"I can't believe I'll have one of those in a few weeks." Emma murmured, looking at her young brother in her mother's arms. He was in her lap, happily flipping through a baby book Mary-Margaret smiled at her daughter, who was glowing in her pregnancy "She'll be a little bit different than James." It would only be twelve more weeks before she gave birth to her daughter and Emma was feeling the pressure set in at this point. The men were upstairs, all taking part in building the furniture, the women were outside on the porch of Emma and Killian's home. They watched happily as Roland and Henry played with Oddball, who was experiencing the beach for the first time, running from the waves as they approached her feet and yipping playfully at the two boys laughing.
"Momma, down!" James demanded, wishing to go play with the other boys. James was at the point where he could walk quite well and he enjoyed to play with the big boys. Mary-Margaret appeased her son and lifted him off of her lap.
Emma, Mary-Margaret, Regina and Belle were all enjoying watching the boys play. Henry kept a good eye on them anytime he needed to. "Practice." he said. Roland also helped James up when he fell down, encouraging the younger boy to try and catch the puppy, causing James to waddles towards the white puppy as fast as his little legs could take him. Roland saw Regina smiling at him and ran over to her, taking off his little beanie and walking up to Emma.
"Is the baby awake?" he inquired. Roland was so curious about the baby and always wanted to be around James when he was small. Another baby made him happy as he could be.
"She is. She's kicking a lot. Do you want to feel?" Emma asked the boy. He nodded happily and Emma scooped him up into her lap, pulling up the purple sweater she was wearing just a little bit.
"You can see her move a little." Mary-Margaret pointed out from her daughter's side. Emma took Roland's little hand and put it on the point where the baby was kicking energetically.
"Wow." he whispered. "Gina! I think you should have a baby!" he shouted, causing Regina to choke on her coffee. Belle sitting opposite Regina, patted her back and looked to the equally amused Mary-Margaret and Emma.
"Roland, uhm. Uh, go to Henry." Regina stuttered. The little boy did what he was told and rejoined Henry and James. Regina looked at the other women who were staring at her. Pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear and smoothing out the royal blue, tight, dress she was in she cleared her throat.
"What does it feel like?" she asked quietly. Emma looked at the other woman, her eyebrows arched. She never assumed Regina had a need to have a child of her own, but then again, Emma wasn't good at telling what Regina was ever thinking.
"Being pregnant?"
"Yes." she said, looking down, uncomfortably. Belle looked at Regina, with an understanding look.
"Please, tell us. I've wondered myself." Belle admitted, wringing her hands.
"It's beautiful." Mary-Margaret said. "I've never felt as proud of something as when I was pregnant. I never felt as happy as I did when I held my babies for the first time." rubbing Emma's arm.
Emma nodded in agreement. "It's different for me. When I was pregnant with Henry," Emma started, looking off at her son playing happily with her brother and Roland, "I was in jail. I had been abandoned. Again." Tears began welling in her eyes. Mary-Margaret leaned over closer to Emma.
"Neal left me. I was scared and alone. I wanted to keep Henry, but I couldn't. I gave him away just like I thought I had been given away." her voice cracking.
"But now, I'm so happy. But I'm also afraid, because... Because I didn't raise Henry. I don't know how to raise a baby. I didn't have anyone to raise me. I only have fake memories of raising Henry. What if I let her down? What if I'm not a good mother?" she chocked. Mary-Margaret grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.
"Emma, you are the most devoted mother. You are a wonderful mother. You may not have raised Henry, but once he came back into your life, you fought like hell for him. You fought so hard for him, Emma. You changed your entire life for him. You believed because of him. This little baby," Mary-Margaret said, placing her hand on her daughter's stomach, "Is going to be so loved. So happy, and you'll be such a wonderful mother to her, just like you are to Henry."
"You really think so?"
"I know so." Mary-Margaret smiled, now holding Emma's face.
"Well, if it helps," Regina piped up, "A bad mother would've left once they'd met me and my schemes, but you were determined to fight me. That is more than a decent mother... Especially coming from someone who had an dreadful mother."
Belle nodded in agreement and Emma managed to calm down, reassurance flooding her heart. They watched the boys play, Henry and James still playing at the water's edge while Roland and Oddball ran into the house, he happily chasing the puppy.
"Love, I've got quite the surprise for you!" Killian called as he bounded down the stairs followed by David, Robin, and Gold, who grudgingly came at the pleading of Belle and Henry. While he was much less anti-social than he used to be, these gatherings got to be tiring.
Emma got up, still watching the boys play at the water's edge, now a tad nervous at seeing James tumbling so close to the waves, she felt two arms wrap around her waist, two hands rubbing her belly, noting on the shocked faces of everyone, she wiggled, not expecting who was holding her.
Killian. He had two hands. No hook in sight.
"Your hook? Hand? What?" Emma stuttered, shocked by this sudden change.
"No thanks needed. Think of it as a baby gift." Gold said with a wave of his hand. "You can't change diapers with a hook, dearie. Or hold an infant. Every father deserves to hold their child." Emma looked at Gold, obviously remembering Neal. Her heart warmed and broke at the same time for the man who may have been sadistic in his past, but moved heaven and hell to get back to his boy.
"Thank you, Mr. Gold." Emma said, sincerely. Killian still had to arms wrapped around her, resting his chin on her head, one hand intertwined with hers, the other feeling the steady kick of their daughter. She could feel a smile on his face. Emma looked over towards Belle, who had tears in her eyes as she got up and walked over to Gold, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"That was a very big thing to do, Rumple. That took a lot of heart. Neal would be proud." Belle whispered to him, kissing him a kiss and holding his cheek. Henry came up and was carrying James who was now tired up the steps onto the porch.
"Whoa." he said, noticing Killian's newly reattached hand.
"Aye, lad. Thank your grandfather for it." Henry looked over to Gold, and gave him a smile that reminded him all too much of his Bae. Not too soon after that, Roland came skipping in carrying a spotted Oddball in his arms.
"Roland," Robin said, leaning down to his son's level, his brow furrowed in confusion, "What did you do to the puppy?"
"I gave her spots like her mommy and daddy have!" Roland announced cheerfully. He had taken a marker and filled the snow white puppy up with spots that she should've gained on her own by this point. All the adults laughed. Henry, however, thinking he'd have to give the puppy, who didn't really like baths, a good soak, groaned.
"Don't worry Henry," Regina said, placing a loving hand on his shoulder, "I've got this." With a snap of her fingers, Oddball was perfectly clean, not a faux spot in sight.
"Alright mates, I do appreciate the help today, but now it is time for Emma to see the end product of our day's work." Killian said with a wink as he led Emma up the stairs. He led her into the room they decided would be the baby's room. It was to the left of their own and had a beautiful alcove that had a large window, and Emma just imagined being wrapped up in Killian's arms, the baby held close to her chest as they watched the ocean.
Opening the door, Emma was amazed by the room. It was painted a beautiful shade of pale lavender and the crib in the center of the room was pure white with light purple lining and bedding. The faces of the crib had very royal cushioning on it, centered with gold buttons. A little white dresser with matching golden knobs pushed against the wall, daintily hanging above it was an intricate white mirror. The alcove was lined with purple pillows and a pale blue rocking chair in the corner. The shelves were lined with toys and little books, courtesy of Belle. The room was heavenly. Her mouth hung open.
"I can't take all of the credit, your mother did a great deal of the shopping for the little princess." Emma smiled at him and then noticed hanging over the crib was the mobile was was supposed to be hers. Unicorns faintly moved as she touched them.
"This is... Perfect." she whispered, smiling with tears brimming in her eyes once again. The hormones didn't help the feeling of pure bliss she was feeling at the moment.
"Nothing but the best, love." Killian muttered softly, kissing her head.
A few hours later, Emma found herself in the most relaxing thing any pregnant woman could have: a warm bath. She wasn't alone, Killian behind her, her back resting on his chest. The water lapped at her protruding belly, which both of his hands rested on.
"She's finally gone to sleep." Emma said, angling her head to look at him.
"Little lass is already like her dad, comfortable in the water."
"Soon she'll be here."
"Not soon enough, love." he said as he kissed her. It was a long, loving kiss, deep and tender, just like the one they had shared after their time travel adventure. He even played with a curl of her hair. She sank back against him, and just enjoyed the moment. Emma Swan had a home. Emma Swan had a family. Emma Swan couldn't be happier.
AN: How great was that finale? AMAZZZING. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter. Really fluffy! I'm overwhelmed by the amount of follows this thing had gotten, I know my writing really isn't that good, but with each review/fav/follow I get, you guys make me happy. Thank you all so much! I'll try and have the next chapter up soon!
