A/N: So, don't ask me where this came from. Literally no one asked for this, and I hadn't planned on doing anymore with this little series. This just sort of came about on its own just because. I'd say that this is totally complete after this, but I've said that before, and here we are. So, who knows? Maybe it's just the Never-Ending Story because I just keep coming back to it. All that said, here's a fourth installment. Hope you like it ;)


"No way you're going to make that."

Emma stood against the wall of the Sheriff's station, one foot propped against it and the other planted firmly on the floor. David sat on the edge of his desk, arms crossed with a smirk on his face. One of Emma's hands covered her eye while the other held a crumpled-up ball of paper. Her limited gaze was focused on the trash can all the way across the station from her.

"So, let's review the terms once more," she said. "If I make this, we're going to tell everyone I got this-" she pointed to the slightly swollen, purple spot on her right cheekbone- "apprehending a criminal like a bad ass."

"And when you miss the shot, I get to tell the whole town you got it walking into a pole while stuffing your face with a bear claw," David finished with a grin. "You know, like it actually happened. God, that was hilarious."

The Sheriff narrowed her eyes at him, lips pulled down into a scowl. "Laugh it up, Charming. You do remember that Regina and I are coming over for dinner tonight? I've got a lot of sugar-packed snacks that are just calling Neal's name."

David fell silent immediately, eyes wide. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, I would. Keep testing me, and you won't sleep a wink all night." She concentrated back on the waste basket, approximating the distance and pumping her arm in practice. "And I'm not going to miss. You underestimate how much free time I've had on my hands as of recently here. I'm a trashketball master. I'm like the Kobe Bryant of this game."

"Lebron's better."

Emma's hand dropped from her eye so she could focus the full force of her anger and outrage at him. Her father's eyes sparkled playfully. "I know what you're doing, and it isn't going to work. We're not having that argument again just so you can distract me and get me off my game. I'm going to sink this shot, and then everyone will hear about how I singlehandedly battled and subdued a murderer while you sat back like a little bitch."

"By all means-" David gestured to the trash can- "put your money where your mouth is, sweetie."

Emma grumbled a few obscenities under her breath as she resumed her pose. She was just about to make the shot when a loud ringing and vibrating against her hip made both she and David jump. Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she checked the ID. Regina.

"Hold on," she said. "Got to take this."

"Stalling, hm?" David teased. "I'm disappointed, Emma. I thought you were above that."

"Shut up. I'm not stalling. I just know the consequences of ignoring my girlfriend's calls, and I'd rather not deal with them. I'd like to get laid again sometime in the next week."

David grimaced. "Ugh. Too much information."

Emma stuck her tongue out as she answered the phone. "Serves you right."

"What?" Regina asked on the other side of the line.

"Nothing, babe. Just talking with my deputy. Y'know, Mr. Second-Best."

"I might be your deputy, Emma Swan, but I'm also your father!"

"Yeah, but you'll never be sheriff." She waggled her eyebrows at his indignant expression. "Got 'em."

"Is this a bad time?" Regina sounded agitated over the phone, and Emma immediately knew that she wasn't in the best of moods. Normally, Regina would join her in insulting her father just for the fun of it. "Should I call back after you and your father have finished your silly little scrap? When you have time for me?"

"You know I always have time for you, Gina. What's up?"

There were several seconds of extended silence over the line as Emma practiced her throw with the ball again, one eye squeezed closed. She didn't think much of her girlfriend's strange behavior. As much as she loved her, Emma knew that Regina was moody. Sometimes, she had to feel things out to know how to approach her. It wasn't an inconvenience, though she did loathe the arguments they would get into if she gauged the situation wrong. Which she often did. Still, Emma knew she had flaws of her own-mainly, she was pretty damn stupid at times and had a Savior complex that, more often than not, got her into trouble. If Regina could put up with her dumb ass, she had no issue returning the favor. She loved her.

"It's, uh, it's my period."

The Savior smirked. "Ah, I see. So, are you requesting a care package?" It had become something of a ritual between the two since Emma first began it, and it didn't just extend to their menstrual cycles anymore. There were sickness care packages. Bad day care packages. Even care packages for no other reason but to pamper each other. Those were Emma's favorites to put together-the ones that surprised Regina and really showed how much she cared about her. "Say no more, your Majesty. I'll have one waiting for you when you get home this evening."

There was a long dragging sigh on the other end, and Emma immediately knew she'd said the wrong thing. What the wrong thing was, though, she didn't know. "That's not what I mean. I don't need a care package." She struggled for words. "Emma, it's... it's about my period."

"Just because you keep saying that doesn't mean I'll understand. I'm going to need a little more to go on here."

"I'm late."

"Late for what? And why are you talking to me if you're late for something? Shouldn't you be hauling ass to get wherever you need to be?"

"For God's sake, Emma, I'm late for my period!"

The ball fell from Emma's hand and rolled soundlessly on the floor. Both her eyes were wide open, and her mouth hung open. Her heart was stiff. She didn't breathe. She didn't blink. She didn't move.

"Emma?" David gave her a concerned look. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

"You're what?" Her voice was barely audible.

All annoyance was removed from Regina's voice when she spoke hesitantly on the other line. "I skipped my period this month. I should've started four days ago, and I-I haven't."

Emma couldn't force her lips to move. The two women had known this was a distinct possibility. Regina knew of a few instances of powerful magic-wielders of the same gender having the ability to create a child together through True Love's magic back in the Enchanted Forest, though it was rare. They had discussed the possibility of it before, but neither women had ever really considered it a reality.

Now, it appeared that it was much more a reality than they could've ever imagined.

"Emma?" Worry laced Regina's voice when she spoke again. "Emma, are you still there?"

"Y-Yeah," the blonde finally choked out, blinking out of her trance. "Yeah, I'm here." She swallowed hard. "What... What should I do?"

"I need a test from the drugstore, but I don't really want to leave the house right now."

"I'm on it. I'll have it to you in ten minutes tops."

"Please, hurry, Emma." Regina would never say it aloud, but she didn't want to be alone in that moment. She was scared and unsure how she felt about the situation, and really she just wanted Emma. She always seemed to make things better, and Regina needed that then more than ever before.

Emma sensed the fear in Regina's voice. "I'll be there in no time, Gina." Just the nickname alone and the warmth in the blonde's voice helped soothe Regina's hammering heart. "It's going to be alright, whatever the outcome. We'll be fine."

"Thank you, Emma," Regina sighed. "I needed that."

Emma smiled. "I know. See you soon."

"Bye."

As soon as Emma hung the phone up, she lunged for her car keys and jacket.

"Hey, Emma, wait!" David called after her. Her reaction to whatever Regina had said over the phone had left him more than a little concerned. "What did she say? Is something wrong?"

Looking back as she sprinted towards the door, Emma wore a wide, bright grin on her face. "Nothing's wrong. It's just... I don't know. I'll tell you later if there's anything to tell at all. Hold down the fort for me!"

Despite having no clue what was going on, he couldn't help but smile at how clearly excited his daughter was. A chuckle passed over his lips as she ran straight into the door, forgetting it was a pull.

"Ow," Emma grumbled as she rubbed her nose and tugged the door open. She only gave herself a few seconds to grumble over her blunder before she ran again for her waiting car.

Emma had never bought a pregnancy test before. The one she'd used with Henry was supplied to her by the prison guards, and even so, the technology had changed vastly since then. That was what held her up as she stood in the healthcare aisle at the drugstore, her eyes darting from label to label. She needed to hurry, she knew. Regina would only last so long before she went into Evil Queen mode from the stress, and she didn't want that. So, chewing on her lower lip, Emma grabbed an armful of packages and headed for the checkout-hoping and praying Sneezy didn't give her any shit, although she was fairly confident he wouldn't. He kept his mouth shut for the most part, a rarity in a dwarf. If only Leroy would pick up that quality.

Passing by the freezer aisle, Emma stopped a moment and peered through the frosty glass door curiously. Ice cream. That usually helped to ease any of Regina's bad moods. Throwing open the door, she grabbed a pint of Salted Caramel for good measure.

Sneezy fought to keep his eyes trained on the cash register as he rang up the items, but Emma caught his curious, nervous eyes glimpse up at her more than a few times. When they did, she just gave him a stern look that made it very clear she wasn't talking about it, and he'd better not, either. He took the warning seriously and kept quiet except to inform her of the total cost.

With a paper grocery bag in hand, Emma sprinted out to her car and flew to 108 Mifflin Street. Bringing her Bug to a screeching halt in front of the big, white house, she rushed up the walkway, her mind in a total frenzy. When she moved onto the front porch, the door was flung open, and Regina stood there, nostrils flaring and eyes sharp.

"What took so long?" she demanded.

"Sorry," Emma gasped for air. "Came as fast as I could."

Regina looked her over, and her lips drew together in a tight line. "Where is it?"

"I..." Emma straightened up, looking between her two empty hands in realization. "Left it in the car. Shit! I'll be right back."

"For the love of God, " Regina huffed, pinching her brow as the blonde scrambled back to the bug. The thought ran through her mind not for the first time. I've fallen in love with a complete idiot.

When Emma returned with the grocery bag in hand, Regina ushered her inside impatiently.

"So, I got six of them," the Sheriff explained as she held up the boxes.

Regina's eyes bulged. "Six? Why the hell did you buy six? I only need one."

"I didn't know which was the best."

"Why didn't you just get the same brand you used with Henry?"

"That was almost fourteen years ago, woman! And I was in prison. The guards gave me a stick, I peed on it. There was no label. Look, I panicked, okay?"

"Good grief." Looking over the several boxes in her girlfriend's arms, Regina grabbed an electronic one that would simply read out 'Pregnant' or 'Not Pregnant' rather than deal with the two-stripe-one-stripe or plus-minus nonsense. She held it up as she moved towards the staircase.

"Where are you going?" Emma asked. "There's a bathroom down here."

"I'm doing this is in our bathroom," Regina said back, and the blonde's heart soared as it did every time Regina described anything as theirs. She'd been living in the house with her girlfriend and son for almost a year now, and she still never took a moment of it for granted. Sure, it wasn't always easy, and they had arguments just like any family. But it was a family, and Emma had never had something like that. She'd never been in a situation, a home where she felt like she belonged until then. "I want to be comfortable."

Emma rubbed the back of her neck uncertainly. "You want me to, uh, help?"

Regina gave her an amused smirk. "I think I can manage on my own." Her eyes softened. "Although moral support would be appreciated."

Emma smiled back at her. "That I can do."

While Regina headed upstairs, Emma put the ice cream away in the freezer for later before following up after her. Stepping into their shared bedroom, she saw the bathroom light seeping under the crack of the door. Uncertain what to do, she paced back and forth, wringing her hands to keep them from trembling. Her breath came in shuddering huffs. What if Regina really was pregnant? What kind of a pregnancy would this be? The baby would be created by magic-what did that mean for it? Would it come out okay? Would Regina be okay carrying it to term? Emma's expression darkened. Whatever happened, she wouldn't risk Regina's life. She would do whatever it took to ensure she was okay. No matter what.

The door opened, and Emma's head snapped up. Regina emerged with the stick in her hands and, in Emma's opinion, an entirely too calm look on her face.

"The box says it takes three minutes," she informed, and Emma nodded before setting a timer on her phone.

"Three minutes," the blonde said, rubbing her palms over her thighs. "Three minutes until we find out if you're pregnant or not. If we're going to have a baby." Her eyes widened. "Assuming you even want to have it. I mean, you'd be carrying it, so it's your choice."

"I'd like to keep it if I am," Regina inserted before looking at her girlfriend uncertainly. "Would you? I know we haven't talked extensively about this."

Emma sighed. "I didn't expect it to happen. Especially not so soon." She ran her fingers through her hair. "I do want to keep it. Absolutely. As much of a shock as it is, I love the idea of expanding our family." Regina smiled warmly. "I mean, it's already perfect with just me, you, and Henry. Another member will only make it even perfect-er." She narrowed her eyes. "Is that a word?"

The brunette laughed. "No, it is certainly not."

"You know what I mean," Emma said with a grin. "I forget how to pronounce words whenever I get excited." Take her girlfriend's hands, she pulled her close to her until their noses touched. "I was seriously freaking out just a few seconds ago, but the more I think about it the less worried I am. If you're not pregnant, maybe we should consider planning it more carefully now? I mean, we've been together a while now. We're living together. We're happy, and we love each other." She smiled. "What have we even been waiting for?"

"I don't know," Regina said, "but I'm ready to start trying." Leaning forward, Emma kissed her lips.

The ringing from Emma's phone made them both jump apart. Taking the phone in her hand, the blonde turned the alarm off. "Well, I guess we're about to find out if we should start trying or if we already did it."

Regina didn't look immediately down at the test. She kept in firmly in her hands, which Emma realized after a moment were shaking. For the first time that evening, Regina actually looked genuinely scared. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Emma gently squeezed and gave her a smile.

"It's alright," she said. "Whatever the outcome, it's alright. No need to freak out."

"I know, it's just..." Regina blinked back tears. "Now that I know you want this, I don't..."

Emma furrowed her brow. "What is it, Gina?"

The brunette took a deep breath. "You want a child, and I don't even know if I can carry one. Magic or not. I mean, I took that potion all those years ago that kept me from ever naturally bearing a child. Things with us are different, but I still don't know if it's possible. And I just don't want to disappoint you, and-"

Emma stopped her by throwing her arms around her neck and hugging her tightly. Regina was startled at first but quickly melted into the contact as she always did when Emma touched her. Emma kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "You're not going to disappoint me, Regina. Never. No way. No how. I love you. All of you. Every single part. Aside from Henry, you're the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I want us to have a child, and I'd love for you to be able to carry it. To experience it all. And, also, I'd like it if I didn't have to get swollen ankles this time." Regina barked out a laugh while slapping Emma's arm playfully. "I'd like for all of that to happen, but it isn't a deal breaker, y'know? I love you. Always will. And if we can't have anymore kids, well, that'll be alright. We have Henry, and we have each other. I'm happier than I ever thought I would be in my life." Drawing back, Emma flashed her a blindingly bright smile. "You can't run me off, Gina. I'm all in with this." She stroked her cheek. "In fact, what are we waiting for? Why don't we make this permanent?" Regina's brow furrowed in confusion. "Regina, will you marry me?"

The brunette's mouth fell open as she gawked at the woman holding her. "What? Y-You want to get married?" She frowned. "You mean, if I'm pregnant?"

Emma laughed. "I'm not asking you because you might be pregnant. I'm asking you because I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Tears crept down Regina's cheeks. "Baby or no baby, I want you to be my wife and me to be yours. So, before we look at that test, what do you say?"

Regina grinned widely. "Yes, Emma. I say yes."

"Thank God. How awkward would it have been if you said no and the test was positive?"

Regina laughed. "We'll have to get rings together to make it official."

"Well, actually..." Emma moved to her nightstand in the room and removed a little blue box from it. Regina gasped and looked at her questioningly. The Sheriff smiled sheepishly. "I may have been thinking about this for a while now. Couldn't find the right time or work up the nerve to ask until now." She held the box out in an offer, and Regina took it carefully. She opened it up and gasped. It was an oval-cut diamond with a silver band with smaller diamonds inlaid all the way around. The diamond was of considerable size because, even though Emma knew Regina wouldn't care about the size of it, she wanted to make sure everyone could easily see it and know that Regina was and would always be hers and vice versa.

"Oh my God," Regina breathed. "Emma, it's beautiful."

"I knew it was the one as soon as I saw it," Emma said. "Almost as beautiful as you."

Regina's teeth sank into her lower lip as the corners of her mouth curled upward. "Put it on me?"

"Of course." Emma took the ring and slid it on the ring finger on Regina's left hand. Once it was on, she lifted the hand to her lips and kissed her knuckles. "It's perfect on you."

"I love you so much, Emma." Regina kissed her with a grin on her face.

"I love you, too, Gina," the blonde laughed. "Now, how about we see if we're going to have a shotgun wedding or not?"

Brown eyes sharpened at her. "We will not have a shotgun wedding whether I'm pregnant or not. If that's the case, we'll wait until after the baby is here. I refuse to walk down the aisle pregnant."

Emma only smiled. "Whatever you say, babe. Can you just check the test already before I die of suspense?"

Taking a deep breath, Regina turned the test over in her hands and stared down at it. Emma's eyes were trained on her fiance's face, too nervous to look at the test for herself.

Regina's mouth fell open, and she slowly looked up at Emma, whose stomach flipped.

"Well?" she asked uncertainly. "What's the verdict?"

A megawatt smile spread over Regina's face. "I'm pregnant."

Emma immediately hit the floor.

"Oh my God, Emma!" Regina exclaimed in shock. Before she could even kneel down to check on her, Emma was back up on her feet, her face shining bright with excitement. "Are you alright? I thought you wanted this!"

"I'm fine, and I do." She laughed a bit hysterically. "It's just that I never thought I'd be here. I actually knocked a woman up." Regina pursed her lips at the crude phrasing, but she couldn't be too annoyed when Emma's eyes lit up at her ecstatically. "You're pregnant. With our baby. The baby we both created." Wrapping her arms around her tight, Emma leaned her forehead against Regina's. "We're going to have a baby."

Regina smiled widely. "We're going to have a baby."

"Looks like PMS care packages are out for the next nine months," Emma teased, "and pregnancy care packages are in. Which reminds me, I picked up some of your favorite ice cream at the store."

Her lips were mauled in a hungry kiss that took her breath away, and Regina pulled back. "God, I really do love you." She smiled at the blonde until she finally noticed a spot on her cheek, and her face fell. "Emma Swan, why is there a bruise on your face?"

"Oh... that. Well, see, what happened was there was this bad guy running around town, right? Big baddie. Psycho. Nutjob. David and I were after him, and we were catching up to him. Of course, David wouldn't get to close to him because he's such a wuss. So, I had to jump at the guy and tackle him. We tussled, and he got a good punch or two in. But, in the end, I caught him and locked his ass up." Her chest swelled. "Because I'm the Savior."

Regina arched an eyebrow at her. "You ran into something, didn't you?"

"Yep. A pole. Nearly choked on my bear claw, too. Most excitement I've had on the job in weeks."

"You know you're going to have to be more careful now? I'll not have you kill yourself with your own carelessness and leave me to raise this child alone. Not to mention, I'd rather not have you bruised on our wedding day. People will think I beat you."

"That's your fault for leaving so many damn hickies on me all the time."

The brunette smirked unapologetically. "I regret nothing."

Emma laughed, nuzzling her nose into her neck. "Come on. I'll order in your favorite from Granny's tonight while you sit back and relax." She kissed her pulse point. "Can't have my pregnant girlfriend overexerting herself." Regina grinned. "Oh, and I have another surprise for you. I think you're really going to like this one."

"Hm, and what's that, dear?"

Green eyes sparkled jovially at her. "I'm going to let you tell my parents about the baby and the wedding however and whenever you want."

Regina brightened at the idea of a chance to mess with the Charmings and kissed her fiance. "And that is why I'm marrying you."


Somehow it always somehow comes back to magic baby in most of my stories but whatever. No ragrets. See you next time I decide to add more to this for no damn reason.