Regina bit her lip as she walked towards Zelena's cottage. Technically she was supposed to be at home resting, but Emma was at work and wouldn't know that she had slipped out for a little while.

The truth was, she was embarrassed to ask Emma the question she was about to ask her sister. And while it might seem odd to some that Regina was actually going to Zelena for help, she was desperate. Zelena wouldn't be able to resist.

Taking a deep breath, Regina knocked on Zelena's door. A few seconds later, the door opened to reveal a very tired looking Zelena. "What do you want?"

"Are you okay?" Regina asked, her question completely forgotten. Zelena looked like she could fall over at any second.

"Robin's sick and she won't stop crying," Zelena said. "She refuses to take the medicine that Dr. Whale prescribed for her, and I don't know what to do."

"I could help," Regina said. "If you wanted. Henry had the same problem."

Zelena smiled at her. "That would be amazing." She stepped to the side, allowing Regina to walk inside. Regina headed straight to where she knew Robin's crib would be, gently picking her up.

"I keep forgetting that you've already done this once," Zelena said, sitting at the kitchen table. She began to prepare Robin's medicine while Regina bounced and cooed at the little girl.

"It's been awhile since I did all that," Regina said quietly. "He's all grown up now."

Zelena stopped what she was doing and studied Regina carefully. "Is that why you're here?"

"No," Regina said. "I'm here for something else."

"What are you here for then?" Zelena asked, walking over and handing Regina the syringe with the medicine in it. "I'm sure anything I could answer Emma could as well."

Regina continued making faces at Robin to distract her while sticking the syringe in her mouth and pushing down the plunger bit by bit to get the medicine into her mouth. She watched Regina, not even noticing the medicine she was swallowing.

Zelena's mouth dropped open. "How'd you do that?"

Regina chuckled before setting down the syringe and picking up Robin's bottle. "Lots of practice. Henry got so many ear infections as a baby, it was ridiculous."

After Robin had finished her bottle, Regina burped her before setting her back in her crib and sitting down.

"This isn't something that I want to ask Emma," Regina said.

"Why not?" Zelena asked, sitting in front of her.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Have you met her? She'd just try to sugar-coat the answer and would tell me everything will be fine."

Zelena laughed. "Sounds like her all right. Let me guess. You're getting more and more anxiety about labor as it gets closer?"

Regina winced, giving Zelena her answer. "I'm going crazy. It's all that I can think about every time she moves. The pain can even be in my ribs when she gives a good kick and all I can think of is the pain I'm going to experience later."

"I can't offer you the comfort Emma can," Zelena admitted. "But what I can tell you is that worrying about it for the next month is just going to make it worse when it actually happens."

Regina sighed. "So what do I do?"

Zelena shrugged. "Exactly what you don't want to do. Talk to Emma."

"Is that really the best that you can come up with?" Regina asked.

"You came to me for advice, and I gave it to you," Zelena said. "Whether you want to admit it to yourself or not, Emma is the only one who seems to get through that tough skin of yours. So talk to her. You'll feel better."

Regina sighed before bracing her hand against the table and pushing herself up. "I suppose you're right. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Zelena said. "Thank you for your help with Robin. Would you mind if I um...called you if I needed help again?"

"You're my sister," Regina said, smiling at her. "I'm only a phone call away." She left without another word, not seeing the happy tears brimming in Zelena's eyes.


"Where have you been?" Emma demanded, walking into the foyer. "I was just about to call you when I saw your car pull into the driveway."

"I went to visit Zelena," Regina said, hanging up her coat. "Relax. It wasn't like I went to the gym."

"Storybrooke has a gym?" Emma asked. "Since when?"

Regina laughed. "It was just a reference; we don't actually have one."

"So what did you go to Zelena's for?" Emma asked. "I thought you two didn't really get along. Or is today one of the rare days?"

"She and I have reached a form of truce," Regina said, shrugging. "As long as we're on the same side, we act civil towards one another."

"That still doesn't explain why you went to her house," Emma pressed.

Regina sighed. "I had a question for her, and I ended up helping to give Robin her medicine. I lost track of time, that's all. I was going to be home before you even got off work."

Emma studied Regina carefully. "What question?"

"About her relationship with our mother," Regina said, walking into the living room. Standing for so long was starting to catch up with her, and her ankles were not appreciating it.

Emma followed her, leaning against the doorframe. "Liar."

"Am not," Regina argued, putting her feet up and leaning back into the couch cushions.

"Then why is my superpower going off?" Emma asked, walking over and sitting on the coffee table. "You never lie to me. Not anymore anyway. What's going on?"

Regina sighed before running her fingers through her hair. "I had a question for her about anxiety."

"Ah," Emma said. "The good old labor anxiety."

Regina looked at her in surprise. "How did you know that?"

"Regina, it's perfectly normal," Emma said, smiling at her. "A lot of women have it."

"I shouldn't," Regina mumbled.

Emma rolled her eyes affectionately. "How many times do I have to remind you that you're only human?"

Regina smiled guiltily. "A lot."

Emma laughed. "Why didn't you just ask me instead of going to Zelena?"

"Because I know you and your protective tendencies," Regina said. "I didn't want a sugar coated answer. I figured she would tell it to me how it is."

"And did she?" Emma asked.

"No," Regina said, chuckling. "She told me I needed to talk to you. And that the anxiety would just make things worse."

"For once, she actually said something smart," Emma teased. She reached forward and grabbed Regina's hand, getting her attention. "She's right. As hard as it's going to be, you have to let go of those thoughts that are circulating in your head. You're going to be fine. Yeah, it's gonna hurt like hell. That's an understatement. But worrying about it for the next month is just going to make it worse. Enjoy the last few moments you have being pregnant before you're thrown into diaper changes at one in the morning."

Regina laughed. "How would you even know about those?"

"Your memories remember?" Emma asked. "When Henry and I left town? You gave me your memories so I would feel like I always had him. Like I had raised him."

"I forgot about that," Regina said.

"Well don't," Emma said. "Because every time that you have anxiety about labor, I have the same amount of anxiety about actually raising a kid."

"You're going to do fine," Regina reassured her quickly. "You did perfect with Henry."

"And you're going to do fine with labor," Emma said. "See my point?"

Regina smiled before leaning forward to kiss Emma. "Have I told you how wonderful you are lately?"

"Not so far today," Emma teased, smiling at her.

"I'm behind today," Regina said, smiling back at her. She winced as Lola landed a perfect kick in a not so nice spot. "And I guess Lola agrees."

"Hey now," Emma scolded gently, placing her hand on Regina's abdomen. "You be nice to your mommy."

Regina laughed. "Scolding the baby?"

"Don't judge me," Emma said, blushing.

"I'm always judging you," Regina said, getting comfortable again. Emma rolled her eyes, but bit back her retort. She rubbed her thumb over the back of Regina's hand, smiling as she saw her beginning to fall asleep. After a few more seconds, she finally dozed off.

"I love you," Emma whispered, lightly kissing Regina's forehead before letting go of her hand and leaving the room. Getting comfortable at night was hard for Regina, so Emma was determined to let her sleep when she could.

She crept upstairs as quietly as she could and dragged the bag out from under the bed. She didn't want to freak Regina out, but she had already begun to pack her ready bag just in case. First pregnancies were unpredictable.

"Ma?" Henry called, walking into the room. "What are you doing?"

"Getting the bag ready," Emma said. "Just in case things get going a little earlier than expected."

"How early?" Henry asked, looking concerned. "You know how Mom is, if she starts feeling anything even a week before her due date she'll freak out."

Emma laughed. "Believe me kid, I know. That's why the bag is under the bed and is our secret. Okay?"

"Okay," Henry agreed. "Can I help you pack it?"

"Sure kid," Emma said, putting the bag on the bed. "Let's get packing."

So this is a call to all of my lovely readers who have experienced birth before. I'm looking to add to my ideas for the chapter, and would appreciate your stories of your experiences. Just PM me!