A/N: Hello, thank you so much to those of you who reviewed the last chapter, and thank for your patience with this story. I'm sorry it has been so long. I've had a new job this year and its been crazy! This is a shorter update, but I thought I needed to post something because it has been so long. I recently posted two shorter updates on one of my other stories and it seemed to go well so I hope this one is okay too!

~ Chapter 111 ~

Regina was silent on the way to the hospital. She and Emma were being driven by David in his truck, while Mary Margaret and Henry followed in Emma's car. There had been some consideration over whether Henry and Mary Margaret should come with them to the hospital at all, but Henry wouldn't hear of being left behind.

As David slowed the truck at a red light, Emma turned from where she was seated between her father and Regina to see if Mary Margaret was still behind them. Henry saw her turn around and waved to her from the passenger's seat of the yellow bug. Emma forced a smile for him and returned the wave, but then turned back around to face the front. She snuck a sideways glance at Regina, who was leaning her elbow on the window sill and was resting the side of her head against her hand. Regina had been relatively quiet since she and Emma had gotten out of bed that morning. Emma wasn't sure if it was just nerves over the fast-approaching operation, or if it was more to do with the question Emma had pressed on her that morning.

Emma felt butterflies in her stomach as she worried she had thrown too much at Regina on an already stressful morning. She hadn't intended on proposing so soon, but she had just been swept up in the moment.

"Regina… I'm sorry if I put too much on you this morning. I just got caught up in the moment and I… well you mean so much to me."

Regina lifted her head and met Emma's gaze. "There's nothing to apologize for. What you said… what you asked… it took me by surprise, that's all."

"So I didn't you know… freak you out or anything?"

Regina smiled. "Of course not. And I love you for asking me. But like I said, I don't want us to agree to anything just because we think it might be our only opportunity. I want to do it right."

David glanced at them curiously. "What are we talking about now?"

Emma nudged him with her elbow. "Hey, keep your eyes on the road."

"It's a secret between me and Emma." Regina said softly, before resting her head on her hand again and closing her eyes. "I'm sorry." She said, sharing a smile with Emma.

Once they arrived at the hospital, Emma and Regina said goodbye to Henry, Snow and David. Regina hugged Henry for a little bit longer than was necessary, and then kissed the top of his head. "We'll see you later okay?"

"Okay.' Henry said in a small voice. "I love you Mom."

"I know," she responded softly. "I love you too."

Henry hugged Emma while Regina thanked Snow and David for coming with them.

When Emma and Regina were taken to get prepped for their surgeries, Henry wrapped his arms tightly around Snow. "Are my moms going to be okay?" He asked in worry.

"Of course they will be Henry," Snow smiled. She didn't think she had ever heard Henry call Emma mom before.

Emma and Regina were put in the same room while they waited for the hospital staff to prepare the operating rooms. Four operating rooms and four separate surgical teams were needed for the paired donations, so it had been several weeks since the initial pairing had been made with the anonymous donor and recipient pair.

Both women were resting in beds that were beside each other.

Emma bit her lip nervously and looked over at Regina. The brunette was lying back and her eyes were staring forward. Her arms were hugging the edge of the blanket that was over her.

"How are you doing Regina?" Emma asked gently.

Regina could sense the other woman's eyes on her. She nodded a little. "I'm okay." She responded quietly. She cast her eyes downwards. "No that's not true." She turned her head to meet Emma's gaze, giving a small sigh. "I'm afraid Emma." She confessed.

Emma gave a smile of understanding. "I am too, a little. But there's nothing to worry about. We're going to be fine."

Regina didn't return the smile and instead looked down at her hands. "Promise me after this that we'll all go home soon okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah of course we will." Emma responded, but after a few moments she wasn't sure if Regina meant Storybrooke or the apartment. A part of her didn't want to ask for clarification.

There was a knock at the door and a nurse entered. "The operating rooms are all set for you, are you both feeling ready?"

"Yes," Emma responded, looking away from the nurse to look at Regina.

Regina glanced at Emma before nodding to the nurse. "Yes," she whispered. Her eyes were glistening as she met Emma's eyes again. "I love you," she mouthed.

Emma smiled in response. "I love you too Regina. See you on the other side."

That finally prompted a small smile from Regina, who nodded and blinked back her tears.

"It's going to be okay Regina."

Regina let out a shaky breath, nodding again in agreement.

"I know you've already been told this," the nurse said, "but you'll both be given an anesthetic. You won't be conscious or feel any pain at all throughout the surgery. It could take anywhere between three to five hours but I promise you'll be asleep the entire time. Do you have any questions?

"No," Regina and Emma both responded.

Henry wanted to stay at the hospital the whole time during his mothers' surgeries, so he and his grandparents waited there for the hours and hours it took.

After what felt like an entire day, one of the doctors came out to speak with them.

"How are they doing?" Snow asked, standing up. "Can we see them?"

"Both of the surgeries are now complete and Emma and Regina are each resting. Emma has just woken up but it will be some time before she's ready for visitors. She's still a little drowsy."

"And Regina?" David asked, putting his hand on Henry's shoulder.

"Regina is still sleeping but her surgery did also take a bit longer. She should be waking up within a few hours."

"How did the surgeries go?"

"Very well."

"Did the transplant work?" Henry asked eagerly. "Is my Mom going to get better now?"

The doctor gave him an apologetic smile. "It's still too early to tell. I'm sorry. We'll be giving your mom some medicine that will help her body accept and get used to the new organ. I'm remaining positive for a success. Now if you will excuse me I have to go prepare for another surgery. A nurse will be out to tell you when you can visit with Emma. Have a good rest of your day."

Snow waited anxiously for the nurse to come for them, and when she finally did, Snow practically ran to be the first one to see her daughter.

"If I may please ask that you go in one at a time." The nurse said. "Emma does still need her rest."

Snow nodded and immediately went into the room, not checking with the other two first.

Emma was lying in bed, her eyes were closed but by her soft breathing Snow knew that she was awake.

"Hi Emma," Snow whispered as she tried to quietly scoot a chair up beside the hospital bed. "It's me."

Emma's eyes groggily peeked open before closing again. "Hey," she said, smiling a little. "It's my mom."

Snow's eyes glistened as she reached softly for Emma's hand. "Yes honey it's me. How are you feeling?"

"Pregnant." Emma responded a little grumpily.

"What?"

Emma didn't open her eyes when she indicated her belly. "Totally pregnant."

Snow looked to the small mound where Emma's stomach was under the blankets. Emma's abdomen had been pumped with air to make it easier to remove the kidney from her.

"Oh I see…" Snow replied. "It will take a few days to go down I think. Does it feel strange?"

Emma shook her head slightly. "Good thing Regina has kick-ass medical insurance. I don't think I could have paid for this and my dog."

"Dog?" Snow asked, raising her brow a little in confusion.

"Oh… I mean my apartment." Emma said tiredly. She blinked open her eyes. "Actually… I should get Regina a dog, or does she like giraffes better? Can you… ask her–" Emma closed her eyes and Snow could tell that Emma had gone back to sleep.

Snow smiled and touched Emma's cheek gently. "Sleep well." She whispered.

Snow took a few moments to get up and leave the room. When she got to the door she glanced back at Emma. "She's asleep again." Snow said to David and Henry who were just outside the doorway.

"How is she?" David asked.

"Oh… I think a little delirious from the anaesthetic. You can probably still go in and see her if you like though."

David nodded, and gently nudged Henry forward, knowing he was anxious to see how Emma was doing.

Snow wrapped her arms around David. "She's already making jokes. Well, it's probably the anaesthetic talking because she wants to buy a real giraffe for Regina, but it seems to me that Emma is going to be just fine."

David chuckled. "I'm relieved that she's okay." His face grew a little more concerned as he looked down the hall. "I just wish we could have some more news on Regina."

...

A/N: Thank you so much for reading. Again I'm sorry for the short update. Please leave a review if you can! Thank you, take care xx