"Got everything?" Emma asked and shifted a little, so she was standing a bit more comfortably leaned against the door frame.

"Sí, almost," Regina said and attempted to force her last article of clothing into her suitcase. She failed utterly, and the piece of clothing, a flower patterned skirt, ended up on the floor instead. "Oops," Regina muttered and sounded utterly tired.

"I got it," Emma said swiftly, quickly coming to Regina's aid. She bent down and picked up the skirt before Regina could.

"Thanks," Regina said and mustered a grateful smile as she took the skirt from Emma. But the smile was not entirely genuine. She looked tired. And concerned. Today there was no silly joke about Emma trying to get a look at her 'knickers'.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," Emma said softly, bending slightly to press a light kiss to Regina's temple.

Regina let out a little sound at that, but her lips was still a thin line as she forced the flowery skirt inside her suitcase and then zipped said suitcase whilst muttering Spanish curse words under her breath.

"You know, I'm looking forward to going back to Spain," Emma started in an attempt to distract Regina from all the things that worried her.

Regina cracked a teeny little smile. "I'm grateful I'm not going back there on my own."

Emma returned the smile.

Regina's eyes grew absentminded as she found her phone and glanced at the screen for the fourth time that morning.

"Still nothing?" Emma guessed.

"You're absolutely correct about that," Regina sighed. "I don't know... I just feel like she could have at least send me a text or something, right?"

"Yes," Emma said, immediately getting cross. "She definitely could have!" the 'she' was Sofía. Regina had not heard anything from her. No calls, no texts, no nothing. Emma found it to be pretty cowardly, to be honest. And crappy. Sofía owed Regina an apology for the 'inconvenience'. If it was acceptable to call backing out of an adoption an 'inconvenience'. But Sofía remained silent. And Emma had a feeling that she would continue to.

"Oh well," Regina said, trying to make her voice light. "That's life, I suppose. Right? I'll just have to go back to the adoption agency and... do the whole selection thing... again..." she ran out of steam and sighed. "Damnit! They seemed so perfect!"

"Not perfect enough, it would seem."

"They were so excited!" Regina continued exasperated and ran her fingers through her hair. "Emma, they had even named him!"

"I know, sweetheart. I know." Emma put a hand on Regina's shoulder to comfort her.

"I wanted them," Regina said through gritted teeth. "I don't want to find a different family! I don't want to go through the whole 'pick a family'-thing. What if the next family I choose backs out too? What if I can't find the right family? What will happen to him then?! He'll end up in a foster home or something! I don't want that for him! I don't want that at all, Emma! Dios!" she clenched her fists. "Why is there always so much drama in my life?! I'm sick of it! I'm sick of feeling like things are going well, and then boom, something happens that makes it all go to hell! I'm sick of insane plot twists always putting a damper on things whenever I'm visiting you! I'm sick of always having worry occupying one part of my mind! I'm so fucking sick of it!" she concluded her rant with slamming a fist harshly into her suitcase with a bang. The sound echoed in the bedroom, and Emma automatically cringed.

"Ow! Mierda!" Regina cursed and rubbed her knuckles.

"Did that help?" Emma asked softly. She had wisely remained quiet during Regina's rant. Had sensed that Regina did not need to be soothed. She just needed to vent. Everyone needed that once in a while.

"Not really," Regina sighed, still rubbing her hand and frowning. She looked up. "Lo siento, querida. I'm sorry for just-"

"Hey," Emma interrupted and kissed her temple again. "No apologizing. You're in a very stressful situation that is beyond control. You're allowed to feel frustrated."

"But I don't want to keep unloading on you," Regina insisted. "I'm sick of that too."

"You don't have to be that. It's alright," Emma assured. "It's more than alright."

"Oh!" Regina exclaimed, eyes widening as she placed a hand on her swelling belly. "It's alright, niñito. I am not sick of you," she assured, voice soft now. she rubbed small circles on her belly. "Don't you worry. I'll fix it. I'll fix everything. I promise." A soft chuckle. "It feels like he's following my hand when I move it. It's quite... reassuring, really."

"He's telling you that everything is going to be okay," Emma said spontaneously, wishing that she too was able to feel Blueberry kick.

"Mmm," Regina muttered. Now her voice sounded... different. Breaking.

Emma took a second glance at her girlfriend, and to her utter horror she discovered that Regina's eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "No!" she yelped. "Woah, woah, woah! Please don't get upset, honey! God!" it wasn't nice or fair, but right now she kinda wanted to murder Alessandra and Sofía for having rocked Regina's world. She quickly wrapped her arms around Regina and held her close.

"I don't know why!" Regina said and sounded almost grumpy now. "My hormones are just out of whack. Again!"

"Then let them be out of whack while I hold you, yeah?"

"Sí, that sounds nice," Regina mumbled. And then she gave in to the tears of frustration. She wasn't exactly sobbing, but she was definitely sniffling against Emma's shoulder.

Emma gently rubbed her girlfriend's back and whispered soothing words in her ear. Whilst thinking malicious thoughts about Alessandra and Sofía. Which was not nice at all, but how very dared they making Regina so frustrated that it brought her to tears?! Emma gnashed her teeth. In her mind, Sofía and Alessandra had broken the most golden of golden rules: never EVER upset a pregnant woman!

"Sorry, I'm sorry," Regina croaked. "I'm just being silly!"

"You are not," Emma said firmly. "Never dismiss your feelings, sweetheart. They're okay. All of them."

"Then I'm tired," Regina corrected. "So, so tired!"

"That's okay too," Emma assured, kissing the top of Regina's head and rubbing her shoulders again. They had been so wonderfully relaxed and loose when Regina arrived here, but now they were all tight and knotty again. Regina was tensing up all over again.

"I'll figure it out, right?" Regina mumbled a bit muffled against her shoulder.

"We'll figure it out," Emma corrected.

"Sí. We," Regina agreed. She lifted her head from Emma's shoulder and presented Emma with two slightly red and puffy eyes.

Emma gently reached out and wiped the last stray tears away from Regina's cheeks.

"Thanks," Regina said and straightened her posture. Then she rubbed her swelling belly again. "I may not know which family I'll choose, but I do know that I don't want to settle. I want him to have the best parents he could possibly wish for. They have to be able to provide for him in any possibly way. And they have to love him more than anything. He has to be the first priority for them. Always. No matter what."

Emma swallowed something. Right now, Blueberry was coming before everything else for Regina. He was her top priority. Concern about his future- not her own- had brought her to tears. She was most likely prepared to tear the world apart to give him his best chance. Like a lioness protecting her cub. A mother protecting her son. But of course Emma knew that she could not tell Regina that. Nor could she reveal how attached she had grown to Regina's belly and the little life growing inside it. How she was not sure she could hold it together when Regina gave birth at the hospital. How she was supposed to be presented with a tiny, pink wiggling thing that was half Regina and then say goodbye to him. Watch as he was handed over to other people. People who were going to be his parents. Always. What part would Regina even play in his life? What lies would his new parents come up with? That Regina was a distant family friend who came to visit once in a while? Or would they tell him the truth about Regina's identity? If they did, would that confuse the little boy? Or perhaps they would not tell him the truth. Perhaps they would settle for sending Regina pictures and short letters over the years. An open adoption, but not really. What would that do to Regina? How would receiving pictures of her son affect her over the years? What if she grew to regret her decision? What if she would spend the rest of her life quietly wishing that she had kept the baby, but felt like she couldn't tell anyone?

"Querida? Is everything alright? You went all quiet," Regina said and patted her cheek lightly.

"Yeah. Sorry, I'm fine," Emma said quickly, squashing all the thoughts she couldn't turn into words.

"Are you certain? Did my blubbering scare you away?" Regina joked.

"No," Emma said, mustering up a smile. "Of course not, you idiot."

Regina chuckled a little and whapped her arm lightly. "Behave."

"Not a chance," Emma teased and pulled Regina in for another hug. "How are you feeling now?"

"Better. But you're kinda squashing my belly."

"Oh, sorry!" Emma yelped and immediately released Regina. Before she could stop herself, she put her hands on Regina's round belly. "You okay in there, kid?"

"He's fine," Regina assured with a grin. "He's still dancing. On my bladder." She grimaced. "You know what, I'll be right back." with that she left Emma's bedroom. Emma heard her speed down the hallway, and a second later, the door to the bathroom was opened and closed. Emma suffocated her amusement. Regina had been up three times last night to go to the bathroom. Apparently, Blueberry had found a new favorite toy. Regina's bladder. Regina had groaned and complained that it was too early to have to go to the bathroom all the time. But a quick glance at her app, had told both her and Emma that 'increased urination' was in fact quite normal. That had prompted Regina to groan and press the pillow over her head in a rather dramatic fashion.

Emma turned her attention back to her suitcase which was overflowing with clothes. She wasn't completely sure how long she would stay in Spain this time, but the most likely scenario was that she would stick around for a while and then catch a flight straight to New York to meet up with that gallerist. Regina was determined to come along and had refused to listen when Emma gently suggested that she stayed home. It wasn't that Emma didn't want Regina to come with her to New York. She wanted that more than anything. But she also did not want to stress Regina and the baby. All those flights to and from Spain and now New York. Perhaps Emma was overly concerned, but she wanted to look out for Regina in any way she could. She had told Regina that, and Regina had shown off her temper by dryly stating that excluding her was not 'looking out' for her. Safe to say that Emma had backed the hell down then, and there had been no more talk of Regina staying home while Emma went to New York on her own. Of course Regina was coming to New York with Emma. It was silly of Emma to assume anything else. She should know better than to argue with a pregnant woman.

Emma zipped her suitcase shut and lifted it lightly. Not too heavy. That was good. She could easily carry this suitcase and Regina's. Regina would probably protest, but Emma would ignore it. Of course she was going to carry Regina's suitcase. There were no other options.

The door to the bedroom creaked open as Regina came back. She was carrying a little box in her hands, and she was all smiles as she declared: "I ran into your mom, querida. She gave us cookies for the trip, look!"

"Ohh," Emma cooed, licking her lips. Mary Margaret made damn good cookies. "Is Blueberry still dancing on your bladder?"

"No. But don't ask too loudly. He might hear you and get inspired," Regina joked, putting a finger on her lip for emphasis. She looked insanely cute whilst doing so.

Emma chuckled slightly, relieved to see that Regina had gotten her good mood back. Emma's intestines had the tendency to curl in on themselves when Regina was crying.

"So... Are we ready to head to the airport?" Regina asked and put her hands flatly on her lower back. She arched backwards slightly in an attempt to stretch her back a little.

"We are," Emma nodded. "Maybe I should have called the airline company beforehand and asked them to recline your seat before you arrive?"

"Dummy," Regina said flatly. But she was smiling at the same time. "You absolute dummy."

"Hey, I can't blame you if you wanna sleep on the plane," Emma defended. "You were up three times last night!"

"Don't remind me," Regina said darkly. "I ran into your dad one of the times. We had a little midnight chat."

"You did? You never told me that. What did you guys talk about?"

"How much you snore, of course."

"Hey!" Emma barked and warningly curled her fingers into claws.

"Ah-ah-ah," Regina laughed. "It is forbidden to rattle a pregnant woman, mi amor."

Emma felt very tempted to remind Regina of how she had been 'rattled' two nights ago, but she heard Mary Margaret come up the stairs, and the courage deserted her...

Two hours later, Emma and Regina were once again sitting in a plane. Emma felt that familiar tug behind her navel as the plane took off. They were going back to Spain again.

Regina shifted a little in the seat next to Emma. Muttered something in Spanish and then tugged at the seatbelt that was buckled around her growing belly. After a moment she managed to adjust it, and a small sigh of relief escaped her.

"Is that better?" Emma asked immediately. God forbid the seat belt should squash anything.

"Sí, so much better," Regina smiled but still frowned as she glanced past Emma at the aisle.

Emma quickly understood the issue. "Next time we'll book you a seat on the aisle so you can get to the bathroom easier. Want to switch place with me?"

"No," Regina said firmly. "I'm pregnant. But I'm not that pregnant."

"Uhh, babe-"

"Don't you dare, Emma Swan!" Regina huffed. But then she laughed heartedly and shook her head. "Dios, this is getting more and more glamorous. Maternity clothes with elastic bands. Prenatal vitamins. And now a seat close to the bathroom. The next thing will probably be compression stockings and what not." She sniffed in disdain. "Cora's favorite story to tell was how being pregnant with me 'forced' her to wear compression stockings."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with compression stockings," Emma said firmly.

"Tell that to Cora," Regina scoffed. "According to her, her legs never became the same again."

"That sounds like bull."

Regina chuckled. "Cora said a lot bull."

"Yeah, no kidding," Emma said darkly, remembering all the horrible stuff Cora had said to Regina the last time they saw one another. The blonde was still full of murderous thoughts when it came to Cora fucking Mills!

Regina reached within her purse and found the box Mary Margaret had given her. "it was nice of your mom to give us cookies for the trip."

"Mm, it sure was," Emma agreed and smiled upon remembering the goodbye Mary Margaret had given Regina. She had hugged her tightly. Kept her there for a moment while offering words of encouragement and consolation. Emma had a feeling that Mary Margaret might have overheard Regina's mini-panic attack while they were packing their suitcases. Emma's mother had also patted Regina's cheek in an oh so motherly fashion. Regina's chin had wobbled a little bit, but then David had stepped in and proclaimed that he wanted to say goodbye to his daughter-in-law, and Regina had ended up laughing instead of crying. Thank god.

"Do you want one?" Regina offered and waved a cookie in Emma's face.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks, babe," Emma said gratefully and took the offered cookie.

Regina scoffed. "I'm not planning on eating all of these cookies on my own, Em-ma."

"Really?" Emma teased. "Are you sure? Ouch!"

Regina had whapped her arm in warning, and of course Emma had to pretend that she was deeply wounded. Much to Regina's amusement. "You better be careful, querida," she warned. "I took kickboxing lessons a few years ago, so I could probably take you down."

"Take down the police chief's daughter?" Emma huffed. "Hardly. But maybe I'll let you take me down."

Regina chuckled.

"You took kickboxing lessons?" Emma asked curiously.

"Mmm. When I was eighteen and had just moved out. Daddy was the one who encouraged me to do it. Meaning that he actually showed up with a gift card to ten kickboxing lessons one day. I wasn't really interested in kickboxing, but of course I went to all the lessons for his sake." She shook her head a little. "You often hear people say that daughters have their fathers wrapped around their little finger, but I swear, it's the other way around with me and him."

Emma grinned. "Always looking out for his little girl, huh?"

"Sí, always."

"Well, if it's those kickboxing lessons who taught you to give Robin that right hook, I'm grateful," Emma said firmly. Oh, the memories of Regina punching Robin fucking Locksley in the face was still one of her favorites. Minus Robin trying to intimidate Robin afterwards, of course.

"It wasn't a right hook, querida. It was a slap across the face," Regina corrected. "If I had given him a right hook, you wouldn't have been in doubt."

Emma laughed at that.

"I swear, if I ever see him again..." Regina stuffed a cookie inside her mouth and chewed and swallowed before continuing: "the only thing he gets from me is a broken nose!"

"That's my girl," Emma said fondly and leaned in to kiss Regina's cheek. "My ferocious, murderous girl."

"Emma!" Regina protested, laughing. "Don't call me that on the plane!"

"Don't worry. You don't LOOK murderous," Emma assured. And that was true. Regina literally looked the opposite of murderous as she sat there and munched of the cookies from Emma's mother. And it was quite hard to believe that she was capable of breaking anyone's nose when she laughed about being able to rest the box of cookies on her belly in a few months.

"If you do that, please, please do it while I'm present," Emma said. Seriously, she wanted to be there for that!

"Will do," Regina assured and then scrunched up her nose. Putting a hand on her belly she said: "I don't think he likes the cookies. Or maybe it's the flying he doesn't like."

"He's kicking?" Emma guessed.

"Sí."

"A lot?" envious now.

"Sí. A lot."

"Oh man!" now DEFENITELY envious. Really, all Emma wanted was to be able to feel the baby move inside Regina. She kept imagining putting a hand on Regina's belly and feeling a tiny little hand or foot push back against her hand.

"Alessandra and Sofía never got to feel him kick," Regina muttered. "They were so excited about that..."

Emma automatically wrapped an arm around Regina to comfort her. She was pretty certain that she understood why Regina was so distraught about loosing Alessandra and Sofía as parents for the baby. Because they were perfect. Unbelievably perfect. Alessandra being a lawyer and Sofía being a doctor. That was perfect careers. It had to do with Cora Mills and all her jabs about 'proper' jobs, Emma was sure of that. Everything had to be perfect in Cora Mills' world. Regina had once been a part of that world. So it was only natural that she had found the perfect parents for the baby. In some way, she had tried to do what her mother wanted her to do whilst still rebelling by choosing a lesbian couple. And now she had lost Alessandra and Sofía as parents.

"I suppose I better call the adoption agency first thing and tell Señora Lopez that the adoption has fallen through," Regina said more to herself than to Emma. "I wonder if she's ever had that happening before? Maybe I'm just born under an unlucky star or something..."

"I'm sure something similar has happened lots of times," Emma soothed.

"I thought the birth mother was the one who was supposed pull out at the last minute. Not the adoptive parents," Regina darkly joked.

Emma muttered something incoherent. Her brain couldn't stop focusing on the word 'birth mother'. It was lightening up like a neon symbol in her brain. Birth mother, birth mother, BIRTH MOTHER.

"And of course I'll have to tell my dad too," Regina continued, oblivious to Emma's inner struggles. "He'll get all worried. Again." she shook her head and treated herself to another cookie. Most definitely comfort eating.

Emma squeezed her shoulder in an attempt to offer her support.

"Dios," Regina sighed. "All we need is Robin jumping out from a bush and going 'surprise, I'm still here!' or something like that."

"Don't even make jokes about that," Emma growled. "If I see him again, I'll wring his miserable neck!"

"Can I help you?" Regina joked, but then patted Emma's cheek soothingly. Which was pretty ironic.

Emma growled again.

"Calm down, querida. I'm sure I won't see him again," Regina said, still comforting. "He was all talk. Much like that night..."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean exactly?"

"Nothing. He was just pretty drunk. And- and very chatty. Do we have to talk about it?" Regina grimaced. "I wasn't exactly sober either."

"Maybe not, but HE was an idiot," Emma said firmly.

"Aren't all drunk people idiots?" Regina mused.

"Not you."

Regina snorted. "I'm pretty sure Cora would disagree."

"Well, Cora can go-" Emma cleared her throat. "Anyway, I'm sure your dad will handle the news just fine, sweetheart. And I'll obviously go with you to the adoption agency and everything."

"You can go with me to work the night after tomorrow too," Regina said dryly. "I just remembered that I have a shift."

"That's fine too. Obviously, I'd prefer that you didn't have to be on your feet, but-"

"Querida, I have to work."

"I know. Which is why I'm going to shut up now. I'm looking forward to seeing you mix drinks. I like when you do that."

"You won't find a better bartender than I," Regina said with faux pride in her voice.

Emma was just about to tell her girlfriend that she didn't have to search in order to know that there didn't exist a better bartender than her, when they were interrupted. In the cutest way possible. A little boy- no older than five or six- suddenly squeezed his little face in between the small space between the backs of the seats in front of Emma and Regina. He had big blue eyes and sandy blonde hair, dimpled cheeks, and the most adorable gap between his teeth when he smiled. "Hi," he said.

"Hey kid," Emma chuckled at the same time as Regina said: "hello, young man."

"Cookies!" he said excited as he wiggled a hand in between the gap and pointed to the box of cookies in Regina's lap.

"Yeah, that's right," Regina confirmed. "That's cookies."

"Can I have one?" the little boy asked and flashed his dimples in the most adorable, charming smile once more. "Pretty please?"

"Connor!" a woman scolded as she with some trouble turned her head and peered through the tiny space to see what her son was up to. "You can't just ask people for cookies, that's not nice! Now tell the nice lady you're sorry..."

"Sorry," Connor said a bit defiantly.

"Connor," the woman sighed and glanced at Emma and Regina. "I really am sorry. It's a long flight and the young man always have some trouble keeping still. Isn't that right, Connor?"

"Nooo," Connor said. Even more defiantly.

"If it's alright with you, he's more than welcome to have a cookie," Regina said kindly to the mother.

"Hmm," Connor's mother frowned for a second as she considered it. Then she smiled and clearly decided to tease her son a little: "Connor, sweetie, would you like a cookie?"

"Yes, mommy! Yes, yes, yes!" Connor squealed.

"Alright. Then please ask the nice lady. And remember to tell her thank you," the mother instructed.

Connor immediately flashed Regina his nicest smile. "Can I- may I please have a cookie, nice lady?"

"Connor..." his mother sighed while Emma laughed.

"Of course you can, Connor," Regina said, reaching into the box and finding a cookie for him. "You're not allergic to nuts, are you?"

"No!"

"What about chocolate then?" Regina teased. "Are you allergic to that?"

"Nooo!" Connor exclaimed, looking frightened at the very idea while his mother was openly amused.

"Then it's okay," Regina said and handed him a cookie. "There you go, young man. Should we give your mommy a cookie too?"

Connor turned his head and looked at his mom. "Mommy, do you want a cookie too?"

"Why yes, that would be lovely," the mother said, clearly pleasantly surprised. "Thank you," she said warmly as Regina handed her a cookie. Then she nudged her young son once. "What do we say then, Connor?"

"Thank you, nice lady!"

Connor's mother sighed a little as her son turned back around in his seat, fully engaged with eating his cookie. The mother smiled as she looked at Regina. "Congratulations. When are you due?"

"March," Regina replied and returned the mother's smile.

"First baby?" the mother guessed.

"Mm, yes." Now Regina was definitely fidgeting a little in her seat, but Emma doubted that the mother noticed.

"How wonderful," Connor's mother said. "Connor's my third one. His sisters are starting their first and senior year in high school. Connor came as a complete surprise."

"What a nice surprise that must have been," Regina replied, still smiling, but there was definitely something in her eyes now. Something that made Emma want to interrupt the conversation in some kind of way.

"I'm sure this will be too," the mother smiled. "Do you know what you're having?"

Emma's heart sank. If this conversation continued, there was a risk that Regina would get upset all over again!

"A boy," Regina said, and Emma's neck went crick because she turned her head so quickly to look at her girlfriend.

"I mean... I think it's a boy," Regina back-pedaled, flush rising in her cheeks. "But I don't... I don't know for sure." She awkwardly brushed a hand over her red suede skirt.

"Well, whether it's going to be a boy or a girl, I have a feeling that you'll be a wonderful mother," the blonde woman chuckled. "I mean, judging by how you handled my Connor. He said thank you to you. Between you and me, he doesn't do that a lot-"

"Mommy, I have to pee!" Connor rather suddenly declared and tugged at his mother's sleeve.

"Alright, alright," the mother said somewhat tiredly. "Let's go to the bathroom then. Come on." they got up from their seats and walked into the aisle. But halfway towards the bathroom, Connor turned his head and smiled dazzlingly at Regina. "Thank you for the cookie, nice lady!"

"You're welcome, Connor," Regina said and returned the smile without looking much strained.

Mother and son disappeared into the bathroom, and Regina pushed a lock of hair away from her face. Shifted a bit and made herself comfortable. "¿Por qué sucede esto todo el tiempo?"

"Huh?" Emma asked and frowned. She had not heard that sentence before.

"Why does this keep happening?" Regina translated. "Why does children keep gravitating towards me? I know that I was holding a box of cookies, but still... this is the second time something like this happens. It's like with that little girl in the park. Do you remember her?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "I do." How could she possibly forget about the little girl Regina had reunited with her mom? It was true. Children DID gravitate towards Regina. Or perhaps children simply gravitated toward pregnant women a lot.

"It's strange," Regina muttered.

"What is?" Emma asked softly.

Regina did not answer.

"Regina? Sweetheart?"

But Regina still did not answer. For a moment, her expression looked utterly blank, but then she smiled. "I think I want another cookie," she announced and fiddled with the box still in her lap. "Do you want one too, querida?"

"I- yeah, thanks." She was handed a cookie and ate it in silence as she looked at Regina who had turned her head and was now staring out of the little round window. Emma saw the clouds drift by outside and wondered what Regina was thinking about. The little boy she had given a cookie a moment ago, or his mother and what she had said? 'You'll be a wonderful mother'. Emma's gut twisted a little. It was true, Regina kept meeting children and their parents everywhere. Children did indeed gravitate towards her a lot. It wasn't just because of the cookies, Emma refused to believe that. She studied Regina's face again and her heart broke a little bit at what she was seeing. Regina's forehead was wrinkled, and her mouth drawn into a thin line. She looked both younger and older than twenty when she did that. Like she was carrying the whole world on her shoulders. Emma was about to say something to her to bring her out of her funk when Regina put a hand on her belly. "¿Estás bailando de nuevo, mi pequeño?"

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Blueberry is just moving again. That's all. Maybe he does like flying after all," Regina said lightly and reached within her purse again. This time she did not look for snacks, though. Instead she found the magazine she had bought in the airport while they waited to board the plane. 'Pregnancy', the headline read. Underneath, there was a big picture of a very glamorous looking pregnant woman who smiled dazzlingly whilst cradling her pregnant belly. The magazine was apparently loaded with tips and tricks. 'Your guide to the big day', Emma could read. And: 'Birth partners: How to help them help YOU'.

"Can I read that article afterwards?" Emma asked. "I want to know as many tips and tricks as I possibly can."

Regina chuckled just a little. "Sure." Then she turned her attention back to the magazine and read whilst her forehead remained wrinkled and her mouth drawn into a line.

Emma suffocated a sigh and glanced past Regina out of the window. She did not know why, but she had a feeling that this particular trip to Spain would be an eventful one. If everything went accordingly to plan, she and Regina would most likely be visiting the adoption agency tomorrow already, and... Emma wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about that. And judging by Regina's expression, she didn't know how to feel about it either.

Emma gnashed her teeth and her fingers gripped the edge of the seat underneath her. She had to do that. Exactly like she had to gnash her teeth. That was the only way to prevent certain words from slipping out. Certain words like... 'You can still change your mind, Regina. You are allowed to change your mind...'

To Be Continued...

Another 'slow' chapter where not a lot of things happens. That's because we're once again gearing up for something big! Stay tuned ;)

Spanish translations:

Dios!= God!

Mierda= Fuck!

Lo siento, querida= I'm sorry, dear.

Mi amor= My love.

¿Estás bailando de nuevo, mi pequeño?= Are you dancing again, my little one?