CHAPTER 7

The smell of breakfast being made was what woke Regina up the final time. She had spent the night with Granny at her side holding her when she woke up screaming from nightmares. She stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes before making her way into the hall bathroom for her morning routine.

After that was done, she walked out into the kitchen where Granny was making apple pancakes. "Have a seat," Granny gestured to the stools on the other side of the kitchen.

Granny put down a plate of bacon in front of her and returned to the pancakes. Ruby came behind her and snagged a slice. Regina hadn't heard her come in last night. She figured it was her inner wolf that caused the woman to have so much energy. Regina reached for a cup of coffee but Ruby swatted her hands away. "You can't have that."

"I think I'm old enough for a cup of coffee," Regina told her reaching again.

This time Granny swatted her hands away. She and Ruby looked at one another. "There's something you need to know."

Regina closed her eyes momentarily to summon the strength to get through whatever it was she had to hear next. "Yes?"

Ruby put her hand up to her Granny, "I get to tell her. Regina – grrr," There was a knock on the door and Ruby ran to answer it. She came back in with Tink by her side. She turned to Tink. "We were just about to tell her."

"Now? You think that's wise?" Tink looked worried.

"She's still weak but better. I think she can handle it. Anyway, she just tried to grab some coffee. I think it's time. She needs some good news anyway," Granny said.

Ruby turned to Regina and grinned at her. "You're pregnant," she squealed and wrapped her arms around her.

Regina shook her head wildly. "No," she shoved Ruby off of her. The girl looked hurt but recovered quickly and plastered on a smile again. "I've only been with Emma."

"The two of you have true love Regina. Anything's possible. And trust me, that is definitely Emma's baby in there. I felt it as soon as I saw you and Ruby can smell it."

"Well, I can smell the change in your hormones," Ruby shrugged.

Everyone smiled at a still stunned Regina. "I – I don't know what to say," she stuttered.

"I'm going to be an Aunty!" Ruby squealed hugging Regina again when something occurred to her and she pulled away. "You are keeping it right?" she asked in a quiet voice.

Regina blanched, "Of course I'm keeping it." Ruby squealed and hugged her some more.

"Well then I have something else to tell you," Tink said watching her best friend's face.

Regina wasn't sure how much more she could take, "Go ahead."

"I can feel them, ya know. And their heartbeats are strong."

It took a few seconds for Regina's mind to catch up. "Them?" She gaped at Tink who wore the hugest grin on her face.

Tink nodded happily, "twin girls."

"I'm going to be a double Aunty," Ruby started dancing around.

Granny put a stack of apple pancakes in front of Regina, "Eat up. You're eating for 3 now."

They chatted about nothing over breakfast. Then, Granny excused herself to go to the diner.

Tink and Ruby flanked Regina on the sofa.

"So, you're okay with this?" Ruby placed her hand on her tummy.

"Yeah," Regina said with a small smile on her face. "I think I really am. I never dreamed this was even possible."

"You know, the Charmings are in the Enchanted Forest right?" Ruby asked gently. Snow had tried really hard to get her and Granny to go back with them but to Ruby that was nothing more than a death sentence. Not to mention, a complete hellhole. She liked her life in this world. Going back to that old time would be just that. A gigantic leap backwards with nothing good to look forward to.

Regina nodded her head, "Emma told me she was going. It's the last thing we argued over. I told her not to, that she'd be miserable. But, she insisted it was just for a couple of weeks." She laughed mirthlessly, "Her moving in with her parents was supposed to be a couple of weeks and then it went into a couple of months and now we rarely see one another." Regina knew that Snow and Henry were trying to get Emma and Neal together. Again, the thought of Henry made her wince.

"So what are you going to do?" Tink asked placing her hand on her friend's arm for comfort.

"I – I can't – I can't stay here," Regina got out before she broke into tears.

Ruby and Tink both engulfed her. "Then, I'll go with you," Regina looked up in surprise at Tink. "You're my best friend," she shrugged. "There really isn't anything much for me here anyway."

"Me too," Ruby chimed in. "For a while, anyway. I think Granny will be okay for a week or so. I'll help you get where you're going and get settled in."

Regina had always liked the Lucas girl. And she and Granny had an interesting relationship. But, she still didn't get why the two of them were being so nice to her when she'd never gone out of her way to be nice to them. "Why?"

Ruby understood what she was asking. "Regina, you saved my life. Mine and Granny's. I was on the verge of being hunted down. Sooner or later, I would've ended up a trophy to someone. Your curse was the best thing that ever happened to us. And I love life here. Movies, showers, almost anything I could ever want or imagine literally right at my fingertips. We owe you a debt. Trust me, my Granny feels the same way."

"Then before the curse broke and I found out that Granny was my family, I was on the verge of leaving anyway. I stayed for her. But," Ruby sucked in her top lip, "I've always wanted to get out. I don't even understand why all these people are still in this one place. At least with you leaving, I can get to experience life beyond these walls."

They sat in silence for a while lost in their own thoughts when Tink broke the silence. "So, where are we going?"

Regina laughed, "I have no idea. Any suggestions?"

Ruby wriggled her eyebrows, "New York City, baby," she threw her arms up in the air.

Regina looked at Tink who shrugged, "New York City," she nodded.

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Emma awoke with a start. She was used to waking up in strange places thanks to growing up in foster care system and then blowing through one night stands. Beside Regina in the mansion was the only time that she had ever awakened peacefully.

Sunlight flowed through the open drapes but she was freezing cold. She saw the fireplace had gone out. And with no insulation or heat source, she felt like she was inside of an icicle.

She threw on her clothes and decided to leave everything else for later. She began looking around for a bathroom. She opened various doors and kept coming up empty.

Snow saw her opening all the doors and called out, "See, I told you, you'd love exploring here."

"I'm not exploring. I'm looking for the bathroom before I burst."

Snow frowned, "There's no chamber pot in your room?"

"A what?" It was too early in the morning for Emma to have to be bothered to process information.

"Chamber pot," At Emma's look of horror once her brain caught up, "This is the Enchanted Forest honey. There's no indoor plumbing."

"What?!" although Emma had heard her just fine.

"Just remember to throw it out after each use. Oh, and there should be scraps nearby for, you know, wiping," Snow whispered the last bit of information.

Emma went back to her room and debated for a long time with herself. Or as long as her bladder gave her. Going outside was preferable to this she thought as she gave up fighting. She needed to get home.

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After doing her best to wash in these horrific circumstances, Emma made her way downstairs. Charming and Snow were already there.

"Where's Henry?" Emma asked as she snagged one of the last bananas.

"He's still asleep," Snow smiled at her. "We need to start talking about what comes next."

"Can we start with getting rid of the rats? Isn't this how everyone died of plague?"

"So, I'm going to get some firewood cut and you two can get water and start cleaning in here. Then, Henry and Neal will help me before we head out hunting," David took charge.

"Hunting?"

"We're low on food honey," Snow said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Right," David said as if it had been settled. "I'll leave you women to it. Tell Henry and Neal to join me once they get up."

Emma didn't like the way her parents were just giving orders about what everyone was going to do. "I think I might go into town. Hopefully we can find some of our people there."

"We have to get things in order first Emma. We have no food or water or anything," Snow was starting to get excited. She began crying.

David looked at Emma accusingly as he pulled Snow into his arms, "Don't upset your Mother Emma. We decided that we were going to return home and rebuild our kingdom. We said that we – "

Emma had had enough of this damned land and she had had enough of the two of them deluding themselves into believing that they could turn this pile of rocks into a grand castle and build thrones to themselves. She jumped out of her seat angry now, "No! YOU decided. I never agreed to anything. And this is NOT my home. It's a pile of rocks that's about to fall down. I told you all that I would come here for a couple of weeks because Henry was so excited and Snow wouldn't stop crying. How was I supposed to say no to that? But my life isn't here. Since you haven't figured it out yet, I'm no damned princess! And I don't want to be either."

Her parents looked at her like she had lost her mind. "Emma, this is your birthright. And this is where you belong."

"I –"

"Good morning." Henry bounced into the room grinning from ear to ear with Neal trailing behind him not so happily. "What's for breakfast?"

"Here kid," Emma handed him an apple.

"Seriously Mom?" Henry turned up his nose at it.

"It's just until later," Snow smiled at him. "Then you, your Dad and David are all going hunting. Wouldn't you love that?"

"Cool," Henry bit into the apple.

Emma wanted to continue to protest but knew she'd have to bite her tongue. She didn't want to upset Henry or Snow right now while David filled them in on what all he had dictated them to do today.

They got up to leave and Emma wanted to bolt out with him. Snow grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug. "I'm so glad we came home," she smiled at her.

Emma just gave her a weak smile back as Snow handed her a bucket so they could do the hellish trek of bringing water from the wells and into the house.