Thank you for reading and reviewing this story. Some happy times ahead (after all they deserve it!).

Chapter 14: Surprise

September 26th 2015

"For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow

For he's a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny

Which nobody can deny, which nobody can deny

For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow

For he's a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny!"

The guests chanted as Regina carried the chocolate-apple cake to the dining room table, followed by Brownie with his snout in the air to get a whiff at the delicious treat his mistress was holding. Regina placed the dessert in front of her husband and pecked his lips before wishing him a happy birthday. David smiled before blowing all of his candles in the midst of applause.

"Happy birthday, dad!" Emma raised her champagne glass to him. "How old are you anyway?" She winked at him.

"Hmmm... about 60 but I'm sure I don't look a day over 32!" He replied. Regina chuckled at the tone-in-cheek reply while Neal shook his head. He would be over 250 years old soon himself.

"I still have a month on you." She pouted jokingly before clinking her glass with his. "Cheers!"

"Cheers!" The other guests echoed before taking a sip of the expensive champagne Regina had ordered. She had decided to go all out for David's birthday even though the Prince had told her multiple times that he didn't want her to tire herself.

Regina had entered her sixth month and with it, their baby had hit a growth spurt. Soon, he wouldn't be able to wrap his arms around her completely. David snaked his arm around Regina's waist and pulled her to his lap. She laughed as he placed a hand on her prominent belly, feeling the soft kicks in response. "Thank you, sweetheart." He kissed her.

"You're welcome." She smiled at him while running the pad of her thumb along his lips, his very kissable lips. "Hope you enjoy the cake…" She kissed his cheek before handing him the knife.

"I love your apple-chocolate cake." He replied to her back as she was removing the candles.

Sarah's eyes never left the mayor: she was positively glowing and had finally managed to put on some weight on her still-slender frame. Jonas had performed an ultrasound a couple of weeks ago and the nurse could swear Regina's bump had doubled in size since the visit. She was happy for the former Queen. Regina was finally able to enjoy what every mother-to-be should be: a problem-free pregnancy where the only preoccupation was the color for the nursery.

The mayor groaned when her unborn child kicked violently. She rubbed the soft spot while murmuring to their child.

"You're ok?" David placed his hand over hers.

"Yeah… she is just impatient when there is chocolate around. She is a Charming!" Regina finished in a defeated tone.

David chuckled. They had no idea how their baby experienced their bond but the little girl seemed to respond to her parents' mood. And right now, Charming was anticipating the cake. "Sorry, babe." He kissed her shoulder. Regina placed cake slices on plates that were promptly passed around the table.

"This looks delicious, sister!" Grumpy exclaimed a plate landed in front of him.

"Mom can make anything with apples!" Henry cheerfully added before digging in. To her surprise, the jab hadn't stopped anyone from following in his footsteps.

After dropping a hefty serving on a plate for her and David, she relaxed back against him and handed him a fork. "I think your daughter is definitely a chocolate lover." When David looked in Emma's direction with a frown, she clarified. "The other one, dear."

"Oh." He placed his hand directly on Regina's belly. He could feel his baby girl move. "It might be the apples."

"Oh no! Trust me, it's the chocolate!"

David chuckled before taking a huge bite of the cake. "She has wonderful taste. And a wonderful mother to help her expand it." He whispered back to Regina.

"Are you ready for presents?" Emma asked with an amused gleam in her eyes.

"Always." He winked at her.

"Should we go to the living room?" Regina offered. "I can make some coffee."

"No!" Granny was the first one to answer. "You stay off your feet for a while, girl! Jacob and I can handle the coffee." The stables owner looked in-between Granny and Regina, startled by the announcement. However, he followed Granny obediently to the kitchen while devouring the last bites of his cake.

"Spill!" Emma turned to Red as soon as Granny and Jacob were out of earshot.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Red answered with her eyes down, playing with a piece of her cake. Viktor rubbed her shoulders in comfort, exchanging a knowing look with Emma.

"Come on! We all know they're seeing each other. We just want to know how long they've been seeing each other." Emma clarified, ignoring the tug on her arm signaling her not to push the subject further.

"That explains why Granny has been such in a good mood lately." Grumpy grumbled. "She even gave me three strips of bacon this morning!"

"At least a month." Regina chimed in. Every head around the table turned toward her. "I saw them at the stables." Regina shrugged.

"What were you doing at the stables?" David asked her.

"Taking care of the horses." She replied innocently.

"You mean instead of getting some rest as I asked you to?" Jonas chastised gently.

"I was getting rest." Regina insisted. "I think your exact words were to take some time for myself to rest, away from the office."

"I was thinking about a nap." The doctor answered deflated.

"Then you should have been more precise, dear." Everyone laughed at the latest victim of Regina's sarcasm. "Shall we?" She motioned toward the living room while standing up. The guests followed suit, carrying their unfinished plates.

Viktor and Jonas helped David to his feet and hovered near him as the Prince was making his way to the living room. Although he had made tremendous progress in physical therapy over the last month, he had just begun walking without any help a few days ago. Regina rearranged the cushions on the couch and helped David settle comfortably while Emma and Henry moved the presents to the coffee table.

As soon as Granny and Jacob came back with the promised coffee, David started opening his presents. Unsurprisingly, they ranged from parenting books dedicated to fathers-to-be to various emergency items for the new dad-in-peril. Regina laughed at one of the matching items Emma had gotten her father: the t-shirt read "King in peril" while the onesie read "Princess not in peril." The other items were equally on point.

"Open mine!" Henry prompted, handing him a haphazardly wrapped gift.

David executed himself and gasped when he opened the box. He chuckled before taking the mugs out one by one. Each were customized with pictures of their family on various occasions. "Thanks, buddy." He ruffled Henry's hair.

"You always complain that Mom's coffee mugs are too small!"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "You never complained to me!"

David shook his head. "That's because I know better than insulting anything in that temple of yours!" The Prince kissed her before Regina could protest.

Once he released her mouth, he was greeted by a 'this conversation is not over' look. "You do know that the chocolate cake comes from that temple?" She retorted.

"Among many other wonderful treats!" He replied with a malicious gleam in his eyes. They had spent many hours on the kitchen island making love to each other.

"You're insufferable!" She slapped his shoulder playfully. "Tell me again why they nicknamed you Charming?"

David kissed her again under the chuckles of their guests. He felt Regina relax against him as he snaked his hand underneath her shirt to caress her lower back, a spot that had become more sensitive to his fingers lately. Once they parted, Regina rested her head on her husband's shoulder. He kissed the crown of her head and murmured in her hair an 'I love you.' Regina smiled before reaching for her gift. "Open it!"

David unwrapped the present carefully. He looked at the wooden box questioningly. He had seen many like the one he was holding in her vault since Regina used them to safeguard her most precious potions. "Open it." She prompted softly.

David found the expected vial on velvet fabric with a note on top. The last goodbye you never had a chance to give. David looked up at Regina with tears in his eyes. "How?" He asked her while closing the lid on the box. This was a very private gift, one he had no intention to share the content of with their guests.

"Let's just say that Belle and I spent a few afternoons going over Rumple's extensive library." She locked eyes with the bookworm and her former mentor. "It's safe." David nodded, his eyes wandering back to the box.

"Thank you." David laced his fingers with Regina's before kissing her.

"I hope you'll find what you're looking for." Regina caressed his cheek tenderly as the Prince was rubbing the box, seemingly lost in thoughts. He would be able to see her one last time, to tell her everything that he had wished he had been able to. Although he had told Regina about this wish, he had never expected his wife to make it a reality.

"You're giving me a chance." He whispered to her before kissing her forehead. "This is a lot more than I was hoping for." Regina smiled at him and kissed his cheek. David leaned into her before facing his friends. "Thank you. Thank you all for being here."

"Not so fast, Dad!" Emma grabbed one last package from the floor. "You have one more left to open."

David looked at the tall red package and chuckled. "Actually this one is for Regina." He had planned to give it to her after everyone had left but Henry must have grabbed it along with the other packages in their not-so-secret room.

Regina looked at her husband with her brows drawn in a confused frown. "Usually people receive gifts on their birthday." She pointed out sarcastically while Emma handed David the large package. He chuckled at the slight undertone in Regina's jab: she was definitely curious.

"Do you want to wait until tomorrow when it's officially no longer my birthday?" He asked her, already knowing the answer.

As expected, the brunette shook her head. "Since it's already here…"

Everyone laughed at the poor attempt not to seem curious about the content of the box as David placed it in-between them on the floor. The box was tall enough that the top reached to Regina's chest. "Open it." David prompted.

With one last look at her husband, Regina untied the white ribbon bow on the top and let it fall to the ground. She carefully unwrapped the box and opened it. Her eyes filled up with tears when she saw the first item on top: it was a onesie with one of the Evil Queen/Prince Charming designs David had drawn in Boston. She wiped her tears furiously, cursing her damned hormones under her breath. David smiled and rubbed her back soothingly. "I ordered a few items for the nursery."

Everyone in the room stayed silent. Although no one except her family had witnessed her breakdown in Boston, they all knew that Regina had struggled with the feeling of not being worthy of David when he had woken up from his coma. It may be a silly gesture but they all understood how meaningful it was for the former Evil Queen.

"I also made other designs." David continued as Regina grabbed a bib featuring a fuming Evil Queen with baby food on her face.

"Henry used to do this to me all the time. I'd gotten pretty good at ducking at the end."

Emma laughed at the imagery the comment triggered. "Sorry! But I'm trying to imagine you in your mayoral pantsuit with baby food all over!"

"Try the hair, dear. Why do you think I kept it short?" Everyone laughed at the expense of the blushing teenager. Regina gave him a warm smile. "That's something you share with your grandfather. Apparently neither of you are fond of carrots." The disgusted look on all three of the Charming's faces caused another wave of laughters throughout the room.

Regina folded the other onesies and bibs on the table before grabbing a baby blanket featuring the various designs with the name they had chosen for their baby embroidered in the corner: Olivia. Sarah smiled fondly at the scene. "You two have settled on a name."

Regina nodded with tears in her eyes. "Olivia Ruth Nolan-Mills." She confirmed. Somehow seeing her name on the blanket made the situation more real. Soon she would be holding her baby girl in her arms. She turned toward David. "Thank you… for all of it."

David smiled at her before pecking her lips. "You're welcome." As soon as he wrapped his arms around her waist, Regina started giggling. Soon the giggles transformed into squirming and hysterical laughter. Knowing how ticklish Regina was, David removed his hands immediately but the mayor continued laughing and squirming on the couch.

"Regina?" David called out, laughing at the situation. "I'm not touching you!"

"She… she is tickling me… with magic!" Regina managed between fits of laughter. "Make… her… stop!"

David looked at his wife incredulously. Could their baby already use magic? "How?" He felt powerless. How was he supposed to tell his unborn child to stop tickling her mother?

"Use your bond!" Gold snapped. "Just try to soothe her like you would if she was out of the womb."

David's eyes widened in astonishment but after everything he and Regina had been through, he already knew the Dark One was right. He placed one hand on Regina's bump and soothingly rubbed over the spot where he knew his little girl's back was. Soon, Regina stopped laughing uncontrollably and managed to catch her breath. "The first thing she does with magic is torture me?" She whined.

"I don't think she was torturing you, honey." David held her close to him. "I think she likes the sound of her mother's laugh and she hasn't done much of that lately."

"I have no objection to laughing. But not like this." Regina was imploring David with her eyes.

"Well, babe, I think you need to take that up with your daughter."

"Oh no! This is all you. You're the only one who finds tickling me funny!"

"Don't get me wrong sister, but everyone here would love to tickle you. It's just no one wants to be burned to a crisp for trying!" Grumpy grumbled out.

Regina rolled her eyes in response. If her daughter could tickle her, what else was she already capable of? A sudden feeling of dread formed at the pit of her stomach: this would be the longest three months in her life.

EC

After seeing out the last of their guests, Regina walked back to the living room to find David looking at the box. "It's safe but it requires two people to work." She explained as she sat down next to her husband. "That second person will serve as a tether to this world, preventing your soul from moving on." She placed her hand on his. "This is blood magic. Your tether will need to be related to you and your mother. Which means Emma would need to accompany you."

David nodded as he was listening to Regina's instructions. However, he couldn't reconcile the last statement with what Regina had taught him about magic. "If this is a blood spell, how did you cast it in the first place without Emma?"

Regina smiled internally. David had been listening to her magic lessons after all. "Someone here helped me." She said while caressing her rounded stomach.

David looked at Regina. "Can you be my tether, then?"

Regina was taken aback by the request. "As long as I carry her, yes. But I thought you'd want to take Emma."

"What does the tether do? I mean, would you also get to meet my mother?"

Regina nodded. "Yes. I will experience what you do. My only job is to break the spell when I feel that your soul starts to be drawn to the other side."

"Then I can't think of anybody else for the job. You're a literal part of my soul." He laced his fingers with hers. "And I want my mother to meet you."

Regina looked down at their joined hands. "Your mother gave her life for Emma…"

"My mother gave her life so I could be happy." David corrected. "And you make me happy. So if it's safe for you and the baby, I'd like for you to go with me." He announced in a tone that left little room for further arguments on the brunette's part.

"It's safe for us to go with you." She looked him in the eyes. "Whenever you're ready."

"What about now?" David didn't want to wait any longer. Now that the possibility of seeing his mother again had been offered to him, he wanted to hold her and tell her all he'd never been able to.

Regina nodded. "I'll go make some tea for the potion. In the meantime, think about your fondest memories of her." She instructed with a smile. She came back ten minutes later with two fuming cups of tea. "I hope they're big enough for your taste." She smirked as she placed them on the coffee table in front of them. She retrieved the vial from the box and opened it. "Are you ready?"

David nodded once. "What do I have to do?"

"Keep thinking about your mother after we drink the tea. We'll be pulled in a world in-between life and death where you'll be able to see her." Regina sat next to her husband. "I don't know how long you'll have, honey. I'd say ten minutes at the most."

"Will I be able to touch her?"

"Yes. It will feel as if she is right in front of you. You'll be able to interact with her the same way you interact with me, Henry, or Emma. You'll also remember everything once we get back." Regina poured half of the vial into one of the cups and handed it to David. "You need to drink first and concentrate on your mother."

David took the cup from Regina and sipped on the hot tea. He grimaced at the bitter taste. "No sugar?"

Regina chuckled. "Sorry, sweetheart. I wasn't sure what it'd taste like."

"So this is why you wanted me to go first."

"Maybe…" Regina bit her lower lip before emptying the other half of the vial into her own cup. She drank the concoction slowly, feeling the pull of the netherworld. Soon, she found herself in the middle of a large meadow with a small house in the distance. She was holding David's hand and he was already pulling her toward the structure. She followed after him, feeling his heartbeat fastening in her chest. He didn't have to tell her where they were: this must be where he'd grown up.

"Mom!" David called as he opened the door of the farmhouse - his home.

"David?" came the unsure voice of a lady in her fifties.

David let go of Regina's hand and rushed toward his mother, taking her into a bear hug as soon as she was within reach. "Mom." He whispered in her ear before deeply inhaling her scent. Regina moved toward the back of the room, giving her husband and mother-in-law some privacy.

"David… my boy!" Ruth was crying in her son's arms. "How… how is this possible?"

"Magic." David answered succinctly. "We don't have much time."

"I… I understand." Truth be told, Ruth didn't know how it was possible for her son to be standing in front of her. But in that magical moment, she found that she didn't care.

"Mom… I am so sorry!"

Ruth was taken aback by the apology. "For what my boy?"

"For putting you in danger. I knew George would be looking for me. I should have never come and put you in danger."

"Oh, David! No… It wasn't your fault! I… Your father and I, we made a terrible mistake. One he tried to rectify but…" She let the end of the sentence trail off. "David, none of this matters anymore. The only thing that does is that you and Snow are happy."

David grimaced at the mention of his former wife. "Mom, I want you to meet someone." David stepped out to offer Ruth a view of the pregnant brunette trying to hide in a corner. "I want you to meet my wife, Regina." David extended his hand toward Regina, beckoning her to come closer.

Ruth's mouth dropped open in shock. Sure she looked different with her rounded belly, the softer makeup, and the common white dress, but Ruth would have recognized the Evil Queen anywhere. How did she end up married to her son? Had she cast a curse on him to separate him from his True Love? Ruth turned toward David, who was smiling tenderly at the Queen. This was when Ruth noticed the golden threads extending from his son's chest towards Regina's. The two were linked and not by an evil spell as Ruth had first assumed but by love. The look of adoration on her son's face convinced Ruth that it wasn't a ruse. David truly loved the Evil Queen. And by the look of it, so did she.

Ruth faced her son once more. David hadn't come here to apologize for getting George's soldiers to her door. He had come here to seek her approval of his marriage. She cupped her son's cheek and shook her head softly, her eyes brimming with tears. "You can never betray me." She whispered to him. "All that matters is that you love each other. And I know you do."

David shook his head. "You taught me that love was the most precious gift of all. You sacrificed yourself so I could find my destiny. And I want to tell you that your sacrifice wasn't in vain. Regina… she is my destiny. I love her… more that I thought I was capable of loving someone. Finding her… being with her… I owe it all to you. I came here to thank you."

Ruth let go of her son and took a step toward Regina. The formidable Evil Queen looked like an animal cornered by hunters and Ruth's heart broke at the sight. Their love mustn't have been easily accepted. Ruth slowly took the younger woman into a warm embrace. "I'm so happy to meet you." She murmured, feeling the Queen relax against her.

"David told me so much about you." Regina whispered back.

As the two women parted, David walked towards them and placed his hand on the small of Regina's back. "Then you have something on me!" Ruth answered jokingly. "I want to know everything about you." She took Regina's hands in her own. "Starting with when are you expecting?"

Regina half-chuckled, half-snorted at the woman's reaction. David's mother was truly extraordinary. Regina already knew as much considering how noble and true her son was but she hadn't expected such a warm welcome. If Ruth was uncomfortable in her presence or disapproved of her son's choice, she wasn't showing it. "In three months." Regina replied with a soft smile.

"Mom… meet Olivia Ruth." David said proudly.

Ruth let go of Regina's hands. "May I?" She asked, pointing at Regina's belly.

"Of course."

Ruth placed her hands on Regina's abdomen. The slight touch was answered by a vigorous kick. "She's active!"

"Tell me about it…" Regina grumbled, the memory of how easily her daughter had used her magic to tickle her at the forefront of her thoughts. She wondered what other mischief their unborn child would soon get into.

Ruth laughed at Regina's expression. "When I was pregnant with David and his brother, they had decided to never sleep at the same time. When one was finally resting, the other would kick. I swear sometimes I wondered whether they made a pact to keep me up all night."

Regina laughed more freely. "Apparently our daughter has decided that she would become most active when I go to bed and go to sleep in the morning."

Ruth laughed with the Queen. "But children are worth every sacrifice we make." She replied pointedly.

Regina smiled at the older woman. She had never felt worthy of her mother's sacrifices, not that Cora had made many. She couldn't imagine that her mother would have sacrificed herself for Regina's happiness. No, for Cora, her daughter had been a means to an end. "They are." She finally agreed.

"How long have you two been married?" Ruth asked. "Where do you live? Is it far from here?"

David laughed at the barrage of questions. "About a year. And it's complicated." He exchanged a look with Regina. "But we have a big, mostly functional family…" He guided his mother toward a chair and started telling her about his life in Storybrooke. Regina stayed silent, watching her husband tell his mother everything he had needed to. Soon, the details of the house faded into a blur and Regina knew it was time to go.

"David…" She called out softly.

The Prince turned toward her, already knowing that it was time to say goodbye. "Just a few more minutes…"

"I'm sorry, honey… we have to go."

"Will you be able to come back?" Ruth inquired.

Regina shook her head. "All magic comes with a price… And I think David understands the price."

"Coming here would just keep me from grieving. Eventually, Regina wouldn't be able to tether me to our world." The Prince explained.

Regina nodded. "I'm sorry…"

Ruth stood up and walked toward her daughter-in-law. "Don't be. You gave us a precious gift. And you gave my son so much more." She pulled Regina into a tender embrace. "I can never thank you enough for this precious moment." When she released Regina, the older woman tucked a strand of dark hair behind the Queen's ear. "Take care of each other."

"Thank you, Ruth. Thank you for accepting me."

"You two belong together. Never let anyone tell you otherwise." She squeezed Regina's hands one last time before turning toward her son. "Be happy. That's all I want." David hugged his mother tightly then, unwilling to let go. "You have to go now, son." She pulled from his embrace. "But I will always be with you, here." She placed her hand on David's chest.

Regina gently tugged at David's elbow, beckoning him to follow her. A few instants later, the farmhouse completely dissolved and the couple found themselves back at the mansion. As soon as David recognized his surroundings, he let out a long wail. He hadn't been ready to say goodbye. He never would be. Regina gently pulled him so he could lie down on her lap and let him cry, rocking him soothingly. She was trying to imagine what he was going through: to be reunited with a loved one to have to let go of her. She didn't have to try too hard: the wound of seeing Daniel after all these years had never completely healed.