At Regina's twenty-week ultrasound, she and Emma decided to once again find out the gender. "Well, this is interesting," the doctor said as he conducted the ultrasound.

"What? Is everything alright?" Regina began to panic.

"Health-wise, yes. It appears that you are carrying multiples."

"Twins again?" Regina asked in shock.

"No, triplets," the doctor said. Both women were speechless, "would you like to know the gender?" The two women nodded and the doctor continued, "all three are healthy baby girls."

Emma and Regina both smiled, but Regina's smile was fake. She was terrified of having a daughter let alone three.

Snow and David couldn't contain the smiles on their faces, "three girls?! That's incredible," David said.

Emma, Henry, Snow, and David were celebrating while Regina was sitting on the couch and staring off into space. Snow turned to find her former stepmother looking unhappy. She walked over and sat beside her, "are you alright?"

"I can't do this," Regina said loudly.

"Do what?" Emma walked over to her wife concerned.

"I can't be a mother to a daughter let alone three."

"Why not?" Snow asked.

Regina looked at Snow and the princess saw deep pain and regret on the queen's face, "you of all people should know the answer to that."

"You're different now," David said.

"Am I? I'm not so sure."

"Mom, it's going to be alright."

"Honey, just take a little time to absorb all of this. When you feel like talking then you find one of us. I will help you in any way I can. We all will. That's a promise."

"I think I'm going to lie down."

Emma helped her wife to her feet, "should I go with you?"

Regina gave Emma a sad smile, "I'll be fine, dear."

Everyone wished that they were confident that everything would be fine. Regina wasn't really in any shape to be carrying one child let alone three. They knew that the pregnancy would only become more difficult for her as it progressed.

Regina was seven months along and still hadn't started on the nursery. She never went to anyone to talk about her fears regarding the girls.

"Mom, I don't know what to do," Emma said at lunch with her mother one day.

"I wish I knew how to help."

"She's so withdrawn."

"There has to be a way to help her." Snow noticed a change in her daughter's attitude, "Emma, are you, are you thinking about giving up on her?"

Emma felt tears fall down her face, "I'm so tired, mom," she said as she began to cry. "I'm taking care of the twins, Henry, and Regina. Then I'll have the triplets. I feel so alone in all of this."

"We're here to help."

"I know, but you have baby Neal and I feel that it's my responsibility to take care of them."

"Yes, but now you are burnt out. Emma, I know things are tough right now. If you want to take a few days to yourself and go away then we will take over. I'm sure Regina would understand."

"I guess I could talk to her about it." Emma sighed before standing and walking to the living room. Regina was sitting on the couch reading and noticed that Emma looked quite serious. "Can we talk for a moment?"

"Sure, dear," Regina marked her page and placed her book on the side table.

"I was talking to my mom and, well, it's just that, I've been feeling very overwhelmed and worn out lately. My mom offered to take over so I could go away for a couple of days."

"Just a couple of days?" Regina asked suspiciously.

"Yeah," it took Emma a moment to realize what Regina was thinking, "you think I won't come back?"

"Isn't that what you do, dear, when things get tough?"

"It's what I did. I just need a break."

"From me?"

"From everything! Look, I'm taking care of Henry, the twins, you, and soon the triplets. I need a break or..."

"Or what? You really will leave?"

"I'm so close to giving up on you." That statement made Regina's heart sink and her eyes widen. "You have barely spoken to me in two months. You won't do anything about the nursery and all you do is sulk all day long. Yes, you had probably the worst mother ever, but you are an incredible mother. Our girls will love you more than anything."

Regina stared at her wife as tears fell down both of their faces, "leave," Regina said emotionally.

"What?"

"You want to leave so leave."

"I never said I wanted that."

"Leave my house."

"So now it's your house again?" Emma didn't wait for an answer before leaving the room. A half-hour later, Emma left, but she took the boys with her.

Snow walked into the living room later that evening, "dinner is almost ready."

"Okay," she said softly, "could you find Emma for me?" Regina noticed the princess change her demeanor, "what?"

"You told her to leave," she whispered.

"And she did?" Regina's voice was more emotional than ever before. Snow just nodded. "What about the boys? They'll be crushed."

"They went with her."

Regina grabbed her cane and stood more easily than she had in over a year. Snow grabbed the woman's arm to stop her from leaving the room. "What are you doing?" Regina asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"I can't let this happen. I need them. I need her. I was upset when she confided in me about how she feels and made an ass of myself. Please, Snow, you have to help me." Regina gasped in pain and dropped her cane as she placed the now free hand on her belly.

"Regina, what's wrong?"

"It hurts so bad," she breathed out.

Snow wrapped an arm around the woman and helped her out to the car. "What's going on?" David asked as he walked up to the back door.

"She's either in false labor or real labor."

"I'll drive," David said. Snow had sent him a message to not mention Emma and why. Snow sat in the back and held Regina while trying to soothe her. She could tell the woman was absolutely terrified.