"So, tomorrow's your birthday."

"Yes, Emma, I'm aware."

"Are you sure you don't want cake or anything? I'm sure Henry would love an excuse for cake."

"I don't want cake. You're already forcing presents on me."

Emma smirked. "Well, you forced a cat on me. Shouldn't I be able to even it out?"

"What, by bringing in a dog or a gerbil?"

"No, by bringing in cake in addition to presents. Though come to think of it, I should buy a ferret in revenge. Or maybe a bunny. Or, better yet, an ant farm."

"You are not bringing ants into this house!"

"They'll get in on their own anyway…"

"And that is why we have bug spray."

"Come on, I could find red velvet cake. I know you like that."

Regina sighed. "How many ways do I need to tell you no?"

"How about a cupcake, just for you?" Emma reminded herself of her birthday right before she came to Storybrooke. "There doesn't even have to be a candle. If you didn't want any celebration at all, why did you tell me when your birthday is?"

"I don't know, momentary lapse of judgment? I'm ancient, okay? I'm ancient with a body that looks half my actual age. I've had many lives already. I've had my childhood before I fell into magic, my early adult years, or more like year before I was queen, then I had those many queen years, then my Storybrooke life during the curse before Henry, my Storybrooke life during the curse with Henry, and now my Storybrooke life after the curse with you and Henry and these babies on the way and I feel like a fucking vampire. I interrupted the aging process of everyone in this town, save for you and Henry. I cheated. I should be in some old folk's home by this point or buried in the ground. So if you must know that is why I don't want to celebrate my birthday. I shouldn't even be here."

Emma had known that there was quite an age difference between herself and Regina; the brunette had watched the blonde's mother grow up for crying out loud, she just never once stopped to think that it actually bothered her. When Emma had first arrived, Regina had seemed relatively okay with her life, if not completely content. She never before got the impression that Regina didn't want to be around, or that she thought she shouldn't be.

"Regina…" Now she understood just why exactly Regina tried to die last year. Without Emma, Regina was giving up a life she'd thought she had outstayed her welcome of. Without Emma's love, without her very life, Regina was done. That had been why Regina wasn't thinking of Henry. She'd already lost one love, her marriage had been loveless, and Regina had crumbled under the second heartbreak. Emma was literally what kept her going, and now, Emma hoped, the babies she carried were, too. She pulled her fiancée into her arms, holding on tight. "I understand," she murmured. "I understand but I don't agree. You should be here. You belong here. You're needed here." She pressed a gentle kiss to her neck. "By me, by Henry, and most importantly by the children you're carrying. I don't care how old you are. This family has many, many long years ahead that you're going to be present for. I don't care if you are a damn vampire, I'd gladly be one too if it meant more time with you." She stroked a hand up her back and pressed a few kisses to her shoulder. "I'll stop pushing you about your birthday."

Regina managed to keep her composure, her head resting on Emma's shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered, the two words holding a lot of weight. She was thanking her for many things, maybe even everything.

Emma kept her close, one hand idly trailing through Regina's hair. She toyed with the ends before observing, "It's longer now." When one's around someone as often as Emma was around Regina, it took longer to notice things like that as they happen slowly. Regina's hair now reached her shoulders as Regina didn't bother cutting it anymore to keep it at the short length she'd maintained ever since Storybrooke was created. One reason it had remained so short all that time was because it actually never grew. The shortness was an affect of the curse, but she only kept it short for a while after the curse broke before she stopped seeing the point. When she was young and carefree, her hair had been long. Perhaps growing it out would give her more of that personality back. If her image changed outwardly, perhaps the people of the town would be more willing to accept her inward change as well.

"It is," Regina confirmed. "I'm letting it grow."

"I like it."

"Thanks."

Emma pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She lifted her head and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "So much," she added.

"How's your back doing?" It wasn't that long ago that Regina bruised it.

"Better. I barely notice it unless something is touching it."

"Good." Emma pressed another kiss to Regina's shoulder.

A moment later, Regina's stomach growled.

"Someone must be hungry," Regina chuckled.

They were already in the kitchen, all Regina had to do was go over to their freshly re-stocked fridge. She pulled it open and Emma watched to see which strange concoction Regina wound up making this time.

This time it wound up being a peanut butter jelly honey sandwich. It looked pretty alright, aside from the fact that Emma thought she'd never mix jelly and honey together, though peanut butter mixed well with both. Separately, of course. But Emma had learned not to question pregnant Regina's choice of foods. It was just interesting to watch her put her strange ideas together. She supposed anything was better than the time when she'd felt the need to dip her chocolate chip cookies in ketchup. In no world could Emma see the appeal of that one.

"Interesting," Emma commented as she watched the sandwiches stack up on the plate. Four in total.

There was a definite curve to Regina's figure now, as the next day would also mark her eighth week of pregnancy. It wasn't entirely obvious on sight to those not in the know, but weight gain was obvious. If Regina was a heavy drinker, it could be credited to the beginnings of a pot belly. It was a little bit bigger than mere bloating would make it.

Emma grinned. "You're starting to show already."

"Yeah, have been for a few weeks now."

"No, I mean, it's a bit bigger now. It's starting to get obvious. It probably will be by next week. Soon even loose shirts won't be able to hide it."

"Yeah, then it'll be goodbye feet." She wondered just how big she would be by the time of the ultrasound, only a couple weeks plus one day away. All the better reason to find out who the Sheriff replacement would be before then. "I hope this won't be one of those stuck in bed pregnancies."

"Was that how it was with…you know?"

Regina bit into the first sandwich. "Yeah," she answered after swallowing. "Towards the end. Those last few weeks I'd only be allowed to move to use the bathroom."

Emma shrugged. "Well, maybe this time will be different. We'll just keep up regular appointments to make sure everything's smooth sailing so it doesn't get to that point."

Regina nodded. The benefits of modern technology would sure come in handy during the next seven or eight months more than ever before. Actually, they came in super handy in May, or else Regina wouldn't be pregnant at all. There were only two possible options for that outside of what they'd done, and they certainly weren't going to happen. There would be no magic use or sex with a man, and if the whole thing hadn't worked, another adoption would have to have been the solution. Regina was grateful all her pessimism about the process had been without any true cause. It was rare when Regina was glad she was wrong, but that scenario was definitely one of them.

"I wonder how many there are."

"Well, we'll find out in a couple weeks," Emma replied.

Mid-way through her first sandwich, Regina swayed on her feet. Emma was at her side in an instant.

"Woah there. Perhaps you should sit down." Emma pulled the nearby chair out from the table. "You really shouldn't be on your feet all the time." She remembered her own dizzy spells well. She didn't get the constant help that was preferred due to her lack of privileges where she'd spent most of her pregnancy. One time she'd outright collapsed, and she really didn't want to see that happen to Regina. She pushed her gently into the chair and slid her plate of sandwiches over so it was in front of her. "You probably need some water." She went over to the fridge to retrieve said water and put some ice in it so it would be really cold. The colder the better, it seemed, especially with dizziness. She placed the glass down next to her plate.

Regina picked it up, and when she put it down again, half of it was gone.

"Uh, geez. Feel better?"

Regina nodded. "Much."

"Good." Emma had known she needed water, and that right there was proof. She pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'm gonna go see what Henry's up to."

Regina nodded again and Emma left the room.