As always, many thanks to my lovely beta, sassymajesty. Even though she's currently have a crisis of feels from a television show.
PS, I did get a review for this chapter about how Kathryn was supposed to have twins. After thought however, I decided it to be an error in the ultrasound. Plus, I figured it'd play well into something I have planned. If you're a fan of foreshadowing, then well, consider my little hints a special treat.
Enjoy the update!
Perhaps it wasn't that though, the sheriff thought as she leaned back into the comfortable chair, but rather it was just how happy Regina looked when holding a baby. The soft cooing noises she made to the infant, the sweet look in her eyes, that small twinkle the former queen got when she was so happy, she couldn't really describe it. Regardless though, it made Emma smile right along with her, even if how Regina was able to hold the baby in her arms was probably as painful for her as for the woman in labor.
If Emma were to be entirely honest, this petrified her.
When Emma had given birth to Henry, she recalled high amounts of pain, tears filling her eyes, knuckles going white as she gripped the sides of her hospital bed. Granted, she had cuffs around her wrist so it was a bit difficult, but the practice remained the same. When the nurse told her that she had done well, the sheriff just assumed that the woman only said it because, well, she said it to everyone who went through labor. However, watching Kathryn scream in pain, it gave her second thoughts to just how well she had handled the pain all those years ago.
Kathryn, a quiet, shy woman, a woman who was never one to raise her voice or use any rude or nasty language, was currently spilling so many profanities out of her mouth that it would make Killian Jones plug his ears.
"Goddamn it! Look what you've done to me!" she screamed as she looked to Fredrick, anger in her eyes and she squeezed the two fingers given to her. Fredrick seemed muted, not knowing what to say. Sure, they had both planned this, and he hated seeing his wife in pain, but he knew no consoling would silence or ease her pain.
They were in the usual hospital room, waiting for Kathryn to be dilated enough to go into a delivery room. Last time Whale had checked on her, he said it should only be a few more minutes.
That was over thirty minutes ago.
Tears filled Kathryn's eyes as she looked to the ceiling, shifting ever so slightly as to alleviate some of the pain. To no avail, however.
If Emma were entirely honest, she had no idea why she was here. She was tired and wanted to do nothing more than sleep, but that's probably what most would prefer at one in the morning. Yet, here she was, because Fredrick had called Regina and Regina didn't want to go alone. She understood that up to a point. Emma knew that, even years after the curse had broken and people moving forward and past it, Regina was still uneasy of how some acted toward her. Granted, the only person who really gave her a hard time was Leroy, but he had to be five beers and two whiskeys in to do that, but Regina remained wary all the same.
Still though, Emma sat in the room, tired and wanting to just sleep instead of sitting in a room with a screaming woman in labor, a husband who had no idea what to do, and her wife looking slightly anxious about the whole ordeal. That was understandable though, because perhaps the last time she had seen a woman in labor was either on the big screen or when the former queen herself had lost her baby all those years ago.
Snapped from her daze, she watched as Whale walked into the room and smiled sweetly, looking at the soon to be parents. "How're you doing?"
"There is a baby about to come out of me, how do you think I'm doing?"
Regina must be rubbing off on her, Emma thought with a soft chuckle.
Nodding, unfazed, Whale took a moment to look under the sheet that covered Kathryn's lower half. He dropped it as quickly as he lifted it.
"Alright, Miss Nolan-"
"Not my last name anymore-"
"You're dilated enough for us to go into the delivery room." Turning, he looked to Emma and Regina, "You two stay here."
Immediately, Kathryn reacted, reaching out for Regina, pulling and squeezing her hand. "No, wait- Regina has to come with Fredrick and me."
The unison of "what" from all but her husband caused Kathryn to roll her eyes, gesturing towards herself. "Are you really going to argue with me right now? I'm in labor!"
Looking from Regina to Kathryn, and repeat, Whale sighed, shaking his head as he waved in his nurses. "Fine, just be ready to scrub up, Mayor."
It wasn't long after that that Emma was shooed into the waiting room, causing her to sigh in boredom. If she were honest, she mostly just felt like a child right now. She was happy for Kathryn, really, she just preferred to be happy for her from her bed where she'd be sleeping if Regina hadn't dragged her out of it.
Relaxing into the chair, Emma yawned, glancing up to the ever loud and present ticking of the clock. It would be at least an hour or two before she'd be able to leave, and with it already being four, she safely assumed that she'd be stuck on desk duty again. However, if she was entirely honest, that's probably not a bad place for her to be.
While Storybrooke was not a place with a high crime rate, she needed to take it easy, especially with the baby. The littlest of things made her tick, and having shorter days meant more time with Henry and Regina as well. So, in all honesty, while she missed what little action she got, Emma was beginning to enjoy her desk and being able to prank Ruby all the more.
Another yawn broke loose, causing Emma to sigh, resting her head back on the cool, white walls as she felt herself drift.
Emma wasn't really sure how long she drifted, but with an abrupt shake of her arm, Emma was wide awake and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Gazing up, Emma rose an eyebrow, a soft chuckle coming from her lips. "If I had known you looked so good in scrubs, I would've asked for it for Valentine's Day."
Rolling her eyes, Regina shook her head. "Very funny."
Shrugging, Emma sat up a bit straighter, stretching her back. "So, how's Kathryn doing?"
Immediately, a small smile came to her lips. "She's doing well… Full of apologies for her language and attitude."
"Yes well, considering how I'll probably be, there's no hard feelings." Standing, Emma slid her hands into the pockets of her sweats. She was honestly thankful that she hadn't changed before coming here, the effort into putting on actual clothing seemed too much for her. "And the baby?"
"It's a girl," Fredrick said as he came out into the waiting room, a wide smile on his face. "Kathryn and the baby are back in the room, if you two want to come back and see her."
The pair nodded, following Fredrick back to the room. Immediately, Emma looked down to Regina's hand, a soft gasp coming from her.
"Jesus Christ, Regina! What the hell happened to your hand?!"
Swollen and red, with a light mix of purple, Regina's hand looked like she had gotten it smashed in a door or got in a really bad fight. Sighing, Regina lifted it, lip curling as she inspected the damage. "I let Kathryn hold my hand… I think she might have broken or fractured it."
Fredrick only chuckled, raising the hand he had let Kathryn hold. It was damage free with not a single sign of bruising, unlike Regina's. "That's why you only give them two fingers, it doesn't end up hurting that way when they squeeze really hard."
From there, Emma just couldn't help herself. "That's what she said."
"Emma?"
Snapped from her thoughts, Emma looked up, eyebrow raised. "What? Sorry, I was… Daydreaming, I guess."
Chuckling, Kathryn nodded, "I understand, I did that a lot when I was pregnant. I was asking if you wanted any tea."
Before Emma could respond, Regina spoke up. "Come now Kathryn, you know the only things Emma likes are things that will rot out your teeth." Glancing over to Emma, she winked and grinned.
Emma was someone who didn't really like to refuse offerings from people, perhaps something from when she was a foster kid and it was drilled into your head to eat what was in front of you or starve. Now, even if this wasn't the case, Emma still had a hard time saying "no" to even the smallest of things. Somehow, someway, Regina always seemed to pinpoint these things and speak up so Emma doesn't have to stumble over herself. It's how she's been saved from eating her own mother's attempt at a fruit cake.
Smiling back at Regina, Emma watched as Kathryn sat down, crossing one leg over the other as she looked to her daughter and her friend.
"A whole month already, can you believe that?" Kathryn said, a wide smile on her lips.
"No. But then again, I do suppose time flies."
"Especially when you don't get to sleep. But you and Emma will experience that soon enough."
The former queen just smiled, tapping her finger against the baby's nose and sighing. "She looks just like you, dear."
"With her father's eyes and ears," Kathryn muttered, biting her bottom lip. "I know that you're probably curious as to why I invited you two over."
Looking up, Regina nodded, Renée still cuddled into her arms. "Yes, actually… While I know we haven't gotten together in awhile, I assumed you had been busy."
"And I'm never invited over here so, double the curiosity."
Regina shot a look over to Emma, who only shrugged as she leaned forward, pressing her elbows into her knees. Emma would blame the hormones for the outburst, but at this point, hormones could only be blamed so much before Regina called bullshit on it.
Laughing softly, Kathryn looked down to her hands, folding them in her lap. "Well… Fredrick and I have been talking. We've been discussing this since before the baby was born and we uhm…" Taking a deep breath, she looked up to Regina. "Would you two be her godparents?"
Silence. Immediate and unforeseen. Emma's eyes were trained on Regina, watching the emotions as they swept over her so quickly; happiness, curiosity, confusion, uncertainty. She understood why she herself had them, but why Regina? Regina and Kathryn had been friends for so long, even after the curse broke, and yet Regina seemed to show that uncertainty once again. The uncertainty that she showed when not knowing if something someone was saying was a cruel trick or something of sincerity. The only reason Emma recognized it so well was because she had seen it numerous times when they had started dating.
Reaching out, Kathryn placed her hand over Regina's, which rested on Renée's side. "I know, it may seem a bit… Much, especially since you have a baby of your own on the way. But Fredrick and I both agreed that, in the end, you were the best option for Renée, and that no one was better suited for being her godmother than you and Emma.
As Regina looked up to Kathryn, Emma watched as tears brimmed her eyes, turning them a soft red. Honestly, she had no idea what Regina would say, or if she'd say anything at all. That uncertainty that lived deep inside her had been there since her childhood, since Cora, and Emma really didn't know what it was telling her now.
Finally, after a silent pause, Regina nodded her head, glancing from Kathryn, to Emma, and back again. "Thank you."
Emma couldn't help but smile as she looked to Regina. Since what happened at Kathryn's, Regina seemed to have more skip in her step, and that twinkle didn't seem to go away. Not for a moment. And as the pair walked through the large construction store, Emma couldn't help but be mesmerized by it.
"I still don't understand why you're so adamantly against finding out the sex of our child."
And just like that, the spell was gone.
Groaning, Emma let her head fall back. If she thought one thing would be easy about this pregnancy, it was decorating their future child's room. However, within four months, Emma quickly learned otherwise. She wasn't due for another five months, but Regina was insistent on getting this particular job started, mostly because she assumed that it would take a long period of time. Judging on the fact that they had been arguing over paint colors for the last two weeks, Regina wasn't wrong in that.
"Because, knowing the sex jinxes everything."
Rolling her eyes, Regina grabbed a paint swatch, looking at it in attempts to find a color. "Yes, and which pregnancy book did you read that from?"
Sighing, Emma buried her hands deep into her pockets. "I didn't know Henry's sex and he turned out perfect, why ruin the system?"
Humming quietly, Regina nodded. "Point taken. The perfect part though, I have to disagree with. That Grace is corrupting him."
"His grades have managed to somehow increase."
"He comes home with hickeys."
"And she goes home with hickeys, now can we please pick a paint color?"
Pursing her lips, Regina grabbed a swatch full of yellow tints, holding them up to her wife. "Anything?"
Curling her lip, Emma shook her head. "Ugh, no. For the hundredth time, can we not have yellow in the baby's room?"
Sighing heavily, Regina ran her fingers through her hair. "You won't let us know the sex, but you're against the color typically used for a baby's room when the sex is unknown?"
Gesturing to her tight ponytail as though it were obvious, Emma scoffed. "I'll blend in!"
Closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, Regina let go of a heavy breath of air. "You are absolutely ridiculous."
Crossing her arms over her chest, the sheriff rose an eyebrow. "Excuse me? How is that ridiculous? Every single shade matches my hair exactly, and I really don't feel like our child thinking I'm bald for the first weeks of his or her life."
Opening her eyes, Regina threw her hands in the air, not knowing what else to do. "I honestly cannot believe you're acting so dramatic over your hair."
"Says the woman who spent an hour fixing her hair for Snow's birthday party."
"It was an event! I had to look my best!"
The bickering between them now was probably the highest it had been since when they first began dating. Emma's hormones were high and kicking and it made her usually laid back attitude obsolete to her random mood swings. At first, it just began as excessive crying during movies or over the slightest bit of good news. It then escalated to Emma being more grumpy than usual in the mornings, but Regina had only assumed it was because Emma was going without her morning coffee. From there, it escalated to this, random bickering over something as small as a child's room color.
Still the bickering continued, Regina only thankful that most of Storybrooke's citizens were anywhere but there. She let her eyes wander for a moment, catching glimpses of a few employees whispering as they watched the argument unfold before them.
Sighing, Regina shook her head. "Emma, please. Can we discuss this when we get home? You're making a scene."
"I'm making a scene?" Emma's anger rose. "You're making a scene! You're the one who wants me to look bald and-"
Instantly, Emma went silent, grabbing her stomach. Regina watched, eyes going wide and full of concern as she looked from Emma's eyes, to her stomach, and back again. "What is it? Is something wrong? Is the baby-"
Grabbing Regina's hand, Emma placed it on her stomach, causing Regina to raise an eyebrow as confusion dawned on her. "What-"
"Sh, wait," Emma said softly, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before letting it go. It was then that a soft thump from beneath Regina's hand was felt, causing the former queen to look to her wife.
Opening her eyes, Emma smiled, biting her bottom lip. "I don't think he or she likes it when we fight," she said softly, pulling Regina closer into the space.
Locking eyes with her wife for a moment, Regina then let her eyes fall back down to her wife's growing stomach, placing another hand on it. It was her child, their child, communicating with them for the first time since the discovery of Emma being pregnant. Regina felt tears swim in her eyes, but refused to let them go as another soft kick was felt, causing a quiet laugh to escape from her lips as her smile grew. "No," she whispered, "I don't think he or she does."
"I cannot believe she actually convinced you to paint the room green."
"And I can't believe Emma convinced you to leave that pirate's bed for five minutes to paint."
Opening her mouth and immediately shutting it, a soft 'hmph' came from Ruby as she dipped her paint roller back into the tray. "Very funny, your Majesty. I'll have you know that Killian is actually working at the station today."
Since Ruby and Killian Jones had pushed their relationship past the occasional bed warmer to being a legitimate couple, pushing him to settle down some actual roots was a priority for her. Deciding a life at sea was no longer for him, Killian looked for something more land oriented. When Emma told him a very strict "hell no" to him working in the sheriff's office, he went to the next thing he could think of: Fireman. Considering he is one of only three firefighters in the entire town, it's easy to say he was welcomed with open arms.
Nodding, Regina refused to take her eyes off the wall as she painted. "Mm, so you only leave his side when he goes in for work? How very… Domestic of you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ruby hissed, anger and tension immediately filling the air.
In all honesty, Regina couldn't be more elated over it. It's been awhile since she's gotten under someone's skin, it was like a refreshing drink of water. "Nothing at all, dear. Just that you seem to be under his thumb. Or, what was it Emma called it? Whipped?"
Nostrils flaring, it was probably just her wolf getting the better of her, but there was one thing Ruby hated, and that was being tied down. "Funny, that's what Killian calls you."
The heated exchanges between Regina and Ruby were never really serious. If anything, they were just easy targets for minor anger. If Ruby was honest, she actually liked Regina. And if Regina was honest, and by honest that means looking deep, deep down inside of herself, she actually liked Ruby too, if only just for being a shoulder that Emma needs when she is of no use. However, emotions aside, getting underneath one another's skin and picking a minor fight was something of a hobby between that pair, especially if left alone in a small space together.
Brushstrokes stopping, Regina turned to face Ruby, eyebrow raised. "Don't you have a cat to go chase?"
"Don't you have an apple to poison?"
"Take yourself for a walk."
"Go set another curse."
Scoffing, a dark smile crept onto Regina's lips. "Isn't it about that time of the month when you eat your boyfriend?"
"Okay, that's it!" Raising her rolling brush, she immediately flicked paint onto Regina.
Looking down at herself and the paint splatters, she grabbed a few strands of hair, gasping. "This will take weeks to get out…" Raising her eyes and glaring, she picked up her own brush, flicking paint right back at Ruby.
And thus, a war began.
Sighing softly as she folded the laundry on the dryer, Emma felt boredom officially hit her head on. She hated doing laundry, mostly because Regina would always just come in later and refold everything afterward because, if Emma were honest with herself, she was pretty bad at folding clothes. The only reason she was even stuck doing this task was because she wasn't allowed inside the baby's room to help with painting.
Emma understood Regina's worry with the fumes, she did, but she felt useless in the moment with not being able to help. She wanted to contribute, do something important, but her once small baby bump was, to her, now the size of a planet. While Regina would soothe her and tell her she wasn't large and was glowing, Emma could only roll her eyes. The swell of her bump was now getting in the way of most everything, and her back was killing her. The only thing that made it worse was the knowledge that she would only be getting bigger in due time.
The only thing that gave her peace of mind was the fact that she wasn't having twins.
The ring of the doorbell was the only thing that snapped Emma from her thoughts made her realize she was rubbing her stomach. Raising an eyebrow, she walked towards the door.
No one's supposed to come over today... I swear, if the kid lost his keys again I'll-
Her words stopped as she opened the door, a roll of the eyes instead following what she assumed would be a lecture on why losing five different house keys did not show amazing responsibility.
"Nice to see you too, Swan."
"Swan-Mills." For the hundredth time. "What're you doing here? I thought you had shift for at least another two hours."
Shrugging, Killian stepped passed Emma as he made his way toward the kitchen. "I did, but they let me go early because I had to prepare something nice for tonight."
Snorting, Emma walked passed him, blocking his way to the fridge. "Nice? From you? Oh god, this must be some occasion." Narrowing her eyes, "No beer from my fridge, you drink us out."
"You can't even drink the beer yourself, and I know Regina won't drink it. I'm just helping you keep it from going bad." Pushing Emma aside gently, he reached into the fridge, grabbing a beer and popping it open with his hook before moving to take a seat near the island. "And I can be nice, love. You just failed to see it."
"Yes, because nearly killing everyone is nice."
"If I recall, your beloved wife attempted the same thing."
Smirking, Emma shook her head, leaning across the island. "Very funny. Now what is this nice act that you plan on doing?"
Cocking up and eyebrow, Killian leaned back, taking a long swig of his beer. "Wouldn't you like to know."
Groaning, Emma moved around the island to take a seat next to him. "Ugh, Hook, come on. I'm dying with not being able to see any action, at least let me hear about something."
"I could tell you about how great Ruby is on top."
Curling her lip in disgust, Emma shook her head, "Ewh, no. Thanks for the visual though."
Chuckling, Killian set down his beer before reached into his pocket, placing a small, black box on the table and pushing it toward Emma.
Reaching forward, eyebrow raised in question, Emma opened the box, an immediate gasp falling from her lips. "Hook, while I'm flattered, I'm a married woman."
Taking the box back, Killian rolled his eyes. "Very funny, Swan. But it's not for you, it's for…"
"Ruby, I know."
It didn't seem as though that much time had passed since Ruby and Killian had officially become a couple, let alone move in together, but the pair seemed happy. If Emma was honest, she hadn't seen Ruby this happy in all the time she had known her. Plus, even Killian seemed to be settling down enough to actually do what he's considering. They both were happy, and, despite the fact that it made Ruby late to work on many occasions, Emma was happy for them as well.
Smiling, Emma leaned her elbow against the counter, resting her head in her hand. "So, when're you going to pop the question?"
Pursing his lips, Killian sighed. "I don't know. I was thinking a nice dinner, at our place, and doing it that way. I don't know though… How'd you propose to Regina?"
Letting out a low whistle, Emma laughed softly, letting her mind go back to that day. "Well… It wasn't exactly conventional. Then again, we never really were." Sitting up a bit, she turned her chair to face the former pirate, her smile only growing at the memory. "It was a morning after, we were curled up in bed and Henry was gone at a friend's or something. Regina was still asleep and when she woke up I just sort of looked at her and… Knew."
"You proposed to her the morning after sex? Wow, ballsy."
"Shut up," the former sheriff said, slapping Killian's arm playfully. "Look, all I'm saying is, you'll know when the right moment is. You don't have to force it or anything, you just… Know when."
Nodding, Killian smiled, opening his mouth to reply before screaming from up the stairs could be heard. "What the-"
"Oh no," Emma groaned, slipping from her seat. "This is why I never leave them alone together." Moving towards the stairs, Killian quickly followed suit, racing up the stairs while Emma walked up them a bit more slowly.
When they both finally reached the soon to be baby's room, the pair could only raise questioning eyebrows and share amused looks.
The walls and floor of the room were covered in the soft green color that Regina had settled upon, the tarps bundled and pushed and turned over as obvious signs of a struggle. Regina and Ruby were currently against a wall, both covered with paint, Regina pushing one of the paint rollers towards Ruby to separate them and Ruby holding a mostly empty can of paint over Regina's head.
"Should we really interrupt this?" Killian whispered, eyes watching the pair in amusement.
Sighing, Emma nodded hand resting on her stomach. "Sadly, yes. Mostly because I'd like the remaining paint to go on the walls." Turning to face him, she grinned. "I'll grab my wife and you grab your girl?"
"Deal."
Killian moved in quickly, grabbing a hold of Ruby from behind and pulling her away from the former evil queen as she continued to try and flick paint from the dried roller toward her opponent.
Coming behind her, Emma grabbed onto Regina, keeping her from moving. "I leave you two alone and you have a paint war?"
"She started it," Regina hissed, relaxing into Emma's arms as Ruby continued to struggle against Killian in attempts to get back to their battle.
"She called me domestic!"
"You called me whipped."
"Only because you called me it first!"
"Woah, easy ladies," Killian said with a laugh, managing to knock the can from Ruby's hands. "How about the lady and I take our leave while you two clean up, yes?"
Regina opened her mouth to oppose, immediately being silenced as Emma responded. "Yes, sounds great. We'll see you at poker night, Hook." She shot a look to Ruby, "And I'll see you at work tomorrow."
Lying in bed, Reina could feel Emma's eyes burning into her as she read for the night.
"So, are you going to tell me why you and Ruby felt the need to have a paint war in our unborn child's room?"
Sighing heavily, Regina pressed her book closed and let her eyes fall shut. "Emma, she and I always fight. This is hardly anything new."
This was true. The last battle had been while Hook and the blonde were watching football and had to miss the winning touchdown to separate the pair from fighting in the kitchen.
"I know, I know but… Our kid's room? Seriously?"
Shrugging, Regina placed the book on the night stand and removed her glasses. "She made it too easy."
"Regina."
"What?"
Rolling her eyes, Emma rolled over, letting her back face her wife. "Nothing, nevermind."
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Regina let herself succumb to the defeat that her pregnant wife always made her feel in these petty arguments. Slipping lower into the bed, Regina rested her elbow on the pillow, placing her head in her hand. "Obviously not. What's troubling you?"
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Emma remained in her position, unwilling to let Regina see that fact that she was getting tearful over something silly, yet again. "Nothing, just… Hormones."
Humming, Regina slid her hand up Emma's spine, feeling a shiver shoot through it as she pushed the hair from her neck. "Really?"
"Yes," Emma chocked out.
"Just hormones?"
"Mmhmm."
Leaning forward, Regina pressed small, delicate kisses against the back of Emma's neck, a known weak spot that made Emma melt even more quickly than before the pregnancy. "You sure you want to stick with that?" she breathed against her neck, the warm air causing Emma to shift slightly. "Because you're a dreadful liar, dear," Regina whispered, placing a few more kisses along where her neck and back met before pulling away.
Groaning at the loss of contact, Emma rolled to face her wife, pouting. "Not fair, you know my weak spots."
"That's sort of the point." Pushing a few stray strands from her face, Regina let her face soften. "Now, what's troubling you?"
Letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding onto, Emma looked up to her wife, tears in her eyes. "Hook's proposing to Ruby."
Raising an eyebrow, the former queen stilled her hand. "Pardon?"
"Yeah, I know, same reaction."
Nodding slowly, Regina still remained slightly confused. "And this makes you cry… Why, exactly?"
"Because I'm hormonal, hence the reason for everything else."
To that, Regina could not really disagree. The hormones have kicked up a notch in the recent weeks, which were both pleasurable, depressing, confusing, and amusing all at once. Amusing for obvious reasons, mostly being Emma crying over the most random of things and Henry just being amused at the sight. Confusing because, if Regina was entirely honest, she didn't remember much from her pregnancy to even relate to Emma's continuously shifting moods. Depressing because seeing Emma cry always, always broke Regina's heart now. Not only that, but the unknowing of where some of her anger would come from, let alone her delight. And lastly, pleasurable for the most obvious of reasons.
Smiling lightly, Regina rested her hand on Emma's cheek. "Yes well… This is a good thing, right? Granted, I don't really have much like for the pirate and the wolf, but… They are your friends."
Scoffing, Emma rolled her eyes. "Bullshit, you like Hook, even if he cheats during poker. As for Ruby, you definitely have a soft spot for her, whether you admit it or not."
"I choose not."
"You are right though, this is happy. I just… I guess I feel a little bit lost."
Furrowing her brows, Regina took her hand from Emma's face. "Lost?"
"Yeah, you know, without purpose?" Sighing, Emma sat up a bit, struggling in attempts to sit with her stomach. "I just… I was the savior for so long, you know? And now it's like…"
"You're not needed," Regina finished, a frown forming on her lips.
"Yeah, sort of."
Taking a deep breath and letting it go, Regina leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to Emma's head before letting her thumb find Emma's cheek. "You really are an idiot, aren't you?"
"For marrying you? Yes."
"No, not what I meant." Rolling her eyes, Regina continued, "I meant that you're an idiot for thinking you're not needed as a savior anymore. You still do much, even if it's just rescuing a cat or catching a runaway Pongo. Plus, you saved Henry. He was miserable before and now? He's, against my better wishes, dating a girl who, dare I say, actually meets my standards. You make people happy, isn't that saving people?"
Shrugging, Emma let her eyes fall to Regina's soothing touches.
"Plus, and if you tell anyone this I will deny it, you save me too." Biting her bottom lip, Regina took a deep breath to continue. "You keep me from my magic, from my darkest parts, make me happy, make our son happy, and you'll make our baby just as happy. That's saving people, Emma. Not always jumping into burning buildings."
"Wow, and I thought my hormones made me insanely cheesy." Smirking, Emma leaned forward, kissing Regina deeply, gripping her wrist. "Still, nice slide in there from when you hated me."
Grinning against her lips, Regina bit down on Emma's bottom lip. "Thin line between love and hate. Even if you almost left me there."
"Bullshit. Just shut up and kiss me."
The feeling of two small objects on her stomach stirred Emma from her sleep.
Even if Emma took complete advantage of her hormones with Regina the previous night, she valued her sleep enough on this day. Her one day to sleep in, which she treasured, and it was now being ruined by something being placed on her stomach.
Groaning, Emma shifted, eyes opening to see her wife putting two earphones on her stomach, music that she could hardly distinguish coming from them.
Sleep heavy in her eyes, Emma looked to the clock before looking to her wife, who seemed to not notice her waking up. "Regina, seriously?"
Jumping slightly, Regina immediately rolled her eyes. "Morning dear. I actually didn't mean to wake you, but it seems as though you don't sleep as heavy as before."
"I don't sleep heavy."
"Says the woman who slept through an earthquake a year ago."
"The ground barely shook!"
"Car alarms went off, dear."
Sighing, Emma shook her head before gesturing to the earphones on her stomach. "Alright, so… What's with the headphones?"
Shrugging, Regina moved from the bed, heading into the closet. "According to what I've read, our child's ears should be developed enough to understand sound by now. The books suggest speaking to the baby and exposing the child to music. So, I decided to put on some music for our child to listen to."
Nodding, Emma took the headphones, pressing it to her ear, "Classical? Seriously?"
"You have something better?"
Raising her eyebrow, Emma pushed the headphones off her stomach. "Duh, give the kid some real music. Like some good rock, or hell, even whatever Henry's listening to."
Curling her lip, Regina shook her head as she exited the closet, dressed for work. "I will not expose my child to that noise you call music. I already have enough with you and Henry playing it, I'd hope this child has at least better taste in music than you two."
"There is nothing wrong with AC/DC."
"Our child deserves elegance from real musician, like Bach."
"Guns and Roses."
"Wolfgang."
"Mumford and Sons."
"Liszt."
"Adele."
"Chopin."
Groaning, Emma pressed the heels on her hands into her forehead. "Oh my god, I don't even care, can we just not do it on my day off?"
Chuckling, Regina looked at herself in the mirror, fluffing her hair. "Melodramatic much, dear?"
"I don't even fucking care, I just-" Sighing, Emma fell back, letting her head rest on the pillow. "I'll make a deal. Play whatever music you want for our kid if you skip my days off, deal?"
Grinning, Regina nodded, grabbing her heels. "Fine, deal. Pleasant dreams," she called over her shoulder as she shut the door behind her.
Sighing in relief, Emma relaxed into her pillows as she curled into the comforter.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Slamming her hand down on the alarm, Emma felt a soft whimper come from her. "Goddamn it."
