Henry sifted through the clothes in his drawer, throwing random shirts over his shoulder and crumpled onto the floor. He was clearly in search of something, but what it was Regina couldn't tell.
"Really, dear, you'll only be gone for a weekend. I'm sure what you have already packed is fine," she pleaded with Henry to settle for his one filled case.
"No this isn't for the trip," he muttered frustratingly as he knelt to the ground and bent under his bed.
"Tell me what it is," she extended out her hand, "and I'll find it in no time."
"No I want to find it. I know it's in here; I remember seeing it. It must be under something."
He hastily dropped to the floor and began to ravage through the boxes gathering dust under his bed. Regina rolled her eyes but didn't bother to senselessly refute the boy any longer. "I'm giving you five more minutes and then we leave."
"Uh huh!"
Upon stepping out of the stuffy room and into the fire lit hallway, she shivered from the chilled night air seeping through the walls. She was grateful that Henry's bedroom at least had a fireplace. Suddenly an impatient cry echoed out from down the corridor as the door that led into James's room squeaked open. Out of mere curiosity, Regina tentatively made her way closer to the door and listened in on what was happening.
"You take him," she could hear David's nervous pleading.
"I can't! You're his father. You calm him down!" Killian shakily responded.
James cried angrily at the two frenzied men as they nervously argued with each other.
"Just wake up his mother," Killian demanded.
"She was up all night with him... No, I have to learn how to do this," David uttered half-heartily. Regina laughed at their hopeless bickering before pushing the door fully open to make her presence known. Like a second instinct, David wrapped his arm around the little squirming bundle, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Relax, I'm just here for Henry," she lifted a hand in peace. "Though it does sound like you could use some help." She motioned down to red-faced James who was still crying out impatiently.
"I've got it," he bitterly snapped at her. Killian looked at the two of them and then down to angry little James.
"No one in this house has experience with raising a baby. I just so happens that I do." Though Regina still found some enjoyment from David's petty suffering, her motherly nature didn't allow her to leave a newborn child in the hands of these two incompetent fools.
"She does have a point." Killian winced as James's screaming rose up yet another pitch. "Let her calm the lad down. Otherwise he will wake up the women, which wouldn't end well for either of us."
David looked down cautiously at James, who was glaring back impatiently with hot cheeks and streaming tears. He took a deep breath and looked back up to Regina with hesitance. Picking up on the queue, she confidently stepped into the room and extended out her arms for the child, "Step aside gentlemen."
He warily handed James over to her, who screamed even louder as he was passed away from his father's arms.
Regina held the baby out in front of her and smiled. She cuddled him closely and soothingly rubbed his back despite James's persistent wailing. In a delicate tone, Regina began to lightly hum a slow melody that was unfamiliar to either of the men. There was a glimmer of nostalgic happiness in Regina's eyes as his loud screams slowly mulled into calming whines. James eventually fell silent and listened to Regina's voice.
She looked up from the infant back to David and Killian, who were now beside themselves. With a smug smile, she carefully handed James back to his father. David glared at Regina frustratingly as he took back the calmed newborn.
"Well?" She crossed her arms, expecting some gratitude.
He really just wanted to lose it, yell at Regina to get lost and stop making him feel like an even worse parent. After an hour of failing to appease his son, the Evil Queen can just come in and calm James down in an instant. The Evil Queen.
David bit his lip as he swallowed down his animosity towards her. No, she's not the Evil Queen anymore. She's Regina. And losing your cool in front of your new son would be an even worse mark against you. "Thanks," he resolvingly grumbled. She gave them one last confident grin and then left the nursery to check on Henry's progress in packing.
David watched her leave, his gaze still icily narrowing in her path. "It's not worth getting worked up over, mate," Killian muttered. David sighed and looked down to his son, who was now struggling to stay awake.
"Oh, so now you want to sleep," David muttered as James tiredly fluttered his eyes up at him. David looked over to James's crib, which was filled with stray toys that would be dangerous for his son to sleep with. He looked back to Killian, who was watching the child with fascination. "Could you take him while I get his crib ready?"
Killian eyes darted up to David nervously. "I don't want to upset the boy."
"You won't, he's falling asleep now. Besides you've got one coming any day now and you need to learn this too."
Killian looked down to the small child hesitantly. He took him in his arms and was surprised by how light the little bundle was. James's delicate little head was cradled in Killian's stiff hand as he looked up to him curiously.
By the time James's toys had been removed from the crib and stashed away on the bookshelf, the newborn had fallen fast asleep. Killian could do nothing but look down at the sleeping child, paralyzed with his inner doubt and growing fear. David silently motioned for him to come over and lay his son down to rest, but Killian's locked knees trapped him where he stood. As James fell further and further into a deep sleep, he hummed a squeaking little snore against Killian's shoulder.
"What is it?" David perked as he walked over and gently pried his limp, sleeping son from Killian's arms.
He stammered on unfound words and suddenly without a word, paced out of the nursery. "What the hell," David mumbled as he carefully laid his son down into his crib before chasing out after him. Killian leaned against the wall just across from the nursery; his head cradled between his knees as his white knuckles gripped around his shins.
"I can't do this. I'm not ready." Killian muttered lowly.
"What are you talking about?"
"I never had a father. I've not a clue how to be one and I couldn't bear it if I let my child down," Killian stammered down to the ground, "I can't."
David sighed, leaning down against the wall beside him. "You know, before Emma was born I felt the same way. I was terrified. My father died early and I only had my mother. But when I first met Emma," he grinned down to the ground, "And I held her in my arms for the first time, it all kind of made sense. I only had ten minutes with her, but I wouldn't trade them for anything… except maybe the part I get stabbed."
Killian chuckled lightly. David looked up to the closed door of James's nursery. "You know, I hated your ass for a long time. I still kind of hate you. But at the same time," he looked back to Killian, "I can tell that you're going to make one hell of a Dad." Suddenly Henry's door, which was a little ways down the hall, burst open. "Hey guys!" He ran over to the two men and disregarded their frazzled states. "Regina found it," he grinned and held out his hand to reveal a bulky, antiquated white charm encrusted in silver which dangled from a delicate chain.
Her hands affectionately stroked her inflated torso. "You got enough room in there?" Emma mumbled. Her very pregnant stomach budged under the thin Egyptian cotton sheets. She leaned her head back in into the pillow for a moment longer before braving the maneuver to stand. It was as if she were in a daze; she was amazed by how weak this pregnancy had made her. Just as Emma twisted herself to the edge of the bed, she felt a dampness trail down her leg. She looked down in alarm before standing up straight.
Suddenly a surge of pain radiated through her upper abdomen and down through her shins. Her footing shook as she fought back the cringing ache. She glared at her reflection in the mirror on her vanity stand, which started to blur as her eyesight glossed over. Voices came to her ears; excited footsteps and a name echoing down the hallway. Her name. It echoed again, Emma! Her eyes snapped up as Killian gleefully ran into the room. He was followed by David and Henry at his heels. His fist shook triumphantly in the air, a metal chain dangled from its grip.
"We found it, Emma," he grinned proudly. He opened his hand to reveal the necklace that Ruth, Emma's grandmother, had once given to Snow. Emma pursed her lips together from the searing pain. He faltered for a moment, immediately recognizing something to be wrong.
"What's going on?" Killian's voice lowered as he immediately paced across the room, wrapping his arm around her back to steady her faltering balance.
David instinctively turned to Henry, "Go get Whale, he should still be downstairs." After a moment of hesitation, Henry reluctantly nodded and then left the room in a jog. Emma gripped her abdomen, wincing with pain.
"I think-" Emma gritted her teeth, "I think the baby's coming." She brought her head down to Killian's shoulder in a trembling cry as he gripped her protectively at his side, leading her swiftly back over to their bed.
"Should it be happening this fast?" Killian stammered at David, who was still trying to swallow down the sight of his daughter going into labor.
"Oh god," Emma cried out and threw her head back down against the pillow. Killian gently pulled her hair back from her face and turned back to David in a panic. "Do something," he growled.
David finally snapped out of his rigidity and shuffled in a circle before recomposing himself. "Hold on," he turned and ran out of the room. Killian looked back down to Emma, whose face was scrunched in agony from her throbbing contraction.
"Breathe, love, just remember to breathe," Killian robotically soothed her, losing himself to the only phrases he had been trained to tell her for this very moment. Her eyes snapped open to him in apprehension, "Killian," she stuttered out in her steadying deep breaths. Her fingers tightly wove around his. Killian disregarded the pain that came from Emma's squeezing grip as he used his other hand to stroke back her hair.
Dr. Whale suddenly pushed open the door, "What's going on?"
"I-I can't tell you," Killian mumbled over his words. Whale hurried over to the bedside where Killian stood. "I need you to leave," Whale sternly barked at Killian.
He looked back to the doctor, glaring at him dangerously like a protective, ravaged watchdog, "Like hell I am." Whale stared at him impatiently as Emma let out another cry, cutting off the circulation in Killian's hand. "We need to get her pants off," Whale paced over to the bedside where Killian stood.
Killian no longer recognized his distrust of the scoundrel Dr. Whale. Nothing was on his mind; every thought was a blur and he could only blindly follow Whale's commands as the two men quickly slipped Emma out from her pant legs. Two of the nurses that were on call at the castle suddenly hurried into the room with David trailing at their heels. They immediately worked around Emma; covering her lower waist in a medical sheet and providing towels to wipe the beads of sweat that had formed along her forehead.
"Okay Emma, you're doing great," Whale calmly reassured her as he checked the progress of labor. "This baby is definitely coming."
"Where's... Henry?" She huffed out to whoever was still listening.
"I asked Regina to take him," she thought it was David's voice but she wasn't sure. Muffled mumbling blended into one congregate slur of incomprehension as people frantically worked around her. The pain subsided for a moment, giving Emma a chance to breathe. She calmed as her clutch around Killian's fingers loosened. He took one of the nurses' damp towels and stroked the roots of her front part.
"Emma you're actually almost there," Whale chided encouragingly to her. The surprise was evident even in his voice. She wasn't expecting for it all to happen so quickly. With Henry, he took his time and the pain wasn't so abrupt. This kid was like a steamroller.
"The baby takes after you; it's acting like a pirate," she muttered through heavy breaths. Killian chuckled and affectionately kissed her forehead. The next wave of pain came swift and strong. "Ahhh fuckity fuck!" Emma gritted in pattered breathes.
"I don't know love," he grinned, "I've never heard of such a mouth on a woman." His light laughter immediately turned into wincing shouts as Emma's grip tightened with magical strength. "Easy Emma, I just got this hand back!"
Her eyes snapped open in rage, "Don't you dare complain to me right-" She was cut off with another stronger surge of pain. Emma and Killian were both now crying out together as the contraction picked up to its worst level. A nurse that stood by Killian uneasily listened to the loud snapping crackle that came from his left knuckle being slowly crushed.
She let go of his hand and looked up at him guiltily as the contraction calmed. "Oh my god... I'm so sorry."
"What?" Killian wiped his face of anguish and looked down at her, shocked. He quickly took ahold of her hand in his swelled, limp grip. "No. Don't you let go until it is over." He stroked back her hair back and brushed a kiss along her hand, staring deeply into her beautiful wide eyes. Her gaze softened as she caught up on her breathing.
"Okayyowww fuck!" She screamed as Mary Margaret finally appeared amidst the crowd of faces. She stood on the other side of the bed and anxiously took Emma's other hand.
"Emma sweetie, you're doing great," Emma could hear her mother's blurred speech as the hard, icy pain pulsated through her torso and down into her legs. Her eyes darted around the room to all of the intense expressions. She could swear she could make out Whale's lips mouthing the word push. Her eyes darted up and around until finally she found his. All she could do was lose herself in those two wide sea blue eyes staring back at her, and suddenly everything was weightless. The voices were all lost and her body felt sedated to whatever was now happening. He looked back at her warmly; his smiled at her devotedly and spoke words she couldn't register. Suddenly his gaze darted away from hers, as did everyone else's in the room. Killian was now anxiously staring at Whale, or rather Whale's arms. She wanted to turn and follow his gaze to whatever it was that he was staring at, but she couldn't find the strength to move.
Emma watched as Killian's unsure, fearful stare turned immovably loving; his azure blue eyes widened with a newfound revelation and amazement.
Her hearing began to sputter back in short waves but then grew to invite everyone's loud excited voices around her. She felt her mother's cool hand stroke another loose hair back from her face, "You did it, honey."
Only after a few nurses left the crowded circle did Emma hear it; the soft, high pitched, squeaking cry that came from across the room where Whale now was. David walked over towards the doctor to look over his shoulder. Killian finally turned his attention back down to Emma, smiling at her with adoration. He leaned down and excitedly kissed her on the forehead. "Gods Emma," he chuckled back a few tears as he pulled a little ways from hers. Emma turned her attention back over to Whale, eager for him to return with her child. David put a hand on the doctor's shoulder as he looked down to the table in front of him. A nurse walked over to the two men with a white folded blanket in her hands.
After another minute of eager waiting, Whale finally turned around to face them. He carried a soft white little wrapped bundle. Another peeping cry came out from Whale's arms. Emma could feel her heart hitch as the doctor came closer and closer.
She watched anxiously as he leaned down to her, extending out the bundle into her arms. She felt the pressure of the bed sink as Killian stretched a little ways beside her to get a better look. "Congratulations, you two. It's a beautiful healthy baby girl."
Emma looked down to her pink little face. The baby continued to squint from the new blinding light in the room. "Hi," Emma laughed as another tear peaked out from the crevice of her eye. Killian's hand rested on the top of the loosely wrapped blanket. He looked down to his new daughter with sheer amazement, "Hey beautiful."
Five little pink fingers wedged out from the bundle and wrapped around Killian's pinkie. Everyone in the room gasped as the baby slowly acquainted herself with his finger. He let out a choked laugh, letting a stray tear drop fall onto her white blanket. He couldn't help but immediately pick up on the child's striking resemblance to her mother; the way her little nose met her high cheekbone and how her lip slightly curved inwards.
"Have you guys thought a name for her yet?" David smiled warmly down to the new family. Emma beamed, brushing her finger along the side of her daughter's plump cheek. "Her name is Elizabeth. Elizabeth Swan."
Whale cocked his head to the side, "Why not Jones?"
"I got that name from my father. I wouldn't dare pass anything of that man onto my daughter. Swan suits her; I can already tell she's much like her mother." Emma looked up to him with overjoyed, welled eyes.
Henry hurried into the room with Regina following his heels. David and Mary Margaret made room for him to meet the new baby. "Henry," Emma beamed as he wedged himself through the small crowd to get closer to them. "Wanna meet your sister?"
He peered down to the Elizabeth, who was starting to relax from the shock of her new surroundings. "She's cute," he grinned down at her. "Is it normal for babies to be that pink?"
Emma laughed at Henry's innocent curiosity, "Geeze kid, she was just born. Give her some time."
Regina couldn't help but lean close enough to catch a glimpse of the newborn's face, "Congratulations Miss Swan." Emma smiled gratuitously at Regina before looking back down to Elizabeth as she let out a light whine.
"Does this mean I'm staying here for the weekend?" Henry propped his head up to Emma.
Regina shrugged, "I'll be flexible this time. It's whatever is easiest for you two." She motioned back to Emma and Killian.
Emma turned back to Henry, "It's going to be nothing but crazy here for the next few days. Do you feel like learning how to change a diaper?"
Henry's nose shriveled up at the mere thought, "Uh, I think I'll let you guys figure the baby thing out."
Killian turned to Henry and chuckled at the boy's wittiness "Alright lad, but I'll need your help when you get back."
The room settled out over time. Regina and Henry left after an hour or so, and were soon followed by Whale and many of the nurses. David and Mary Margaret stayed behind long afterward, but were eventually pulled away by their own newborn son who had awoken from his nap down the hall.
Killian nestled beside Emma on the bed, stretching one arm around Emma and the other bandaged hand rested on top of his daughter's blanket. Elizabeth was quick to fall asleep. She comfortably snuggled in her mother's arms, enveloped in the loving gazes of her two new parents.