0Hello, lovelies! I know it's been a while since I've updated my stories/uploaded new content. I have had a lot going on and my mind has been in quite a whirlwind. As some of you may know, I am expecting my first baby with my wonderful boyfriend. We are so excited for this new chapter of our lives! I also recently found out our baby is a girl, which is also exciting! So I was inspired to write this one-shot. Enjoy, and make sure to leave a review! Much love.
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Regina Mills sat in her bathroom with her head in her hands, her heart pounding against her chest. She screwed her eyes shut and drummed her fingertips on her temples as she silently counted down 3 minutes. It felt like an eternity.
Finally, the 3 minutes were up. With shaking hands, Regina picked up the item off the counter and took a deep breath before turning it over. Her mouth dropped open as two bright pink lines glared up at her. She quickly shut her eyes once more.
Please let this be a dream. Please let me wake up in my bed with the sound of Henry's loud video games he always insists on playing drifting in through the closed door. This isn't happening. This isn't real. This is a new curse—that's it; it's a curse, a magical mistake.
It was a magical mistake alright. But it sure as hell wasn't a dream. And no matter how much she denied its possibility, the fact was clear. She was going to be a mother again.
A knock sounded on the door, startling her from her panicked thoughts. Regina shoved the test back in the box and shoved it in the very bottom of the trashcan before flushing the evidence.
"Mom?" Henry said through the door. He knocked a few more times. "Is it okay if I spend the night at Nic's house tonight? I know it's early, but he got the newest copy of Doom and he invited me over to play."
Regina couldn't help but roll her eyes. 15 years of motherhood and she still couldn't go to the bathroom without being interrupted. Tears filled her eyes as she realized she would never have privacy again. This wasn't the right time for a baby, especially now with the circumstances being what they were.
Another impatient knock sounded. "Mom?"
"Yes, Henry, that's fine. Just let Emma know since it's her weekend with you."
Henry uttered a quick goodbye, his footsteps sounding like a herd of elephants for a few seconds before the front door slammed shut behind him. Now that she was alone, Regina allowed the tears to come. Her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs. Despite being a single mother to Henry for his whole life, she was terrified.
Eventually, she gathered up the courage to grab her phone. She scrolled through her contacts until she reached Robin's name. She held her breath and dialed, praying he wouldn't answer. After the third ring, a hushed voice answered.
"Regina?"
Regina relaxed at the sound of Robin's voice. Though they had ended on not so great terms, it felt good to tell the news to someone. "Hello. I'm glad you answered. I have something to—"
"I thought I told you not to contact me anymore," Robin interrupted her, his voice a mere whisper. She wondered if he was speaking so quietly because his wife was nearby. "I've moved on. Roland is with his real mother now and this is best for all of us. I thought we had agreed on that."
Tears stung Regina's eyes at the harsh remark. Just because she wasn't related to Roland or Henry didn't make her feelings toward them any less, or her any less of a mother. For the brief time she had spent with Roland, she had connected with the little boy and loved him as much as she loved her own son.
The fact that Robin was treating her so distantly after all they had been through hurt, though she understood the reason. Taking a deep breath, she hurriedly confessed her secret. "I'm pregnant."
Silence on the other end. Finally, Robin spoke. "Are you sure it's mine?"
Rage flared up inside her, causing her to tighten the grip on her phone. "What do you mean is it yours? Of course it's yours! What, do you think since we split up that I decided to go and sleep around with every man in Storybrooke?! You know me better than that!" She yelled.
On the other end, she heard a door shutting and the sound of traffic echoing in the background before Robin spoke into the phone again. "You're right, I apologize. I just thought… I didn't believe the chances would be possible after…"
"I took that potion to reverse those affects. It was a one-time magical influence, but you were the one who coerced me into it. About 4 months ago. Do you remember that? Or did you decide to forget about all of us the moment you crossed that town line?"
Regina knew that last bit was unnecessary, but she was still heartbroken that Robin had so quickly moved on from her. She had thought it was true love; that he was the man she was destined to be with after she had lost her first love all those years ago.
Robin sighed. "You know this hasn't been easy on me, Regina. I think of you every day. I miss Storybrooke and our friends, but New York is my home now. We've all adjusted and come to quite enjoy the city. I was just trying to make the transition a little easier."
Regina nodded, understanding his point. She would probably do the same had Daniel come back to life to be with her again. "I understand. But this is your baby as much as it is mine. You say you follow a moral code—are you going to step up and take care of this baby too?"
"Look, Regina… I didn't want to have to tell you this, but Marian is pregnant too," Robin said.
Regina's heart sank in her chest. All this time, she had held onto a tiny shred of hope that Robin still loved her, that he might rethink his decision and come back to be with her and Henry again. That they could be a family like he so desperately wanted. Which is why she was pregnant in the first place. Obviously. he had made his choice long ago.
"I see," she responded.
"Is there any way… is there any way that you would consider getting rid of it? Killian explained to me once of that being a possibility here."
Her throat was filled with tears when she finally forced herself to respond to his question. "I don't know why you would ask that of me, when you know how much it has hurt me to be unable to bear a child. That is extremely selfish. I'm keeping this baby, Robin. Now you can step up to the plate like a man and take care of the mess you've left behind, or you can cower in that little apartment of yours and pretend this life never existed. Either way, we're through. I don't care if you change your mind."
Regina closed her eyes and hoped beyond hope that Robin would support her in this and do the right thing. Life had been so unfair to her. Just this once she wanted things to go right.
"Goodbye, Regina," Robin said, his voice devoid of all emotion. Then the call ended, leaving her numb.
Regina rubbed her flat tummy in an attempt to comfort the tiny life within that was just starting to grow. "I guess it's just you and me now, little one."
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Emma finished up arranging the care package that she had made for Regina and headed to her office for lunch. She noticed her friend had become irritable and more emotional than normal and chalked it up to be the monthly blues. Regina was still new to the period club, so Emma had put together chocolates, pain medication, on the go heating pads, and a bottle of red wine to cheer her up.
Poor Regina must be having a rough time she assumed, judging by the tension and awkwardness that had accompanied their conversations recently. Emma still hadn't gotten the chance to take her out to dinner that she promised the last time Regina had asked her for help—that was nearly 2 months ago. Every attempt pushed Regina away more and left Emma feeling dumbfounded as to what she had done to upset her this time.
Don't overthink it, Swan. She coached herself. She's probably been busy with work is all.
Emma parked the car in Regina's normally occupied space, puzzled as to why her car wasn't in the parking lot. Wednesdays were their lunch days; surely Regina would have sent her a text to cancel if she wasn't feeling up to it. She sent her a quick text and waited a few minutes, a worried feeling nagging at her as the text was left unread.
She headed to Regina's house and sighed in relief as she saw her car in the driveway. That meant her friend was just fine—at most she was sick, and Emma was more than willing to help out. She knocked lightly before heading inside.
"Regina? You home?" She called out into the empty foyer. "Henry?"
"I am going to kill him!" She heard Regina's angry voice down the hallway.
Uh oh. Henry must be in trouble. Bad time of the month to act up, kid.
She continued down the hall to the light shining underneath a half-shut door. She lightly knocked and cleared her throat. A minute of silence passed. Then,
"If you're bothering me to ask for permission to download that extremely violent video game once again, don't bother. I already told you no. Don't ask again. Now please just leave your mother alone. And don't you think about calling Emma." Regina's voice sounded strained and exhausted.
Well then. This was gonna be awkward.
"Actually, it's me," Emma responded.
She heard a muttered curse word before the door swung open. Regina glared at her, still in her pajamas and her hair a disheveled mess. It would be comical if she didn't look so genuinely ill.
"Henry called you." Regina turned and grabbed a piece of toilet paper to wipe her mouth with.
Emma shook her head. "He didn't. It's Wednesday. When I noticed you weren't at your office, I figured you were home sick." She held up a box of tampons and a chocolate bar.
Regina looked at the items forlornly and laughed. Emma simply watched the woman break down into a fit of laughter, half-tempted to back away slowly. Just as quickly, Regina's laughing fit subsided. She straightened and took the items, setting them on the counter.
"Why do you think you have free reign of my house anyway? Your lack of manners is astonishing." Regina unsuccessfully tried to fix her hair while looking at her in the mirror.
Emma rolled her eyes. "The door was unlocked. You'd think with me being our son's mother and all, you wouldn't mind. Didn't bother you before."
Regina scoffed but didn't remark. Emma studied her in the mirror. The woman appeared troubled, much more than what a normal monthly gift would bring. She was exhausted for sure. Though she didn't appear as if she were starving, which was good. Upon closer inspection, it seemed as though she may have gained a pound or two.
Suddenly, Regina spun around and collapsed on her hands and knees in front of the toilet where she began retching violently. Emma winced but slowly moved in to hold her hair back and pat her shoulder in comfort. Maybe she had some sort of stomach bug?
Eventually, Regina's stomach seemed to calm some. Emma gave her a towel to wipe her mouth with and filled a nearby cup with water for her to sip. Regina nodded her thanks, her pale face slowly regaining color.
Emma grabbed the thermometer from the cabinet and uncapped it, practically shoving it in the woman's mouth. Regina rolled her eyes and snatched it away, tossing it into the sink. She held her head in her hands and stayed silent for a few minutes.
Suddenly, it clicked in Emma's mind. The nausea, extreme irritability, aloofness to the tampons, why Regina had avoided her for the past 2 months.
"Regina," she uttered softly.
Regina looked up, having read into her tone. She gave a curt nod, her eyes misting over with tears. "I'm pregnant."
Emma knelt and pulled the woman into her arms. Regina broke down, sobbing into her shoulder. She sounded so broken, so lost, so terrified. It hurt Emma to see her like that. It reminded her of when she was 18 years old, pregnant in prison with Henry and scared of her own future.
"I'm here. I'm here," Emma murmured.
Regina's tears eventually subsided, and she stiffened. Emma took that as her cue to pull away. Regina sniffled and looked away. "I suppose you're wondering who it is. There's many people in town, it may take you a while to figure out."
Emma frowned at her remark. "I know you, Regina. You're not the sleeping around type. It's Robin's, isn't it?"
Regina rolled her eyes and nodded. "Lucky guess."
Emma paused. "Does he know?"
"He knows."
Emma didn't have to finish the rest of her sentence; it was obvious—he didn't care. Anger rose within her at the lack of responsibility the man was showing. Neal was the same damn way. It wasn't fair how men just got off so easy like that. They didn't have to step up and take care of their kid if they didn't want to. Complete and utter bullshit.
"Need me to call and try to put some sense into his head?" Emma offered.
Regina touched her stomach in what looked like a protective measure. "Hell no. He made his choice when he hung up on me. Besides, I don't want to overwhelm him—Marian is pregnant too."
Emma grit her teeth at the sarcasm in her town. It was a classic baby mama situation; Daddy chooses one over the other and refuses to take responsibility for one, usually choosing the less likable individual and leaving the innocent one in the dust. And Marian was certainly unlikable in Emma's eyes since she called Regina a monster and tried to turn the town against her.
Regina seemed to read her mind, for she shook her head defeatedly. "I shouldn't be spiteful. Marian was his wife first, and Roland's biological mother. Of course coming back from the Evil Queen's dungeons to a strange new world where I am rather amicable with everyone was a shock I'm sure.
It's just… how he dismissed me like he never had feelings in the first place. How he didn't want anything to do with me after all we've been through, not to mention his child. He is the reason I'm pregnant anyway!"
Emma's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I made a potion." Regina waved her hand in dismissal. "To reverse the effects of the one I had taken back when I was the Evil Queen to make myself barren. Robin was pressuring me to have a child and I thought, why not? This man truly loves me and I him. It was a one time affect and as you can tell… it worked."
Regina shook her head. "It was a mistake."
Emma grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Everything happens for a reason. The amount of times I've time traveled and the mere fact that I ended up in Storybrooke after all these years proves that. Don't think of this baby as a mistake—think of this as… a new adventure."
As Regina offered her a smile, Emma continued. "I thought Henry was a mistake too. But as soon as that little boy ended up at my door the minute after I wished not to be alone anymore… I realized I was wrong. Things might not always go the way we plan, but that doesn't mean they're bad. Besides, you did an amazing job raising Henry by yourself. He may be an angsty jerk of a teen now, but he's a good kid. And you're not alone now. You have me. And the friends, the family you've made will help you too. You have to believe the universe sent this baby to you for a reason."
Regina leaned forward, intending to kiss her but holding back. Emma made that decision for her as she leaned the rest of the way forward and kissed her softly. Her eyes fluttered closed unconsciously as her heart raced inside her chest.
Regina pulled back, looking as affected as Emma felt. "I have to admit," she began, her voice a mere whisper, "that with Robin it never felt completely… right. This feels—"
"Like home," Emma finished.
Regina chuckled and rubbed her tummy. She looked much like her normal self again, and Emma was glad for that. "What now?"
"That depends. Have you told the kid yet?" Emma asked.
Regina shook her head. "I doubt he'd hear me even if I did try to tell him with all those games he's been addicted to playing."
"Well, let's start there. Then we'll set up doctor's appointments and get you some prenatal vitamins and all that good stuff."
Surprisingly, telling Henry went well. He'd initially thought his moms had joined together to tell him about the wonders of sex and puberty, but when they had joined hands at the table, he knew it was much more important. Obviously they were together. Took them long enough, he thought.
So when Regina announced her pregnancy, he wasn't exactly surprised. He was angry at Robin for not stepping up—he certainly would if he had an estranged kid coming into the world—but he felt better knowing that Emma was there to support her. Besides, having a little sibling meant the attention would be diverted from him, meaning he had more time to play games and mess around with some of the girls that caught his attention at school. It was a win win situation.
A few days later, Emma accompanied Regina to her first appointment. They were both speechless as the ultrasound technician patiently used the doppler to find the baby that was slowly but surely forming. It turns out, Regina was 11 weeks along. The baby was wriggling about all over and looked like an actual human, unlike the little bean Emma had seen when she saw Henry for the first time.
Regina squeezed her hand and smiled as they both got to hear the heartbeat which was a healthy 145. It was truly beautiful, the little life within. Regina started to feel much more confident now that she had support. And it was evident Emma was ecstatic—it must be very different compared to how she felt with Henry, knowing she wouldn't be able to keep him.
Once they had taken pictures and video, the doctor offered to do a blood test. A genetic test, he called it, to test for genetic abnormalities and to find out the gender. Of course they accepted, and soon they were eagerly awaiting the results.
A week later, Regina invited Emma out to dinner. Emma accepted and nervously got ready. This was their first official date (unless they were to count the doctor's visits they had gone to these past 6 months) and she didn't want to mess this up.
Apparently her father could tell, as he interrupted her while she was carefully applying eyeliner. "Do I need to worry about the fact that my daughter is putting on makeup and wearing heels?" He teased.
Emma wanted to roll her eyes at him but couldn't due to the slow-drying black lines on her eyes. Instead she raised her eyebrows, a smirk on her face. "Only if you feel like taking the Evil Queen on."
David raised his hands in surrender. "No way. I think you can handle her on your own."
Emma stuck her tongue out at him. "Wuss."
David chuckled and embraced her, hugging her tightly in the way she always imagined a father would. "It'll be a good date. You and Regina fit together, like your mother and I. Right down to the ferocity at our first meeting to the mushy love story we all know." He paused. "And I think you'll make great mothers to that little one."
Emma pulled away from him. "You know?"
"Of course I know. Your mother called it the instant she saw Regina a few months ago. When you've been there, you spot the signs."
Emma nodded, having had the same feeling when she first saw her. She bit her lip and worried it between her teeth. "You really think this will work out between us?"
David looked thoughtful. "Only you can truly tell. But going by my intuition, yes." He checked the watch on his wrist. "But it won't help if you're late. Go on, we'll see you later."
Emma smiled and reached up to kiss his cheek. "Thanks, Dad."
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Emma showed up right on time to Granny's just as Regina finished parking. She couldn't help but smile at the way Regina's physical manner had changed—she had the tiniest of bellies showing through her dress, she held her stomach almost instinctively while walking, and she carried herself in that sort of 'mom' way that most women do when expecting. Emma thought it suited her.
"Hey." Emma jogged over to the door just as Regina was about to open it. She reached for it instead. "Do you really think I'm going to let you open your own door?" She teased.
Regina gave her a smile and headed inside. They found a booth near the back corner for privacy, though with the amount of people in Granny's at 7 o'clock at night—a few of the dwarves—they didn't need it. Regina slid off her coat and nervously straightened the necklace she had on.
"You look great, by the way," Emma complimented her.
Regina blushed and nodded. "I should say you look great yourself. It's nice to see you dolled up."
A waitress came over to take their orders and then soon they were left alone again. Emma noticed Regina had ordered actual food for the first time in a long while. The morning sickness must be getting better.
Regina noticed her expression and patted her stomach. "I'm finally starting to feel less like a human garbage disposal since the nausea is lessening. For about a month I thought I was going to die."
"It really sucks, doesn't it?" Emma sympathized. "People tell you pregnancy is some magical thing that makes you glow and how much you should appreciate it, but it's hard to do much of anything when firstly you're throwing up constantly, then you just want to eat everything all the time, then your back starts to majorly kill you, then you blow up like a basketball and you swell everywhere and you feel like a walrus while the kid is having a field day in there kicking and rearranging your insides."
She stopped as she noticed Regina's horrified expression. "I meant in my case," she countered quickly. "You really do look fantastic. I think pregnancy really suits you."
Regina reached into her coat pocket and held out an envelope. "I got the results for the genetic test finally. I wanted to wait to open it with you." She looked down at the table, losing her posture momentarily. "You really don't have to be involved with this, Emma. This is my responsibility and I don't want to push that on you."
The woman seemed to become emotional then. Emma wanted to reassure her but let her continue speaking. "I'm scared of doing this alone since it's been 15 years. I just don't know how good of a mother I'll be now that I've… grown as a person."
"I'm not going anywhere," Emma said and reached across the table to grab her hand. "And I know for a fact you'll make a great mom. We just need to take this one day at a time."
Regina squeezed her hand, wiping away a tear with her free hand. "That means so much, Emma. Truly." She held her breath and opened the envelope.
Emma leaned over to look, her heart racing. She hoped for Regina's sake that everything was okay with this baby. As she read the test results, she relaxed as everything came back perfectly normal. A grin broke across her face as the words 'It's a girl!' showed at the bottom of the page.
"Oh my goodness," Regina breathed and immediately began to cry.
Emma quickly moved over to the other booth, putting her arm around the woman. "Are you okay?" She asked.
Regina nodded between her sobs. "I'm fine. I'm just—so happy!" She began laughing, causing Emma to join in.
The dwarves glanced over curiously at the sound. Emma hugged Regina tightly, excited at the prospect of having a beautiful little girl that looked just like her mother. "Congratulations!"
Regina turned to face her. Her eyes were light and cheerful for the first time in a long time. "She's yours too, you know."
Emma leaned in and kissed her before pulling back. "I'm honored to be her other mother."
The waitress came over with their food and Emma returned to her original spot. "I know this may sound like a dumb question but… does this make us an official couple now? I mean, this is our first date."
"Yes, Miss Swan, that is a dumb question," Regina responded with her usual sarcasm but unable to hide her smile. "Considering I just offered you to raise this little girl with me, I think this makes us more than official."
Whatever they were, they both knew this was going to be the best adventure yet.
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Thank you for reading! I am planning on doing a continuation of this. I really hope you enjoyed this, make sure to leave a review if you did! Pregnancy and parenthood is a crazy amazing adventure and I'm glad to share it with you in the form of writing. See you in the next one! Much love.
