It's been nearly two weeks since Regina gave birth to Audrey who is still in the hospital trying to recover. Regina has never left her sight and Killian and Emma have been helping around the house and have yet to stay at their place and Emma has yet to see the new nursery. Henry, Riley, and Roland have already met their smallest sibling and adore her already. They have asked for Killian and Emma's help to set up Audrey's nursery so that she has a place to come home to when she gets the okay to be released. Killian and Emma make a stop at the hospital to check in on Robin, Regina, and Audrey.
"Hey, how is Audrey?" Emma asked as she handed Regina some water. Robin and Regina have been staying in the private room that Regina had Audrey in for the past two weeks. Emma and Killian notice worry on Robin and Regina's faces. "Audrey isn't responding fast enough to the medications. If they double her doses it could cause more harm. We're getting worried." Robin said with sadness. Regina starts crying, "they're trying very hard but her stay maybe longer," Regina said through heavy tears. Emma gets up from the chair and starts to walk around and pace. Killian sits next to Regina, "Regina, I'm sorry love. I wish there was something we could do. You have to remain strong." Killian, Regina, and Robin continue talking amongst themselves. Emma is leaning against the sink trying to catch her breath. She clutches the edge of the counter as she lets out a moan, "uuuhhhh," Killian turned around and saw that Emma was grabbing her stomach.
"Emma!" Killian leaped from his chair and hurried to her.
"I'm fine…uuhhhhh," Emma cried.
"Emma, you're in labor!" Regina uttered. Killian and Regina escort Emma to the bed while Robin went to go call a nurse. When the nurse comes in, she announces, "okay I need mom and dad only please."
"Uhhhhh…." Emma cried out. Regina quickly goes up to Emma, "do you need me here? I was going to go up with Audrey but if you need me here," Regina is interrupted by Emma, "no…go with Audrey, she needs you more than I do…uhhhhhh," Emma starts her breathing exercises. Regina lovingly embraces Emma's head and places a kiss on her forehead, "you got this, Emma. Let me know when Mia is here." Emma shakes her head as she continues her breathing. The nurses are quick to prep Emma who just went through a contraction. Dr. Whale comes in and examines Emma, "looking good Emma, contractions are three minutes apart! Mia will be here in the next hour!"
Regina and Robin walk into the NICU unit and ask the nurse to see Audrey. "We're here to see our daughter, Audrey," Regina said. The nurse smiles and leads them to Audrey as she updates them. "There is some good news. It was no more than ten minutes before you came up that she cried and took a big breath. She's making progress." Robin and Regina smile wide, "really?" Regina said with a big grin. "Can we hold her?" Robin asked and the nurse answered "no, not yet, she's still too fragile. That's the only big breath she took on her own. She still needs a lot of help, but she is fighting on," the nurse administers Audrey's medicine and then lovingly grazes her cheek, "aren't you little princess. Do you know an Aiden and Zelena?" the nurse asked. "They're our neighbors," Robin answered. "They sent Audrey her first stuffed animal along with this card," the nurse hands the card to Regina and she opens it to read it, "Thinking about you and Baby Audrey. We know she will pull through. Ashley can't wait to play with her, we are sending you lots of love. Get well soon, Audrey! Love, Aiden, Zelena, and Ashley." Regina teared up as she read the card and Robin let out a smile, "that was sweet of them, we have to thank them once we get home," Regina uttered as she wiped away a tear. Just then, Audrey's machine beeps rapidly, the nurse rushes over, "her heart rate is up," the nurse looks at the machine as baby Audrey tries to cry. "Her oxygen is low again." The nurse quickly administers another dose of medicine and within minutes Audrey is stabilized again. The worry in both Robin and Regina grows, "how often does she do this?" Robin asked, "this is the first time since you two came up. It means she's trying to breathe on her own. When she does that it throws the ventilator out of sync and she's the one trying to catch up with it. This is a good sign because it means she's fighting it."
Regina sniffles as she grazes her hand across Audrey's head while Robin gently grasps Audrey's foot. "Come on, baby girl, keeping fighting," Robin gently whispered to his daughter. Robin and Regina cling to each other as their baby continues her fight.
"Okay Emma, here comes another contraction," Dr. Whale warned, "this is going to be a big one so continue your breathing."
"Just breathe, love, you got this," Killian said as he held Emma's head. "uhhhhhhhhhhhh…" Emma grunted as the contraction was happening. "Just breathe, Emma. You're doing good. It's almost over," Killian coached. Emma clinches at Killian's hands and continues her breathing until it passes, once it does, Emma leans back and takes a big breath. "Is she almost here?" Emma asked impatiently, "the next contraction is when you're going to push, Emma, so to answer your question, yes. She is almost here," Dr. Whale stated.
"How's Audrey?" Emma asked with eyes closed as she continued her breathing. "I don't know love, I haven't heard anything," Killian said, just then, the hospital phone rings and he answers it. "Hello?"
"Killian, it's Regina, how's Emma doing?"
"She's doing great. She's almost there, the next contraction, she will start pushing. How's Audrey?"
"She's fighting, Killian. She's trying hard to breathe on her own but she's struggling. We are still hoping for the best. Nothing has changed since the day she was born."
"Okay, Emma, get ready, here comes Mia," Dr. Whale said as Emma's vitals started to go up. "I have to go, Regina, she's about to push."
"No!" Emma cried out, "let me…talk to her,"
"Emma, you're about to push," Killian stated.
"Give me the damn phone, Killian!" Emma demanded through gritted teeth, "uhhhhhhh…."
Killian is startled and quickly hands the phone to Emma.
"Regina?" Emma said breathlessly, "hows…..Audrey?"
"Emma! Get off the phone! You're about to have a baby!"
"Not until…uhhhh….you tell me how Audrey is," Emma continued.
"My God, you are stubborn, Emma! She's okay. Nothing much has changed. Put Killian on the phone or I'll hang up!"
"Talk to her…Killian," Emma demanded as she started taking deeper breaths to prepare to push. "Regina?" There is no answer and Killian hangs up the phone, "I think she hung up, Emma." Killian puts the phone back on the hook, "uggghhhhhhh….I'll kick her ass later," Emma uttered. "Okay Emma, here we go! I need you to push!" Dr. Whale commanded Emma pushes, "aahhhhhhhh…" "Good job, Emma, keep pushing," Dr. Whale encouraged. "Come on, love, she's almost here," Killian encouraged her. "Okay Emma, you can rest, for now, I'm getting her blanket ready." Killian kisses Emma's forehead, "you're doing good love, our Mia is almost here."
"Okay, Emma, one big push, and Mia will be in your arms! Push!"
Emma gives one last push and outcomes Mia crying as she takes in her first breath. Emma and Killian are relieved and they both have tears streaming down their faces. Dr. Whale takes Mia to get her cleaned, weighed, and wrapped in her blanket so that Emma can hold her for the first time.
"Here is Mia," Dr. Whale said as he placed Mia in Emma's arms. "Hi, Mia," Emma uttered. "My Mia," Killian added, "she's beautiful!" Emma handed over Mia to Killian. With a big smile, he became fixated as his new daughter and held her for the first time.
