Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time and never will. No copyright infringement intended.

Emma Swan fought another yawn and then checked the time again, surprised to see that it was four thirty in the afternoon. Why was so she so exhausted already? She didn't understand it. It was irritating, especially since her parents had allowed her and August sleep in an extra half hour this morning. And she had been stuck in the station all day doing paperwork since Storybrooke was quiet for once. She hoped this faded soon, since she was getting sick of it. After yawning a few more times, Emma decided enough was enough and that she could head home. Luckily, Grumpy was coming in to work any time now and he could relieve her.

When he did show up, Emma informed him of the day's events and then got in her car. As soon as she arrived home, she sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. Within minutes, Emma was asleep. She woke up to her mother putting a blanket over top of her. "We came home and found you like this. Sorry to wake you, sweetheart." Snow smiled at her daughter.

Emma blinked at her for a few seconds before the fog cleared from her mind. "It's okay. This couch is pretty uncomfortable anyway. August back yet?"

Snow shook her head. "August, Henry, and your father went to pick up some pizza for dinner. They should be back soon. You up to helping me get some paper plates or are you going to nap some more?"

Emma yawed again, but tried to put the exhaustion behind her. "I'll help. I'm starving." She went into the kitchen and helped her mother get the plates and silverware out. Unfortunately, the instant the men came in with the pizza and the smell hit her, she bolted towards the bathroom to deal with the sudden nausea.

Snow hurried in after her and tried to help. "What's the matter? Flu?" She felt her daughter's forehead and frowned when Emma didn't feel hot. "You don't have a fever. Why don't you go back to sleep and I'll go pick up some soup from Granny's? It might make you feel better."

"No, I'm good now. I don't want any soup, but I will go to bed. I don't know why I'm so tired." Emma was starting to suspect, but she refused to consider it. Denial was clearly the better option and she was going to stick with it.

"Alright, but I feel guilty for enjoying pizza when you're not feeling well."

"Don't, Snow. I'm fine. Honest. I'll be good as new tomorrow." She tried her best to smile, but failed. Snow appreciated the effort, however, and told Emma so.

Emma didn't get better at all. Over the next few days, the exhaustion continued to get worse, but she steadfastly held on to the denial. It was on day six – when the nausea finally made a reappearance for reasons other than the smell and she realized her period was late – that she finally bit the bullet and decided to consider the possibility that she was pregnant. She sneaked into the back entrance of the pharmacy to grab several pregnancy tests and after threatening Tom Clark as she paid, hurried back home. She buried the tests in her closet, hoping to avoid them until the morning. Emma wasn't ready to face the truth – whatever it may be – yet.

"Are you sure you're okay? You've been off for a few days now." August eyed his girlfriend worriedly. He was concerned about her and just hoped she came to him with her problems soon. That probably wasn't going to happen for a while, though. Emma's guard didn't come down very often, but he was usually able to break through her walls. Well, sometimes. Snow was able to reach out to her more than him, but Henry was able to more often than anybody else. Emma really couldn't hide her vulnerability from her son.

She nodded, immediately wishing she hadn't. "Yeah, I'm great. Just a little tired." The exhaustion had actually caused her to fall asleep at work earlier, but Emma wasn't about to admit to that. She knew she had worried Sleepy earlier when he had stopped by for a visit and found her with her head on the desk.

August wasn't really buying it, but he let it go for now. He'd get his answer eventually, but hopefully in the next few days. She couldn't hide forever from her problems.

The next morning, Emma locked herself in the bathroom, grateful she didn't have to work today and that August and Henry was visiting Geppetto. She hadn't been this terrified since the last time she had taken a pregnancy test. Would she get the same result? She was trying to work up the courage to take the tests when the door opened and Snow stepped in. Seems Emma hadn't quite locked the door like she had thought. The endless exhaustion was getting the better of her.

Snow looked at the various boxes littering the room and then tentatively smiled at her daughter. "So, I wondered when you were going to figure it out. Do you want me here for moral support?"

"Since you're already here, yes. Might as well have someone to freak out on once I get the results." Emma was hoping for a negative, although she already knew she was most likely going to get a positive. All the symptoms were mounting and she had experienced them during her pregnancy with Henry, although not to this extent.

"Well, do you want a baby? I assume this isn't planned."

"I don't know if I want a baby. I can barely figure out what I'm doing with Henry on most days, and now I might fuck up this potential kid. Henry turned out pretty well, even with Regina." Emma was stalling and honestly didn't care.

"Well, you never know until you take the tests. And you're a great mom – You're learning, just as your father and I are learning. Now, pee on those damn sticks so I can find out whether or not I'm going to be a grandma again."

Emma laughed despite herself and listened to her mother, but urged her to turn around. She took the tests, and then set up the timer to wait out the three minutes. "I don't know what to say here. This is awkward."

Snow sighed. "Yes, it is. But Emma, I know you. You can do anything if you set your mind to it. You're stubborn, just like me, and we're here to help you with the baby, if you are pregnant. And you have August. That man loves you."

"I know, and I love him, too. But I didn't expect this to happen, which is stupid, because I've been through pregnancy before. But this time is different. At least August is around, but we're in the middle of the curse still. What if something happens?"

"There are always uncertainties in life and you just have to deal with them as they come up. And your situation is much, much different this time around. You're not alone anymore, Emma, and you just have to accept that."

The timer rang a few minutes later, and Emma froze. "Time to face the music." She closed her eyes to work up the courage to look at them and the results were right there in her face. "Oh, fuck. I'm pregnant!"

Snow beamed and then hugged her daughter. "Congratulations. Now, you need to talk to August as soon as he gets home. Do not put this off. And you'll be fine – I have faith in you."

"I know you do. Thanks." Emma hugged back and then threw away the pregnancy tests. She called the hospital to make an appointment for the next day, and tried to figure out a way to tell August about the baby. When he and Henry came home, Snow whisked her grandson away and left the two alone.

"So, why did your mother just rush out of here?" August grinned at his girlfriend and then kissed her.

Emma happily kissed back, but then pulled away. "Sit down. I have something I need to tell you."

"I hope it isn't anything bad." He wasn't all that worried, but she was scaring him a little. He didn't like it very much.

"Depends on your viewpoint. Well, thanks, Booth. You knocked me up. I have several positive pregnancy tests to prove it if you want to double check."

He stared at her for a second before breaking out in a smile. "I know."

"You know?"

"The exhaustion? The constant nausea? I'm a writer and I observe things. I'm not stupid, Emma. I was just waiting for you to figure it out and/or tell me." He grabbed her and squeezed it.

Emma glared at her boyfriend before lightly punching his shoulder. "You should have told me earlier so I didn't spend this entire week in denial. But you're happy about this?"

He nodded. "It's cliché and a stupid song, but you're having my baby. Why wouldn't I be happy? Just because we didn't plan this pregnancy doesn't mean I don't want the baby. We're a family, and now it's going to get bigger."

"I'm scared." She hated to admit it, but it was the truth.

"I know you are because I am too. But at least we have nine months – or less, depending on how far along you are – to prepare." He pulled her in for a hug and then placed a hand on her stomach. There wasn't much of anything there, but his child was living inside of her. It was awe inspiring.

"You're going to have to keep me calm, you know? It's your job as my boyfriend, Booth." She let his hand stay on her stomach for a few more minutes, but that wasn't going to happen very much. Her stomach would be off limits to touching very soon.

He got serious for a minute. "I love you, Emma."

She leaned against him and then yawned, cursing this exhaustion. She hoped it faded away soon. "I know you do. Me too." It was still hard for her to say those words, but August knew how she felt. She wasn't worried about that at all.

Emma's urge to run would kick up multiple times in the next few months, but her family and August grounded her. They helped when the fear got to be too much for her. As long as she had them, Emma would be able to persevere and get through anything. She wasn't alone anymore, something she was extremely grateful for.