Anonymous on Tumblr prompted: "Lie to me then." SnowQueen for the dialogue prompt
Tw: Mentions of infertility
Takes place 2 years before they find out about Alice.
Regina can't help but smile at her own husband's huge grin as Liam fusses over Belle. After a horrendous childhood, the two Jones brothers have settled into a life of luxury. Ones where they're not starving and well cared for. They're each married, to spouses that they dote on in an attempt to make up for what they lacked as children.
Liam will be everything to his son that Brennan never was to him and Killian. It brings such pride to Regina's heart. She can't imagine what it does to her husband.
"I'm fine, Liam," Belle assures him. "Why don't you and Killian go help David with the tea?"
"Are you sure that's all you need?" Liam asks, stroking his wife's flushed cheeks. "I could get you something sweet…"
"Liam." Her dark blue eyes cast a Look upon him. "The tea, please."
"Heed your wife's words, brother," Killian says. He presses a kiss to the top of Regina's head, followed by Snow's. "Let's go find my husband."
A reluctant Liam follows Killian out of the parlor. Belle rolls her eyes, rubbing her swollen middle.
"If he's this fussy over me, I can only imagine how he'll be with the babe," she says.
Regina nods. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Snow has a smile on her own face that doesn't meet her eye. Snow's eyes are trained on Belle's stomach, a hand rubbing against her flat one. She reaches out for her wife, but Snow quickly pulls away.
"Names!" Snow blurts out. Belle's eyebrows about shoot off her forehead. Snow bites her lip. "Sorry, I meant, have you two come up with a name?"
"Well, we don't even know if it's really a boy. The old wives tales just match up, you know. But in my kingdom, it's tradition to name the child after their father. It took some arm twisting but Liam finally agreed we could have Liam Jr."
Regina suddenly finds it hard to smile herself. A vison of a little boy with dark waves and David's blue eyes dance in front of her. One named for his own father. She quickly blinks that away. "That's nice," she offers instead.
"I'm just ready for this pregnancy to be over," Belle carries on. "I knew it wouldn't be easy, but this is killer." She shakes her head, laughing a little. "You two are lucky you chose not to have kids."
Snow's entire face falls. Regina digs her nails into the velvet upholstery. Her mouth opens to rip her sister-in-law a new one but Snow rises to her feet first.
"I'm going to go check and make sure the maids unpacked the right outfits for tonight's dinner. Please excuse me."
Gripping her ivy green ballgown, she quietly exits the room. Belle tilts her head and Regina shakes her head. She doesn't dignify an excuse and follows her wife out of the room. It takes a few minutes to find her. She's not in the guest chambers but rather the nursery that's already been set up for the baby. Despite their insistence that they don't totally believe it's a boy, the walls are pasted with navy blue paper. A gorgeous crib carved in the shape of a ship sits beneath a mobile crafted after different aquatic animals such as whales and sharks. One wall has nothing but giant, oak bookshelves stuffed to the brim with books for people of various ages and interests. Just about every toy from the local market has found its way into the crib, floor or various shelves.
A detailed mural of the ocean in summertime with an adorable ship that has cartoonish pirates aboard faces the crib. David and Killian had come by to work on it the month prior. They had returned from the trip less happy than they normally were after visiting Liam. They hadn't discussed it, just as they rarely did these days. David had been an official part of their marriage for three years now. Still no children were brought into it. No number of doctors or healers could determine the cause. They poured over books, potions. Threw every bit of gold they had at the situation.
And the nursery that had been set up at the beginning of their marriage to Killian still remained empty.
"It's not going to happen," Snow whispers.
Regina shakes her head, walking closer. "Don't say that."
Snow pries her eyes away from the oversized teddy bear in the corner of the room. Regina can see the tears that threaten to leak from them. "If it was going to, it would've happened by now."
"Pregnancy is not the only way," Regina says, softly. "Look at David's brother. He was adopted."
"And that's how we'll become parents? Ripping a baby from two vulnerable parents who want to raise them but can't?" Snow shakes her head before rubbing furiously at her eyes. "I won't do that. Not just so we can raise a child."
Regina's mouth forms a thin line. She wants to say there will be a way. That they'll become parents someday. That they won't want to burst into tears every time they see a parent cuddling their child in their arms. They won't hesitate when invited to a christening or name ceremony.
None of those falsehoods escape her lips.
"You know I'm right, don't you?" Regina merely nods. Snow furiously rubs her palms against her dress. "So, don't lie to me then. We're not going to be parents. At least not for a while."
"I just hate seeing you like this." Her voice cracks and something on Snow's face does too. The two bridge the gap between them. "You manage to take all the pain away for me and I can't do the same for you."
"It's not your fault, Regina." Snow caresses her cheek and Regina shakes her head. "It's not. Just as it's not mine or our husbands'. This is simply the hand fate has decided for us."
Regina lets out a choked laugh. "How can this be fate? Four people who want a baby more than anything, unable to have one."
"I don't know," Snow whispers. "And maybe I never will. But, for now…at least we have each other."
Tears leak down Regina's face. Snow pulls her into her arms and Regina allows her face to duck into her shoulder She lets out a gentle sob and can hear Snow doing it herself. Moments like this are not going to get any easier. At least not for another two years.