Regina had immediately tensed beside her and she knew right then that those words should have never left her mouth.
"Oh my Goodness! Congratulations! Who do I hug first? I can't believe this." Mary Margaret exclaimed, in a flurry of excitement before launching herself at both women with a giggle.
"I call Godmother!" Ruby Lucas cried, pushing through the small circle of friends.
"Wait, what? Ruby!"
"What? I called it.
"Ruby, you can't just call it..."
Ignoring Mary Margaret's pleas as she detached herself from Emma and Regina, Ruby continued, "Congrats you two! So neither of you are drinking, do I have to guess who..?"
Caught in the commotion of congratulations and well wishes the "happy couple" were soon separated across the room. Emma watched Regina as she made polite conversation with Marion and Tina in the far corner. She was smiling now, but it wasn't real.
"Swan!" KJ, The Rabbit Hole's regular barkeep bellowed, leaning across the bar pulling Emma's attention from Regina.
KJ made a point of letting his eyes wander down Emma's body before raising his eyebrow suggestively and adding,
"Could've sworn I'd have a bun in your oven before you put one in anyone elses"
"Ugh. Please stop talking"
"Love, 'tis all in good fun", his outstretched arm attempted to place a comforting hand on her shoulder before she promptly took a step back.
"Just don't, okay?" Emma pleaded, turning from him and she looked back to the corner where Marion and Tina now stood, Regina nowhere insight.
"Regina! Regina, wait!" Emma called,taking twice as many steps to catch Regina before she entered the Mercedes.
"I can't be here. Go back inside, Emma"
"You're leaving? You can't leave, everyone's here." Emma replied desperately, coming to a stop before Regina. "I'm sorry, please don't go. I know... I know we never talked about it, telling people. It just came out."
Regina let her handbag fall from her shoulder and began fishing for her keys, refusing to meet Emma's eyes.
"You're being ridiculous. They're happy for us!" Emma tried adding in vein, before Regina snapped,
"It's not that! I'm barely even 5 weeks. What if someth... You shouldn't have said anything! Not yet."
Stepping into her wife's space, and finding her eyes the blonde responded "It's okay. Nothing is going to happen. Trust me."
Regina did step into her arms then, but after a moment quietly whispered,
"I don't want to make this into some scene that's why I'm leaving."
"Then I'll come with you, just let me tell the guys"
"No."
"No?"
"Emma, I'm upset, and angry. I don't want...I just need some time to clear my head.
Emma stayed at The Rabbit Hole for almost an hour, Regina consuming all her thoughts, before accepting a ride back to the manor from Philip and course she had attempted to call her in that time, but to no avail.
You have reached Regina Mills. Please leave your name and number, and/or a quick message, and I will return your call at my earliest convenience.
Earliest convenience. Pfft.
She wasn't home. The manor sat in darkness, and there was no sign of the Mercedes in the driveway. Another round of unanswered phone calls and reluctantly Emma made her way upstairs to the bedroom. Not to sleep. How could she possibly sleep.
She was on the fourth episode of HGTV's Flip or Flop when the Mercedes's headlights enveloped the room in a light briefly debated with herself whether to leave the bedroom, or risk a fight, but for now she decided to stay put.
When Regina entered the bedroom she did so sheepishly, and it stopped Emma from immediately lashing out.
"You okay?"
"Yes" Regina replied, quieter than Emma would've liked, as she made her way across to her side of the bedroom closet. Emma pulled the bedcovers from her body and sat lingering on the edge of the bed, her back to Regina.
"I'll sleep in the guestroom."
"Stay."
"You ignored all my messages, my calls. I was worried."
"My phone was switched off."
"Yeah, I figured".
Now dressed in her silk pajamas, Regina looked where Emma was sat on the bed, her back to her, and sounding so defeated. She came around the side of the bed and gently sat down beside her. They sat like that, together, just the comfort of being next to each other, Regina bringing her head to rest on Emma's shoulder.
"Emma, I'm...I'm sorry. Snapping at you earlier-I shouldn't have done that. And then leaving, I'm sorry."
"It's okay" Emma replied, taking one of Regina's hands in hers, entwining their fingers together. "I get it, and I'm sorry too."
"I wanted this to be ours for a little longer, just ours. And it's still so early, Emma, anything could go wrong."
"I get it, I really do. You're scared. And I was rash, telling everyone. It's us...OUR family, and I want to celebrate that. I want everyone to know that, and I got over-excited when all the guys were there."
Emma didn't grow up with a family of her own. This child was hers, was theirs. Their family. "I understand."
"Hey" Emma said, taking Regina's arm and tugging it lightly towards herself until Regina got the hint, standing and then re-positioning herself so that she now sat straddling Emma.
"For the next one I promise I won't say a word to anyone for at least the first 5 months."
"The next one? Oh really?" and Regina couldn't help but snort a most undignified laugh at that.
Emma's "Uh-huh" coincided with her fingers beginning their work undoing the buttons of Regina's silk pajama laughed again, but helped Emma undress her all the same. "You know we have to wait to have the first before we work on a second? And that it doesn't work like this?"
"I do know, but isn't this more fun?"
Slipping her hand between their bodies, Emma let a single digit find its way to Regina's center and began a gentle stroking motion.
"Mmmm. How could I possibly argue with that?"
