Regina, Berta, and all kids played board games in the formal family room until Emma arrives. They played a monopoly and clue. Regina wanted to like this for the rest of her life, to be free of magic and safe, but she can't take away the magic from them. She has thought about her children's destiny and hopes she can change it by doing it herself, but first, she needs to make sure the newborn turns out good. Regina doesn't want them to suffer much, similar to Regina's experiences. It is hard and rough, but not easy at all. She didn't feel free when she was young, so she wanted at least to provide that freedom to her children. She genuinely thought while watching and chatting with everybody who is laughing, teasing, etc. like any other typical family. Berta seems to enjoy the time with Razi that Regina wants to spend as much time with her as much as she can for the next few days. Her destiny is sealed, Regina thought the exact wording from the goddess.
Emma walked in a hurry to the kitchen and then saw everybody in the formal family room, "Sorry, I took so long. It was hectic at work, our secretary forgot to add a few details to our paperwork, so I had to fix it."
Regina tilted, "It's alright, Emma. We are playing a game."
"Its monopoly, is it?" Emma expecting but doesn't like that game as much as Regma and Regina does.
Regma beamed, "Mom beat me, but now it is between Henry and mom for Park Avenue."
Emma sat next to Regina on the couch as she kissed her on the cheek because she wanted to be there for Regina, so she whispered to apologize, "Did Razi and Berta play?"
Nardia crackled quietly, "None of us wouldn't let them buy properties, so we bankrupt them in 5 rounds."
Emma rolled her eyes as she redirected to Berta, pointing at everybody else, "Don't play Monopoly with them. They are brutal and mean unless you play on your own risk. When it comes to Monopoly, they are very competitive."
Berta laughs this fascinating as Regina spoke, making a point, "I'm teaching our kids to keep motivated to improve, and to inspire them greater creativity that will cause them to have self-reflection."
Emma smirked, "But you all treat this as a battlefield."
Regma shakes her head along with Narida and Henry, "Not true, Ma. If you think we treat this as a warzone, then we all should go to the actual battleground with our magic that each one of us has a wand, and you know."
Regina glared at her, "Absolutely not, young lady."
Berta shrugged as she smiles to herself, "I enjoy it anyway. I wouldn't mind playing again with them."
Henry groaned by his lousy move for taxes, "Come on, mom. It's your turn."
Regina and Henry played for few rounds while everybody else watched eagerly to see who lands on Park Avenue because no one can beat who owns both of them. After all, the houses are high and quickly can get bankrupt. Henry cheered and won while Nardia was surprised, asking, "How is that possible?"
Older Henry watches Regina, who is merely smiling and applauding for Henry that he finally beat her, "It is not possible."
Henry frown and then Emma whispering, pointing at the board, "You could have landed on that Park Avenue, but you didn't. You let him win."
Regina shrugged and then grinned innocently, speaking quietly to Emma, "I simply rolled the dice improperly."
Regma spoke up, "I think mom let you win."
Regina interrupted, facing everybody with a big smile, "Henry won fair and square. Good job, Henry."
Older Henry asked, unsure because he knows no one can beat mom at Monopoly, "Did he?"
Regina nodded, "Of course, Henry."
Emma rolled her eyes, pointing at the dice, "Did none of you notice?"
Regina shoots a look at her while everyone is inquiring, trying to see what Emma is thinking. Regina redirected to Henry, "don't let Ma get into your head."
Regma carefully thought what Emma is pointed at while Regina stood up, "Berta and I better go to the hospital."
"I'm not ready, but you're right. We do need to talk to the doctor about this," Berta stood up sadly.
Regina remembered the rules since they now have computers and large television that can be addicting, "By the way, there will be no computer and television in the mornings and after nine at night. The only reason you can use the computer during at night is homework if not completed."
Regma and Nardia grumbled, "It's the weekend, mom!"
Regina understands being serious facing both of them, "Except for Friday and Saturday night, but still no computer and television in the mornings."
Emma tilted, "You'll call me?"
Regina nodded as she kissed Emma on the lips, "I'll keep you updated."
Regina wrapped around Berta as the wave of black smoke surrounded them teleported them to the trail in the middle of the forest as Berta asked baffled, "Where are we? I thought we are going to the hospital."
Regina replied, "We will soon, but I know you cannot handle crisis and information well, so I thought we could prepare ourselves before we talk to her."
Berta understood because she wasn't ready, and it was happening too fast and then pointed out, "You too, Your Majesty."
Regina sighs as she briefly closed her eyes, "I'm handling it, Berta."
"You are, but you're not. Regina," Berta stopped as she turned Regina to face her, "I'm happy here with you even we are not together the way I wanted. I don't have any unfinished business. Razi is safe, and no one is after her anymore. Queen of Hearts is dead, so I don't have to worry about Razi watching her back. I have complete confidence in you that you will take care of ours. I am good here, Your Majesty."
Regina was disappointed, not because she's happy, but, "I am sorry, Berta, that I'm not the one for you. I wasn't trying to push you away for the last nine months. I'm happily married, and Emma is my world."
Berta kissed her on the mouth softly, "I don't blame you at all or even upset with you. I never want to break the marriage between you and Emma. I just sometimes thought you would let me be part of yours, that's all."
Regina swallowed her throat as she listened as she thought that she loves Emma more, although, "You are, Berta. You are always part of my heart."
Berta affectionately smiles, "That is all I wanted to know."
Regina touched her belly, "We created something that is against everything they believe, and no one, not even myself expected it would happen. So don't ever think I don't care because I do."
Berta did thought she stopped caring as she leans on her chest with tears lightly dropped on her face, "I'm just scared."
Regina controlled her tears as she hugged her with her other hand on her belly as she kissed on top of her head, and Berta continued, "I don't want to be alone."
Regina's eyes crossed lightly pushed her, "I'll be every step of the way, I promise. We will decide together."
Berta still hesitated, "You'll be with me?"
Regina touched the side of her face and brushed her hair, "I'll be with you, and you will not be alone." Regina kissed her hard for reassurance as she opened her mouth, and Berta happily returns, exploring each other mouths for the last time.
Suddenly, they both feel better and refreshed, so Berta spoke, smiling because finally, Regina made her peace, "Ok. Let's face the dragon."
Regina double checked to make sure because Berta's sensitively, "Are we good?"
"We both are great, Your Majesty," they resume walking through the forest, "do you think you can take one photo of me and then us for our child, so this child will have something to remember me by."
Regina thought about what to tell when the child is of age and how old it is appropriate to mention. She didn't want to lie to the child because she hid information from Henry. He was about six years old when he didn't feel established in her family, and Henry felt threatened, so he ran off to find his birth mother. In this case, Berta dies at childbirth, so Regina has been worried about this for some time for the past few months and wonders when it is the right age to tell that the child is able cognitively to work through the losses. The main thing Regina worries is she doesn't want the child to feel that he/she was born in a different family and then lose his or her self-esteem. Regina believes its best to tell instead of other people might be telling him or her.
Regina was deep in thought as Berta snapped her out of it, "Your Majesty?"
Regina composed and refocus on Berta, "I'll be happy to."
Berta became a concern for Regina, "Anything the matter?"
Regina admitted for once, "I do not want this child to feel he or she is loved any less because I had a similar experience with Henry because he had a different mother."
Berta carefully listened, "I always believe in honesty because when you hide something from a child, then it will grow to resent you."
Regina conjured her wand as she swirls the black smoke around her, dressing in light green pleated off-shoulder, long sleeve maternity maxi dress that goes long on the ground like a princess. Regina thought she's amazingly gorgeous speechless that blends well with her skin tone with mixed of her brown and black hair. Regina looked up and down while Berta looked at herself as she held her belly on the bottom. A few minutes later, Regina smiles secretly towards her, "You look … striking exquisite."
Regina forcedly composed herself as heat rises within her as she grabbed her iPhone while backing up since this is the perfect place to take photos because it is in the middle of the forest and standing on the walkway that the sun is glowing off of Berta. "Stand in the middle and on the side," Regina explained different pose Berta could do taking a lot of pictures.
Berta looked through the photos, and Regina did pretty well for an amateur as she flicked through the iPhone to take printed photos of each of them. Regina pointed at one picture that Berta was looking up halfway with her eyes closed that the sun hits her face with her hands on her belly, "This one is my favorite."
"When you are ready to tell, you can show this and frame this photo along with others," Berta affectionately kissed her on the cheek, "Thank you, Regina."
Regina was ready to go because right now, she wants to touch Berta in places she's not supposed to touch and strip her naked, so she quickly waved her back to her comfortable clothing in maternity jeans and shirt. They promptly teleported to the hospital and then walked to their gynecologist doctor that she met, Dr. Zinner, the woman from one of the realms when Regina united the kingdoms.
Regina held Berta from behind while the other arm shook her hands, "Dr. Zinner, Berta tells me that you discuss the matters with her."
"Mrs. Swam-Mills, she refuses to make any decision without you, so I am glad to see you. We should get on this soon as possible," Dr. Zinner waved her hands to those two chairs for both of them to sit and then Dr. Zinner searches Berta Smith's files.
"In simplest of terms, you paid us to give Berta best care, so I went ahead gave her MRI, scans, and then an ultrasound," Dr. Zinner took out the copies as she put it on the glass to see the through the print. Dr. Zinner pointed at Berta's part of ovaries and another the tube, "I have never seen anything like this, but I promise I will do everything I can to save both of them. According to the scans, Berta bleeding heavily from the inside, but somehow it was stopped. This is what I am concern about." Dr. Zinner pointed at the baby from ultrasound, "See, here, it shows that the baby's lungs are not fully developed, Dysplasia, because it's not receiving enough oxygen from the mother; hence the baby will be small, so it would mean it will have low birth weight."
Regina doesn't understand how this possible while she rubs Berta's belly in distress but composed herself, "How is the baby not receiving oxygen, and is it severe?"
Dr. Zinner sat back down, "The leaking of amniotic fluid due to premature rupture of the membranes that surround the fetus. Berta's wall around the fetus is not strong to hold much longer, hence the heavy bleeding and the pain she been having. Also, Berta has a condition of having low amniotic fluid that is not enough for the fetus's lungs to grow properly. This is the reason, and I want to give C-section as soon as possible and give Berta surgery."
"Can you give Berta surgery without harming the baby? Is there another option?" Regina wants to avoid premature congenital disabilities, and then Regina tilted to look at Berta, who remains silent, looking down depressed.
"Ma'am, this is not a normal pregnancy, I apologize, but I have been working to find solutions, but there is no treatment for underdeveloped lungs, and Berta's conditions are more than one. You can either save the baby or Berta. The fetus needs proper care and taken to NICU." Dr. Zinner stopped as she stood back up, showing her the wall towards the ovaries, "See here, this bleeding stopped, so if I take the fetus out, it will bleed again, but for some reason, this baby is making it to be blocked."
Berta spoke up this time loudly, "You do everything you can save the baby."
Regina looked at her crossly because she was trying to save both of their lives, but she makes it seem like her life is worthless, "Berta!"
Berta stopped Regina, "No! You saved my life, and our baby held on trying to survive my conditions. I wasn't supposed to have another child because Wonderland's doctor was … like not this. Why do you think I tried very hard to save Razi's life because she's all I have and the last of my line. Now I have another, so you don't have a say in this, Regina. This is what the world has given me another blessed child. We made this against Powers That Be, the fairies, the author, and everybody."
Regina listened as she cleared her throat, speaking softly much as possible, "Berta, I know, but that is not what I was talking about. I was trying to see if we can save both of your lives, not just our newborn. You are important as well, in this child's life."
"Oh. I'm sorry," Berta wasn't thinking straight as she trying to stand, "I need to leave for a bit."
Regina stood up because it was a lot of information to take in, so she redirected to the doctor, "Dr. Zinner, we will get in touch with you as soon as tomorrow."
Dr. Zinner stood up, showing them out of the door, "I'll keep my space open, especially for you."
Both of them thanked her while walked to the west wing where Berta stays in, Regina helped Berta as she held her with her large belly. Berta has been exhausted from the long day as she sat on the bed and then Regina grabbed the chair closer to her creasing her belly to make sure her essence still magically feeding the fetus. Her phone started ringing off the hook knowing its Emma, "I'll be right back."
Berta growls at her without meaning to while sobbing, "You can leave, that's what everybody else does
Regina dismisses that because she knows Berta is having a hard time while kissing her forehead, "I'll be right back, I promise."
Berta fell fast asleep while Regina walked outside, but stood by the door to keep watch. Regina repeated the information to Emma, but Emma hasn't officially said anything and then Emma asked, "What if I can heal her?"
Regina's face cringed by the question, "It will not work, Emma."
Emma was puzzled because her pure magic always worked, "Why not?"
Regina watches Berta sleep with little red on her face from crying, "My magic is dark, so the baby hasn't been touched by light magic. It makes Berta sick and weak when you use your magic around her. Look in this way, you're positive and I'm neutral when I'm not Dark One, but the fetus at the moment is negative. After the newborn comes out, then you can use your magic around the baby because it will not need my magic anymore. Regma and Nardia was positive, so they can easily receive your white magic without me getting sick."
Emma on the other line didn't think that was possible, "So you're saying its my magic has been hurting Berta and the baby?"
Regina carefully thought, "Don't blame yourself, Emma. I didn't know either. Everything I do with my magic comes with a price because I'm Dark One, so if I wanted to fully heal her then I have to pay the price. The only reason I remain Dark One is because this baby needs my essence."
"But you didn't?" Emma hastily asked.
Regina shook her head through the phone feeling like it is part of her fault, "No, Emma, I didn't." Regina watches Berta until she saw that Berta is moving and seem to be hurting again, 'I have to go, Emma. Something wrong with Berta. We are in the west wing of the hospital."
Emma told her all three of them will visit in the morning, "I love you, babe."
"I love you too, Emma," Regina hanged up the phone and hurried inside closing the door trying to find out what's wrong.
Berta winces in pain, "The baby is moving, it hurts when it moves. Sometimes the doctors will give me drugs and it did help some."
The baby stopped when Regina's hand touched Berta's belly whispering, "Don't hurt your mama."
Berta softly laughs as she put hers atop of Regina's hand to keep it there. Regina crawled to the side of Berta on the bed above Berta's head while playing with her hair. Berta leans against her chest and slowly fell back asleep.
An hour later late at night, Razi walked in, "Hey?"
Regina slightly stood up without waking Berta, "Razi, how are you taking the news?"
"I just got her back," Razi started crying.
Berta's eye's slowly open seeing orange-red hair, "Razi."
"Hey, mama," Razi walked around the other side of Regina.
Regina thought about giving them privacy, "I'll be right back. I'm going, and get coffee, and then get more ice for Berta."
A few hours later, Regina remained outside of Berta's room who is chatting quietly with Razi while both of them are sobbing. The worse Regina feels dreadful and lousy with everything witnessing that she is causing both Berta and Razi pointiness pain, and death. The more she is angry at herself for not trying harder. Razi came out, "I'll be in the next room. I'm not leaving mom's side."
Regina understood, "Of course and you have my deepest apology. There are no words to say how sorry this situation happens."
Razi angrily fingered Regina, "You left her, so now because you, I will lose my mother, so no I will never forgive you for that. I'll always be there for my sibling, but I'll never forgive you for what happens to mom. You gave her up because of Emma."
Regina quietly spoke holding back tears, "That's not true," then decided not to say anything to her defeat, "I'm sorry, and I hope one day, you'll find it in your heart to forgive me." Regina walked back into the room composed with ice in her hand, "I got you ice, but it's half-melted."
Berta smiles, "You're melting."
Regina laughs walking to her side, sitting beside her, and then gave her the cup. Berta continued, "Forgive Razi. She's angry at everything right now, so give her time and she will forgive you."
Regina truly doesn't know if that's possible, but nodded, "I know, but she thinks I treated you unfairly."
Berta shrugged, "I think both sides think you treated one and the other unfairly, but where does that put you. Everybody is blaming you for something, so I know you are trying the hardest to do your best to make the right decision. I do see you, Regina, so I know."
Regina smirked, "Is that so?"
Berta moved to have Regina lay beside her, so Regina did what Berta wanted her to do while having her arm over Berta's belly. Regina studied her face while whipping her tears, "I thought of a better name."
"Let's hear it."
"I think it'll be a girl, so Bertha Paladin Swan-Mills."
"Emma is ok with us to use Swan in this baby's last name?"
"One point, months ago, she said if anything happens to you, she'll treat this child as hers and it's easier to take the entire family last name because it will give this child a sense of belonging," Regina explained.
"I think that name is perfect, but I think it's a boy."
Regina laughs, "Why are you determined to have a boy?"
"I always wanted a boy, but having boys are much easier to raise."
"You're silly, raising a child is no easy feat whether it is a boy or a girl. Before I became a parent, I swore that my children will not humiliate me in public, and now look at Henry, Regma, and Nardia. They constantly embarrassing me, no matter where."
Both of them laughed, "That's true," Berta spoke still laughing as she slightly turns, "I cannot believe it."
Regina slowly rubs on her skin under her shirt that is so large that her shirt is not fully covered, "I cannot too. We have a child together."
"Let's look inside to see the sex of the baby," Berta now wanted to find out soon as possible, "with your magic."
"How did you know that I could?" Regina smiles at her amused.
Berta shrugged sitting up straight, "I didn't, but I just know that you can do anything and everything."
Regina removed her shirt halfway then Berta asked, "Can you help me take my bra off? I always take my bra off when I go to sleep. Razi is the one who helped me take it off before I go to bed lately."
Regina nodded as her hands went her shirt to take the bra off from behind, it's old white grandma bra and then Berta spoke, "I know, it's not sexy at all, but my boobs are becoming bigger every month, so it became harder to buy good expensive bras, so I gave up and decided buy cheapest ugly bra for comfort."
Regina ignored her, "I still think you're sexy even in grandma's bra, but having big boobs have some extra benefits."
Berta rolled her eyes as she laughed, and then Regina kissed her belly.
With both of her hands, she magically made the belly clear as crystal you're drawn into the belly, "I see ten feet and the baby sucking the thumb."
"Is the fetus really sucking its thumb?" Berta couldn't see much.
Regina continued slowly silently laughing, "Ten hands. Two eyes.
Berta complained, "I saw all that, but I want, wait a minute are you giving me a hard time on purpose?"
"Of course, Dear. I don't see the little thingy, so you know what it means."
"You knew the first time you saw that it's a girl," Berta beamed with the biggest smile on her face like an idiot.
Regina kissed her on the mouth soundly, "We are having a girl, Bertha Paladin Swan-Mills, a beautiful girl like her mama."
"We're having a girl!" Berta without thinking kissed her back on the mouth as it deepens so heavily that their world would crush at any moment. Regina slowly trailed cupping her breasts while slipping her tongue in, but Berta stopped breathing fast, "I love you, Regina."
"I love you too, princess," still softly rubs her breasts and belly.
Berta became serious, "Regina, I want you to listen to me. I have thought about this and I want you to speed up my pregnancy. I know you cannot heal me, but I know you can speed the pregnancy to heal Bertha."
"I don't want to do that. You'll die, Berta." Regina removed her hands from her body as she frowns.
"Look, Regina. I did everything for you both the good and bad. I do things for you that is wildly impropriate, but I did it because I fell in love with you. You're the only person who went through it all for me without taking advantage of the situation and taking Razi from me. You bought Razi back to me and gave me a baby that I never dream of having one. For me, it's a dream come true even it's not with you. You know the real reason why my body stopped working. It is your magic that is working against my body and now my body is starting to fall apart. Bertha is sick and I want our baby healthy. If I let the doctor give me C-Section, then it'll do more harm to our daughter! We don't want that. You know my body cannot take any more magic, but our daughter needs it and you know it!"
Regina listened but still doesn't want to lose both of them. It would mean that Regina is the one who killed Berta physically, her fate is sealed.
"You know you have to do this, Regina, please. You did this, so finish it," Berta pointed at the belly baby fetus, "You cannot let our daughter die, Regina. What if my heart gave out tomorrow or any day soon then we'll lose our daughter, and then it'll be too late."
Regina still hasn't spoken still dejected and not looking at Berta, so Berta grabbed her arms tightly determined to convince Regina, "Our daughter needs you, so I need you to do this for both of us, Regina."
Regina got up ignoring Berta without looking at her, "I'll be right back and we'll need Razi."
cont. next chapter
