Emma had crippled over with the pain of her contractions. Everything seemed to have stopped, and as she had once felt all alone before meeting Regina, she was right back at that place. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the worktop that housed the washbasins and slide to the floor. She was panting, exhausted from lack of breath, and in undescribable pain. She could hear voices but they were muffled, and she was overwhelmed by the entirity of her situation.
"Well don't just stand there!" Regina barked at her mother, and clueless step-daughter. "Snow. Call an ambulance!"
The younger woman stood dumbfounded, her eyes transfixed on the young blonde at her feet. Regina's snapping at her suddenly brought her back though. She stuttered, looking between Regina and the young girl before suddenly dashing out from the ladies room in search of help.
Ironically, Regina couldn't help smirking a little. Of course precious Snow hadn't bothered to carry any form of communicative device with her. She owned a cell phone, Regina knew she did, but it was just typical of her not to have it in an emergency. She watched as her step-daughter disappered throw the door and then quickly returned her attention to Emma.
"It's going to be alright." She cooed as she took Emma's hand.
The blonde's fingers clasped around her hand and squeezed with a pressure that made Regina yelp. She reached with her other hand and stroked gently through her blonde hair, that was already a mess. Her persperation had already ruined the curls. Emma let out an ear bursting scream as another wave of contractions hit her, and crushed Regina's hand.
"The baby's coming. It's coming." Emma panted, screwing her eyes tight as if each word spoken physically hurt her.
"Ok, ok don't worry. I am here, I can help." Regina tried to reasure.
Her mother hadn't vacated, which was unexpected. She scoffed at Regina's attempt to support the girl she clearly disliked. Cora was about to open her mouth to speak, when Snow dashed back in. She spoke as she entered, clearly in a complete flap about everything going on. She wasn't handling it well. Just as she hadn't last time, as an inexperienced teenager.
Regina remembered the day clearly. Snow had been younger than Emma, but she'd held her hand and crushed it just the same with each contraction. She'd been calmer giving birth than she was now, and Regina could see Snow's panicing was causing Emma further distress.
"The ambulance is coming but, is it going to make it in time? She's, she is about to, she looks awful and is the baby coming? Now? It is, isn't it?!"
"Snow, please calm down. You aren't helping." Regina snapped as a cry escaped from Emma.
"Regina, help. Help." Emma panted, tears in her eyes as she looked up at her desperately.
Regina stroked over the young girls hair once more, and nodded. She had to release her hand but Emma seemed to have a reluctance to let go. It made her smile. Only momentarily though before her mother ruined it all.
"Oh how are you going to help her. You no nothing of childbirth." She sneered.
"I know more than you think!" Regina barked back, her head snapping up and round.
Her mother stared at her questionably but still with a look of absolute disgust. Regina had no experience of children. She hadn't had one of her own, to her mother's disappointment, and Leopold's. He'd wanted a son she couldn't bare him. Neither of them moved, remaining in a silent stand off until Emma's screaming again, followed by Snow shreiking pulled them both back to reality.
"Ok Emma, ok sorry. Let go of my hand, let me help."
"No. No, no, no." Emma cried shaking her head.
Cora Mills shook her head and huffed out a deep breath. She glanced down, grimacing at the state of the floor and refused to get down on it, but she bent over and reached for the bottom of Emma's ridiculous gown. Taking a firm grip, she pulled and the metrial began to tear.
"Mother!" Regina cried.
Emma's eyes were wide with panic as she watched the material of her gown split, exposing her somewhat.
"How else do you expect to see what is going on down there?" Cora gestured with her hand where she had torn the dress.
Regina for once was speechless. She had no clever comeback and had to admit her mother had a point. She supposed the paramedics were only going to destroy the dress, and childbirth would only do the same. She swallowed hard and watched as her mother crouched. She wanted to laugh when Emma instinctively pressed her legs together tight.
The poor girl looked absolutely terrified, and Regina didn't suppose she blamed her.
"Mother, what are you doing?" she gently questioned.
Emma's legs trembled as Cora reached out placing her hands on her knees. Regina didn't blame the young girl being wary of her mother. It was wise to be. With Emma and Snow, she watched as Cora pulled Emma's unwilling legs apart and leaned in for a closer look.
"How is it?" Snow asked innocently.
She was standing back from the scene in the middle of the bathroom floor. Her back pressed tightly against the wall as if she were frightened.
"I can see the head."
"Emma. Emma listen. The babies coming so you will have to let me go and help. You have to push when I tell you ok?" Regina smiled gently and squeezed the vice gripped hand holding her own.
Her breathing was short and shallow but she nodded and slowly released Regina's hand. She wasn't breathing properly, she knew from the classes Regina had attended with her, and she tried desperately to try and calm herself, but it was all too overwhelming. She wasn't ready to have her baby. She hadn't thought it would be like this. And she couldn't have even begun to imagine the pain she would be in. Emma felt as if she was being torn and sliced, and in that moment she felt death would be less painfully than this. She was sure of it.
"Oh what help are you going to be, really Regina?" her mother's question was rhetorical. "Forget helping, you have no experience."
"I have experience."
"Oh really?" Her mother raised an eyebrow.
She'd forgotten all about Emma again. Glaring at her daughter as she snapped snottily at her. "Please enlighten me, how many children have you given birth to?"
There was a twinkle in her eye. One that told Regina she was asserting her seniority over her, and mocking her all at the same time. Her disappointment of a daughter. Regina's skin tinggled with a need to prove herself and the words rushed from her mouth before she could stop them.
"I delivered her baby. When she was nothing but a child herself." Regina sucked in a deep breath as she glared at her mother, her eyes only glancing in Snow's direction to gesture whom she'd meant by 'her'.
Cora's head snapped around to look at the young girl, who was for all intents and purposes her granddaughter. That was a little fact she'd never been privvy to, and she couldn't hide her disgust as she glared at Snow momentarly before. Regina could tell she was trying to decide how true it was, but Snow's shocked expression had answered her question.
"Well where is this baby now?" she demanded.
It was as if they had all forgotten about Emma. Snow and Cora both looked expectantly at Regina to answer her mother's question. She swallowd hard, sorry to have to do this but Snow had as much right to know, as she had to prove to her mother she could help Emma with this baby.
"She's right here." Regina answered in a quiet voice.
Cora almost allowed herself to laugh, but instead opted for a sly smile and looked around. Her daughter did not amuse her, at all. Narrowing her eyes she stared at Regina.
"That's very funny dear. Now get out of the way and let me help this girl since you haven't a clue how to herself."
It was Snow that suddenly surprised them both with a gasp as she looked down at the floor. The young blonde, easily not older than eighteen was the right age. She didn't know how she hadn't noticed before. The name, the age, it all added up and seemed accountable. It also had Regina's evil calculating ways written all over it. Her innocent features turned to a deep scowl.
"Emma?" she questioned, looking instantly from the blonde to her step mother. "Emma? My Emma? She's my baby. The one I gave away?!"
Regina swallowed hard, her dark eyes wide as she looked up at Snow. She owed her the truth, she knew she did. But this was not the time, nor the place.
Her mother and Snow were both glaring at her as Emma screamed, panted, and panicked alone on the floor. Regina didn't know what to say so she just apologised. She tried to explain she would tell them everything, but first they needed to help Emma. Regina knew she should expect the animosity that came with the situation, but she had at least hoped they would set it aside in an act of solidarity with a woman giving birth, but she was wrong.
Cora rose to her feet. Not a care in the world she looked up Regina with disgust and without another word simply abandoned them. Regina watched her mother go, then looked expectantly to Snow. Surely she wouldn't abandon the daughter Regina had saved for her in her hour of need.
"Snow, please?"
Regina's voice faltered a little, as her eyes pleaded the same as her words.
"How dare you Regina. How dare you. She's my daughter!" Snow screamed.
Regina opened her mouth to explain but was quickly torn back by Emma panting and crying harder than she had been before. She glanced down to she the baby's head had already popped out. When had that happened? She hadn't the time to explain. Snow would have to wait. Emma had to be her focus now.
"Ok Emma, sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm here." Regina gently reached and supported the baby's head as Emma pushed again, teeth gritted.
The baby's shoulders came out with another push, and Regina smiled. She'd done this with Snow. Well she'd watched, and knew if it was one more push. A big push. Then that would be the whole ordeal over. We'll the painful part of it anyway.
Emma panted and panted. Her hands practically clawing at the tiles of the ladies room floor as she gritted her teeth, taking one last deep breath and scrunched her eyes as she pushed. Regina gently tried to offer encouragement, watching closely as the baby's body and little legs slipped out. She knew Snow was busy scowling at her, but as she saw that little boy emerge all thoughts of Snow disappeared from her mind.
"Oh Emma, he's precious."