here's your update :)

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Maleficent was intrigued with Halloween. There was much controversy surrounding the holiday here. Some believed it an evil time where monsters, spirits, and creatures of the damned roamed free. Others celebrated some supposed connection to the spirit world. People dressed their children up and sent them door to door to get fed sugary treats. She was planning on giving out Dole fruit cups and bags of mini carrots with sharpie on them to look like pumpkin faces. She'd been planning for a week she was so excited.

"Darling, you cannot give children fruits and vegetables for trick-or-treating. They'll egg our house and decorate it with toilet paper. I'm not cleaning that up. It's bad enough you had me turn the front yard into a haunted maze. It's adorable that you are so into this holiday, but we are giving out candy bars. Don't you think our plate is full enough with cooking our princess these last few weeks?"

The blonde sighed. Perhaps her wife was right. "Fine, but the mini size and next to them will be a plate of fangs made out of apples, peanut butter, and marshmallows. I found it in a cookbook. I don't like all the sugary things in this world designed to rot out teeth. Our child will not be ingesting that."

Regina just nodded in agreement. She didn't want her princess to ruin her teeth or her diet with a lot of processed, sugary junk. She also knew that everything in moderation or it drives someone mad in want. Keeping their daughter away from all sugar was bound to create envy of children who got sugar and cause her to sneak it in. She snuggled in closer to her wife. Tomorrow was Halloween. They'd focus on the children currently here and worry about their daughter's eating habits when she was off liquids.

A pressing need to use the bathroom woke Maleficent. There was also a dull ache in her lower back. She tried to sleep a few more hours, but woke up at three. The ache didn't seem to want to go away. It wasn't like she could take anything for it, so she went downstairs and made herself some food. Her wife made fun of her odd cravings. At least she'd have some peace to eat what she wanted. Mal settled herself in the armchair and turned on the heated massaging thing Regina had bought her. This was where Regina found her hours later, asleep with some infomercial on the television, a half eaten plate of pickles, turkey bacon, and a mound of peanut butter.

"Oddest cravings ever," the brunette muttered as she threw the plate away and put the jar of pickles back in the fridge.

The ache didn't get better with a shower. It didn't get better when they made the treats for the children. As cute as the little ones were that came to go through the maze and get their treats, it didn't bring as much joy as Mal was hoping because the ache got worse. Regina had sent her to nap for a while. She didn't even know she'd fallen asleep until a sharp pain jolted her upright in bed.

"What? What's wrong? Maleficent? Honey?" The jarring movement had dislodged Regina's arm from her wife's stomach. The instant loss of heat and contact from her wife had immediately woken her. Something was not right.

"It hurts. It's been like this for hours, but this hurts so bad. Make it stop!"

The panic and anguish in her wife's voice nearly broke Regina's heart. "Shh, it's going to be okay. How long has it been hurting?"

Maleficent fiddled with her nightshirt, not wanting to answer. Regina would be so upset for not telling her sooner. Her wife, bless her heart, had taken out every pregnancy book in the library. She'd changed their diets to best provide for the baby. She'd traded her Mercedes for a larger, safer family SUV. She'd bought the top of the line car seat that grew as their baby would grow. She even had the sheriff install the carseat and Jasmine come inspect the house for safety. She'd held her hair back through every bout of sickness, been diligent in having her take her vitamins and keep all appointments. For as much as she was carrying this baby, this pregnancy was Regina's too, every step of the way.

"Honey, when did your back start hurting?"

"This morning, about twenty to one. It was fine, honest. It hurts so damn much now!"

"Is that why you left bed this morning so early? We're going to time these, but I think it's time to go to the hospital. Our princess is ready to be here."

"No! It's too early. She's not due for two weeks. I can- MOTHER FUC-"

"Hey, we don't want our daughter's first thing she hears to be cursing. If she's ready to come now, she's ready to come now. She's past thirty six weeks. She'll be okay. You'll both be okay."

The pair grabbed the hospital bag that had been at the nursery door for weeks and went to the hospital. Mal tried not to curse, but all be damned when the nurse informed her that there was no time for drugs. Her water broke just as Jasmine walked into the room.

"I see your daughter knows I'm here, and is ready. You two ready for this?"

"If you don't get this child out of me I will tear this place down wall by wall with my bare hands!"

Jasmine tried not to laugh as she got the tray ready and set Maleficent's legs. It took three hours and more curse words than either Regina or Jasmine knew existed, but a little girl with a head full of black hair came squalling into the world at 11:45pm. She was a tiny thing, barely six pounds. What shocked Jasmine was the appearance of a second baby. The doctor was expecting the placenta but got an even smaller little one, just over five pounds with equally dark hair, seven minutes later.

The mommies were too engrossed in holding and staring at their little girl to care about the magic swirl in the room. They had their perfect little angel in their arms. A few moments later the room unfroze. Gone was the newly born twin, leaving the doctor in confusion as she stared down at a placenta where a child had just been. She shook her head. It must have been a hallucination, too many hours working straight through without sleep.

In a room down the hall sat the former White queen and her husband. None of the staff remember her showing up or delivering a baby. They don't even really remember her having prenatal appointments, but there nonetheless was the queen holding a newborn. The little girl was a tiny runt of a thing with hair as black as the woman who held her close. It was even more odd they'd had to run to the pharmacy to get formula. It was a modern invention no one had ever used here before. The infant was a fussy one when not in the nursery with the other babies, swaddled tightly or cuddled close by a nurse.

The four left the hospital at the same time, and not on accident. Regina and Maleficent had been doting on their precious new one. They hadn't even known Snow and her husband were even there until they were wheeled to the exit doors together.

Snow looked over at the carrier Mal was holding in her lap and smirked. "Must be the season for little girls. They look so like, almost like twins. Seems fate wanted us connected after all."

The women blanched at the words and tried to look at the car seat Snow was carrying, but a thick white blanket covered the top. It looked so much like the one Granny had knitted their daughter. They couldn't see the baby's face, but the blanket did have 'Emma' sewn into it in purple ribbon.

Granny, by fate's chance, was waiting for them when they arrived home. Regina helped Mal into the house while the old woman took in the baby carrier. "I did knit another blanket around the time I did yours, but I never gave it out. It just disappeared one day. I've no idea why I made it or where it went. Handmade blankets are easy to order through catalogue here I suppose though. Perhaps the girl ordered one." She certainly would have remembered giving the girl who had tried to kill her a baby blanket.

Mal and Regina felt unsettled after their encounter with Snow. They had to see her every day, especially since Maleficent headed the school. Something had just seemed so off about their meeting. Surely they'd know if they'd had twins. Why was the blanket over the carrier though? It wasn't cold out, far from it. It was a surprisingly warm day. They went to bed that night remembering the night that started it all.

flashback

Regina had discovered Maleficent at the age of seventeen. Her mother had sent her to Rumple to get better trained in magic. Cora had wanted to foster the dark magic, not the light inside of her daughter. She had no idea how to cultivate light magic, no use for it. Mal had been one of Rumple's students too. Together they trained and friendship grew into more. It surprised Regina that her mother actually supported them. She'd hated her friendship with the stable boy and had him fired.

"But darling girl, Maleficent is to be queen of the Forbidden Forest. Her sister Briar is far too delicate for such a position. It will be your girl, and I promised you would be queen one day. Magic can provide an heir. The kingdom is prosperous. What isn't to support?"

It had bothered them both the reasons Cora supported it, but they'd rather have her blessing than attempt to sneak around her. They were in the forest clearing by the stables having a picnic when Snow saw them. She thought Regina looked like the perfect new woman to become her new mother. The others hadn't been right, but this dark haired woman was perfect. This time she had stolen fairy dust and potions to make her comply if this time turned sour too.

Snow spooked her horse and it took off wildly with her on it, and like planned, the women were up and after her, trying to save her.

Regina and Mal had been sitting and talking when a dark blur of a horse went racing by carrying a screaming girl. Both jumped up and got on their horses, taking off after her. Regina pulled the girl, no older than ten or eleven, onto her horse and left Mal to soothe the animal. Snow had introduced herself to them as the princess of the White Kingdom.

Snow returned a few days later with her father, King Leopold, who had extended the offer of marriage. The little princess had been insistent, and what Snow wanted she got. Regina had turned down the offer though, and Cora agreed.

"I will not be having my daughter marry the man I was once betrothed to. Besides, she is betrothed to Princess Maleficent here. They will be announced this coming coronation."

"I believe Princess Briar Rose is becoming queen, not Maleficent."

The blonde bristled at being talked about like she wasn't in the room. "Actually, my sister has no desire to rule the kingdom. She is often sickly, and she prefers travel when well. Life stuck up in a castle ruling over the masses isn't for her. It will be announced with the engagement at the coronation."

The king and his daughter left after being assured there was no offer on the table rewarding enough to break off the engagement to Maleficent.

"I'm sorry your girl lost her mother and you your wife, but my daughter isn't a fill-in. She's nobody's replacement. To marry Regina off to a man older than her father to a falling kingdom just won't do. You might try fixing your alliances first. If all fails, try striking a deal with Rumple. There are plenty of women in all the kingdoms. Perhaps Alice, the heir to Wonderland would enjoy your kingdom?"

They retreated back to their castle, never expecting to see Leopold or Snow again. Summerland had little to no interaction with the White Kingdom. There was no need. The forest was free to travel past and all other kingdoms could be reached by sea. Nothing was in the White Kingdom that anyone desired. They were all surprised when Snow appeared at their stables.

"Regina! Regina we need to talk!"

Both Maleficent and Regina appeared in front of the girl, hands held tight. Cora was in the castle, but felt a nagging in her stomach that something was wrong. She set off for the stables where she knew her daughter was.

"You refused to be mine. I don't like being refused. The others, they weren't the right choice. You though, you were perfect. You are going to be my mother whether you want to or not!"

Regina and Maleficent frowned. This is the princess said to be good, the fairest of them all. Both felt the darkness radiating off her though. It made no sense.

"Others? What others?"

The girl just sneered. "I've been trying to find a new mother since mine died. She said she'd always be with me if I kept good, but she left. None of the others I found were quite right. No one was going to be as good a mother as you. They had to go. You were supposed to say yes. You weren't supposed to be with anyone. You will be my mother or I shall destroy your happiness if it's the last thing I do!"

Both women blanched. They'd heard rumors of a child going around playing with dark magic tricks. They'd never expected it to be this little princess. That meant Snow White had hurt people, had killed them and had gotten away with it. The girl wasn't magically gifted, so who was giving her the magic to do harm?

"Father took your mother's advice and contacted the Dark One. He didn't know I've been learning potions from him since my mother died. He's going to save our kingdom, make us more powerful than you. If you don't marry my father, we will take over yours and force you."

"Little girl, you're messing with some evil you don't have any understanding of. Abandon it now and your heart might not grow dark forever. Return to your innocent ways and leave magic to those it's meant for. Regina will not be your mother. She's mine and I am hers. A mother meant to be yours will come if the Fates desire."

Hearing from Maleficent angered the little princess. Cora poofed in just as Snow readied a potion.

"You're going to pay for refusing me!"

"NO!" Cora leapt in front of her daughter and her girlfriend, potion hitting her square in the chest before swirling around her.

Regina watched her mother be turned into a snail before Snow stepped on her. "Destroy your happiness," the princess muttered before running off, leaving Maleficent holding a sobbing Regina.

end of flashback

"Do you think things will be okay? I'm terrified she will come after our baby."

"Regina, we gave her a mouse of a persona. Even if Snow comes back, she has an enchanted cuff that will prevent any dark magical acts. If she does something stupid now she's going to lose her child. We just had a baby. I'm scared too, but we've got bigger worries. Our baby is home now. She's all ours. There's no more nurses or doctors a button away. Can we please focus on this little princess? We'll revisit dealing with her later."

Sighing, Regina nodded. The pit of her stomach was still sunk. Something was wrong, but she didn't know what. Forcing the feeling away for now she focused on what was here in front of her, her wife and her new princess.

"Yes, let's focus on our little princess. Welcome home, Lilith Coraline Rose-Mills."

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emma is making her appearance next chapter... well in a way regina and mal can see :)