Green eyes fixated on a collection of small, digital numbers, anxious, yet excited, as they awaited what was to come. Each digit seemed as if it took millennia to turn; yet they seemed to change before the orbs that stared could even blink. Every second that ticked by had turned yet another page in Emma Swan's future, preparing to unlock a new chapter.
This new chapter was something the two of them had been thinking about for quite some time and, honestly, it was no shock when they were in bed one night and Regina had brought it up. The two of them had been married for over a year by that time; Emma was in her last year of college while Regina still held onto her teaching job at the high school. And that was the reason why the older woman had "subtly" suggested her plan to the blonde.
She wasn't getting any younger, she had said, and the time on her biological clock was no doubt running short. Now Emma, being who she was, had been ecstatic about the prospect of finally getting to see Regina with a swollen belly.
A baby.
Regina hadn't pushed it onto the blonde since she was still in school and "still so very young and I know that you want to live your life before being stuck with raising a child." Emma, though, didn't mind. After all, she was twenty-two and would be on the force with Graham by the time the baby would be born.
With a few more reassurances, Regina had made an appointment the next day to see what they would have to do. Emma had happily tagged along, smiling excitedly as she held her wife's hand and listened as the doctor told them of the procedures and what they needed to do in preparation. Tracking charts and ovulation tests had Emma's head spinning and Regina grinning.
They had to wait at least two weeks before they knew if the procedure had taken. Cautiously, they waited an extra two and smiled when Regina had missed her monthly friend, which had led them to a similar moment just as this.
The blonde swallowed and unclenched her aching fingers, stretching them as she finally peeled her eyes away from the searing orange when she heard the creaking of the hardwood floor. Those sharp emerald orbs lifted to meet whiskey pools, a frown claiming her lips as she stood, her legs nearly giving way underneath her weight.
"Are you alright, Gina?" She inquired, shifting closer to the older woman when Regina had paused in her stride. "What did it say?"
A few moments of silence passed after Emma's question and it didn't take her long to stick the pieces together. Their eyes connected once again in a silent confirmation before the older woman's lips quivered as she leaned heavily against her younger lover.
"I'm sorry, Emma," she whimpered into the blonde's cotton shirt, body shuddering slightly.
"Sorry?" Emma felt her heart fall at the small apology and held the woman tightly. "You don't need to be sorry, Gina. It's not your fault…"
"It is…" she murmured quietly, nose buried in the soft, pale skin of Emma's neck. "I'm just too old."
"Regina, stop that." The blonde sighed softly, her fingers unconsciously curling into the older woman's. "Sometimes these tests can be faulty, y'know? And besides that, the doctor said you were good to go."
Before she knew it, she was pulling her wife along with her and back to the bathroom. Regina murmured something softly behind her and, when the blonde had gazed back, she saw a glimmer of hope in those beautiful eyes.
Emma offered the brunette a reassuring smile, hoping that her own words could remove the sudden pit that occupied her stomach. Regina's lips quirked up into a soft smile as she allowed herself to be guided by Emma towards the toilet as the latter had picked up the box that still held the unused pregnancy test. Anxious, mocha eyes watched as the blonde plucked the little device out and examined it.
"These seem pretty cheap," she muttered softly, handing the test over to Regina. "That's why I like using the ones from the store."
Regina accepted the test and prepared herself on the toilet, softly sighing as she spoke. "This is what the doctor gave us. It should be just as good."
Emma guided her attention to the abandoned box on the sink. She read as she turned the box, brows squishing slightly at the nondescript packaging. If she knew any better, she would say that it was off brand. Suddenly she felt a spark of anger sprout in her being at the thought.
The doctor at the office- Dr. Harmon- seemed like a nice woman. She had kind eyes, a round face, and chocolate hair, though Emma clocked her dye job when she saw silvery-blonde roots when the two were near each other. She had faint creases in her skin underneath the pound of makeup she wore on her face, in which Emma had noticed became more prominent when she found out the two of them were not friends, but married, instead.
The kind eyes that had once attracted the couple towards Dr. Harmon had soon faded into that of contempt, though she attempted to conceal it. The clinic that they visited was free of discrimination and the employees were open and accepting, for the most part. Emma, being one for eye contact, had noticed it straightaway and couldn't help but to see it every time they looked at one another.
Regina hadn't seemed to take notice, as she never did, or at least hadn't said a thing to Emma about it. The blonde had fretted, though, during each appointment and each examination by the doctor. She didn't want anything to be botched. The two of them had poured too much time, effort, and money into this for it all to be a complete failure.
Emma sighed softly, bringing her thoughts to an end as she gazed at the brunette who still sat upon the porcelain seat, the pregnancy test gripped between her fingers. The negative test drew back into her mind. Dr. Harmon had said the first insemination might not take, and it may take up to four, plus, more procedures for one to get pregnant. At first, Emma had thought this was just another ploy to ruin their plans, but when the two had returned home, she spent time on reading their pamphlets and books, only to find the doctor to be correct.
She had spoken to Regina about this, tentative and frowning, because that was a lot of money to be spending on sperm. The brunette teacher had reassured plenty of times that they had the funds for it and said not to worry; this was all for the baby that they would be bringing into the world, anyways. Unfortunately, though, this was their fifth attempt.
Emma leaned against the sink, her eyes never leaving the little stick in her wife's hand. She didn't know how much time had passed, but her back ached slightly as the edge of the sink dug into it and that was when her eyes finally met with Regina's. Gods, she looks anxious.
"Is it time?" Emma asked, her voice croaking slightly. Her mouth was dry.
Regina nodded quietly in response and swallowed, slowly extending her arm towards her blonde wife. Emma looked momentarily confused when she looked down, but took the little test carefully between her fingers and swallowed hard, her heart thumping in her chest. Her eyes searched for the results and when she found them, her entire being seemed to deflate.
"It's negative," she murmured softly, green eyes meeting with chestnut.
The brunette's breath hitched slightly, but she nodded and stood, fixing the dress that she wore. She didn't say a word.
Emma threw the disappointing piece of plastic into the trash with its counterpart and followed the older woman as she quietly left the small room. "Are you alright, Gina?"
Her question was met with silence when Regina had stopped just before their bedroom, her body slightly tense. Emma frowned and closed the distance between them, a hand gently smoothing up the fabric on her back. She felt her relax underneath the caress and heard the content sigh that fell from the brunette's lips.
"Dr. Harmon said it may take a few tries," she murmured softly, defeatedly.
Emma nodded, even though the older woman couldn't see her. "I know, baby."
"I'm just so… tired." The older woman's next words had Emma's heart dropping to her stomach.
"I am, too." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Regina pressed herself against the blonde and Emma accepted the form, wrapping her arms tightly around the brunette's waist. Five tries it had taken and each time it was a disappointment. It was slowly wearing Emma to the bone. They threw away many tests, each from the clinic, and even a few that Emma had brought out of protest from the store; all were negative.
She knew that there were people that had tried for years to accomplish getting pregnant. She felt almost stupid- selfish- that she was so angry, so depressed, over the past months of their trying. Though, as she attempted to piece together how many months they had been trying for, it added up to almost an entire year. Emma knew that these things took time to happen, but Gods, she hadn't thought that it would have taken this long, or would be this exhausting, and ultimately disappointing.
And she still didn't exactly trust their doctor, but it was hard convincing her bright-eyed wife to seek assistance elsewhere. Regina didn't want to have to restart the process all over again with another doctor, which had Emma seeking alternative methods behind her back. But, in the meantime, she had given Dr. Harmon the benefit of the doubt and smiled when she saw the silver roots the more they had shown.
"We'll get pregnant, I promise you." Emma whispered softly into Regina's ear, her fingers curling into the soft fabric of her dress. "Three might have been a charm, but six is even better, right?"
"I hope you're right, Emma." Regina turned her head slightly, nosing the blonde's cheek. "I love you, you know?"
"I know," she said softly, smiling, "because I love you, too."
It was approximately two weeks later that the two of them had found themselves back in the small room at the clinic. Regina sat upon the cold leather of the examining table as Emma sat in a small, black plastic chair next to her, eyes on the oak door as they waited for the doctor.
"Sixth time's a charm, right?" Emma tried to lighten the mood, emerald orbs twinkling when she brought them upon her wife, pale digits curling into olive ones.
"I certainly hope so," she replied, a helpless grin splayed on her features. "I am quite tired of seeing this office already. And this bed is very uncomfortable."
"I'm sorry." Emma scooted even closer to her lover, head laying on the older woman's hospital gown clad thigh. "I wish it would be more comfortable."
"It's fine. It'll be worth it." Regina's eyes even smiled. Emma found herself lost in a sea of chestnut, enamored by the warmth and reassurance that they had provided.
"I hope-" Emma's words were cut off by a knock-knock on the door before the oaken slab was pushed open to reveal a smiling- nay, scowling- woman with black, framed glasses and chestnut hair in a bun. She greeted them with a short "hello" before closing the door behind her to take the small, black rolling stool that squeaked underneath her weight.
"Alright, now, we're here for another procedure, hm?" She didn't look up, instead, she buried her nose in the documentation that she had brought in with her.
"Yes." Regina nodded slightly as Emma slowly shifted from her position to lean against the bed.
"Of course…" The words that came from the doctor's mouth sounded like a scoff, or at least Emma had thought so. She wrinkled her nose and shot daggers into that foul chestnut bun.
With a drawn sigh and a cluck of her tongue, Dr. Harmon finally looked up from the papers before tossing the manila envelope onto the counter. "I doubt it will work this time, either, but it's your money," the woman muttered as she pushed her wheeled stool towards the couple. The blonde wasn't sure if the doctor had meant the words for only herself, or not, but that didn't stop her from speaking.
"Excuse me?" Emma could see the slight downturn of Regina's crimson lips, a slight shiver coursing down her spine. Maybe she was finally seeing the contempt that this woman had for them.
"I've seen couples come in smiling and leave frowning. Sometimes it can be unsuccessful all around." Dr. Harmon shrugged as she did her check-up protocol on Emma's wife, her lips never holding a smile. "Further examination may show infertility. But if you want to keep coming back and throwing your money away, then, that's up to you"
"We've had a clear go from several doctors. My wife's uterus is fine." Emma found herself murmuring. She scowled when the doctor demanded Regina into a different position to check her abdomen, causing her to spike up like a porcupine.
"Oh, I know," she muttered before moving away completely to set up a small machine. "I'm just saying not to hold your breath. God knows what He's doing and who He sees fit to bring a child into the world."
"God?" Emma scoffed, then flinched when she felt Regina bat her arm with the back of her hand, giving her one of those looks.
"Yes, God. He wouldn't let just anyone have a child." Then she gave the two of them a look that told Emma she had meant them.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes."
"Even the ones that just abandon their -"
"Emma, that's enough." Regina interrupted, and it was only then that Emma had noticed the sudden frustration that seemed to flare up within their doctor.
The chestnut-haired woman pushed the machine back roughly, having finished the examination minutes ago, and turned a heated glare on the blonde. She didn't say anything, initially, as she turned to collect the items needed for the procedure, though made no attempt to hide her anger. When she turned back, her crystal blue eyes fell on Emma once more as she finally spoke, "yes. He intends for those children to bear the struggle and suffering of the world so the other children don't have to."
"That doesn't even make sense!" Emma didn't have her own sense to keep her mouth shut. If there ever was a reason for Dr. Harmon to botch their procedure, it would be this.
"Obviously, you wouldn't understand," she sneered, urging Regina to take proper position.
Emma found herself watching her wife in that moment and decided to bite her tongue, even though she could tell the doctor a thing or two about a thing or two.
"I thought so." Dr. Harmon smirked, and it was the first time that Emma saw her smile since first meeting her, but it hadn't lasted long, and was gone when she settled back into reality from her gloat. The next few minutes were quiet as the doctor finished up the procedure; Emma holding onto Regina's hand the entire time. Once all was said and done, the doctor moved away and rambled off what they heard so many times before, concluding with an, "I'll see you in a couple of weeks."
"I hope not," Emma found herself mumbling, squeezing her brunette wife's hand.
"Oh, I will." Dr. Harmon smiled, but it was cold and unfriendly. Emma found herself perturbed and seeking solace in her lover's familiar features once the older woman had left them.
"I hope we won't. I hope it'll work…" The blonde whispered when the door had closed behind that wicked woman's posterior. "I can't stand her."
"I know, my swan, but we must do this."
"I mean," Emma continued, deaf to her wife's words, "did you hear what she said? 'He wouldn't let just anyone have a child.'"
"Emma…" Regina sighed as if this was something regular, and it was, as Emma had always complained afterwards of their unsavory doctor.
"And the way she gave me that look, like she was talking about us." Her face scrunched up as if she smelled something foul. "I know she doesn't like us. I mean, that we're married. I wonder how many other couples she's tortured."
"Honey, just let it go." The brunette shifted slightly, mocha eyes falling on her better half. The warm, familiar gaze had Emma melting into a puddle; serenity took her in that moment. When she nodded, Regina smiled and touched her hair, olive fingers sliding through golden locks. "Hopefully we won't have to work much longer with her."
"I hope so, too. I mean, it's got to work this time, right? Just to fucking spite that sun-dried Barbie cunt."
Regina chuckled softly, "now, that isn't a nice thing to say, Emma."
"Yeah, but you laughed." Emma found herself smiling; something that came easy when around the brunette.
"I'm going to hell, aren't I?"
"I certainly hope not, my love." An adoring smile stretched the brunette's crimson lips as she touched Emma's cheek. "Because I love you too much to let you go."
"I think we are literally in hell right now." Emma grumbled, eyes moving around the room that the two of them had become all too familiar with.
"Well, that certainly would explain Satan who just stuck a syringe up my vagina." Regina grinned while Emma laughed unexpectedly at the joke.
It took her a few moments to calm down enough and lift her head - which had stuck to that godawful examination bed - to say, "Gods, do I ever love you, Gina?"
The older woman giggled at the words even though she had heard them so many times before. "Good," she purred, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to her wife's lips.
"Now, how much longer do we have to wait?" Emma sighed softly when Regina had pulled away.
"About twenty minutes, my love."
Emma quietly pulled the apartment door closed behind her as she entered, the sound of plastic bags crinkling in her wake. With a slight flinch, she found her eyes flying to the hallway and the open door of the master bedroom. When she was met with silence, the blonde grinned and carefully made her way towards the kitchen to set the bags onto the counter.
There was a sudden mew that drew her attention to a small, light gray ball in her hand. Her smile widened further when her eyes met with large, jade orbs. Then there was another soft meow that emanated from that tiny being causing the smile on Emma's pale lips to widen.
Regina would most likely kill Emma for adopting this little bundle of fluff, but the blonde had a good reason for it. She wanted to cheer that very brunette up. Kittens were cute. They always seemed to bring a smile to Regina's face whenever she saw adorable pictures or videos of them.
The young woman gently ran a finger along a dark gray stripe on the kitten's head, a bittersweet smile on her lips. Regina had been down lately, as had she, both wallowing in a sort of defeated aura. The results from their latest procedure had matched the ones before it; negative. That had only been a few days ago.
Emma frowned slightly at the thought as she slowly made her way to the bedroom, small kitten in hand, to where Regina had seemed to spend most her time over the past couple of days. Shortly after they took the pregnancy test, she had come down with a terrible cold. The blonde hadn't left the room much, either, risking exposure to take care her wife. She didn't want to leave Regina alone, although she did attempt to make research progress on alternative methods to conceive when the brunette found slumber amid her exhaustion.
The doctor that they were seeing left a foul taste in her mouth. As many times as they had gone through the procedure, it had always turned up fruitless. That's when she thought it would have been better if the two of them could just do it themselves. Then there would be no way that things could "go wrong."
She had found a way to do so after bringing it up with her wife. The brunette was skeptical, but soon smiled at the thought of being able to go through this process by themselves, in the privacy of their own home. It was something they were willing to try after Regina recovered.
Smiling once again, Emma slowly climbed onto the bed where her sleeping wife was snoring peacefully. The blonde gently deposited the kitten onto Regina's chest where the small animal immediately curled up. She smiled at the sight, glad that the kitten had taken well to her wife already.
Regina's eyelids fluttered when she felt the disturbance before they opened to reveal confused, chestnut eyes. They immediately honed in on the gray fluff ball snoozing on her chest. Emma attempted to stifle her giggle.
"Wh-what is this? What am I seeing?" Regina's voice cracked slightly as she spoke, but Emma caught her words clearly.
"A kitten," she responded nonchalantly, grinning from ear to ear.
"Why is there a kitten on me? Emma!" It didn't take long for those nostrils to flare, but as soon as they had, she began to cough, alerting the poor kitten on her chest.
The blonde quickly grabbed the tiny creature as Regina sat up, grabbing a tissue from the night stand. Emma bit her lip and held the kitten close, gently stroking its soft fur. "Baby, are you okay? It sounds like you're hacking up a lung."
"I'm…" Her response was interrupted by another thick cough before she leaned against the headboard, sighing heavily. "…fine."
"Did you take your medicine?" Emma shifted up next to the brunette and carefully set the kitten onto her wife once again.
Regina was quiet for a moment as she examined the small creature before a tentative hand moved towards it. As soon as olive fingers met gray fur, the kitten started to purr and the brunette smiled. Emma could see her relax slightly as she began to rhythmically stroke the kitten. "Yes, before I took a nap."
The younger woman nodded slightly, snuggling against the warm body of her lover. "Good."
"You never did answer me about this kitten, Emma."
"Oh, uh…" Emma's cheeks bloomed. "Well… Sh-she's no baby, but…"
Regina sighed, "Emma…"
"I know how upset you were, Gina. I thought you could use the distraction."
"This is a kitten, sweetheart, not a toy." The older woman cupped the kitten as she curled up and fell asleep once again, purring.
"Oh, come on, you already love her." Emma couldn't help the smarmy grin that quirked on her lips at the way Regina had looked at the bundle of fur on her stomach. "And she likes you, obviously."
"You're going to guilt me into keeping this cat, aren't you?" Regina's lips twitched slightly, letting Emma know the answer.
"Yes," the blonde purred in response, offering an innocent smile.
"Gods, of course," she muttered, shaking her head, though continued to smile. "Does she have a name?"
"Uh… The shelter called her Milly." Emma shrugged slightly, using a finger to gently stroke the kitten's whiskered cheek.
Regina blinked slightly. "Why that?"
"They said it's short for Millicent, which means strong, I guess." She smiled a bit. "They said someone brought her in after finding her abandoned in a box in some alley. The poor little baby was half dead and malnourished, but she pulled through, she was strong." When she had initially heard the story, her heart wrenched, as it did for the other animals in the shelter. She wished she could have taken them all home.
"That's sad…" The brunette frowned, now, her finger smoothing over the light gray fur of Milly, tracing along the darker gray stripes and over a few ginger patches. "How did you choose her?"
"Well," Emma started, chuckling softly, "as I was making my rounds by the cages, she caught my attention with a cute little mew and tried to bat at me. I asked to hold her and just… fell in love, I guess."
Regina chuckled softly at this, leaning into Emma. "She reminds me of you."
Emma blinked. "Really?"
"Yes," she replied, nodding slightly. "She's a fighter, like you. And she has these gorgeous green eyes. Plus, it looks like she loves to cuddle me, as well."
"Huh… I never thought of that." Emma chuckled softly and turned her head to press a soft kiss to her lover's raven locks. "So… you're not gonna kill me, right, for getting a kitten?"
The brunette was quiet for a moment, leaving Emma to frown slightly as her heart started to slowly sink into the pit of her stomach, but the moment had soon passed before Regina murmured softly, "no. I wish you would have consulted me first, but it was a- it was a nice surprise. An adorable surprise, really."
Emma felt herself relax against the bed as she released the air she didn't know she had held captive in her lungs. With an airy giggle, she pressed another kiss to her wife's head and spoke. "Good, 'cause I would be sad if you killed me."
"You're cleaning up the messes and the cat litter."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll be held responsible." Emma muttered playfully.
"Speaking of, did you bother to buy any supplies?"
"Duh, I'm not stupid." When Regina quirked a brow at her, the blonde offered a cheeky smile. "I have everything in the kitchen. I'll set it up later, but right now, I don't really want to move."
The older woman scoffed softly and shifted carefully, trying not to wake up the sleeping Milly. "You'll have to eventually." And, as if on cue, Emma's phone began to vibrate as the familiar chime of Mary Margaret's ringtone filled the air.
Groaning, Emma shifted slightly to pull the small device out of her pants pocket and unlocked it to answer the call. "Hey, Mary Margaret, what's up?"
"Hi, Emma! How are you?"
The blonde blinked slightly before relaxing back against the headboard. Regina offered a puzzled look before the blonde shrugged and put her phone on speaker, setting the device on her thigh. "I'm alright, I guess. Just laying in bed with Gina."
"Oh! Tell her I said hi!"
"You're on speaker."
"Hello, Mary Margaret, how are you doing?" The older woman asked, chuckling softly when Emma's mother had made a soft "oh" sound.
"I'm fine. How are you?"
"Sick. But I'm recovering," she replied with a grumble.
"Yeah, she caught something from work. I'm pretty sure I'm next in line." The blonde quirked a brow at her lover who, in return, glared at her.
"You wanted to cuddle me while I was infectious."
"Because I need to cuddle you. And how could I not when you're whimpering in the middle of the night because you hurt?"
"Oh, no, do you guys have the flu? Remember, lots of liquid. And soup! Don't forget the soup!"
"Mom, I know. She's almost over it." The blonde crinkled her nose slightly when Regina just smiled at her. "And it was a nasty cold."
"Good. I hope you're feeling better. I know that it's going around. David was just sick last week."
"Thank you, Mary Margaret," Regina said, her fingers moving back towards the kitten once again as the second pair seemed to have found themselves curling into Emma's own. The blonde smiled. "Is he doing well?"
"Yes. He's back to work and everything. I took as many antibiotics that I could, but earlier this year I had my flu shot, so I should be okay." Mary Margaret's voice chirped over the speaker.
"So, uh, mom… What did you want to talk about?" Emma shifted slightly, her fingers gently squeezing the olive hand in her own. "I know you called for more than to just checkup and to tell us to eat soup."
"Oh, yes. I have some exciting news!" The schoolteacher was barely able to contain the squeaky excitement in her voice.
"Well, I doubt it's David getting over the flu," Emma joked, earning a soft giggle from her mother.
"Much more exciting!" There was a slight pause before she spoke again, her voice nearly a squeal, "I'm pregnant!"
Emma blinked. Then blinked again. Mary Margaret was pregnant? She hadn't even known that the couple were trying. They hadn't told her a thing, but then again, she never told them that she and Regina were trying, either. She didn't want the false hope and excitement.
"Emma?" The voice on the other end was quiet now, tentative, as it sounded.
It was then that Emma realized she hadn't said a word. Her heart had suddenly grown heavier. "O-oh, really?"
"Yes! I'm sorry that we didn't tell you we were thinking about trying, sweetheart. Are you angry?"
"Huh? What? No… Of course not, Mary Margaret. I'm happy for you. I know that you two were planning to do this at some point." Emma swallowed around the lump in her throat. Regina must have noticed the sudden change, for she felt a squeeze at her hand and a soft pair of lips on her temple.
"Oh, good. I didn't want to upset you, Emma."
"How could you upset me? I'm an adult now and I know you guys were ready. It's fine, mom, honestly."
"Are you sure, Emma? We aren't trying to replace you…"
"I'm fine, alright?" Emma said, perhaps a little too aggressively. She sighed softly when Regina squeezed her hand once again and closed her eyes, leaning against the very woman that brought her comfort. She hadn't realized how much this had affected her until this moment. She tried to keep everything bottled in, to keep herself in one piece.
"Emma, my love, are you alright?" She heard the husky voice of her wife inquire as another pair of soft lips dropped to her forehead.
"Emma, sweetheart, please… I didn't mean to upset you." Mary Margaret's voice chimed in the room and all Emma felt was a heaviness in her heart.
"It's not your fault, Mary Margaret. We're going through some things right now. I am happy for you." That was what Emma had meant to say, but it came out garbled when the bubble of a sob escaped. "It's fine, it's fine. I'm fine." She repeated, trying to make it clear that it wasn't her mother's pregnancy that made her seem crazy, but the very thought of it.
"I think you should call back later, Mary Margaret," Regina said, taking Emma's phone from her lap when the younger woman buried her face in the brunette's raven locks. "We are truly happy for you, dear, and cannot wait to meet the little one."
"Of course, Regina. Again, I-I'm sorry if I upset Emma. I didn't mean to. I hope everything is fine. Please call me later, alright?"
Regina made a positive affirmation before the two of them hung up. When the phone was set aside, Emma felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around her trembling frame. She sighed contentedly through the mucous that now clogged her nose. Then she sniffled and pulled away, making an apologetic noise when she saw a wet spot on her lover's shirt.
"Emma, honey…" Regina murmured softly, her voice like a lullaby. "What's wrong?" Though the question was soft, as if she had already known the answer.
Emma shook her head slightly, wiping the tears off her cheeks with the palms of her hands. "Me being stupid."
"You're not stupid," her wife chided, shifting a hand up to cup her damp cheek. "Everything that's going on has been very stressful. We haven't allowed ourselves to breathe."
"I don't understand," she whispered, leaning heavily against the brunette. "I mean… I thought I was doing okay. I didn't…" She frowned to herself. "I kept telling myself this is normal, you know? It takes a while to happen."
"I know, Emma," Regina cooed softly, fingers gingerly combing through golden locks. "Just remember that we will get through this. And, in the end, no matter what may happen, we will still have each other." Emma heard a soft chuckle in her ear before the brunette spoke again, drawing the younger woman's attention towards the little gray fur ball that had managed to curl up at the foot of the bed. "And, of course, Milly."
The blonde couldn't help but to giggle to herself at the thought of the little kitten. She felt her heart expand. Perhaps she had adopted the kitten for a deeper reason than she had known at the time. Milly was for the both of them; something to love and to take care of. "She's our baby."
"She is, yes," Regina agreed, smiling absently at the tiny, green-eyed kitten before bringing it to her wife. "Hopefully we'll be able to give her a sibling, hm?"
Emma could feel herself grin even wider at the thought and suddenly she was thrown into a future with a dark-haired child toddling after a frightened gray blur. "Me too."
"In a few weeks, yes?" The brunette hummed.
"Yes. And this time, we won't have to deal with that devil woman." The older woman snorted at the blonde's words. "Gods, I wonder what Mary Margaret will say. I never said anything to her about any of this…"
Regina pulled the covers away with an exaggerated sigh and a slight shiver. "I'm sure she will be happy."
"Yeah, I hope so." Emma watched as the brunette stood from the bed, clad in her silken pajamas. "Uh… I have to call her back, don't I?"
"Not right now, dear." Regina turned and offered a hand to the blonde, a sweet smile on her pink lips. "I've finally gained an appetite and I'm starving."
"We have to eat soup, Gina, remember?" The blonde chuckled softly and took the offered hand as she stood, stretching slightly. Her wife donned a displeased look before shaking her head.
"I've had enough soup and tea. I want something solid." Her words were interrupted by a soft mew from Milly who had now stood at the edge of the bed, looking up at them. "Grab the baby cat. I'm sure she's hungry, as well."
"As it pleases you, my queen." Emma smirked and gently scooped the kitten up before following Regina out of the bedroom, laughing at the eye roll that her words had earned.