The months passed slowly for Rumpelstiltskin. Some time ago, the years would blur together but now that his wife was great with child, the days crawled by and they were agonizing.

Any day now.

Cora was slow moving and she tired easily as the nearly grown baby sucked the life out of her. The baby was an active one. During the night, Rumpelstiltskin would lay awake facing Cora. He watched his baby move just under her skin. She had quite the little kick on her.

Yes, he knew it was girl. He'd used his magic to know that he had another daughter on the way. He couldn't wait like Cora wanted to wait. He had to know. The excitement was killing him as the days grew closer for her delivery.

But as the days grew closer, Rumpelstiltskin also suffered crippling nightmares. He dreamed that his family was slaughtered by hunters; he dreamed that one day he woke up and they were just gone. He dreamed that he woke up one day and couldn't get out of bed because his wife and two daughters were dead.

They always left him sobbing, they left him in a cold sweat and he woke up several times a night to make sure his wife and daughter were there and still breathing.

And while he didn't need sleep, the nightmares did sour his moods a bit. Not to his family though, but to the people he dealt with. He had little patience for their fears and complains. He named his price and when they panicked too much, he raised it and refused to lower it, no matter who begged.

But Cora's time was any day now, Rumpelstiltskin shut his gates. The only one allowed in was the midwife. She didn't know about Zelena. Rumpelstiltskin kept the midwife in her own apartments in the castle. She was given anything she needed and he promised to give her the best life he could give her. She had her own title and lands now. She could live as a rich woman for the rest of her days or birth royal babies, whatever she wanted as long as she delivered his daughter safely."

It was night and he was actually in a dreamless sleep when he felt his wife shake him, "Rumple?"

"Mmm," he buried his face in his pillow.

"Rumpelstiltskin," Cora shook him harder.

He was brought back to reality. He raised his head sharply, "What? What is it? What do you need?"

She struggled to pull herself in a sitting position. She was huge now. She could barely walk but when she did, she had a cute little waddle... Zelena once asked her innocently if she was part duck now. He thought it was hysterical. Cora fumed for the rest of the day.

She must have some craving. He raised his hand, ready to summon it the moment she asked.

And then his leg brushed against something wet, he froze when it soaked through his cotton pants.

"I do believe my water broke, "Cora told him.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin summoned the midwife. The seconds stretched into an eternity before the plump dark headed woman arrived to the bed chambers. She wore a rough spun robe over a pair of cotton pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Her hair was pulled up into a simple braid. She walked in, her bare feet padding on the floor, "You need to leave, Dark One."

Rumpelstiltskin bristled, he brought her here because she was blunt and wasn't intimidated by his power. But this was too far. "I'm not leaving my wife."

He missed the birth of his son; he couldn't miss the birth of his daughter too.

"This is woman's work, and I don't allow men to be in here because they have propensity for fainting and panicking, I've told you this."

"I am not a man, I am the Dark One," he told her stubbornly.

"You planted the seed that took root, your wife is having your child, you are a man at least by the most basic definition. Therefore you're under my rules, the rules that you agreed to when we signed a contract."

"No, she's my wife. I've seen half a thousand childbirths, this is no different and I will not leave her."

"It's always different when it's your child," the midwife told him gently.

"Rumpelstiltskin," Cora told him and winced when a contraction hit. He was by her side in a moment, "You need to leave, darling. I don't want you having to see this."

"What, the miracle of our child's birth?"

"I've done this before alone."

"Because you had to. The man you gave yourself to lied and betrayed you. You don't have to now."

"No, but I choose to," she told him gently and rested a hand on his face, "I don't want you to have to see me like this."

He took the hand off his face and kissed the back of it, "I love you."

"And I you."

She brushed his hair away from his face and gave her another gentle kiss, "I'll be here the moment she's born."

"She," Cora repeated and smirked, "I knew you peeked."

Rumpelstiltskin gave her another kiss and very very reluctantly left the room. He wondered the castle for about an hour and then found himself in front of Zelena's rooms. Her sister was on the way. She was going to have a sibling to play with soon.

He opened the door and peeked in. Zelena was curled up on her bed. The doll he'd bought for her was wrapped in her arms. He smiled as he watched her for a moment. She'd been notoriously protective of her mother as the child grew. She followed her around and tried pushing him away when she felt like he was wearing Cora down too much because 'the baby needs her to rest'.

Zelena was awakened by the light in the hallway. She lifted up her head, "Papa?"

"Shhh love, go back to sleep."

"Is the baby coming?"

"Yes, little one, it is."

Zelena threw back the covers, "I want to see!"

"No, no, no," he lifted her up and gave her a hug, "Your mother doesn't need any distractions. So it's just you and me for a while, alright?"

Zelena looked frightened for a moment, "Will mama and the baby be okay?"

"Of course they will," he playfully poked her nose, "Your papa will protect them."

"With magic?"

"Yes, with magic," he sat on the rocking chair and put her on his leg, "But for now, I can't help. All we can do is wait."

Zelena rested her head on his chest and yawned, "Well what do we do then?"

"I'm….," he hesitated and drew in a shaking breath, "I'm going to tell you about your brother."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The baby in his arms was a lot smaller than Rumpelstiltskin expected. Especially with how big Cora had been .But she was healthy, she had all her limbs, all her body parts were in place and thankfully she wasn't greyish green with snake eyes and claws for nails.

Not that he was worried about that.

He brushed the back of his knuckle against her cheek, "She's perfect, Cora."

Cora gave a smile, "She should be after I spent all those months growing her."

He sat beside his wife and gave her a kiss, "Are you alright?"

She nodded, "Just very tired."

"You did wonderfully today."

She gave a bit of a smile and then turned seriously, "This is my last one Rumple. This is my last child."

He didn't argue. HE wanted more, but he already had two daughters and a lost son that he was trying to find. Zelena had a playmate. He had his family.

He gave his daughter a kiss on her cheek, "You still keeping her name?"

"I think it fits," Cora said and yawned, "Regina. For one day, she'll be queen."