Chapter 9
"What?" Emma asked, shocked, as Regina rushed over to the bed, holding the pregnancy test out to Emma.
Emma shot up in bed the moment she saw the results. There they were, clear as day, the double lines that indicated Emma was pregnant.
"Regina…" Emma whispered, tears falling from her eyes, her hands falling to her stomach. "I'm pregnant."
"You're pregnant." Regina repeated, a smile unbelievably wide spreading across her face.
"We're…we're having a baby…" Emma cried, throwing herself into Regina's arms.
"We're having a baby…" Regina repeated, crying as she held Emma in her arms, her tears falling into Emma's hair.
A few moments later, Emma suddenly ripped herself from Regina's arms, running into the bathroom, slamming the toilet seat up. Regina rushed into the bathroom after her Wife, squatting behind her, pulling back Emma's long hair into her hand, rubbing her back with the other, as Emma threw up again.
"Ugh, I'm sorry." Emma said, as she settled back against Regina. "That was gross."
"Don't apologize." Regina said, wrapping her arms around Emma's stomach. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah. I feel better now than I have all day, actually." Emma said, turning to face Regina. "I think I just needed you." She laughed.
"Do you think you can eat something?" Regina asked, helping Emma off the floor.
"Yeah, I think so. I'm starving. That soup sounds good." Emma said, making her way back into the bedroom. "Wait. Don't go to Granny's though. If Ruby sees you, she's going to know something is up and she's going to hound you until you tell her. And it's too early to tell people, even Ruby and Granny."
"You are absolutely right." Regina said, as she quickly changed out of her work clothes into a pair of yoga pants and a plain t-shirt. "I think I might have some soup in the freezer I can heat up." Regina said, making her way to the door.
After dinner, they settled on the couch, Regina's hand caressing Emma's stomach, Emma's hand resting on top of Regina's, as they pretended to watch tv.
"We did it, Regina…" Emma whispered, as Regina rubbed small circles over her stomach. "We made a baby." Emma said, happy tears welling in her eyes.
"I know, My Love." Regina said, her own tears falling in Emma's hair. "I didn't think I could ever be this happy."
"I wish I could tell people that this baby is biologically yours. I hate that you'll never be acknowledged as the baby's biological mother." Emma said, shifting to see Regina better.
"It's ok. We'll know. And Ruby and Granny. That's all I need." Regina said, kissing Emma sweetly.
"We need to look into your legal rights to the child." Emma said, her mind racing. "We need to make sure you have all the legal rights to this child as a biological father would. I won't let you be left out in anything involving this child." Emma said, squeezing the hand that still lay on her stomach.
"Of course, My Love. We'll start doing our research this weekend." Regina said, a smile on her face. "How are you feeling? Do you need anything?" Regina asked, after a few moments of silence.
"Much better. Just tired." Emma said.
"Let's go to bed." Regina said, shifting to help Emma off the couch.
As they settled into bed for the night, Regina dipped under the covers, pushing Emma's shirt up, leaving a soft kiss on her stomach. She pulled Emma into her arms, placing a warm hand over her stomach, a routine that would continue for the next nine months.
Emma clutched Regina's hand tightly, as she lifted up her shirt, exposing her tiny baby bump.
"Ok Mommies." The nurse said, as she squeezed the cold ultrasound gel over Emma's stomach. "Are you ready to see your baby?"
"We're so ready!" Emma said, resting her right arm under her head to ensure a better view.
The ultrasound nurse rubbed the wand over Emma's skin, spreading the gel as the monitor sprang to life. She moved it around, searching for the baby, hitting buttons before turning the monitor around for them to see.
"There they are." She said, turning her attention to the crying women beside her.
"Regina…" Emma whispered, holding Regina's hand tighter.
"I know, My Love…" Regina whispered back, kissing Emma's hand. A few moments later, a faint thump could be heard from the machine. "Is that?" Regina asked, tears already streaming down her face.
"That's your baby's heartbeat." The nurse said, smiling as she watched the women cry at the sound of their baby's heartbeat.
"Emma…" Regina whispered, kissing Emma's head, unable to speak any other words. All Emma could do at this point was cry, as they watched their child move around on the screen, the sound of their heart beating in the background.
"If you give me your phone, I can try to record the sound." The nurse said, seeing how emotional the women were. Regina snapped out of her emotional state for a moment, handing her phone to the nurse, before returning to Emma's side. They watched their baby move around on the screen, while the nurse took a brief video, capturing their baby's heartbeat.
After a few moments, the nurse apologized, as she shifted the screen for a moment, hitting buttons on the machine, taking measurements of the baby, a long thin strip of paper printing out of the side.
"Everything looks perfect. And I would say you're about thirteen weeks along, which means you are officially in your second trimester. I think it's time to start telling people." She said, handing the ultrasound pictures to Emma. "Congratulations Ladies." She said, as she wiped off the wand, offering a box of tissues to Emma. Regina immediately intercepted, pulling a few tissues out of the box, wiping Emma's stomach herself, pulling Emma's shirt back down when she was done.
"Thank you." Emma said, staring at the picture of their baby.
"Take a few minutes." She said, pushing the ultrasound machine to the corner. "Next ultrasound we will most likely be able to tell the sex, so start discussing if you want to know." She smiled, as she walked out of the door. Regina played the video of the ultrasound four times before they walked out of the room, each time they heard the baby's heartbeat they cried a little harder.
"I think we should tell Ruby and Granny soon." Emma said, as they walked out of the office. "This weekend maybe?"
"I'd like that." Regina smiled, as she held the door open for Emma.
"Hey. I'm planning to make lasagna on Saturday. You and Granny should come for dinner." Regina texted as soon as they got home from the doctor's appointment.
"Sure. Granny said she would love to." Ruby texted back a few minutes later. "Wait! Why are you all of a sudden inviting us to dinner?" Ruby texted back a second later.
"No reason. I know you like my lasagna. I was simply trying to be nice." Regina texted back, smiling as she texted the white lie to her Best Friend.
"Fine, whatever you say. We'll be there. What time?" Ruby asked.
"Six-thirty." Regina texted back.
"Sounds good." Ruby responded, ending the conversation.
Emma walked into the kitchen two days later, futzing with the slightly larger shirt she was wearing, as the delicious smell of Regina's lasagna filled her senses.
"Does this look ok?" Emma asked, still tugging on her shirt, attempting to hide her baby bump.
"Of course." Regina said, smiling, as she continued chopping vegetables for the salad.
"Can you see the bump?" She asked, subconsciously rubbing her hand over her stomach.
"I can't." Regina said, wiping her hands on her apron, moving to stand next to Emma, her hand automatically resting on her stomach. "Plus, it'll only be for a little while longer. Once Ruby and Granny know, we won't have to hide it anymore."
"You're right." Emma said, as they heard the front door open and close.
"Lovebirds! We're coming in! You better not be doing something you wouldn't want your grandmother to see." Ruby shouted through the house.
"Showtime." Emma whispered, as Regina removed her hand from Emma's stomach, kissing her lightly, before returning to the island to finish slicing vegetables. "In the kitchen!" Emma shouted, tugging on her shirt one last time.
"Hey!" Ruby said, as she leaned in to hug Emma. "Something smells delicious!" Ruby said, blowing past Regina to smell the lasagna cooling on the stove.
"Miss Lucas, please remove your nose from the meal, before I remove your nose from your face." Regina said in her stoic Mayor voice.
"Ladies, behave." Granny said as she entered the kitchen, handing Emma a bottle of wine. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Nope. Everything is ready." Regina said, motioning towards the dining room. "I think it's time to eat." She said, handing Ruby the bowl of salad, pushing her out of the kitchen, Granny following close behind. Emma opened the bottle of wine while Regina carefully carried the dish out of the kitchen, kissing Emma sweetly as she passed by.
Dinner went along peacefully, neither Ruby nor Granny seemed to notice that Emma never touched the glass of wine in front of her, instead sipping the water beside it. As the meal came to a close and the conversation hit a lull, Regina took that as the perfect opportunity to announce their news.
"So, there was something Emma and I wanted to tell you guys." Regina said, smiling, as she looked over at Emma, taking her hand.
"I KNEW there was something going on." Ruby laughed, taking a sip of wine. "Ten bucks says Emma's pregnant!" Ruby said to Granny.
"Hush, child! Let her finish!" Granny scolded.
"Well…" Regina paused, not sure how to proceed now that the surprise was blown.
"Granny, I have some bad news…" Emma said, taking over the conversation, causing a look of deep concern on Granny's face. "…it looks like you own Ruby Ten bucks!" She said, smiling.
"Wait!? Really?!" Ruby asked, part shock, part excited. "You're pregnant?"
"Yes." Emma said, excited.
"I was totally kidding! You're really pregnant?" She asked again.
"I'm really pregnant." Emma said, as Regina stood up from the table, retrieving the ultrasound pictures they had taken only a few days prior, handing them to Ruby and Granny.
"Oh My God! You're really pregnant!" Ruby screamed, as she looked at the ultrasound pictures, tears filling up her blue eyes. "How far along?" She asked, looking up at her smiling Best Friend.
"About thirteen weeks." Regina answered.
"But wait! The three of us have drinks every Friday night. Emma, you were drinking all this time…" Ruby said, now very concerned about Emma's choices.
"Remember when I switched from beer to Rum and Coke?" Emma asked. Ruby just nodded. "Just coke, no Rum."
"Wait, really?" Ruby asked, shocked that she didn't question the sudden change of drink preferences. "But I bought you drinks. I've bought you several Rum and Cokes."
"We told the bartenders that if you bought a Rum and Coke, to pretend to add Rum, and make it only coke. Apparently we weren't the only people in history trying to hide a pregnancy from people." Regina laughed.
"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?" Ruby asked.
"Not yet. At our next ultrasound they should be able to tell." Emma answered, rubbing her stomach automatically.
"I'm so crashing that ultrasound!" Ruby said, standing to make her way over to Emma and Regina, hugging them tightly. "Wait! Let me see the belly! Do you have a bump yet?" Ruby asked.
"It's small, but it's there." Emma said, as she lifted up her shirt to show Ruby, who automatically rubbed Emma's bump. A chair scraped along the floor, as the previously silent Granny stood up and moved towards the three younger women, tears flowing from her eyes.
"Congratulations to you both!" She said, as she hugged Regina and Emma tightly. "I am beyond happy to share this experience with you both. Our Pack has taken quite a hit the last handful of years. I am very excited that we will be expanding once again." She said, wiping the tears from her face.
"Well. This calls for a celebration!" Ruby said, excitement at eleven. "I'm thinking pie. Lots of pie!"
"It's a good thing I made my signature Apple pie for dessert." Regina said, wiping the tears that began to fall from her eyes. "It just needs a few minutes to warm in the oven." She said, making her way towards the kitchen, while Emma reached to clear the table.
"No way, Lady!" Ruby scolded, grabbing the plate from Emma's hand. "You sit and rest. You're carrying my Niece or Nephew in there. You need to rest." Ruby said, pushing Emma towards the chair.
"Can't argue with that!" Emma said, taking a seat, finishing off her glass of water, as Ruby and Granny cleared the table.
Two months later, they found themselves once again in the familiar exam room, Emma laying on the table with Regina seated next to the table, clutching Emma's left hand between her own.
"Good morning, Ladies!" The same ultrasound nurse said, as she entered the room. "I see we have a visitor." She added, when she saw Ruby standing behind Regina, hands on her shoulders.
"This is my Best Friend, Ruby. She insisted on crashing the ultrasound." Regina laughed, as she looked up at Ruby.
"You may call me Auntie Ruby!" Ruby said, causing the nurse to laugh.
"Welcome, Auntie Ruby!" The nurse said, pushing the ultrasound machine towards the women. "Alright, are we finding out the sex today?" She asked, as Emma lifted her shirt, allowing the Nurse to squeeze the cool ultrasound gel over Emma's pregnant belly.
"Yes." Emma said, looking over at Regina.
"Great! Here we go!" She said, as she swiped the wand over Emma's belly, spreading the gel as she went. The monitor sprang to life as she searched Emma's womb for the baby, stopping to hit a few buttons on the machine, a smile reaching her face as she pivoted the monitor for the women to see, tears already falling from their eyes at the newest view of their baby, much larger than the last time.
"That's your baby." Ruby whispered, squeezing Regina's shoulders.
"Are you ready to know the gender?" The nurse asked again, Regina and Emma simply nodded, as the nurse pointed to the screen. "It's a boy!" She smiled, as all three women's faces lit up.
The room was silent for a few moments before the nurse flipped a switch on the machine, the sound of their baby boy's heartbeat thumped through the speakers, causing them to cry even harder, as they watched him wiggle around inside of Emma.
"I can try and record it again." The nurse said, as Regina quickly pulled out her phone, handing it to the nurse, before resuming her place next to Emma.
A few minutes later, the nurse pivoted the monitor away once again, leaving the heartbeat on, as she captured pictures from different angles, taking measurements of their baby boy. She shut the machine off completely, before handing Emma the newest pictures of their baby, apologizing for having to end the ultrasound. Regina wiped the ultrasound gel off Emma's stomach and replaced her shirt, as they listened to the nurse's instructions to make their follow up ultrasound appointment for another two months from now on the way out, saying goodbye before taking her leave.
"I'll give you guys a minute." Ruby said, following the nurse out, leaving Regina and Emma alone, staring at the pictures of their son.
Later that night, as they settled into bed, Regina's hand placed over Emma's belly, Emma's hand draped gently over Regina's, rubbing slow circles over their son.
"We're having a boy." Regina whispered, kissing Emma's forehead.
"A little boy." Emma whispered, trying not to cry.
"Our little Prince." Regina whispered.
"I guess we should start thinking of names, now that we know he's a boy." Emma said, shifting to see Regina better. "Any ideas?"
"Well…" Regina said, looking shy all of a sudden. "I was thinking of the name Henry. After my father…" Regina trailed off.
"Henry…" Emma said, feeling the words on her tongue. "I love it!" Emma said, reaching out to cup Regina's face.
"Henry Swan-Mills." Regina said, kissing the hand that held her face.
"Well, that was easy." Emma laughed, as she kissed Regina sweetly, before yawning deeply.
"Let's get some sleep." Regina said, kissing Emma's forehead, before turning over to switch off the light. "Goodnight, Henry!" Regina said, shifting under the blankets to kiss Emma's stomach as she did every night. As her lips met Emma's skin, Regina felt a soft nudge under her face, the first time she felt Henry kick.
"I think he likes his name!" Emma laughed, as she saw the excited expression on Regina's face, having felt her son move for the first time.
"Good night Henry!" Regina said again, feeling Henry's kick under her hand again.
The next day, Emma was sitting at her desk at the Sheriff's station, manning the phones for incoming calls while Graham made his afternoon rounds when her cell phone rang with an unfamiliar number.
"Deputy Swan-Mills." She answered, knowing it could be a citizen of Storybrooke looking for one of them.
"May I please speak to Miss Emma Swan-Mills?" The voice said on the other line.
"Speaking." Emma answered.
"Miss Swan-Mills, this is Evelyn, Doctor Lovett's nurse, how are you this afternoon?"
"I'm well, thank you. And yourself?" Emma asked, a little confused as to why the nurse was calling her.
"I'm doing well." Evelyn answered, taking a moment. "The reason for my call is, Doctor Lovett wanted to move your next appointment up a few weeks. She would like to see you again for another ultrasound in four weeks instead of eight."
"Is everything ok?" Emma asked, panic in her voice, as she rubbed her stomach automatically.
"Everything is fine. She saw something on yesterday's ultrasound that she wants to check again in four weeks. It could be something simple as the baby was in a weird position. She just wants to make sure." Evelyn answered. "Is now a good time to reschedule your appointment, or would you need to call back?" She asked.
"No, it's fine. My Wife and I will make it work." Emma said, as they proceeded to reschedule her next ultrasound appointment, immediately calling Regina, expressing her concerns for their baby.
Four weeks later, they were once again in the same exam room, this time without Ruby. Regina could feel Emma's nervous energy, as they sat in the same positions they usually do, clinging to each other's hands a little tighter.
"Regina…" Emma said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if there's something wrong with our baby?"
"We can't think about that right now." Regina said back, trying with all her strength to hold back tears.
"That's literally all I can think about." Emma said, a tear falling from her eye.
"Whatever happens, we'll get through it…together…" Regina whispered, kissing Emma's forehead, as there was a knock at the door, followed by Evelyn and Doctor Lovett.
"No visitors today?" Evelyn asked, laughing as she positioned the ultrasound machine next to Doctor Lovett.
"No. Auntie Ruby was told to stay at home today." Regina laughed, trying to hide how nervous she was as well.
"Not that I don't like seeing you, Doctor Lovett, but why are you here as well? We don't usually see you for ultrasounds." Emma said, her voice shaking from nerves, as she lifted her shirt to expose her belly.
"There was a slight abnormality on your last ultrasound. I wanted to monitor it and see if it was simply an obstructed view. Just being thorough." Doctor Lovett smiled, as she placed the ultrasound wand on Emma's belly, spreading the cool gel.
Doctor Lovett's expression was serious as she looked at the monitor, moving the wand around slightly for a better view. Evelyn flipped the switch, allowing their baby's heartbeat to be heard, knowing the mothers were scared for their baby. As soon as the heartbeat was heard, Regina and Emma calmed down a bit, knowing their baby's heart was still beating, crossing that painful thought off their list of possible complications to their child.
"Ok." Doctor Lovett said a few minutes later, finally pivoting the screen towards the women. "This is what I was concerned about." She said, pointing to the screen, directly between Henry's legs.
"I don't understand…" Emma said, tears falling from her eyes, as they now know something was wrong with Henry.
"Your son's testicles are not developing correctly. In fact, they are extremely underdeveloped for this stage of your pregnancy." Doctor Lovett explained, causing Emma's breathing to become shaky. Regina sighed a breath of relief.
"What does this mean?" Emma managed to ask, staring straight at Doctor Lovett.
"If things began to develop at a normal rate from now until you deliver, he would still be underdeveloped. I believe that at this stage of development, he would still produce all the necessary hormones needed for a young boy to grow. However…" Doctor Lovett said, pausing. "I do not believe at this point that he would ever have the ability to produce sperm. Therefore I believe he will be born without the ability to have children of his own, nor do I believe they will drop normally as male genitalia does. His may remain inside his body." Doctor Lovett said, pausing to allow the women to process the new information.
"Regina…" Emma whispered, sifting her eyes to the picture of their son on the screen.
"He will live a normal life, so there is no concern of health issues. He will look different than other boys his age." Doctor Lovett said. Emma finally looked over at Regina and almost screamed when she saw the look on her Wife's face. "If you have any questions, please call me. I would like to see you again in another four weeks to monitor any developmental progress." Doctor Lovett said, wiping the ultrasound wand, standing to leave the room.
"Thank you, Doctor Lovett." Regina smiled, once again wiping Emma's stomach off. "We'll be sure to be in touch if we have any questions or concerns." She said, as Evelyn handed Emma the newest pictures of Henry, following Doctor Lovett out of the room.
"Regina! Seriously! What. The. FUCK!" Emma screamed as soon as the door closed. "You're sitting here with a huge smile on your face, after Doctor Lovett just told us that Henry will never have children. There's something wrong with our son, REGINA! And all you can do is smile?" She screamed, wanting so much to slap Regina in the face.
"Emma…" Regina smiled, tears falling from her eyes, as she kissed Emma to calm her down. "This is a good thing!" Regina said.
"HOW? How is this a good thing, Regina?" Emma asked, anger still growing.
"He's an Alpha!" Regina said, her eyes wide and bright. "Our son is an Alpha."
"What?" Emma asked, her mood shifting suddenly from anger to shock, her hand moving automatically to her stomach. "How do you know?"
"Alphas are born sterile." Regina smiled. "We become fertile only when we meet our Omegas."
"You too?" Emma asked.
"Yes." Regina said, cupping Emma's face. "My uterus is morbidly underdeveloped, like Henry. It's developed enough to create a light menstrual cycle, but will never allow me to carry a child to term. I would miscarry before I would even know I was pregnant." Regina explained.
"He's an Alpha." Emma repeated, continuing to rub her stomach. "He's just like you."
"Yes. He's my heir." Regina said.
"Do you think he'll look like you?" Emma asked after a few moments, sliding off the table, the news settling in her mind.
"We'll have to wait and see." Regina laughed, as she held the door open for Emma, making their way to the front to schedule their next ultrasound.
"Are you comfortable, My Love?" Regina asked, as she helped Emma get settled into bed, tucking the pregnancy pillow around her.
"Yes…No…I guess…" Emma said, cranky. "As comfortable as I can be." She huffed, as Regina pulled the covers over her, turning off the lights before crawling in bed behind Emma.
"Just a few more weeks, My Love. Then he'll be here." Regina whispered, as she ducked under the covers to say good night to Henry, kissing the side of Emma's stomach before wrapping her arms around Emma, holding her close.
"Six. Six more weeks, Regina. I'm not due for another six weeks." She snapped. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you."
"It's ok. I understand." Regina said, kissing the back of Emma's neck. "I wish there was something more I could do to help you feel more comfortable."
"I think I have to just suck it up and deal with it." Emma said, shifting slightly, as Regina rubbed her very pregnant stomach. "Can I ask you something though?" Emma asked after a few minutes.
"Of course!" Regina said immediately, kissing Emma's neck.
"Are you still attracted to me?" Emma asked, her voice shaky.
"Of course I am!" Regina said, propping herself up on her arm, looking over Emma's shoulder at her face in the darkness.
"It's just that…" Emma started to say, turning her face towards Regina. "We haven't had sex in a few weeks. We used to have sex almost every day. It's been almost two months since you've touched me." Emma said, averting her eyes.
"Oh My Love!" Regina said. "We stopped because it got too uncomfortable for you to have sex, not because I wasn't attracted to you." Regina said, pulling Emma's face towards her. "I didn't want to push you to do something that made you uncomfortable."
"You don't think I'm disgusting?" Emma asked. Regina crawled out of bed, leaving Emma's back cold with her missing body, rushing quickly to kneel in front of her.
"Emma…" Regina whispered, cupping Emma's face, which was slightly swollen from being pregnant. "You are, and will always be, the most beautiful person I have ever seen. And in six week from now, you're going to bring our baby boy into this world." Regina smiled, tears falling from her face.
"Really?" Emma asked.
"Of course. Do you feel neglected? Do you want to have sex?" Regina asked, her voice very sweet and comforting.
"Not really. I can barely move around. Plus, I don't have much of a sex drive anymore." Emma said. "I just miss you, Regina. I feel like you're so far away. I used to be able to wake up and roll over and see your face, even if it's the middle of the night. Now, because I have to sleep like this all night, I can't see your face. I know you're there, but I can't see you." Emma said, tears welling in her eyes. "I just miss you."
"I have an idea." Regina said, removing the pillow they had spent five minutes getting just right. "Scoot over." She said, as Emma slowly moved closer to the middle of the bed. Regina replaced the pillow once again, being sure to support Emma's pregnant belly, before crawling in bed next to her, moving as close to Emma as she could, with the pillow restrictions. "Now you can see me." Regina whispered, brushing a stray hair off Emma's face, before reaching out to touch her belly.
"Thank you." Emma whispered, reaching to pull Regina in for a kiss.
"Don't ever think I am not attracted to you. That could never be farther from the truth." Regina said, kissing Emma sweetly.
"I seem to remember someone thinking the same thing, once upon a time." Emma laughed.
"And you told me the exact same thing." Regina smiled, kissing Emma's forehead, as Emma's eyes slowly closed.
"Are you sure you want to run tonight?" Regina asked, as they began to undress, preparing for the first night of Wolf's Time.
"This is the last chance I'll get to be in the forest with you guys, for who knows how long." Emma nodded, struggling to pull off her pants. "I don't think I can actually run though." Emma said, giving up on removing her pants, sitting on the bed allowing Regina to pull them off.
"We'll take it as slow as you need, My Love." Regina said, kissing Emma sweetly. "We'll have a nice stroll in the forest tonight." Regina said, helping her very pregnant Wife off the bed, making their way downstairs to meet Ruby.
"I'm glad you're joining us tonight." Ruby said, as soon as they made it outside, Regina and Emma rubbed her pregnant belly together under their blanket. "I will admit, I'm going to miss you after you have my Nephew."
"I'm going to miss running with you guys too." Emma said, shifting uncomfortably. "I'll be back eventually, right?" She asked, turning slightly towards Regina for clarification.
"Yes. Once your body heals from childbirth you will resume shifting." Regina said, instinctually massaging Emma's low back, knowing by the way Emma was standing that her back was hurting from the extra weight.
Regina kisses Emma one last time, as the last rays of sunset faded, the familiar smoke encasing all three women, transforming them once again into the Wolves that live inside them. Emma stretched, getting used to her four legged stature, already uncomfortable, as Regina prepared to sound her traditional howl. Making sure everyone was ready, Regina tilted her head towards the sky and let out her howl, Ruby and Emma joining in a few seconds later. They listened for Granny, and upon hearing her wishes of a good run, they took off towards the forest. Ruby shot out like a bullet, making it to the edge of Regina's back yard a few moments later, stopping when she realized Regina and Emma weren't behind her. She turned around and watched as Emma attempted to jog a few steps, making it about halfway through the backyard before the weight of her pregnant belly stopped her, causing her to walk, sighing at her limitation. She waited as Emma slowly made her way to the forest, Regina by her side, before joining them in their slow walk.
Ruby and Regina were incredibly patient, as they walked with Emma, each one standing on either side of her, making sure to rest whenever Emma needed to sit down for a second. On one of their breaks, Ruby spotted a squirrel, springing to action, as she hunted down her snack. Regina nuzzled against Emma as she rested, suddenly spotting a fluff of white off to the side, perking up at the sight of the prey. Emma nodded towards Regina, telling her it was ok to run after the rabbit, not wanting to put a damper on all of Regina's Wolf Time fun. Licking Emma's face quickly, Regina took off after the rabbit, leaving Emma to rest alone, knowing it would only be for a few moments before one of them came back. They were both much more skilled at hunting than Emma was, able to catch their prey within minutes.
Regina was just about to catch the rabbit, the white fur tickling her nose when she heard the loud whimper a few yards away. She stopped in her tracks, letting the rabbit run off to safety, knowing exactly what the sound was. It was Emma.
Emma was in pain.
Half a second later, Regina took off in a full run, running faster than she has ever run in her entire life, reaching Emma a minute later. Emma was laying on her side on the ground, as another wave of pain shot through her body, causing her to whimper once again, this one louder than the first. Regina was by her side before the second wave of pain subsided, nuzzling her face, fear and panic washing over her brown eyes. She howled loud for Ruby to return, as the pain left Emma's green eyes and her breathing returned to normal. Ruby returned to them a few minutes later, immediately running to Emma's side, as she slowly started to stand up on very shaky legs. She could see the fear in both their eyes, as Regina nudged Emma to start walking towards their house. Ruby and Regina flanked her, their shoulders touching Emma's, as they slowly made their way through the forest, stopping suddenly a few yards away from the exit, as another wave of pain shot through Emma's body, causing her to cry out as she collapsed to the ground. Regina cried as she watched her Wife collapse, nuzzling her nose against Emma's face, as Emma cried in pain.
A few minutes later, the crying stopped as the pain subsided, and Emma's breathing slowly returned to normal. She pulled herself off the ground once more, taking slow shaky steps as she made her way back towards the house, crying with each step she took. She made it to the pile of pillows they had left out for her just in time, as another wave of pain shot through her body, the worst pain yet. She collapsed on the pillows as she howled in pain, Regina immediately at her side, howling as well. Once Emma settled down once again, Regina pulled their blanket over her Wife, doing all she could to make sure she was comfortable, as much as she was capable of doing while still in Wolf form. Ruby paced around the backyard, feeling even more useless than Regina did. All she could do was sit back and watch as Emma continued to howl in pain, causing Regina to cry out too, their joined voices drifting through the air.
As the hours passed, Emma's pain increased in intensity and frequency, until she was in constant pain, her cries never ceasing. Regina never left Emma's side, doing everything she could think of to comfort her Wife, but nothing seemed to help. Ruby circled around them, defensively protecting the couple as they continued to cry.
As the sky started to brighten, indicating the end of Wolf's Night, Emma's body suddenly stilled, her voice silent, as she passed out completely, her body preparing for the shift back to her Human form. Ruby laid down beside Emma, feeling the pull of the sun, closing her eyes lightly, as she fell into a light sleep, her senses still sharp and listening for danger. Regina tried to fight the pull, unwilling to take her eyes off her Wife, as the sun began to rise in the sky. Eventually she collapsed, her head nuzzled against Emma's, falling asleep with moments to spare before they all transformed back into their Human forms.
"REGINA!" Emma screamed the moment she had shifted, the pain returning, tears streaming down her face as she reached for her Wife.
"I'm here! I'm right here!" Regina said, curling under the blanket to hold Emma, finally able to comfort her Wife.
"What do I do? What do I do?" Ruby asked, jumping off the ground, resuming her pacing.
"Go inside and call Granny!" Regina yelled. Ruby took off towards the house, slamming the door open as she ran into the den to grab her cell phone.
"Regina! I think I'm dying!" Emma cried, as the pain ripped through her body. "I think my body is being ripped in half!" She cried, trying to hold onto Regina.
"Ruby went to call Granny. She'll be here soon. Just breathe!" Regina said, trying to calm Emma. "Granny is a midwife. She'll know what to do. Just hang on, My Love." Regina said, as Emma screamed in pain. Regina's heart felt like it was in a vice grip as she held Emma, knowing she was in so much pain, and all she could do was whisper "Just hang on, My Love." Over and over again.
"Granny is already on her way!" Ruby said, as she ran out of the house. "She said she heard us crying all night and knew something was wrong. She left as soon as she shifted. She said hold on!" Ruby said, as she ran to the gate unlocking it, as they heard a car pull into the driveway, followed by a car door slamming.
A moment later Granny came bursting into the backyard, dressed in uncharacteristic shorts and a t-shirt, her hair flowing wildly behind her, a large black bag in her hand. She rushed over to Emma, who was screaming incoherently, Regina's arms held protectively around her.
"Regina." Granny whispered, as she touched her shoulder. "I need to examine Emma." Regina shifted once she realized Granny was there, moving away from Emma, pulling the blanket with her. Emma screamed louder at Regina's absence.
"Emma, Granny needs to examine you." Regina whispered into Emma's ear, urging her to open her legs. Emma slowly lifted up one of her legs, giving Granny just enough room to see how far along she was.
"Ok, Emma, you're crowning. The baby is coming, now." Granny said, calmly. "Regina, help her roll onto her back, on the ground not on the dirty pillows." Granny said, as she spread out their blanket, indicating Emma should lay on the blanket.
Regina slowly helped Emma onto the blanket, the movement caused Emma to cry out in even more pain. Granny opened her bag and pulled out a bottle of hand sanitizer, quickly sanitizing her hands and forearms before pulling on a pair of gloves.
"Regina, sit behind her and support her in a seated position. She's already exhausted and will need to conserve what energy she has left for delivery." Granny said, as Regina moved to sit behind Emma, leaning her against her chest, Emma's head resting on Regina's shoulder.
"What can I do?" Ruby asked, resuming her pacing.
"Go inside and find some towels. As many as you can find. And warm water." Granny said, calmly. Ruby rushed into the house, already knowing where the towels were kept. "Emma, I need you to listen to me." Granny said, turning her attention to Emma. Emma lifted her head slightly, eyes fixed on Granny, as she tried to focus through the pain.
"I'm listening." She managed to say, her voice already horse.
"Emma, your baby is coming. His head is already partially out. When the next contraction comes, I want you to grab your legs behind your knees and pull them back as far as you can. This is going to allow adequate room for him to continue through the birth canal." Emma nodded, understanding what needs to be done. "I have a mirror with me. Would you like me to position it so you and Regina can see his birth?" Granny asked.
"Yes." Emma nodded after a moment, looking up at Regina.
"Thank you." Regina whispered, as Emma settled back into Regina, preparing herself to begin pushing.
With that, Ruby came running out of the house, an arm full of towels and a dishpan full with warm water, rushing as fast as she could without spilling all the water. Granny took the towels and instructed her to stand behind her, holding the mirror, maneuvering it so Emma and Regina had a clear view. Regina instantly began crying when she saw the top of her son's head peeking out.
"He has your hair." Emma whispered, as her next contraction ripped through her.
"Ok, Emma. It's time to start pushing." Granny said. Emma grabbed her legs and pulled them towards her chest, as she bared down, pushing with all her might. Regina wrapped her arms around Emma tightly, as she screamed out in pain, Regina's hand resting on Emma's belly.
Regina's eyes were glued on the mirror that Ruby held, as she watched Emma slowly push their son's head out, whispering encouraging words into Emma's ear, holding her tightly, as her tears fell into Emma's hair.
"Ok, Emma. His head is out." Granny said, as she rested her hand on Emma's knee, grabbing her attention.
"Emma, open your eyes." Regina cried. "Look at our son." She said, urging Emma to look. Emma opened her eyes slowly, and looked at the mirror that Ruby still held, catching the first glimpse of their son's face.
"He's beautiful." Emma cried.
"Just like you." Regina cried.
"Ok Emma. On the next contraction, I need one more big push. And then we can finally meet this little man." Granny said.
"Did you hear that, My Love?" Regina said, holding tight. "One more push, and Henry will be here." Regina said. "You're almost done. You can do this."
"I'm so tired, Regina." Emma whispered, her voice weak. "I don't know if I can do this."
"You can. I know you can. You can do this!" Regina whispered, as the next contraction ripped through Emma, causing her to scream out in pain.
The sound of a baby crying rang through the air.
Emma collapsed against Regina as soon as she felt the rest of Henry's body slide out of her. She closed her eyes as she listened to the sound of her son crying, until she felt the weight of his body on her chest.
"Hi, Henry." Emma cried, as she opened her eyes, her arms automatically cradling the newborn baby. "I'm your mommy." She cried, pulling her eyes away from Henry to look at Regina, tears streaming down her face. "That lady up there. She's your mommy too." Emma said, as she stroked Henry's tiny cheek.
"Happy birthday, Henry." Regina cried, as she held onto Emma so tight she was afraid she might cut off her circulation. "You did it." She whispered in Emma's ear.
"I love you so much, Regina." Emma whispered, as she reached one hand behind her, running her fingers through Regina's hair.
"I love you too, My Love. More than words can say." Regina whispered, kissing the side of Emma's head.
"Do you want to cut the cord, Mommy?" Granny asked, offering Regina a pair of scissors.
Regina nodded as she took the scissors, gently cutting the umbilical cord, disconnecting her newborn son from her Wife.
"Thank you, for letting us share this moment with you guys." Ruby said, suddenly by Emma's side.
"Of course." Emma said, looking over at Ruby. "You're family." Emma smiled, causing more tears to fall from Ruby's eyes.
"Let's get you two inside and cleaned up a little." Granny said, gently lifting Henry from Emma's arms, wrapping him in a fluffy towel.
Regina shifted behind Emma, lifting her Wife in her arms, Emma's head resting on Regina's shoulder, as they followed Granny and Ruby into the house.
Ruby and Granny spent the rest of the day helping to prepare the new parents for the long road ahead, making sure they had enough diapers and food to last them a month. Ruby even cleaned the kitchen, Henry's room, as well as all the bathroom's in the large house, one less thing for Regina and Emma to worry about as they adjusted to life with a newborn. By the time the two women left to prepare for Wolf's Time, Regina and Emma were both overwhelmed with all the excitement of the day, retreating to bed immediately.
"You should get ready to run." Emma said, as she yawned, her head on Regina's shoulder as Henry nursed quietly in her arms, his eyes closing as he fell asleep.
"I'm not running tonight." Regina said, reaching to stroke Henry's face.
"I'll be fine. You can run with Ruby." Emma said, as they both watched Henry fall asleep, his little mouth opening to release Emma's nipple.
"I want to stay here with you guys tonight." Regina said, kissing Emma softly. "I don't want to run without you." Regina added, looking out the window at the quickly setting sun.
Regina slowly slid off the bed, moving to Emma's side, as she offered the sleeping baby to her, watching as she slowly lowered Henry into his bassinet near the window. As soon as Henry was tucked into his bed, sleeping soundly, Regina moved to the foot of the bed, where she quickly removed her clothes, standing naked in front of her Wife, their eyes locked as the familiar cloud of smoke engulfed Regina, transforming her to her Wolf form. She stood at attention for a few moments, listening carefully for the sound of Ruby's howl. As soon as they both heard Ruby's howl, Regina walked silently over to Emma, licking her hand gently as she approached her.
"What are you doing down there?" Emma asked, as she motioned for Regina to jump on the bed with her. Regina slowly backed away, making her way over to her side of the bed, jumping up quietly, taking a few unsteady steps until she settled next to Emma, laying next to her as Emma switched off the light, shifting to lay next to Regina.
Emma rolled onto her side, facing Regina, resting her hand on Regina's head, idly rubbing her hand through her dark fur. Her gaze never shifted from Regina's brown eyes, the same eyes she fell in love with.
"I'm not going to lie, this is a little weird." Emma whispered, suddenly not sure if Regina could understand her. "Can you understand me?"
Regina nodded.
"This is the first time, since I was ten, that I haven't shifted during the full moon." She said, continuing to run her fingers through Regina's fur, shifting closer to her. "Well, today was certainly exciting." Emma laughed.
Regina nodded. Emma swore she could see a smile on Regina's face.
"I can't believe he's here. This time yesterday, he was still inside me. Now he's here. He's really here." Emma smiled, a tear falling from her eye onto the pillow.
Regina lifted her head slightly to look over at Henry, before licking Emma's hand lightly.
"I couldn't have done it without you." Emma said, gazing into Regina's eyes. "You gave me the strength to bring him into this world." Emma said.
Regina shook her head. A moment later, she moved her head towards Emma.
"Not true. If it wasn't for you, I would have given up even before I shifted back."
Regina growled ever so slightly, indicating she didn't agree with Emma.
"Don't you growl at me, young lady!" Emma laughed, nuzzling closer to Regina. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Emma asked.
Regina nodded.
"I spent my entire life alone." Emma said, wiping a tear from her eyes. "I never knew what a family was, until I met you. I never knew what it felt like to have a home, until I met you. I never knew what Love really was, until I met you."
Regina licked Emma's hand again.
"You are the most beautiful person I have ever met. Your strength lifts me up when I feel like I can't go on. Your Love fills my heart and soul every moment of every day. You are the reason I wake up every day." Emma whispered. "You are my home, Regina." Emma paused, as she wiped more tears from her eyes. "You've changed my life in so many ways already, and I'm not talking about our son. You are my everything, Regina. You and Henry. You are my everything."
Regina yipped three times, so quietly Emma almost didn't hear it.
"I love you, too." Emma smiled, as her eyes began to close, the weight of the day finally catching up to her.
Henry woke up a few hours later, ready for another feeding. Regina laid as close as she could, her eyes fixed on Emma, as she nursed their son back to sleep, crawling back in bed next to her, falling back to sleep as she gazed into Regina's eyes.
Emma woke again a little after sunrise, her heart sinking when she reached over to an empty bed. She blinked as she looked around the suddenly brighter room, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the most amazingly beautiful sight. Regina stood in front of Henry's bassinet, still naked from shifting back, Henry tucked securely against her naked chest. She gently rocked him as she hummed quietly, her eyes fixed on her son in her arms.
"Hey." Emma whispered, getting Regina's attention. "Is he hungry?" Emma asked, her eyes not quite adjusting to the day.
"No." Regina said, turning towards Emma. "He was a little fussy. Just needed to be changed and snuggled. He's out cold again." Regina said.
"Come back to bed." She said, her voice tired. Regina smiled, as she gently placed Henry back into his bassinet, moving quickly back into bed next to Emma, pulling her into her arms, as they drifted back to sleep, the faint smell of lilacs still clinging to Regina's skin.
A/N: Happy Birthday Henry!