses and sacrifices and all of it. "Sound familiar?" Tired and bitter. No longer the little boy who believed in fairy tales, but now the young man who has seen their dark side. He shakes his head. "It's almost time. I gotta go make sure everyone's ready."

"Henry." Regina calls after him, but Tink puts a hand on her arm.

"Let him go. He just needs a minute. He'll be fine."

"Why?" Regina gasps, spinning on Tink. "Why would she –"

"Why do you think?" Tink says, her tone harsh. Then she shakes her head and offers a small, sad smile to Regina. "Because it was what you wanted. And she would've done anything to give you a happy ending. Even give up hers. Now come on, Henry's right. It's time for you to get married."

Regina follows behind her, her mind swirling in fog as Tink's words replay in her head.

**

"Henry." Regina grips his arm tightly, unable to move. The music is playing, the wedding party going down the aisle, but she stands still. There's so much she wants to say, but she can't seem to find the words, so she just holds tight to him, unmoving.

"Mom, it's okay." He assures her, his voice soft. "I don't blame you."

"I didn't – I wouldn't have –" But would she? Emma had taken the choice away from her by not telling her, but Regina knows how she had acted in the study that day. She knows that the Evil Queen is still a part of her, still lurking beneath the surface. The Evil Queen would've done anything, hurt anyone, to get what she wanted. Hell, had done all of those things. So, would Regina have stopped Emma from unbinding them if she had known the consequences? With the way her heart aches now, she has to believe that she would have, but she cannot be sure of it.

"Emma explained. It wasn't anybody's fault. And she's right – you deserve to finally get your happy ending." He offers her a smile, putting his hand over the one on his arm, squeezing softly. "It's okay."

"I'm sorry." She whispers, her eyes tearing up as the wedding march begins. It isn't enough, but it's all she has. Because once again, Regina has destroyed something while trying to find her own happiness. But instead of the hatred that is usually tossed her way, she's being met with love and understanding from her son and from the person who had sacrificed for her.

Henry starts to move them forward slowly, the smile still in place. He looks at the end of the aisle where Robin stands and then glances back to her. "I promised her I wouldn't hate him."

"What?"

Henry just laughs softly. "She knew I could never hate you."

She looks from Henry to the end of the aisle and her footsteps falter for just a moment. She knows that it's supposed to be Robin waiting for her there, looking handsome in his tuxedo. But the sight of him and not Emma, in that god-awful leather jacket, fidgeting at the end of the aisle, is a bit of a shock.

They make it to the end of the aisle and Henry gives her his blessing, kissing her cheek. "I love you, Mom." He whispers in her ear and for just a moment, she feels the bliss that this day is meant to bring.

But then Tink begins to speak and she looks over at the person across from her and his eyes are blue not green and his hair is brown not blonde. She blinks, trying to shove all thoughts of Emma away. Once she's married to Robin, she'll figure out a way to get Emma back to Storybrooke and in her – no, Henry's - life where she belongs. Surely there's a loophole somewhere. She'll find it. As soon as she marries Robin.

But she won't ruin her wedding day. Her happy day.

Except it doesn't feel very happy. Somehow it all feels very wrong now.

This is supposed to be her happy ending. She's getting everything she's ever wanted – she's marrying her soulmate, her son is hers and hers alone, Emma is gone from Storybrooke forever – and that's where her stomach drops. Because as much as she may have wished for it before, she hasn't wanted Emma gone in a long time. In fact, it's impossible to imagine her life – indeed her happy ending – without Emma now.

Emma. Stubborn, idiotic Emma who had given up the thing she loves most, just so that Regina could be happy. So why isn't she happy? If Emma gave up so much for her, then Regina should at least be able to feel happiness at this wedding.

The cord is wrapped around their wrists, gleaming gold in the sunlight and the hands holding hers aren't soft and sure, but instead calloused and hard. Her fingers thread through his, but they don't feel like they fit, not the way Emma's had. Tink is saying the words but Regina is looking at Robin, the man she's supposed to spend the rest of her life with and all she can think about is Emma.

It's as Tink is throwing the pixie dust into the air that she realizes that this – Robin – isn't what she wants at all. All she wants is Emma.

"No." She gasps, trying to pull her hands away, but the cord and Robin hold tight and the dust falls onto them.

**

Emma opens the door to her apartment, exhausted after her run that has still done nothing to make her forget that Regina is now officially married to Robin and probably off on some fairy tale honeymoon, so it's time for plan B – drinking away her feelings. But first she needs a shower.

She tosses her keys and water bottle on the table by the door and is pulling her sweat-soaked tank top over her head when she feels it – the presence of another person in her apartment. She spins around, her shirt falling from her fingers, and freezes.

"Regina!" She gasps. "What are you doing here?" And then, before she can reply, "Get out!"

"Emma."

"Seriously, Regina, get out of here!" Emma reaches out, grabbing Regina's arm and moving her toward the door. "You have to get out of here right now. You cannot be here."

"Because I'm the thing you love most?" Regina raises an eyebrow at her, standing steadfast, refusing to move.

Emma blinks. "Part of it." She admits, even though it hurts, because maybe that will make Regina see that she has to leave now. But Regina doesn't move. "Regina, go!"

"Why are you so worried about me being here?" Regina asks, her eyes raking over Emma's sweaty body.

"Don't do this." Emma says, shaking her head, turning away from Regina and moving over to the liquor cabinet, pouring herself a drink.

"Do what, Emma?"

Emma swallows down the whiskey she's poured into the tumbler before turning around. "Don't fuck this up!" She hisses. "You wanted us to be unbound. We're unbound! Don't fuck that up by doing something stupid."

"And how, Emma, could I fuck that up?" Regina asks, moving closer to her.

"Surely by now you know that the price for us becoming unbound was for me to give up the thing I love most. You've already tossed that in my face. So, I don't know what you're doing here, Regina, but after everything I gave up for you to be happy, you need to stop trying to sabotage your happy ending and get out of here. Now."

"And what if I'm not sabotaging my happy ending? What if I'm here to get it?"

"Go back to your husband, Regina." Emma says weakly, because she cannot do this. She cannot listen to this, not when Regina has to know that Emma is in love with her and is still playing this game for some reason.

"I don't have a husband." Regina says calmly. "I have a wife."

"No." Emma shakes her head.

"Or at least I will, when she comes back to Storybrooke with me."

"No." Emma says louder, her hand shaking around the glass she's clutching. "Stop it, Regina."

"Emma." Regina moves closer, reaching out to touch her.

"Stop it!" Emma shouts, throwing the glass across the room, both of them flinching as it hits the wall, shattering into pieces. "Stop it, Regina."

Regina grabs Emma's hands, holding on to them, even as Emma struggles weakly against her hold, tears pouring down her cheeks. She is a mess, but Regina thinks she's the most beautiful mess she's ever seen.

"I didn't marry him." Regina says, catching Emma's eyes and forcing her to keep eye contact. "I walked down that aisle and I let them wrap that cord around my wrists and all I could think about was you. How it had felt with you standing there with me. How right it had been. And how wrong it was with him. How I should've known as soon as the binding worked with you. But I was scared and I took what I thought was the easy way. But I knew it was wrong. And Tink said the words and she threw the dust and I tried to stop it but I couldn't. I couldn't pull away. But it didn't matter."

Regina lets go of Emma's hands and moves up to hold either side of her face. "It didn't matter, because it didn't work. The real binding cord and the real pixie dust and it didn't work. Because Robin isn't my soulmate. He isn't my happy ending, Emma. Maybe he never was. Or maybe he was, but it changed. I changed. And my happy ending changed too. It's not Robin. It's you, Emma."

"You didn't want me." Emma's voice is so small that Regina almost doesn't hear it. But there is so much hurt in those four words that she can't miss it. Nor can she miss when Emma straightens and pulls away, her words stronger. "You didn't want me then and the only reason you want me now is because it didn't work with Robin. And I'm sorry about that. But I can't be your second choice, Regina. I think that you should go." Emma turns away from her.

"No! No, I will not go. Damn it, Emma, did you hear what I said? I wanted to stop it before it didn't work. Before I ever knew that it wouldn't work, I knew in my heart that it wouldn't work. Because it wasn't what I wanted. He wasn't what I wanted. You were. You are. You, Emma."

Emma still won't turn around or look at her.

"Listen to me!" Regina yells then, grabbing Emma and spinning her around, shoving her back against the wall. Her arm comes up across Emma's chest, so similar to that terrible day in the hospital supply closet when she thought she was going to lose Henry. The fear is the same now, pounding through her veins. Only this time, she's the one holding Emma down. She's the one fighting, unwilling to give up Emma.

"You are my choice, Emma. My only choice. Mine. No one else's. Not fate or prophecy or pixie dust or my mother or a book or anything but mine. I want you. I choose you. You told me not to sabotage my happy ending. Now I'm asking you for the same thing. You were willing to give up everything for my happiness. So why won't you take everything for both of us instead?"

Tears slide down Emma's cheeks as she stares at Regina. This is what she wants, what she's hoped for and dreamed of. "Regina."

"I love you, Emma." Regina says then, as she allows her own tears to fall, the words that she hadn't said yet, the words that Emma needed to hear. "I love you. I think I have for a very long time. But I was so afraid that you couldn't love me that I tried to take the easy way. I tried to fall back on a guarantee from some pixie dust. I should've known better, and I'm so sorry that I hurt you, Emma. But I need you to listen to me, I need you to understand. I love you. I want to be with you. I want to give you everything. So please, come back to Storybrooke with me."

Emma nods slowly.

"Okay?" Regina asks, a smile lighting up her face.

"Okay." She says, and then Regina is leaning forward, kissing her. She tastes salt, from her sweat and tears, but she also tastes Regina and feels the arms around her, holding her, loving her.

"I love you, Regina." She says against her lips, finally speaking the words out loud. "I love you so much. I only want you to be happy. I only want –"

"You make me happy, Emma." Regina cuts her off. "You love me. You know me – all of me – and you still love me. And that's the greatest gift I could ever ask for. That's all I'll ever need."

**

"Are you sure about this?" Emma asks, stopping the car just outside the town line, a hint of uncertainty still playing across her face.

Regina reaches over and entwines their fingers just like she had on the day that she had accidentally become Emma's wife. "I am more sure of this than I've ever been of anything."

Emma kisses her and then pushes down the gas pedal, crossing the line. As she does, she feels the rush of her magic returning, but more than that, she feels the fullness of her heart. This place, these people are the thing she loves most.

And now as she looks over at the woman that she knows she's bound to for the rest of her life – even without magic and pixie dust – she knows that she'll never have to give them up again.

~ fini ~

"Okay. Fine. That's – this is ridiculous, but fine. I'll just book another room right now. Let me just get my credit card and –"

"Actually," the clerk interrupts, "we don't have any other rooms available."

Emma blinks twice at that. "Are you kidding me? It's a freakin' Monday night for goodness sake. There's got to be something available, somewhere in this hotel."

"I'm sorry Miss Swan, but we are entirely booked up."

Emma snatches the key card with a huff. "Fine."

Regina follows along behind her, muttering about how she knew she should have made the reservations herself.

Henry offers the desk clerk a smile before sliding an envelope her way, giving her a wink, then turning to follow after his mothers.

**

The room is really nice. Very spacious and rather modern looking.  It's way more expensive of a place than Emma would've booked if it had just been for her – or even for her and Henry, he knows. It's also suited very much to Regina's tastes, Henry can tell. He's not sure that she can at the moment though, as she's still muttering angrily about the room situation as she exits the bathroom where she was changing into her pajamas.

"Uh, Mom?" Henry finally says loud enough to catch her attention.

"What?" She hisses out before catching herself.  She rubs a hand over her face and then offers him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. What is it?"

Henry just glances over to where Emma is laying down a pillow and extra blanket on the floor between the two beds.

Regina sighs, seeming to understand what Henry is saying, without ever saying it. "Miss Swan, you don't have to –"

Emma flinches at the Miss Swan, Henry notices, but he doesn't think his mom does, before cutting her off. "Regina, it's fine, really. I know I booked us two rooms, I don't know what happened, but you're right, it's my fault we're in this situation, so I'll just sleep here."

"I'm sure that Henry could –" Regina offers.

"Mom!" Henry gasps, sounding incredibly put out,  "I'm almost fifteen! I can't sleep in the same bed as my mom. That's just… weird!"

"Really, it's fine." Emma interjects, not wanting a fight to break out. She lays down on the floor, tugging the blanket over her. "It's not the worst place I've had to sleep. Not even in the top five, really. At least there's carpet here. No biggie."

"Yes… well…" Regina turns and climbs into the queen size bed, trying not to think about the implications of what Emma has just said.

Henry looks from Regina, sliding under the covers of the bed, to Emma, rolling around in discomfort, and shakes his head. He climbs into the other bed and flicks off the light. He cannot believe that his mother is going to let Emma sleep on the floor. He really thought this would work, but if his mother doesn't let Emma into the bed… he frowns, feeling guilt starting to pool in his stomach.

Maybe he should just suck it up and invite Emma up to share his bed for the night. It's his fault this happened… he can't just let her sleep on the floor.

With a sigh he rolls over, his mouth opening to tell Emma to get into bed with him, but his mother's voice stops him.

"Miss Swan."

There's a sigh from the floor, one that sounds far more exhausted than it should from just the driving that Emma's done today. "What, Regina?"

"Emma." She says then, her voice softer. "This bed is quite large. So long as you stay on your own side, I suppose that you can – well, that you should – that is to say –"

Emma sits up and even squinting in the darkness, Henry can make out the light in her eyes as she smiles over at his mother. "Thanks, Regina."

There's a relieved sigh when Emma settles down into the bed, and Henry's pretty sure that it's come from all of them.

**

The next morning, he wakes up to the sight of his mothers, tangled up together. The bed sheets and duvet are a mess, half off the bed, the rest twisted around them. But neither seems to be cold, as they're both wrapped up in each other.

Henry snaps a quick, silent picture of them, smiling to himself all the while, then gets up to put the do not disturb sign on the door.

He hasn't seen either of his mothers look this peaceful in months, if not years. He wants them to have this for as long as possible, so he slips out of the room.

**

Regina stirs first, not long after Henry leaves the room.

She drifts slowly back to consciousness, first aware of the feeling of comfort and safety that is flowing through her. She can feel a body pressed against hers, holding her, but unlike usual, she doesn't feel confined or trapped. The arms around her aren't heavy and crushing, but strong and sturdy. She isn't being caged, but cradled.

The urge to sink back into sleep, to curl closer to the body holding her and just rest is strong and she nearly gives in to it. But as she shifts closer, she feels hair tickling her nose and opens her eyes, suddenly realizing exactly who she's snuggling into.

She meets green eyes, not the horrible black that they'd been for so many months, but a beautiful, vibrant green – Emma's eyes, not those of the Dark Swan, but Emma's eyes – blinking sleepily.

"Hey." The blonde offers, a small smile stretching across her face.

"Hey." She gives back, because she's not quite sure what else to do or how else to react.

And then Emma yawns, stretching up with it, her grip on Regina loosening. Regina feels the muscles moving against her body and quickly retreats, closer to the edge of the bed.

"Mmm." Emma hums after she's finished her stretch. "I guess we should get up. Lots to do today." She sits up and grins, acting as though it is completely natural to wake up, wrapped up in Regina.

Regina just nods and watches as she moves out the bed and towards the bathroom proclaiming, "I hope Henry is getting us coffee," as she goes.

**

"You've got to be kidding me!" Emma yelps when the desk clerk at their hotel in New York holds up the key cards to only one room as well.

Things have been going beautifully so far on the trip – Emma's Operation Cheer Up Regina and Henry's Operation No Vacancy both coming together almost perfectly for them.

They'd spent three days in Boston. Emma had done a great job booking everything to ensure that Regina had a good time. The first day they spent at the Museum of Fine Art where Emma had followed along behind Regina smiling and nodding every time his mom commented on one of the paintings, but only ever really looking at her. The second day, they'd spent time at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, then gone to the USS Constitution Museum, and finished out by walking the Freedom Trail, totally indulging his mom's inner history geek. Henry had to admit that they were both really cool and he and Emma had a good time, but again, the day had been all about his mom.  Then today, they'd gone to the Boston Aquarium before climbing back into the Bug and driving to New York.

Each night after they got back to the hotel, Emma tried to book another room, but each night, the clerk told her they were sorry. She took it slightly better than she had the first night, just sighing and leaving without much fight. And each night, she tossed a blanket and pillow on the ground, only to lay there for approximately nine minutes – just the amount of time it took Henry to climb into his own bed, turn off the lights, and pretend like he was asleep – before his mom called her up to join her in bed. Each morning they were snuggled together when Henry woke up and slipped out of the room and there was never any awkwardness when he came back bearing coffee, which he took as a good sign.

But now, with this new hotel telling Emma that she's only booked one room, she looks about ready to burst. "Look!" She demands, shoving her phone toward the clerk. "This reservation confirmation clearly says two rooms."

Oh. Crap. Henry frowns. He didn't think that Emma would actually go so far as to pull up the confirmation on her phone.

The clerk looks at the phone, then at her computer screen, chewing carefully on her lip. "I'm so sorry, Miss Swan. There must have been a glitch with our system."

"It's fine." Emma says through clenched teeth. "Just give me a second room and –"

"I – I'm afraid I can't. You see, we're all booked up and –"

"No. No! I don't care what room you put me in. I don't care if it's the freakin' boiler room. But I booked two hotel rooms and I will get two hotel rooms, so help me or –"

"Emma." Regina says, laying her hand on Emma's shoulder and just like that, Emma's rant stops. Her whole body unclenches and she just relaxes. Henry grins.

"One room is fine." Regina smiles, taking the key cards from the clerk. "However we do expect that the hotel credits the cost of the other room that obviously was booked, back to our credit card."

"Yes, of course." The clerk nods quickly. Henry notes the use of 'we' and 'our', but neither his mom or Emma seem to.

"Thank you."

Henry watches as his mom carefully steers Emma towards the elevators, murmuring soothing words to her the whole way. He smiles widely as he slides the envelope over to the clerk.  Operation No Vacancy, Phase Two, complete.

**

There's a sofa in this room, unlike the previous hotel, and Emma moves to it right away, having stopped to pull down an extra blanket from the closet as soon as she entered the room.

"Ma, you don't have to sleep on the couch." Henry protests, even as he tosses his bag onto the first bed. "I can take it."

"It's fine, Henry." Emma offers a smile. "I just want to grab a shower and crash."

"I could take the sofa." Regina offers – she's technically the shortest out of them – but Emma looks horrified by the prospect.

"No. Absolutely not. I will take the sofa. No arguments."

**

Emma looks supremely uncomfortable, bunched up on the rock hard sofa. In fact, Henry thinks she looks more uncomfortable now than she did on the floor. With a sigh, he turns off the light and rolls over, wondering if there's a way that he can get their room changed so that it doesn't have a sofa.

His mom felt bad about Emma being on the floor, but it doesn't seem like she cares as much about Emma being on the sofa. This isn't what was supposed to happen.

He can hear Emma as she shifts around, trying to find some kind of comfortable position. And then he hears another sound, softer. The sound of his mom's feet hitting the floor and walking across the carpet.

"Emma." She says and Henry rolls over, squinting in the darkness to see what is happening.

Mom is standing in front of Emma, holding out her hand.

"Regina, I'm fine, really." Emma tries to argue, but it doesn't sound convincing to anyone.

"There is no way I will be able to sleep if I have to keep listening to you tossing and turning on this couch. I need my beauty rest, so come to bed, Emma."

"You're already beautiful." He hears Emma whisper as she takes his mom's hand, standing up. Mom doesn't react, but Henry can't stop the smile that spreads across his face.

This time when Emma climbs into the bed, they don't even pretend that they're going to stay on the same side, instead laying close together in the middle with Emma's arm sliding over his mom's waist.

Perfect, Henry thinks before he rolls over and falls to sleep.

**

After their second day in the city – the first spent showing Regina around their old neighborhood and telling her all kinds of stories and the second spent hanging out in Central Park, visiting the zoo and seeing all the beautiful sights – Emma stops making her daily stop at the front desk to check about the availability of another room. After the third night, she doesn't even bother with settling on the couch anymore, but instead putters around in the bathroom until she thinks Henry is asleep, then goes and slides into bed with his mom.

They spend the remainder of the trip visiting the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum, The Guggenheim, and the Museum of Natural History. They visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. They go to the top of the Empire State Building and then to Top of the Rock so that they can see the Empire State Building in the skyline. They spend a day shopping, visiting store after store. They even go to Madame Tussauds, where they all laugh and goof around, posing for pictures with the wax figures.

It is, Henry decides, pretty much the best vacation ever. Sure, there are things that he – and he's sure Emma – would rather do, but his Mom is happy, which means that Emma is happy, and that equates to him being happy. Spending time with them like a family is all he really wants and he feels like Operation No Vacancy has been a complete success.

At least until the car ride home.

**

They're about a half an hour away from their last hotel when his Mom lets out a happy little giggle. It's not as unusual as it would normally be, as she's been laughing and smiling pretty much this entire trip. But what is unusual is that she's looking down at her phone, and not at him or Emma, when it happens.

"What's so amusing?" Emma asks, her own smile bright across her face. Henry hasn't seen her this happy or relaxed in a long time, not since their year in New York, and maybe never before or after that. "Are you looking at that picture of Henry drooling over the Taylor Swift wax figure again?"

"Ma!" He protests, feeling a slight blush creep up his cheeks. He hadn't been drooling over the figure, not at all.

"No. I'm looking at the picture of you, drooling over the Sofia Vergara wax figure." Regina retorts and Henry laughs at that.

Emma just shrugs and smiles, happy to take the teasing if it makes Regina happy.

"No, actually, I was just texting with Robin."

The smile falls from Emma's face. "Oh?" She says and her voice sounds strained, although Regina doesn't seem to pick up on it.

"Yes. We're making plans for when get back. Now that all the craziness with Zelena and the baby and well –" She looks at Emma for a second before looking away, but it's obvious what she's thinking about, "everything is done, we're ready to get back on track. I told him we should be home by early afternoon tomorrow, so we're planning dinner and… well, who knows?" She smiles then and Henry wants to throw up. Emma does too, if her expression is anything to go by. "I was hoping that you could keep Henry over night for me?"

Something like devastation flits across Emma's face and Henry's heart sinks.

"Yeah." She breathes, sounding utterly defeated. "Of course. Anything for you. You deserve a break after all the craziness."

"Thank you, Emma."  His mom smiles, somehow not hearing the pain in Emma's voice.

He watches as Emma blinks furiously and keeps her eyes straight ahead, her hand gripping the steering wheel so hard that her knuckles turn white. Regina is too busy texting to notice anything that's happening and Henry feels the sting of tears piercing his own eyes.

**

"I'm sorry, Miss Swan –" The clerk starts after Emma hands over her credit card, but Henry quickly shakes his head, sliding his hand in front of his throat almost frantically. Emma is the only one who doesn't notice, because she's gearing up for what Henry is sure would be the mother of all meltdowns.

"Oh! Actually, I'm sorry, I must've looked at my screen incorrectly. You're right. Two adjoining rooms."

Emma doesn't even say thank you or anything else, she just snatches one of the key cards and rushes for the elevator.

Henry moves forward and takes the other card, offering a sad smile to the clerk. "Sorry about that. Thanks though."

"Of course." The clerk smiles at him. "I'm sorry, too."

"Henry –" His mom starts, but he just shakes his head.

"Not now, Mom."

**

Emma's in her room, the door locked when they reach their own room. Henry considers knocking, but he feels like he's already messed things up enough as it is, so he just enters his room and flops down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Henry Daniel Mills," Regina is already chastising him as she enters the room. "You will tell me what is going on right this instant."

Henry sighs and sits up, looking at her with disbelief all over his features. "You really don't see it, do you?"

"See what? What is going on? Why were you making those gestures at the desk clerk? And what is going on with Emma? She's been quiet and moody and I thought we'd gotten over the sharing a room thing but downstairs she was –"

"What do you think this road trip was about, Mom?"

Regina blinks, caught off guard by the question. "It – Emma has been through a difficult time and she wanted to get away. I came because – well – I –"

"Emma wanted to get away?" Henry lets out a laugh. "Right. After all the craziness," and here he does finger quotations, tossing Regina's words back at her, "Emma wanted to visit Boston and New York, even though she's lived in both places. And she wanted to spend her trip visiting historical places and art museums and taking you to places that we loved when we lived in New York without knowing who we really were, not going to a ballgame at Fenway or you know, anything else that might have been suited to her interests. And she wanted to stay in fancy hotels with rooms that look like they could be your bedroom at home!"

"Henry, what are you –"

"This trip was about you, Mom." He finally blurts, because he can't do this anymore. He just can't. "It was for you. Just like everything Emma does is for you."

There's silence then, so heavy that Henry can feel it pressing down on both of them. There's the lingering elephant in the room that no one, especially not his mom or Emma, will talk about. The fact that Emma had darkened her heart – her soul – for his mother. The fact that she had been willing to give up everything for his mom to be happy. That she would still give up everything for Regina to be happy.

"I don't understand." Regina says, her voice as quiet and as small as he's ever heard it.

"I don't either. I don't understand how you can't see what's right in front of you. Emma planned this trip to get you out of Storybrooke, so that you wouldn't have to deal with Zelena's giving birth and Robin totally ignoring you. She wanted to give you happy memories of New York instead of the ones you had from the last time you were here. And it seemed like it was working. But apparently all it takes is a text from Robin – who was probably still sitting in a hospital room with Zelena and his baby with her, by the way – for everything to come crashing down."

Henry shakes his head and turns away then, grabbing his bag and heading for the bathroom.

"Henry!" His mom calls after him, but he just keeps walking.

**

Henry doesn't speak to her when he comes back out of the bathroom. She tries to get him to, tries to ask him more questions, tries to make sense of what he's said, but he just shakes his head, looking so disappointed and she finds that she can't speak past the lump in her throat.

She clutches her overnight bag and moves into the bathroom without really thinking about it. She's scrubbing her face, hard, with a cleansing cloth when she hears the sound of Henry opening the adjoining door and knocking softly on Emma's.

"Ma? Can I come in?" There's silence for a long time and then she can hear the faint sound of Henry opening the other door. Emma, apparently, hasn't locked it, hasn't locked them – no, Henry – out completely.

Regina finds herself moving out of the bathroom, her ears straining to pick up sound from the next room. The doors are still slightly ajar and she can just make out the sight of Henry slipping into the bed beside Emma.

"I'm sorry, Ma." He whispers, his voice sounding choked with tears. She feels her own tears rising up.

"It's not your fault, Henry." Emma murmurs back, brushing his hair back and kissing his forehead softly.

"But it really kind of is." Henry protests, but Emma just shakes her head.

"I just forgot for a minute. That's on me, not you." She smiles at him then. "It's okay though. We had a good trip. A great trip. Didn't we?"

"Yeah, Ma." Henry assures her. "It was the best."

"And that's all that matters." She says, running her fingers through his hair. "You and your mom are happy. That's all that matters. Now go on, get out of bed before someone finds out you were sharing with your mom."

"Ewww." He laughs as he rolls out of bed. But once he stands up, he turns back with a more serious expression on his face. "I love you, Ma."

"And I love you, Henry. Always."

**

She waits until she hears Henry close the door and climb into bed before she comes back out of the bathroom.

Henry has the covers pulled up and his back to her bed, a sure sign that he doesn't want to talk. It stings, but she needs the quiet to try and piece her scattered thoughts together.

The bed seems huge and cold without another body in it and she can't help but find that odd. After all, she's slept by herself for years with no trouble and even after Robin had vacated her bed – to go back to his wife, who wasn't even really his wife but still he had stayed with her, a little voice whispers in the back of her mind –  she hadn't been bothered. But now, after a few nights of Emma sharing her bed, she can't seem to shake the lonely feeling she has.

Her phone buzzes then, breaking her out of those thoughts and she grabs it to see a text from Robin. She can't stop the frown that comes when she sees his name instead of Emma's, but she refuses to let herself analyze that train of thought. Robin is her happy ending. He's what she wants. She's just confused because of everything Henry told her tonight.

She clicks open the message, smiling at the thought of finally, finally getting her happy ending, only to have the smile fall away as she reads. The baby has a doctor's appointment the next day and Robin plans to attend and then go to dinner with Zelena afterwards. He wants to know if perhaps they could postpone their plans until the following day.

She types back a reply, asking if it's really necessary for him to take Zelena to dinner after the appointment and his reply is almost instantaneous. She's the mother of my child.

It's nothing that she hasn't heard from him before, but it fuels her anger now. She taps out a reply angrily, hitting send with more force than is needed.

It takes a little longer for a reply to come through this time, but when it does, it makes Regina see red. Don't be so selfish, Regina.

She tosses the phone across the room, taking pleasure in the sound of it hitting the carpeted ground. How dare he?

She lays back, staring up at the ceiling, trying to quiet her mind and go to sleep, but suddenly, everything from the last few hours hits her, full force. Words echo in her head and images swirl around behind her eyes.

Emma walking with her through the museums, listening as she extolled the virtues of the artists and proclaimed the beauty of the works.

"You're already beautiful."

Emma driving them around in the Bug, singing along to the radio with a grin.

"Now that all the craziness with Zelena and the baby and well, everything is done, we're ready to get back on track."

Emma and Henry laughing as they walked through the streets of New York together.

"This trip was about you, Mom. It was for you. Just like everything Emma does is for you."

Emma holding her at night, making her feel safe and protected.

"Of course. Anything for you."

Henry frowning at her in disappointment.

"I don't understand how you can't see what's right in front of you."

Robin's face when she'd tried to tell him the truth about Zelena, the disbelief painted there.

"Don't be so selfish, Regina."

Emma racing forward, thrusting the dagger in the air and being swallowed by the darkness.

"You've worked too hard to have your happiness destroyed."

Emma's smile and the brightness in her eyes that first morning they'd woken up together.

"You and your mom are happy. That's all that matters."

But Regina isn't happy. At least, not right now. But as she goes over everything in her head, she's more sure than ever before that she could be. She just has to do something.

**

There's a comfort she feels as she slides into the bed beside Emma that nearly overwhelms her. She could so easily just close her eyes and drift off to sleep, but she knows she needs to talk to Emma.

"Emma." She whispers into the darkness.

Emma doesn't jump at the sound of her voice, merely rolls over to look at her. She must have been aware that Regina was in the room, then. In the darkness, Regina thinks she can make out red around Emma's eyes and she feels her stomach sink at the sight.

"What's wrong?" Emma whispers, her eyes tracking over Regina and moving towards the door, trying to find any threat of danger.

"Robin texted me." Regina starts and Emma's eyes close, her head beginning to shake back and forth.

"Regina, please." The plea slides from her mouth and Regina feels like someone is squeezing her heart at the pain that she can finally hear. "I can't –"

"He wanted to cancel our plans tomorrow to spend time with Zelena and the baby and when I asked him why he needed to spend time with Zelena over me, he said that she was the mother of his child and that I was being selfish." She looks at Emma, needing to see her reaction, needing to know the truth. "Do you think he's right, Emma? Am I selfish?"

Emma's eyes and mouth fly open instantly, ready to reply before she clamps them shut again and takes a deep breath. She opens her eyes and looks at Regina, her face a mask. "Regina, I am the last person that you should be asking about this."

Regina flinches, thinking of how Emma's childhood was awful because of her curse, of how she became the Dark Swan for Regina, of how she had planned this whole trip for Regina and she'd never even said thank you. Robin was right. She is selfish. "Because you know it's true." She whispers as she shuts her eyes tight, trying to stop the tears from leaking out.

"Because I think Robin is a douchebag." Emma snorts and Regina's eyes fly open.

"Wh-what?"

"I think your soulmate is a douchebag." Emma replies again, sounding somehow both nonchalant and bitter at the same time. "You deserve a happy ending, Regina. And that should come from someone who will put you first, because you deserve that too. It doesn't make you selfish to want to be happy – not at all."

"Someone who will put me first." Regina murmurs, thinking over her relationship with Robin and how that had never been the case. Then she thinks of Emma, standing between her and mobs of angry people, defending her to the parents that she'd just found, fighting for her always, even when Regina didn't want it. She thinks of the trip they just took, of the museums and historical sights, of Emma's forced smiles and hidden tears after she had – selfishly – thrown Robin into Emma's face. "Emma."

"Huh?" Emma frowns, not understanding.

"Emma," Regina repeats. "It's you."

"Regina, it's late, I'm exhausted, and you're not making a lot of sense right now. Can we pick this back up in the morning or –"

"You put me first, Emma." Regina interrupts her. "You always put me first. Not Robin, but you. You sacrificed yourself for me. You planned this whole trip for me. Why?"

"Regina." Emma sounds so tired and also pained.

"Why, Emma?" She pushes, needing to hear her answer.

Emma closes her eyes and when she opens them again, they are shining with unshed tears. "Because I love you, Regina."

Regina gasps at that, because even though she had thought, hoped that perhaps that is what Emma would say, she also never really thought it possible. The Savior loved her? The Evil Queen? It doesn't make sense. And yet, it makes more sense than anything else in her life ever really has.

Emma shifts as though to distance herself, but Regina reaches out, grabbing her arm, holding her tightly. "Emma. I –"

"Don't." Emma whispers, cutting her off before she can reply. "Please. Not now. Not when… not when it's not true."

"But –"

"You were planning on going to dinner with Robin, happy about trying again with him half an hour ago. So please don't say anything to me, just because I told you how I feel. I can deal with you not sharing my feelings. I can't deal with you lying to me."

Regina wants to protest, but she also knows that Emma is right. Everything is spinning so quickly right now and while she may have loved Emma for a long time, she's buried it so far that it doesn't make sense to admit it now. She doesn't want to hurt Emma, not any more than she already has. So she just holds on to her arm, but doesn't say the words that she finds she know desperately wants to.

"I'm not trying anything with Robin again. I want – I want to be with you. You and Henry. That's how it should be. Please, Emma, I just –"

"Ok." Emma whispers, believing Regina. "Shh. It's late. Go to sleep. We'll talk more tomorrow."

Regina nods and shifts closer to Emma. "Can I stay here tonight? I – I can't sleep without you."

Emma gives her a soft smile and pulls her close, wrapping her up in her arms. It isn't perfect, not yet, but it's a damn good start.

**

"What are you doing up so early?" Henry asks the next morning, when he returns from getting coffee to find his mother sitting on her perfectly made, perfectly unslept in bed.

Regina looks up from her phone with a smile. "Just finalizing a few plans."

Henry rolls his eyes as he hands her a cup. "For you and Robin?"

"No." Regina says, sounding offended. "For our family."

Henry blinks. What had happened last night?

Emma comes through the door then, bleary eyed. "Do I smell coffee?"

"You do." Henry hands over her cup.

"Oh thank god. Just let me drink this and then I'll be ready to drive us back to Storybrooke." Emma sighs as she inhales the aroma of the dark liquid.

"Actually, Emma, I'll be driving us. And we aren't going back to Storybrooke today."

"What?"

"Where are we going?" He and Emma speak at the same time.

"This was supposed to be our vacation, not just mine. You two showed me how much you love me by doing things that I wanted to do. Now it's my turn to show you that I love you by doing something that you'll enjoy." Regina says, saying the words without making a huge declaration.

Henry's eyes widen as he looks back and forth between his moms. "Wh-what are we doing?" He finally manages to stutter out.

Regina hands her phone over to him and looks at the screen, his eyes lighting up. "No way! Six Flags New England?"

"Regina!" Emma gasps, sounding completely thrilled, "Seriously?"

"Seriously." She says, sounding incredibly serious as she looks at Emma with nothing but love on her face. "It's my turn to do some planning for you."

**

After a long exhausting day at the amusement park, they head into a hotel, Regina leading the way to the lobby. She picks up the keys to both rooms that she's booked and then hands one to Henry.

"Behave." She tells him as he heads for the elevators.

"You too!" He calls back over his shoulder, a wide grin on his face.

Regina looks momentarily mortified, but Emma laughs, letting her head fall on Regina's shoulder.

"So, does this room have a couch or am I being regulated to the floor?" Emma asks with a teasing smirk and Regina swats her arm.

"It has a king sized bed, but if you keep this up, you may very well be sleeping on the floor."

"You know you love me." Emma teases as the elevator door goes shut.

Regina turns to her and looks her straight in the eye. "Yes. I do."

"Good." Emma murmurs, nodding. "Because I love you too."

That night, when she finally falls asleep in Emma's arms, naked and content, she knows that things are finally perfect.

~ fini ~

It’s on the evening of their eighth day in paradise, just after they’ve finished their dinner and are contemplating an evening dip in the ocean - perhaps without swimming suits - that Phil’s cellphone rings. Melinda wants to grab it and hurl it into the ocean, like Phil said he was going to, wants to keep shutting out everything from the outside world, wants to not lose even a second with Phil to the worry and stress of their former jobs, but she knows she can’t do that. She knows that if someone from the team is calling, it has to be important and Phil would never let any of them down.

He answers with a happy “Daisy!” and then stands up and begins moving around the bungalow while he talks. Melinda does up the dishes, keeping her eyes on Phil, looking for any hint of stress or worry. But he’s mostly just listening and nodding his head, a smile stretched across his face. Whatever reason Daisy has to call, it must not be bad.

When he’s finished talking with Daisy, Phil moves over to where she’s still standing at the sink, hugging her from behind as he moves the phone up to her ear.

“Say hi to the kids,” he murmurs in her free ear, his teeth gently closing around her earlobe, making her body jolt.

“Hello, Daisy.”

“May! Hi!” comes Daisy’s excited voice, along with echoes in the background that belong to Elena, Mack, and Jemma. “How are things?”

“Things here are wonderful.” She says and she means it, but there’s a slight edge to her words. “Why are you calling, Daisy?”

“Mel, be nice.” Phil whispers.

Daisy lets out a soft breath. “We just wanted to check on things. Make sure that Coulson was... enjoying retirement.”

Melinda knows what Daisy really meant when she paused. She knows that the team is more than likely just as worried about Phil as she is. At least she is here, with him. Will be with him, until the very end. The rest of their team - their family - doesn’t have that. So, although she didn’t want the intrusion, she also understands it.

“I think he’s enjoying it very much.” She tries to sound reassuring, but perhaps comes off a bit sultry. It’s Phil’s fault though. He’s still nipping at her ear and neck.

“Oo-kay. And on that note, we’re going to let you go.”

“Good idea.” Phil says, lifting his mouth from its spot on her throat. “Bye, kids!”

“Bye.” Daisy says and then, in a softer tone, “We love you.”

“We love you, too.” Phil replies, the words easier now that he’s said them to both Melinda and Daisy, hitting the end button and turning Melinda in his arms, kissing her soundly. She doesn’t question anything else about the phone call after that, nor does she seem to notice later in the evening when he is firing off text messages before joining her in bed.

**

It’s on the morning of their tenth day that Melinda wakes up to an empty spot in the bed beside her. Even before she’s fully conscious, she’s aware that Phil isn’t in his usual place and the fear and adrenaline kick in. She’s out of the bed and moving toward the living room in an instant, her heart pounding and her breath coming in short gasps.

She has spent the majority of her life sleeping alone, but now after nine nights wrapped in Phil Coulson’s arms, she doesn’t know how she’ll ever go back.

She makes it to the living room and spots him, down on one knee in the middle of the floor, with the colors of the sunrise breaking through the windows. Her brain hasn’t quite processed the image and all she knows is fear. He wasn’t in bed, he’s in the living room, on the floor. Is he hurt? Is this it?

“Phil.” She chokes out, tears already gathering in the corners of her eyes. “What’s wrong? What’s -“

It’s then that the light catches the object Phil is holding in his hand, causing it to glint and her to blink rapidly, the pieces slowly coming together.

“Melinda May, you are my partner, my best friend, and the love of my life. But there’s one title that you don’t currently hold in my life that I really want you to. You asked if there was anything else on my bucket list and honestly, the only thing left on there is to marry you. I know it may not be for long, but if I’m going to die, I want to die as your husband. So if you still want to waste your time with me, even with everything -“

Melinda cuts off his speech by dropping down and kissing him, fiercely. Tears slip down her cheeks as she kisses him, her heart now beating uncontrollably for a different reason.

When they pull away, it is only for her to murmur the word “yes” as he slips the diamond ring on her finger, kissing it once it is in place.

And the ring is perfect - simple but beautiful, a diamond in the center flanked by two smaller diamonds on each side. “Phil, it’s perfect.”

At that, a smile spreads across his face and he whispers the truth. “It was my grandmother’s.”

Melinda feels like her heart is going to burst. “Your grandmother’s? But how did you...?” She trails off, her eyes still on the gorgeous ring.

He just shrugs and gives her a little self-deprecating smile. “I’ve kinda been carrying it around for a while now.”

Melinda’s mouth falls open at that answer, and he can’t tell her that he’s been carrying the ring around for almost as long as they were waiting to drink that bottle of Haig, can’t think about all the time he wasted being afraid, so he doesn’t. He just smiles up at her, wearing the ring now.

“And it’s about damn time he used it!” Melinda looks up at the sound of Daisy’s voice, catching sight of the young woman, standing on the porch of the bungalow, holding her phone with a wide grin. Jemma, Elena, and Mack are standing behind her, all smiling widely as well. “What?” Daisy smirks, taking in the utterly surprised look on the usually unflappable agent’s face. She says nothing about the tears that are still glistening in Melinda’s eyes and on her cheeks. “Mom and Dad are getting married and you thought we wouldn’t be here?” Phil is grinning widely, completely pleased with himself. “We’re getting married.” Melinda repeats, looking down at the ring on her finger, not moving from her spot on the floor, in Phil’s arms. “Today!” Daisy squeals excitedly. “Today?” Melinda raises her eyebrow at Phil. “If it’s too soon, we can wait. I just -“ Phil starts and Melinda can already see his wheels spinning, trying to rearrange plans that have been set in motion since the phone call with Daisy two nights ago - or perhaps even before. “No.” She says firmly. They’re living on borrowed time, she knows that. And she wants to be married to Phil. She didn’t realize how much until the ring was settled on her finger, but now it’s an ache in her bones, a buzz across her skin. She wants to be Phil Coulson’s wife. For better or worse. ‘Til death do them part. Even if it’s only for a day. “No. I don’t want to wait. I want to marry you. Today. I’m just a bit surprised. We don’t even have -“ “Yes, you do!” Daisy cuts her off. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.” “Doesn’t matter. Trust us. We have it covered.” “Rings?” Melinda spouts off, because it’s the first thing she thinks of. “Got ‘em.” Daisy grins, reaching into a black duffle that’s at her feet and pulling out a small ring box, tossing it to her. Melinda opens the box and gasps. There, in the box, are the wedding bands that she and Phil always wore when they were undercover as a married couple. “I thought we could finally make them official.” Phil explains, his voice still quiet. “But if you don’t like them -“ “I love them.” And she does. She’s always loved these rings, even when she complained about undercover with every breath. There was something comfortable about settling this band on her finger, something that she hadn’t felt even with her rings from her marriage to Andrew. She had loved him and loved those rings and what they symbolized. But after Bahrain, they had felt different, their weight no longer comforting. She had changed and so had her marriage. With Phil, he has always seen her, always known her, even the darkest parts. His eyes were always open to her and there was nothing she could keep hidden, even when she wanted to. “See?” Daisy breaks her from her reverie. “We’ve got it covered. So come on, let’s go get you ready to get hitched!” She moves over to loop her arm through Melinda’s and help her up, even as Mack does the same with Phil. “Let’s head for the Zephyr, sir.” “I love you.” He mouths as Mack moves him away, Daisy tugging her in the direction of the single bedroom. ** Elena follows them into the bedroom, carrying the black duffle that Daisy had pulled the rings out of, as well as a large black dress bag. “So, tradition says you need something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” Daisy begins as she sets the duffle bag down on the bed. “Daisy, you don’t have to - this isn’t -“ Melinda isn’t sure how to finish her sentence. This isn’t her first wedding. This isn’t going to last. But god, she wants it to. “Of course we do!” Daisy just shakes her head. “So, your something old could technically be your rings, but, we thought we should do one better, just in case. It might not be old, old, but… it’s from you and Coulson’s past. So, I thought it would do.”

She pulls out another jewelry box from the duffle bag, this time a larger one and hands it over to Melinda. When she cracks the lid, she finds the silver and diamond bracelet that she had worn when she and Phil went undercover as Heidi and Charles Martin. Although the op had quickly gone south and ended up with her fighting another agent with her face, she and Phil had gotten to dance and he had known that Agent 33 wasn’t her. She smiles as she reaches in and pulls out the bracelet.

“How did you even find this?” She asks as she slips it on.

“Mad skills.” Daisy smirks.

“More like Coulson is a romantic and kept it with the wedding bands in his safe.” Elena laughs.

A wide smile spreads across her face at that fact, which in turn makes Daisy and Elena smile too.

“As far as your something new,” Daisy motions to the dress bag Elena is still holding, “we got you a wedding dress.”

Elena hangs the bag up and unzips it to reveal the gown within. Melinda’s breath catches in her throat at the sight of it.

It is a simple, elegant white gown that is gorgeous. It is a sheath style dress, which Melinda is thankful for, that is strapless with a sweetheart neckline and just a small brush train. It’s perfect for her.

“We didn’t think you’d want something super frilly or poofy.” Daisy says, when Melinda just continues to stare at the dress without saying anything. “And when we saw this one, we thought it would look gorgeous on you. But if you don’t like it –“

Melinda lets out a laugh, thinking just how much Daisy is like Phil, with the rambling and the fear of her being upset. “It’s wonderful, Daisy. Perfect.”

Daisy beams. “Then let’s get you into it!”

It is easy to get into and feels like it was tailor made for her body, fitting perfectly and feeling surprisingly comfortable.

“May, you look incredible.” Daisy says, when they’ve finished fastening the zipper and she turns. She isn’t wearing makeup and her hair is still as it was when she jumped out of bed that morning, but she agrees with Daisy’s assessment. There is something incredible about wearing the dress that she’s going to marry Phil Coulson in. “Coulson’s gonna flip when he sees you.”

“Oh, May! You look gorgeous.” Jemma whispers as she enters the room, carrying a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a small bag in the other.

Melinda smiles at them. Getting ready for her wedding to Andrew hadn’t been like this – no girls gushing over her in her dress, no presenting of traditional gifts. She thought she didn’t need this – and she could’ve easily married Phil without it – but there is something sweet and wonderful about this moment with these women that she loves like daughters.

“Well,” Elena moves over to the duffle and pulls something out. “I believe it is time for the something borrowed.”

She carefully holds out a beautiful lace handkerchief to Melinda. “It was my abuela’s. She said it would bless any bride who carried it, because it held only happy tears. Daisy thought that you would not need anything to dry your eyes, but I believe it will be well used.”

Melinda pulls Elena into a hug, holding on to her tightly. “Thank you.” She whispers into her ear. Elena nods and presses the handkerchief into Melinda’s hands when they pull away.

Jemma’s eyes have a sheen to them as she steps forward, holding out the small bag. “I picked out your something blue.”

Melinda’s brow furrows for a moment as she pulls the item out of the bag, but realization soon washes over her as she takes in the blue tie with little rocket ships embroidered all over it.

“I know that Fitz would be so happy for you and he would want to be here and be part of your day if he could.” Jemma explains, her voice slightly hoarse. “So, I thought, if you wanted, you could use his tie as your wedding bouquet ribbon.”

Melinda looks from the tie to the bouquet to Jemma, searching her face for any hint of reluctance. Jemma nods, as tears slip down her cheeks. “Please. I want you to.”

“I would be honored.” Melinda says, holding the tie towards Jemma. “Will you wrap it for me?”

“Of course.” Jemma takes the tie with only slightly shaking fingers and carefully, lovingly wraps it around the base of the bouquet of gardenias. She tucks in the end and smiles at her handiwork when it is finished. “There. Perfect.”

Melinda takes the flowers from Jemma, her thumb rubbing softly over the tie, as her mind goes back to those terrible moments when she had watched Fitz’s life slip away. Would that be what it was like when she lost Phil? She doesn’t want to think about it. Fitz is out there, in space, and Jemma will find him. She’s going to marry Phil. The rest she will think about later.

“Oh! I nearly forgot!” Jemma exclaims, breaking her out of her melancholy thoughts as she rushes to the duffle bag and pulls out a silver coin. “The end of the rhyme says ‘and a sliver sixpence in her shoe’. I don’t know if you’re planning on wearing shoes but,” she places it in Melinda’s hand “for luck.”

Melinda thinks for a moment about wearing shoes, but they have been spending their days barefoot and she thinks she wants to stay that way. She has a feeling Phil will be delighted by that choice. Instead of her shoe, she carefully tucks the silver sixpence behind Fitz’s tie, a gesture that makes Jemma smile, even as tears fall down her cheeks.

“There.”

“May?” Daisy’s voice is hesitant and when Melinda looks at her, her expression is almost frightened. “I, uh, I was thinking that you two are going to need someone to stand up for you, and I hope you know that you mean a lot to me and –“

“Daisy.” Melinda moves to take Daisy’s hand in hers, already understanding what she can’t manage to say, “there is no one that Phil would want next to him more today than you. And there’s no one I’d rather have standing next to him. It’s okay.”

“Yeah?” Daisy asks and there are tears gathered in her eyes. She loves Melinda just as much as Phil, but she feels a pull to be Phil’s ‘best man’ today.

“Yes. Jemma and Elena can stand up for me; if they’re willing.”

“Of course!” Jemma exclaims as Elena says, “I would love to.”

“See? Go. Make sure he’s ready and get him in place so we can get married already.”

“I will.” Daisy promises with a wide smile. “But there’s one more thing you need to have before you can get married.”

Melinda frowns, trying to think what it could possibly be. Daisy moves over to the bedroom door and pulls it open looking out and nodding.

“Mom!” The call comes from the hallway just before Melinda’s arms are full of a white dress clad Robin.

“Robin!” She exclaims, wrapping her arms around the little girl and hugging her tightly.

“You can’t get married without a flower girl.” Daisy smiles at the scene.

Melinda sees Polly standing in the doorway, wearing a sundress and smiling. “Thank you.” She whispers, still holding tightly to the little girl that was her daughter in another life.

“She wouldn’t have missed this.” Polly says, holding up a crayon drawing of figures on the beach. It is clearly a depiction of her wedding and Melinda smiles at the image of Robin as the flower girl drawn in crayon.

Robin pulls back and looks up at her. The serious, sad, and fearful expressions that had dominated Robin’s face for so long are gone. Instead, her face is glowing with happiness. “It’s going to be okay.” She says. “You won’t get lost.”

Melinda feels peace settle around her, even as Daisy laughs at the notion of Melinda getting lost on her way to the wedding that is going to be taking place just outside the house.

“She better not! The wedding is literally right outside her front door! Meet you on the beach in ten.” Daisy says, moving to hug Melinda once more before grabbing Melinda’s ring from the box and leaving the bedroom.

**

“Are you ready?” Jemma asks her a few minutes later, after she has brushed her hair and allowed the girls to add a little make up to her face. She is holding onto her bouquet, hardly able to believe that she is about to marry Phil.

“I am.”

Elena peeks out the door and then looks back with a grin. “Good. Because they are too.”

“Alright, Robin, that’s your cue!” Jemma tells her softly.

Robin turns and smiles at Melinda again, repeating her words before walking out the front door and onto the beach, dropping gardenia petals as she goes. “You won’t get lost.”

Jemma and Elena follow behind her, walking side by side towards the area where Mack, Phil, and Daisy stand.

Then it’s Melinda’s turn. With a deep breath, she steps out of the house and down onto the sand, her eyes on Phil and Phil alone. He’s wearing khakis and a white button-down shirt, his feet bare. He looks happy and relaxed and his eyes sparkle as they lock with hers.

She feels the urge to break out into a run towards him but refrains and instead just walks a little faster. “Hi.” She whispers when she reaches him, a smile she cannot stop spreading across her face.

“You look incredible.” He whispers back. Then, with a boyish grin, he lifts up his hand and shows off his sleeve. “Look. Cufflinks.”

She laughs at that, a soft, gentle laugh. The one that he loves.

“Dearly beloved,” Mack begins, his voice deep and strong, “we are gathered here today to join Melinda May and Phillip Coulson in holy matrimony.”

“Finally.” Daisy calls from behind Phil.

“Marriage is a bold step into an unknown future. It is risking who we are for the sake of who we can be. In marriage, two lives are intimately shared. Each of us here knows that a marriage is not created by a law or a ceremony; instead, it occurs in the hearts of the two people entering into the marriage. It grows out of loving, caring, trusting, and sharing ourselves with our partner. This ceremony isn’t magic. It won’t create a relationship that doesn’t already exist and hasn’t already been celebrated in all the commitments Melinda and Phil have made to each other, both large and small, in the many days since they first met and recognized their connection to one another.”

She smiles at that, thinking about how in so many ways, Phil has been her husband for a very long time. He has been her partner, the person she trusts the most, the one who holds her heart. Mack is right. This ceremony won’t suddenly change anything about their relationship. It will only declare what she already knows in her heart. That she is Phillip Coulson’s wife.

“So, in witnessing this ceremony today, we are observing only an outward sign of an inward union that already exists between Melinda and Phil. This ceremony is a symbol of how far they have come together and a symbol of the promise that they will make to each other to continue to live their lives together and to love each other solely and above all others. Phil, Melinda, please take each other’s hands and look at one another.”

Melinda turns and hands her bouquet to Jemma before placing her hands in Phil’s. He squeezes them and she sees the soft glow of his prosthetic, activating at her touch.

“Phil, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Melinda in marriage?”

“Damn straight.” Phil says, offering her a wink.

“And Melinda, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Phil in marriage?”

“Damn straight.” She responds back, feeling a joyful tear slip down the side of her cheek.

“Then I believe it is time for the vows. Since this was such short notice, if you don’t have anything prepared we can use the traditional vows.” Mack offers.

“I have something I want to say.” Phil says, before Melinda can offer anything. He gently squeezes her hands and then begins to speak. “Melinda, I know that when it comes to you, I am not always the best with words. I find it hard to tell you how I feel, because for so long, I felt like I had to keep it all inside. But I need you to know that you mean everything to me. You are everything, Melinda May. I know that you could live without me.” She shakes her head and wants to protest, but Phil continues, “You are the strongest person I know and I know that you could live without me. But I can’t live without you. I don’t even want to try. I’m so thankful that you’re marrying me today. Because now I don’t have to live without you. I love you.”

“I love you.” She says back as she watches Daisy wipe a tear away from her eye. Then, she squeezes Phil’s hands and begins to speak. “You know that I’m more of an actions over words person. But today, I need to say this. I need to tell you what you mean to me. Sometimes, when I think back on all that we’ve been through, I want to kick both of our asses for wasting so much time.” Everyone laughs. “We’ve been through a lot together, you and I. I’ve had to live in a world without you in it. And it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I know why you’ve made the choices you’ve made, I know that you’ve done everything you could to save the world. But to me, you are the world, Phil. I would choose you over the world every time. And even though it’s been a long and a rough road, I need you to know that I would do it all over again. Everything. To have you as my husband, even for a day, I would suffer all of it a million times. I love you.”

“Time for the rings.” Mack says, and if his eyes are just a little damp with tears, no one says anything. Daisy is openly crying as she hands Phil Melinda’s ring and Elena and Jemma are the same. Melinda uses her borrowed handkerchief to wipe her eyes before turning back to Phil with his ring in her hand.

“Alright, Phil, repeat after me. With this ring,”

“With this ring.”

“I thee wed.”

“I thee wed.” He slides the ring onto her finger and it settles perfectly against her engagement ring.

“And Melinda. With this ring.”

“With this ring.”

“I thee wed.”

“I thee wed.” She slides his ring onto the finger of his prosthetic, keeping her eyes locked with his. She knows he can’t feel it on his hand, but she wants him to feel it in his heart.

“And now, by the powers vested in me as Director of SHIELD, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Phil wastes no time in pulling her in and kissing her as everyone claps and cheers. She wraps her arms around him and holds on tight. When they pull back, he rests his forehead against hers and smiles. “Hi, Mrs. Coulson.”

“Hi.” She laughs, leaning forward to kiss him again.

“Alright, alright,” Daisy’s voice interrupts, “you can do that mushy stuff later. Let us hug you, already!”

When they pull apart this time, they are overwhelmed with hugs and congratulations from their team. It is a perfect moment.

**

“We can’t really stay long, but,” Daisy grins as she pulls out an unopened bottle of Haig from her duffle when they’re all back inside the house later, “we have to at least toast to the happy couple before we go.”

“I’ll go get glasses. And some juice for Robin.” Melinda moves towards the kitchen, smiling at Daisy’s choice of alcohol. For so long that bottle was a symbol, but now she sees it for what it really was – another symbol of their wasted time. She wishes that she would’ve been the one to open it with Phil, but now that they’re here, married, it doesn’t matter so much.

“Do you have it?” Phil asks Daisy as soon as Melinda is gone from the room, his eyes on the duffle, and she nods, pulling out a box, wrapped with silver paper.

“What’s that?” Melinda asks when she comes back into the living room, carrying a tray of glasses.

“Your wedding present.” Phil says, looking nervous as he holds the box out towards her. She wonders if he doesn’t want her to open it in front of the others, but he’s also looking at her expectantly, so she puts the tray down and takes the gift from him. Elena begins to hand out glasses to everyone as she carefully pulls the paper off the box.

Opening the top reveals passports and plane tickets to Ireland, Australia, and Pennsylvania. She blinks up at him. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s our honeymoon.” He explains with a crooked smile. “I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland and I’m hoping you still have that cabin in the outback. And I need to face your mother at some point.”

“At some point.” Melinda repeats, staring at him. “Phil. You - I can’t -“ She can’t pretend that these things are going to happen. She can’t pretend that he isn’t dying. Not if she has any hope of staying sane when he’s gone.

“You asked me to rejoin the fight. Told me not to leave you behind.” He glances over at Jemma and Daisy, standing together looking at them with happiness in their eyes. “And I’ve got a team who always works the problem. Even when I tell them not to.”

“Daisy? Simmons?” Melinda’s voice cracks just the littlest bit, her hope and fear showing through.

“You didn’t think I was gonna give up on him, did you?” Daisy asks. “We started working on it right after we took off.”

“It?”

“Daisy realized it first.” Jemma explains. “We needed to add Jiaying’s DNA to the Centipede Serum to help heal Coulson. And we did that. But…”

“But Coulson didn’t take the serum.” Daisy shoots him a quick glare, still upset with his choice, even though she knows it was the right thing to do. “I did. The serum is flowing through my veins now… in my blood.”

“I needed to run tests on Daisy, make sure everything was okay with her afterwards. And when I did, that’s when we found it.”

“The serum, it wasn’t absorbed into my system. Instead, it basically mixed in with my blood, turning it into an antibody – or something science-y like that that Jemma could explain way better. Either way, that means that if we give Coulson my blood, it’s like giving him the serum.”

“I’ve run nearly every test I can think of and studied Daisy’s blood heavily since we left. All the results point to the same conclusion – that if Coulson is infused with Daisy’s blood, it should reverse the effects of the necrotic tissue and stop him from dying.”

“And beyond that, because he’s getting the Centipede Serum, Jiaying’s DNA, and my blood… he might not be Captain America, but he could be pretty damn close.”

Melinda looks back at Phil, searching his face for any hints of trepidation or regret. “You didn’t want to take the serum. You were worried about the consequences.”

Phil moves to her, taking her hands in his. “I realized that if it means I get more time with you, it’s worth it. It’s worth anything.”

“Plus, I’ve been monitoring Daisy quite extensively and she’s shown no signs of mental or physical deterioration. And there have been no outward signs of any issue since Coulson’s earlier treatment unless he isn’t telling me.”

“Earlier treatment?” Melinda stares at him.

“Simmons came out to the Zephyr with me earlier. Gave me my first transfusion of Daisy’s blood. Just a small test run, to see if everything would go okay.” He lets go of Melinda’s hand with his right and moves it up to carefully unbutton his shirt a bit, revealing his chest. “Seems to be doing pretty well.” The black veins that had been so stark against Phil’s skin are diminished. They aren’t gone yet but are clearly faded.

“We’re going to take Polly and Robin home, give you two your wedding night, and then we’ll be back tomorrow for Coulson to undergo the full treatment that Jemma’s worked up. Once that’s done – he’s all yours, May.”

Melinda looks over and sees Robin smiling and the words come back to her then. What she’d said to Robin when they were trying to find Phil. “He’s lost. And I’m lost without him.” And what Robin had said to her just before the wedding – what she hadn’t understood then. “You won’t get lost.”

She wouldn’t get lost because she wouldn’t be without Phil. Robin had seen the future – a better future, where Phil lived. She moves into Phil’s arms, holding onto him tightly, almost desperately, her hands gripping his shirt. “It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.” Tears fall from her eyes and stain his shirt, but she can’t move, can’t let him go. She cries out all of her fears and all of her relief. He’s her husband and he’s not going to die.

Phil holds her, just as he’s always done, keeping her together while she falls apart. “I’m okay.” He whispers against her hair. “We’re okay. I love you, Melinda.”

“Now that’s something to drink to.” Elena declares, opening the bottle of Haig and smiling at Coulson as she pours the alcohol into the glasses. He gives her a small nod, even as he holds onto Melinda.

“To May and Coulson!” Elena says, once everyone has their drinks, including Melinda who is still wrapped in Phil’s arms, unwilling to move.

“To May and Coulson!” Everyone repeats and as she drinks the Haig, she thinks of all the possibilities that are spread before her now. Phil has made no mention of going back into the field and even though he still could, she somehow feels that he won’t. She also finds that she’s already considering her own official retirement, not just a leave of absence.

They gave their lives to SHIELD, more than once over the years. Today they gave their lives to each other and Jemma and Daisy gave Phil his life back. Now it was time for them to go and live their lives with each other.

Thinking of Ireland and Australia and even seeing her mother in Pennsylvania, Melinda May Coulson can’t wait.

~ fini ~

**

Wednesday means two shows. Some people go out to stage door after the matinee, including Cat, she knows, but Kara stays holed up in the communal dressing room, eating pot stickers that were delivered from one of the Chinese restaurants down the street. Her hair stays firmly in place with the bobby pins so that she can pull her wig back on easily before the evening performance. She sprays it down with a little extra hair spray and winces at how much more difficult brushing it is going to be tonight.

After the evening show, she changes out of her costume and into a simple sundress that she brought from home. She tugs a cardigan on over top of it and looks at herself in the mirror.

“Better.” Comes Cat’s voice from the doorway and Kara jumps. She was sure she was the last one left from the cast. Two show days are long and exhausting and everyone is ready to leave by the time the second show is over. Kara lingers though, still in awe of this opportunity she’s been given. Apparently, she was wrong and Cat was still here as well. “But you are still wearing that god-awful beanie.”

“Oh, uh, the wig and a two show day means extra hair spray and  – my hair looks terrible.”

“So brush it.” Cat responds dryly.

“It takes a while. It’s easier to just wait until I get home to do it.”

“Ah, so you do have one then. A home.”

“Yes, Miss Grant. I have a home.”

“Brush your hair, Kiera.” Cat says before departing again in much the same fashion as she had the night before.

**

Kara sighs as she looks at herself in the mirror. She’s taken her wig off and returned it and her costume. She’s in another sundress and cardigan now, with her beanie sitting on the dressing table, ready for her to stick it on and go, but something is making her pause.

Last night, when she’d left the stage door, a few people still hanging around after Cat had left had noticed her and asked for an autograph. No pictures, but it had been a thrill to sign Playbills, even if she’d had to borrow a pen.

She thinks about what Miss Grant said about brushing out her hair and considers it. But there are so many bobby pins in it and even once she gets them all out, it takes so long to brush it out that Kara honestly doesn’t want to spend all that time doing it here in the dressing room. She isn’t the star of the show. Not even close. She can wear her beanie and it will be fine.

Just as she reaches for the hat, a pack of Sharpies lands on her dressing table with a thud, cutting off her path. “If you don’t want to catch any diseases, you need to start carrying your own Sharpies.” Cat says and when Kara looks into the mirror, she sees her standing behind her.

“Thank you, Miss Grant,” Kara says, “but I don’t think I’m going to catch any diseases from the fans.”

Cat scoffs at her. “Use the Sharpies. Trust me. Those theatre goers may think they’re so refined, but they’re breeding grounds for germs.” She shudders for just a second, then moves closer, eyes on Kara’s in the mirror. “Your hair is still up.”

“I – I’m sorry, Miss Grant, but it’s just so much easier to –“

“No, no.” Cat shakes her finger. “Don’t finish that sentence.”

And before she can comprehend what is happening, Cat’s fingers are slipping into her hair, tugging bobby pins loose, letting Kara’s hair fall down in wild curls. “M-Miss Grant?”

“You can call me Cat, Kiera. I don’t bite, no matter what Bernadette may have told you.”

“Oh no, I don’t think that you do, Miss – Cat.” She corrects quickly at the glare from Cat. “I just – you don’t have to do this.”

“Well apparently I do, since you appear to be unable to do it yourself.” Cat says, removing the last of the bobby pins and dropping them down onto the table. She then reaches forward and grabs the brush from the top of the table.

She begins to pull the brush through the long, silky strands of Kara’s hair. It has been so long since Kara has had her hair brushed by anyone, and she closes her eyes, relaxing into the moment. She lets out a quiet little noise, almost like a purr as Cat continues to brush, rhythmically and methodically. Kara isn’t sure that she’s not somehow dreaming or hallucinating this encounter. Surely Cat Grant cannot be brushing her hair. Her, little Kara Danvers from Midvale, making her Broadway debut in Cat Grant’s show. And it is Cat Grant’s show. There’s no question about that.

“There,” Cat says, breaking her out of her relaxed state some time later. Kara honestly doesn’t know how much time has passed. When she catches sight of herself in the mirror, she is amazed. Her hair looks fantastic.

“Oh!” She exclaims, jumping up and spinning around to catch Cat in a hug before she thinks better of it. “Thank you, Miss Grant!”

Cat stays stiff and still during the hug but gives a nod of acknowledgement when Kara releases her. “I’ve told you – it’s Cat. Now take your Sharpies and get to the stage door. I expect you to take some pictures this evening. Tomorrow we’ll deal with that make up situation.”

“Yes, Cat.” Kara beams as she leaves the dressing room.

**

“If you put that beanie on your head, I swear to god, Kiera, I will make Patti’s rants look like calm requests to turn off your flash.”

Kara startles once again at Cat’s presence.

“Miss Grant! I wasn’t expecting –“

“Clearly.” Cat says, snatching up the beanie and actually tossing it into the trash can.

“Miss Grant!”

“Kiera, I thought we had taken care of this problem. Apparently not, as you still have your hair full of bobby pins.”

“Miss Grant, you really don’t have to do this.” Kara argues, even as Cat goes about pulling the pins out once again. “You’re going to be late to the stage door and –“

“Kiera, I am the star. They will wait out there for me for as long as I want them to. And if you would help by starting to at least remove the pins until I get here, they wouldn’t have to wait so long. But no, you can’t even do that. So those poor souls will just have to wait.”

“That isn’t fair!” Kara protests as Cat picks up the brush.

“Life isn’t fair, Kiera. Take out the pins next time. Save those poor fans some waiting time.”

**

Saturday brings another two show day, but also rain with it this week. It’s falling at a pretty steady pace and Kara is surprised when she looks out the window of the dressing room to see a crowd of people waiting at the stage door. Some of them have umbrellas, but most are just braving the rain.

When the door opens and Cat steps out, everyone bursts into applause, their faces lighting up with joy. Kara smiles too, watching as Cat goes down the line, taking photos and signing Playbills for everyone, even as her assistant Siobhan follows along, dutifully holding an umbrella over her.

After she is done, Cat goes back into the stage door, no doubt heading for her dressing room. Kara wishes she could go join her, sit with her and talk, pick her brain about all the things Kara wants to know. But instead she turns back to her pot stickers and lets the moment pass.

That night after the show, it’s still raining when she glances out the window to take in the view of the stage door, where an even bigger crowd is waiting in the rain. Her fingers move up and begin pulling bobby pins out of her hair.

“So, you can follow directions.” Cat’s voice doesn’t startle her this time, nor does the feeling of her fingers carding through Kara’s hair, being sure that all the pins are out.

“It’s raining.” Kara inclines her head towards the window as Cat picks up the brush. “I didn’t want to keep them waiting.”

“This isn’t the Gershwin, Kiera. They won’t melt.”

“Still. They’re all out there, in the rain, waiting for you. It must feel amazing to know you’re so loved.”

Cat’s eyes meet Kara’s in the mirror. “It is a gift, but it is also a responsibility. It would be just as easy to walk right past them and get in my car and drive away on nights like tonight.”

“But you don’t. You even went out after the matinee.”

“Spying on me, Kiera?”

Kara’s face goes bright red. “N-no, Miss Grant! I just – the window is –“

“Come on.” Cat says, putting down the brush and squeezing Kara’s shoulders. “Let’s go see our fans.”

Kara wants to protest, but instead just follows Cat. When the door opens, she’s met with the burst of applause for Cat and it brings a smile to her face.

“Cat! Cat!”

Cat waves at everyone and then looks at Kara. “Good evening, everyone! I’ll be around to you all in just a minute. While I start here, Kara Danvers, the newest star of Broadway will start over there. You’re going to want her autograph and picture. Trust me.”

Kara blushes as she reaches into her bag, pulling out her Sharpie and uncapping it. Cat Grant has just proclaimed her the newest star of Broadway. She doesn’t even notice the rain that falls on her as she poses for pictures and signs Playbills. She’s too warm from the inside out.

**

“Honestly, Kiera, stop moping.” Cat waves the hairbrush towards Kara’s reflection before returning to pulling it through Kara’s hair.

“I’m sorry, Cat.” Kara says softly, even as a few tears manage to escape her eyes.

Cat puts the brush down and places her hands firmly on Kara’s shoulders. “Enough of the tears. You are moving on to a show where you get to be the star, as I always knew you would. There is nothing to be sad about.”

Kara spins on the stool, looking up at Cat with wide eyes. “Yes, there is. I know we haven’t exactly talked about this but… this… you brushing my hair after the show each night… it means the world to me and I look forward to it every day and I’m going to miss it and miss you.”

“Kara.” Cat says, finally pronouncing her name correctly. “I have a strict rule to not get involved with anyone that I am working on a show with. I’ve seen it go badly too many times.”

Kara frowns, not understanding where Cat is going with this. “If all you are going to miss is the hair brushing, you can have it written into your contract that you need someone to brush your hair each night after the show. I’ll put my lawyer on it in the morning.” Cat sasses. “But if it’s something else that you’ll miss, then perhaps, now that we are no longer working on a show together…”

Cat lets her voice trail off and Kara’s eyes go wide with realization. “Cat.” She gasps and then, before she can think better of it, she stands up and pulls Cat to her, kissing her fiercely.

She moves down the hallway, which opens into another large room, this one taken up mostly by a huge king-sized bed, draped with a white canopy. A door on the opposite wall leads to the bathroom, which contains what appears to be a sunken Jacuzzi tub, as well as a shower.

“Daisy did good.” Phil’s voice floats from the kitchen area, which makes her smile, even as she drops the duffels on the bed. “The kitchen is fantastic and fully stocked.”

“And this bathroom! Woah!” Phil is suddenly visible in the bathroom, confirming Melinda’s thoughts that everything in the bungalow is connected by a series of doors in a circular fashion.

“Only one bedroom though.” She calls, being sure to keep her voice neutral.

Phil appears in the doorway to the bedroom, his face looking suddenly pale. “Oh. I – uh – I can just –“

“If the words sleep on the couch come out of your mouth, Phil, I swear to god,” she scolds, a smirk taking over her face to let him know she was only teasing about the bedroom.

He lets out a sigh of relief, grinning at her in a way that makes her heart flip as she moves towards him. “Hey, I am a gentleman. If you don’t want to share a –“

Her lips cover his, shutting him up. “Stop.” She says when she pulls back for a moment, allowing her arms to come up and hold onto his shoulders. “Talking.”

They stand in the middle of the bedroom, just kissing. Neither one of them knows how long they are lost in the feeling of holding and kissing each other, but neither of them cares either. They can do this now, finally, and both of them are ready to do it for as long as they can.

“We should unpack.” Phil finally says when their kisses lull and Melinda just rests her head on his chest. She’s listening to the sound of his heart beating, trying to memorize it while she can still hear it. “Then maybe we can try out that incredible tub in there.”

Melinda looks up, her smile lighting up her eyes. “Together?”

“That’s the plan.” Phil says and she knows that he isn’t just talking about the bathtub.

They separate slowly and move toward their duffels, both opening them and beginning to unpack. Phil moves towards the dresser on the left side of the bed, knowing that Melinda prefers the right. Neither have much to unpack, but Phil grins when he opens the top dresser drawer to find it already filled with some clothes, including swim trunks.

He turns to look at Melinda who is holding up a scrap of black fabric that he thinks might be a bikini top.

“Daisy did really good.” He grins.

Melinda shakes her head, dropping the top back down into the drawer.

They both reach the bottom of their duffels at just about the same time, their hands brushing over something solid at the bottom.

Melinda pulls hers out, taking in the black velvet box with a pink Post-It attached. “Marry him already! – Daisy” is scrawled across it. With her heart pounding, Melinda opens the box, taking in the sight of the wedding band nestled in it. It’s a simple silver band, but etched in the silver at the front of the band is the SHIELD symbol.

Beside her, Phil is cradling his own velvet box with a pink Post-It attached. His note reads, “Marry her already! – Daisy.” His hands shake just a bit as he opens the lid, looking down at the beautiful silver wedding band. It is thinner than the one that Melinda is holding, but bears the same etching.

His eyes move up from the band to lock on Melinda, who is looking over at him as well.

“Mel, I –“

“I think our daughter is trying to get you to make me an honest woman.”

The way the words our daughter fall out of her mouth so easily make his heart beat so fast that he worries for a moment that it may give out before he can respond to her. He’s always considered Daisy his daughter and way deep down in his heart, hidden away from everyone else, he’s always considered Melinda her mother. But now to hear it from her, even in that slightly teasing, joking tone, makes his heart want to burst with love.

His eyes find the box in her hand. “Or you to make an honest man out of me.”

Melinda laughs at that, his favorite sound in the whole world, and he can’t stop himself from moving in to pull her close and kiss her again. Because she’s the love of his life and she’s here with him.

The boxes fall from their grips as they become wrapped up in each other, the duffels soon hitting the floor as well. They don’t make it to the bathtub, too occupied by the bed.

Hours later, Phil climbs out of bed, drawing a low whine from a half asleep Melinda. He’s back a moment later and Melinda wraps herself around him again, her head on his chest.

Her eyes are closed when she feels him lift her left hand from its place over his scar. “I love you, Melinda May.” He says, his voice strong and clear. There is no hesitation, no fear. Her eyes open to lock with his as he slips the thin band onto her finger. His lips press over her knuckles once it is settled on her finger. “I know this isn’t legally binding but –“

Melinda shifts, taking the other box from his hand. “I don’t need a piece of paper to tell me you’re my husband, Phil.” She slips the band onto his finger, kissing him. “I just need you. I love you.”

Early the next morning, Daisy’s phone chimes with a text alert. She opens it to find a photo attached. In it, two hands are clasped together, laying against a stark white sheet. Silver bands with the SHIELD logo gleam from their ring fingers.