A/N: A few years ago, I posted this story under the title "I Will Always Save You." I've recently been going through old fics, rereading them, curious to see if/how my writing has changed since then. Well, it has. Sort of. I think.

This is a revised version of that story. Names of characters have been changed and villains have been swapped. Most of it has been reworked, but some of the old version still fit (dialogue, character descriptions), so those of you who read IWASY may recognize some similarities. I've also posted this on AO3.

ALSO, quick heads up: Hook is in the first and second chapter, but he won't be around for long. And like the tag says, he and Emma never happened, so...

Morning sickness was the worst part, that much was indisputable. The fact that she never knew when it was going to hit, that every time she thought she'd pinpointed a trigger only to find out she was wrong, was infuriating. Some days were better than others, especially after the 12th week. She'd even managed to hold down her meals every once and a while. Everything else was fine. She could handle the swollen hands and growing waistline, the sore back and heightened senses. That damn morning sickness, however. Regina thought it would never end.

She hadn't anticipated it being so bad the last time. Emma had recalled few details from when she was pregnant with Henry, except for the constant fatigue. As much as Regina wished Emma could remember more, she was also silently grateful to Emma for glossing over the rougher parts. Even after all this time, the guilt still weighed down on Regina every now and then.

For the most part, however, Regina was rather infatuated with it all, the process of growing another human being, the way her body stretched to accommodate another life. She watched as her midsection began to round, the way her cheeks filled out. She reveled in the delight of the first kick, far more powerful than she could have hoped for.

As for Emma, well, she was a bit of a nervous wreck. If she wasn't hovering over Regina, she was buried in paperwork at the station. When she wasn't at her desk, she was patrolling the town. And when she wasn't driving up and down Main Street, she was taking to Storybrooke on foot. Anything to keep busy, to make sure that everyone was safe, to maintain the peace within the town.

The past six years had been anything but tranquil. They'd survived more curses than Emma had ever thought possible, done more good than Regina had ever believed herself to be capable of. And yet, the Queen and the Savior had managed to build a life together, the two of them and Henry. They had become the family they had always wanted. In each other, Regina and Emma had found their Happy Ending, the thing they'd both so desperately wanted their entire lives. If only they remembered one small thing: life doesn't always happen the way you plan.

The last week of August had been especially tough for the Swan-Mills family. Henry had been struggling with the stress of yet another school year on the horizon. The 16 year-old had outgrown most of his clothes from the previous year, again, and had worn out a hole in his old knapsack. Emma had promised to take him into town that Saturday, but had nearly forgotten due to an unsolved burglary she couldn't let go of. Meanwhile, Regina had been battling her own war: migraines. For days, the Mayor had slept in late and fulfilled her duties from home, in the comfort of her own pajamas.

To make up for the late nights at the station and lack of family dinners, Emma suggested the three of them go into town together and spend the day. Regina's morning sickness seemed to have subsided, and her head wasn't giving her too much trouble. And Henry even had one more clean shirt that fit perfectly.

After a much-anticipated breakfast at Granny's, their first public appearance together in weeks, Emma and Regina strolled along the sidewalk a few paces behind Henry. Their appetites satisfied and their stomach full, the women basked in the quiet autumn morning. It was one of the few things Emma and Regina had in common, their love of the fall, the way the leaves turned and scattered about the town. The way the sun took solace behind the clouds and smiled down on the people of Storybrooke tenderly.

They had were just passing Gold's shop when Henry ran inside to greet his grandfather. Emma and Regina waited patiently beneath the shade of the awning, one arm wrapped around Regina's waist.

"How're you feeling?" Emma murmured as Regina leaned into her embrace.

Shrugging slightly, Regina sighed. "I've been worse."

With a quick, but passionate peck on the top of Regina's head, Emma nodded to the door beside them. "You sure you don't want to me see if there's something—"

"We've been over this," Regina said firmly. "No potions, no spells. No magic. I can handle this. It just… comes with the territory, right?" she added with a half-smile.

Hardly convinced, Emma knew when to concede. "No magic," she promised. "What about ice cream?" she offered, pointing to the store across the street.

Regina scoffed. "It's 11 in the morning."

With a wicked grin, Emma raised an eyebrow. "So… yes?" Emma watched as the corners of Regina's mouth twitched, watched as her partner did her best to suppress a smile. "Single scoop of cookie dough coming right up." Emma pressed her lips against Regina's before skipping off to the ice cream parlor, her curls bouncing giddily with every step she took.

Emma was only gone for a moment before Regina felt a familiar nudge in her midsection. Chuckling softly, she soothed the impatient bump. "I know. I'm hungry again too."

Sure enough, Emma returned with a sugar cone and two scoops of cookie dough ice cream piled on top. It was then that Henry finally emerged from the store, a jealous expression on his face when he saw the treat his mother held. "When'd you get that?"

"Relax, Kid. We can go there next," Emma said as she slipped her hand back into Regina's. When she reached out to try the cone, however, Regina pulled away. "Hey! No fair!" the blonde whined. "I didn't have to get that for you, you know," she said as she narrowed her eyes at Regina.

"True," the brunette agreed. "But would you really deprive the baby from—"

"Fine, fine," Emma grumbled. Regina simply smirked back at her, but Emma was too stubborn. "Keep walking."

By the time they came to the end of the block, Regina had finished her desert, Henry's stomach had started to growl again, and Emma could feel the sweat through her shirt. They were just about to turn back when a strange car zoomed past and screeched to a halt.

Instinctively, Emma planted herself in front of Henry and Regina. After seven years in Storybrooke, she was able to recognize every single vehicle in town and knew exactly who it belonged to. This, however, was new. Storybrooke didn't do new.

It was black, sporty, shiny. The wheels had chrome hubcaps and the windows were slightly tinted. When the door to the driver's side opened and a leather boot hit the cement, Emma's hands balled into fists as she braced for a fight. Magic or mortal, she was ready.

"So, the rumors are true. You three are quite the sight."

Regina's eyes fell upon the bearded man and her anxiety quickly turned to disgust. Clad in a black leather jacket and black pants, the pirate stood with an arm draped over his car door, an eery smirk painted across his face.

"Jesus Christ," Emma sighed. "What are you doing here?"

"Is that anyway to greet an old friend?"

Emma rolled her eyes in revulsion. It'd been less than five minutes, but she could already see how little Hook had changed in the six years that they'd last been in the same room together. "Look, whatever you're selling, we're not interested."

She gave Regina's hand a firm but gentle tug and started to walk away. Emma shot a stern grimace at Henry, a silent plea for him to keep walking. She and Regina didn't get very far before Hook called after them.

"I've got a bit of information," was all he said. "Something you'll want to know."

Spinning on her heels, Emma folded her arms over her chest and scowled at the man who once thought he had a chance with her. "And what makes you so sure?"

"Because," Hook said with a slight gleam in his eye. "It's about your Queen."