Chapter 11
"MAMA! MOMMY! MAMA! MOMMY! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! IT'S CHRISTMAS!" A four year old Henry screamed, as he launched himself into their bed, startling them awake! "GET UP! GET UP! GET UP! SANTA CAME! GET UP!"
"Damn kid, the sun isn't even up yet…" Emma grumbled, as she untangled herself from Regina. "Wait! How do you know Santa came? Did you peek downstairs?" Emma asked, as her eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden light of the lamp.
"No…." Henry said, with a devilish grin on his face.
"Henry Daniel. Did you peek at the tree?" Regina asked, in her softest Mayoral voice.
"Yeah…I did…just a little though!" Henry said, still excited. "Get up!"
"Why don't you stay up here with Mama for a little longer, and I'll go make some coffee and hot cocoa. And when it's ready we can see what Santa brought you?" Regina suggested.
"No! I want to help you make hot cocoa, Mommy!" Henry said. "But Mama has to come with us!"
"Well, Emma, your child has spoken. Looks like it's time to get up!" Regina smiled, clearly enjoying torturing Emma with the early hour. They had been up late the previous night, sneaking downstairs in the early morning hours to put out Henry's presents from Santa, knowing he would most likely still be awake in his room and listening for Santa until past midnight.
"Fine. But I need two things before I can get out of bed. The first is a kiss from Mommy!" Emma said, pointing to her cheek, where Regina quickly planted a kiss. "The second is a kiss from Henry!" She said, as she pointed to the other cheek, gaining a sloppy kiss from her son, tickling him senseless for a few seconds.
"Mama! Stop!" He laughed, as he tried to wiggle out of Emma's grip.
"Ok! LET'S GO!" Emma declared, kicking off the blankets, jumping out of bed, following their son out of their room. She stopped just before she left the room, turning around to grab Regina. "Merry Christmas, My Love." She whispered, kissing Regina sweetly.
"Merry Christmas." Regina smiled, grabbing Emma's hand tightly, intertwining their fingers, as they made their way downstairs to start Christmas morning with Henry.
Twenty long minutes later, they were sitting in the living room, a fire burning in the large fireplace in the rarely used room, sipping their coffee as they watched Henry rip open present after present, wrapping paper flying through the air like snow.
"We're going to spoil him rotten." Regina whispered, as Henry squeaked at all his new toys.
"You think?" Emma laughed. "We'll stop after he stops believing in Santa." She said, as Henry suddenly ran up the stairs behind them, returning a few seconds later with two thin boxes wrapped in tissue paper.
"I almost forgot your presents!" Henry said, handing one to each of them.
They slowly unwrapped the presents, opening the lids together. Inside each box was a small picture frame, clearly from one of those paint-your-own-pottery places. The frames were clearly painted by Henry, they would recognize his art style anywhere. Each frame had either a picture of Henry and Emma or a picture of Henry and Regina, tucked carefully under the glass.
"Oh Henry, it's beautiful." Regina said, trying her hardest to keep from crying.
"Did you paint them yourself?" Emma asked, running her fingers over the picture.
"Yeah. Auntie Ruby helped me a little. I picked out the pictures myself, too!" Henry said, clearly proud of his work.
"I Love it, kid!" Emma said, pulling Henry in for a hug, kissing the top of his head, his hair still wild and messy from sleep.
"Thank you, Henry!" Regina said, hugging Henry, quickly wiping a stray tear from her eye before Henry could see. "What do you say we have some breakfast? Granny should be over in a little while to start cooking Christmas dinner." Regina said, placing her frame on the mantel above the fireplace.
"Can we have pancakes for breakfast?" Henry asked. "And bacon!"
"You certainly are your mother's son!" She laughed, as they made their way to the kitchen to start breakfast. Emma placed her frame next to Regina's, scooping up both empty coffee cups before meeting her Wife and Son in the kitchen for breakfast.
Later that day, they all sat around the table together. Henry was dressed in his new Christmas suit, complaining that the shirt was itchy, as they ate the meal Granny spent all day cooking, refusing any help from anyone. Everything was perfect.
Regina and Emma cleaned up the kitchen while Granny and Ruby sat in the living room, Henry talking a mile a minute as he showed them all the new toys Santa brought for him because he was an extra good boy that year. When everything was cleaned and the leftovers secured in the refrigerator, Henry helped Regina carry out three huge plates of Christmas cookies that he and Regina spent the majority of the previous day baking, while Emma was stuck with a last minute shift at work. They ate cookies while exchanging gifts among the five of them, Henry eating almost an entire plate himself, until he complained his belly hurt.
In a blink of an eye, the day was over. Granny had to drag a slightly drunk Ruby home, telling her if she didn't cooperate she would be opening the diner everyday for a week. Henry crashed hard not long after Granny and Ruby left, passing out in front of the fireplace, clutching one of his new toys. Emma scooped him up, carrying him upstairs to carefully change him out of his clothes into his pajamas, tucking him in bed. She made sure to secure Teddy under his arm, before joining her Wife on the couch in front of the fire for a late night glass of wine. They sat in silence together, the light from the fire and the Christmas tree lights the only light source in the room, the flames causing shadows to dance on the walls.
"Have you ever thought about doing it again?" Emma asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
"Doing what again?" Regina asked.
"Having another baby." Emma answered, looking over at Regina.
"Since Henry is my Heir, we wouldn't need to have any more children, as far as the Pack is concerned." Regina answered.
"Yeah, I know that." Emma said, shifting her body to see Regina better. "I'm talking about for us. I know we haven't really talked about expanding our family. I don't even know if you would want a second child…and since Henry is almost five, it would be a perfect time…" She said, starting to trail off.
"Neither one of us had a sibling growing up…" Regina said, her voice serious, as she took a slow sip of her wine. Emma's posture dropped, as she realized what Regina was saying. "It would certainly be a shame for him to follow in our footsteps." She smiled, as Emma's face perked back up.
"Really?" Emma asked, a little in shock. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Let's have another baby." Regina smiled, pulling Emma in for a sweet kiss. "Let's try during your next heat. Unless you want to wait a little longer." Regina suggested.
"No. I don't want to wait any longer. Especially since it took almost a year to conceive Henry." Emma said.
"That settles it then. Your next heat we'll try for another baby!" Regina smiled, as Emma settled back into her, her skin tingling with anticipation.
"Mama, why are you here? It's not time to go home yet." Henry asked, as Emma surprised him at daycare in the middle of the day.
"I'm springing you early today, kid. Go get your backpack." She said, as Henry ran into the big room, grabbing his backpack from his cubby. "I need your help with something. Are you ready to be my partner in crime?" Emma asked, as she strapped him into the booster seat in the backseat of her car.
"OK!" Henry said, excitedly, as he watched Emma climb into the driver seat.
"Good!" Emma smiled through the rearview mirror, starting her car.
Henry took off in a fast jog as soon as they reached the third floor of the town hall building, racing towards Regina's office, stopping at her secretary's desk right outside her office door.
"Good afternoon, Miss Boyd." Henry said, in his best polite voice. "We are here to surprise my Mommy. Is she here?" He asked.
"Yes, she is." Ashley smiled, as Emma finally made it to the desk. "She's not meeting with anyone at the moment." She added, as Henry reached to open the door.
Regina was sitting behind her desk, talking on the phone to someone, her voice deep and harsh, in her Mayoral fashion. It took her a few seconds to realize that Emma and Henry had walked in, her demeanor changing drastically when she realized who it was.
"Something has just come up, I will have to call you back." She said harshly, hanging up the phone abruptly, turning to her Wife and Son.
"We came to surprise you, Mommy!" Henry said, running over to hug Regina, as she made her way over to Emma to kiss her hello.
"What a wonderful surprise it is!" Regina said, as they made their way to the couch off to the side.
"Mama said I was her partner in her crimes, and she has something in her sleeves, and if I'm a good boy we can have ice cream before dinner." Henry rattled off their plans, as Regina listened intently.
"She did, did she?" Regina laughed, as she gazed over at Emma, a shit-eating grin on her face, proof that Emma was, in fact, planning something. "Should we see what she has in her sleeves?" Regina asked.
"I want to check!" Henry said, reaching for the sleeve of Emma's coat that she held out for him, pulling out a long, thin box.
"You really did have something in your sleeve." Regina laughed, as Henry handed her the box.
"It's a present for Mommy. But Mama wouldn't tell me what it was." Henry said, as Regina took the box from his hands.
"Did you help Mama decorate the box?" Regina asked, when she saw the top of the box covered with colorful dots, his well practiced name scribbled on the top.
"Yeah! Mama told me to decorate your surprise box!" Henry said, excitedly.
"Should I open it?" Regina asked. Henry bounced up and down, nodding his head with excitement. "What could it be?" Regina smiled, slowly pulling off the lid of the box.
She instantly started crying when she saw what was tucked away in the box.
"Emma…" she whispered, as tears fell from her eyes, as she lifted the pregnancy test out of the box to get a better look. "…you're…you're…you're…" Regina said, unable to finish the sentence.
"I'm pregnant…" Emma whispered, tears now falling from her eyes as well. "It looks like we didn't have to wait this time around." She added.
"No, we didn't have to wait at all…" Regina cried, as she stood up to hug Emma, holding her tightly. "We're having a baby!" She whispered, as her hand moved to rest instinctually on Emma's stomach.
"We're having a baby!" Emma smiled, kissing Regina quickly.
"Mommy? Why are you crying? Don't you like Mama's surprise?" Henry asked, confused at his mother's reaction.
"I LOVE Mama's surprise. It's one of the best surprises she's ever given me." Regina answered, never taking her eyes off Emma's. "Why don't we all go out for ice cream before dinner!" Regina smiled, as she tore her eyes away from Emma's to look down at Henry on the couch.
"You're coming with us?" Henry asked, excited to have both his mother's for ice cream.
"Yes. We're going to go as a family." Regina smiled. "Just give me a few minutes to finish a few things, then I'm all yours for the rest of the day." Regina smiled, hurrying to her desk to sign a few more forms, before leaving work early to have ice cream with her family.
"What did you do today?" Ruby asked Henry, as they sat at the dining room table, Emma and Regina hustling in and out of the room, bringing plates of food to the table. Granny worked to open a bottle of wine, filling the wine glasses as she listened to Ruby and Henry talk.
"I went to the doctor's with Mama and Mommy." Henry answered, bounding into Ruby's lap.
"Yuck. I don't like the doctor's. Did you have to get a shot?" Ruby asked.
"I didn't go to the doctor. Mama did." Henry answered.
"Oh. Well then, did Mama get a shot?" Ruby laughed. "I bet she cried when she got the shot."
"She didn't get a shot, but she did cry. So did Mommy." Henry said, shrugging. "The lady put this magic wand thing on Mama's belly and they showed me something weird on the little tv screen. Mama and Mommy were crying when they looked at it, but I couldn't tell what it was. Then they turned on the sound and all I heard was this bumping sound, and Mama and Mommy cried even harder."
"Did they tell you why they were crying?" Ruby asked, trying to hold back her own tears, as Granny moved to sit closer to them.
"They said they were really happy because I was getting a Baby Brother or Baby Sister. But I would rather have a puppy." Henry said, just as Emma and Regina entered the room and settled into their seats to begin eating. "Then they said I could get ice cream because I was such a good boy." Henry said, climbing off Ruby's lap and around the table into his chair, as Regina placed his plate in front of him.
"Henry was telling us all about his exciting day he had today." Ruby said after a few minutes.
"Did he tell you he spilled half his ice cream down his shirt, and somehow my shirt as well?" Emma laughed, grabbing her glass of water, leaving her wine glass untouched.
"No, but I think perhaps he may have ruined a special surprise announcement." Granny said, smiling. Emma's eyes went wide when she realized what Henry had said.
"Not unlike the last time you randomly invited us over for lasagna, just for the heck of it." Ruby smiled.
"Well it appears the cat is out of the bag." Regina laughed, resting her fork down and reaching for Emma's hand. "Emma and I do have an announcement to make."
"We're having another baby!" Emma said, as Regina handed them a set of ultrasound pictures taken earlier that day.
"That's wonderful news!" Granny said, standing up to hug them both. "Congratulations!"
"I'm so excited!" Ruby said, as she looked over at the ultrasound. "Henry, you're going to be a Big Brother! Are you excited?"
"I guess." Henry said, pushing the rest of his food on the plate.
"You'll be more excited when you get to meet your Baby Brother or Baby Sister." Ruby said, trying to nudge him with her foot under the table.
"Yeah." Henry said. "Can I go play?"
"Sure. We'll call you when dessert is ready" Emma said, as Henry ran out of the room into the den. "I don't think he's excited about the baby." Emma frowned slightly.
"Maybe he doesn't quite understand." Granny suggested.
"Yeah, maybe you're right." Emma said, as Regina and Ruby began to clear the table.
"Everything will work out." Granny said, as she followed the two into the kitchen, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts, listening to the faint sound of Henry playing in the den.
Two months later, the three were back in the same exam room, Henry perched on Regina's lap, fidgeting when they heard a knock on the door, the nurse, Evelyn, entering the room.
"Hello again." She said, as she made her way into the room, setting up the ultrasound machine. Emma lifted her shirt to reveal her pregnant belly, letting Evelyn squirt the ultrasound gel on it. "Are you ready to see your Baby Brother or Baby Sister?" She asked Henry, as she started to rub the wand over Emma's stomach.
"I dunno." Henry said in a low tone, clearly not very excited.
"You know." Evelyn said, as she continued to move around. "I remember when you were growing inside your Mama's belly too." She said, winking at Henry.
"Really?" Henry said, perking up. "I was inside your belly too, Mama?"
"You sure were, little Prince." Emma said. "And we cried just as hard when we saw you too."
"Really?" Henry asked, looking up at Regina.
"Of course." Regina said, kissing Henry on the head.
"Ok. Are we ready to find out if you're going to have a Little Brother or Little Sister?" Evelyn asked, swiveling the screen around for them to see.
"Yeah." Henry squealed, as he looked up at the screen.
"Say hello to your Little Sister, Henry!" Evelyn announced. "You're having a little girl."
"Emma…" Regina cried, as she squeezed Emma's hand, tears falling from both their eyes, Regina's tears falling into Henry's hair. Emma was speechless as they looked at their baby girl on the monitor, squeezing each other's hands until their knuckles were white, the sound of their baby's heartbeat thumping through the speakers.
"That's your Baby Sister's heartbeat, Henry." Evelyn said, giving Emma and Regina another moment, while she pointed out the baby's head and arms and legs. "Can you grab your Mommy's phone for me? They like it when I record the baby's heartbeat." Evelyn whispered, as Henry hopped off Regina's lap to hand over her phone.
"Mommy! I'm going to have a Baby Sister!" Henry said, climbing back onto Regina's lap, after Evelyn turned the monitor back to take some measurements and print out new pictures.
"I know." Regina whispered, as she wiped the ultrasound gel off Emma's stomach, pulling her shirt back down. "Will you help us pick out the perfect name for her?" She asked.
"Can we start thinking about them when we go get ice cream?" Henry asked.
"Of course!" Emma chimed in.
"Well, everything looks good with the baby. I don't want to keep you from your ice cream, Henry." Evelyn said, handing the new pictures to Emma. "Make sure to schedule your next appointment on your way out. Enjoy your ice cream." She smiled, as she made her way out of the room.
"Can we put the pictures of my Baby Sister on the fridge when we get home?" Henry asked, as Regina buckled him into his booster seat. "Next to my pictures?"
"That's a great idea!" Regina smiled, looking over at Emma in the front seat.
Henry was finally excited about his Baby Sister.
"Hey Henry. Come here for a second." Emma said, a few weeks later. She was laying in Regina's arms on the couch in the den, while Henry played with his trucks on the floor, both sets of hands rubbing soft circles over Emma's pregnant belly.
"Yeah?" Henry asked, crawling over to the couch.
"Put your hand right here." Emma said, taking Henry's little hand, placing it on the side of her belly, a confused look on his face. "Give it a second." She said, as the three of them waited. Suddenly Henry's face perked up when he felt the little nudge under his hand. "Did you feel that?" Emma asked.
"Yeah. What was that?" He asked, confused and excited.
"That was your Baby Sister. She's saying Hi." Regina said, as she placed her hand over Henry's, feeling her daughter kicking inside her Wife.
"Really?" He asked, excitement spreading across his face. "How do I say Hi back?" He asked.
"Just talk to her. She can hear you." Regina said.
"Hi! I'm your Big Brother, Henry Daniel Swan-Mills. Mama says you need to keep growing for a little while longer before you can come out, but hopefully you'll be ready to play soon. I promise to share my trucks with you, but not Teddy. He's mine." Henry said, as he felt another kick.
"I think she likes you." Emma said, a tear falling from her eye, as she watched her son interact with her pregnant belly.
"I like her too." Henry said, yawning.
"I think it's Henry's bedtime." Regina said, as Henry yawned a second time. "Say goodnight to Mama." Regina said, taking a moment before climbing out from behind Emma.
"Night night, Mama." Henry said, giving Emma a huge hug and a kiss. "Night night Sister." He said, leaning over to kiss Emma's belly gently.
"I'll be right back." Regina said, scooping Henry up, carrying him to bed. "I do the same thing to Mama's belly too." She whispered to Henry, as they made their way upstairs.
Emma laid on the couch, resting her eyes, while she waited for Regina to return, her heart so full of love it threatened to explode.
"He's finally down." Regina said as she made her way into the den, crawling back behind Emma, her hands going directly to her stomach, rubbing soft circles over it. "He was worried that his Baby Sister wouldn't like trucks. I told him we would have to wait and see if she likes trucks."
"He wants to name her Boo from Monsters Inc. I told him we would think about it." Emma laughed, settling into Regina's embrace. "We should start thinking of names. Any ideas?" Emma asked, turning to look at Regina.
"Not yet. My brain is still trying to process the fact that we're having a little girl." Regina smiled, kissing Emma's forehead. "You?"
"Not yet." She said, shifting towards Regina again. "There was something I was thinking about, and I need your opinion, but I'm afraid you might think I'm crazy for even suggesting it." Emma said.
"What is it, My Love?" Regina asked.
"I was thinking that…I kinda want…well…I kinda want to have her here, at home…instead of a hospital…" Emma said, pausing to let the information settle into Regina's brain. "Henry was born here, and I want her to as well. Not in the backyard like Henry, if we can help it." Emma laughed. "But here at home…in our bed…where she was conceived. What do you think?" Emma added, waiting for Regina's reply.
"I think it's a great idea!" Regina said, her face lighting up. "As long as it's what you want, and it's safe for both of you, I say yes!"
"Yeah?" Emma asked. "Do you think Granny will deliver her for us? Like she did Henry?"
"I think she would be honored to deliver our daughter." Regina smiled. "We can talk to her about it next week."
"Ruby too?" Emma asked.
"I can already guarantee Ruby is a yes." Regina laughed. "She would be in bed with us if she could."
"Yeah, that's not going to happen." Emma laughed. "But, I would like her there with us…just not WITH us."
"I couldn't agree more!" Regina said, as they settled into the couch for the evening.
Emma fell asleep in Regina's arms a few minutes later, their joined hands once again settling on Emma's stomach, feeling the light kicks from their daughter.
Life in Storybrooke, Maine was nothing less than perfect. Henry started Kindergarten, and adjusted well to the new school atmosphere, better than his parents, who spent three days crying that their little boy was growing up too fast. Granny burst into tears when they asked her to deliver their baby girl, tears streaming down her face as she immediately accepted, followed shortly by an eager Ruby, offering to help in any way they needed.
Henry continued to grow more and more excited to be a Big Brother, and made sure to kiss Emma's belly goodnight every night before he went to bed, continuing to promise to share his trucks with his Baby Sister. If she wanted to play with trucks. The addition of David as a second Deputy at the Sheriff's Department allowed Emma to take things slow at work, taking on more and more of the administrative tasks as her pregnancy progressed, letting her work a little longer before taking maternity leave.
Life was perfect.
Emma was walking as fast as her pregnant body would allow her to, her destination being Granny's to meet Regina for lunch. She was distracted as always, when she collided violently into a stranger leaving the restaurant.
"Oh Shit. I'm sorry…" She said, looking up from her phone.
"Emma?" The stranger asked, a sudden shock falling across Emma's face.
"Neal? Oh my god Neal! What are you doing here?" Emma asked.
"I grew up here. I'm here visiting a friend. What are you doing here?" He asked, his face just as shocked as Emma's.
"I live here!" Emma said, still in shock to see her friend. "I can't believe I ran into you! How have you been?" She asked.
"I'm fine." Neal said, quickly scanning Emma's body, his eyes widening when he reached her stomach. "Emma! You're pregnant?"
"Yeah. Six months actually." Emma smiled, one hand rubbing her stomach, placing the other on her already sore low back. "It's our second, can you believe it? My Wife and I have a very energetic five year old boy at home."
"Wife?" Neal asked, in shock of Emma's choice in partners.
"Yeah. I'm actually meeting her here for lunch. Here…" She said, tapping her phone, pulling up a picture. "This is us a few days ago. Henry, our son, lost his first tooth, and insisted we all take a picture together to show off his missing tooth." She said, as she showed the picture of the three of them, all wide smiles, Henry's gap in the front where his tooth was.
"Wait, Regina Mills is your Wife?" He asked, with shock and a little anger in his voice.
"Well, it's Swan-Mills now, but yeah. Almost six years now. Why?" She asked, a light bulb going off in her mind. "Wait, you might know her. She grew up here too. Did you know her growing up?" She asked, excited.
"Yeah, I knew her." He said, staring at her intently. "Emma…are you…are you a Child of the Moon?" He asked, his voice suddenly very low.
"What?" Emma asked, her eyes widening with shock. "Why? Why would you ask me that?"
"That woman, Regina Mills…" Neal started to say.
"Swan-Mills…" Emma corrected, her eyes still wide with shock.
"Swan-Mills, whatever. That woman is the current Alpha of my father's old Pack, the Pack he willingly left when she assumed power." Neal started, noticing the absence of shock on Emma's face. "As per her own father's decree, no Wolf is permitted to marry a Human and remain a member of the Pack, which is what caused me to leave the Pack when I was sixteen. The only way you could be married to her is if you were also a Wolf." Neal explained, reading the expression on Emma's face. "So I'll ask you again, Emma, are you a Wolf?"
"We overturned that decree five years ago when Henry was born…" Emma answered, pausing before answering Neal's question. "But to answer your question, Yes. I am a Wolf." Emma whispered.
"Holy Crap!" Neal said, stepping back, clutching his head. "You're an Omega, aren't you! That's why I could never smell you!"
"Well, I mean, I did disappear every full moon. That didn't strike you as odd?" Emma laughed.
"I just thought it was some woman thing." Neal said, returning to his previous distraught state. "I can't believe I was riding around for a year with an Omega. Hell you're my Pack Omega! Had I known that, I would have sent you back!"
"First of all, Neal, no one sends me anywhere! I am no one's property, Human or Wolf alike!" Emma screamed, her pregnancy hormones giving her a short fuse. "And if I remember correctly, it was you who left me to take the heat from YOUR stolen watches." She screamed, causing a slight scene.
"Keep your voice down." Neal whispered, as people on the street were beginning to stare at them, when the familiar click of heels on concrete distracted them.
"Neal Cassidy?" Regina asked as she approached them, instinctually resting her hand on Emma's low back. "I never thought I would see you on the streets of Storybrooke. What are you doing here?" Regina asked.
"I met August for lunch. He's in town visiting his father." Neal answered, watching the unconscious body language between Emma and Regina.
"And you've met my Wife, Emma." Regina said, motioning towards Emma.
"Neal and I are actually old friends, if you can believe it." Emma laughed.
"Really? What a small world." Regina smiled. "How's your father?" Regina asked.
"He's fine. Stubborn as always." Neal answered, fidgeting. "Well, I better get going. Congratulations to both of you." Neal said, nervously, pointing to Emma's stomach.
"It was good to see you, Neal. I hope we'll see you again. Give my regards to your father." Regina said, as Neal took off running.
Regina shrugged off Neal's behavior and followed Emma into the diner, taking their usual booth in the corner, giving them a little privacy to enjoy their lunch.
"So, how do you know Neal?" Regina asked, as she ate her salad, rolling her eyes at Emma's choice of grilled cheese.
"So remember when I told you I went to jail because the guy I was living in the car with let me take the heat for something he did?" Emma asked.
"Yes, I recall…" Regina said, her face instantly changing to Mayor Swan-Mills.
"That guy was Neal." Emma said, taking a bite of her sandwich.
"I'll kill him!" Regina growled, moving quickly to climb out of the booth.
"Regina! No. Sit down!" Emma said, grabbing Regina's sleeve, pulling her back into the booth.
"No one disrespects you like that and gets away with it." Regina said, her voice still in a low growl.
"It's fine. It's ancient history." Emma said, resting her hand on Regina's. "Please, Regina. Sit back down." Emma pleaded, urging Regina back into the booth.
"Emma…" Regina said in a low voice. "He ruined your life…"
"He didn't ruin my life." Emma said. "Sure, prison was no walk in the park. But it was only eleven months of my life. I would say my life is pretty damn great now." She smiled, reaching for her Wife's hand across the table.
"How are you not angry with him?" Regina asked, trying to calm her racing heart.
"Oh believe me, I still very much am. He willingly let me take the heat for his crime. I haven't forgiven him for that." Emma said, rubbing the back of Regina's hand to help calm her nerves. "And if it makes you feel better, right before you showed up, I was screaming at him like a wild banshee." Emma laughed, as she could tell Regina's anger had dissipated. They sat in silence for a few minutes while Regina collected her thoughts.
"You traveled around with him for an entire year, and he never explained to you what you were?" Regina asked after a few minutes.
"He never knew. He couldn't smell me since I'm an Omega. And during the full moon I always insisted we pull over before sundown and would leave before I shifted. I assumed he just slept in the car while I was gone. I guess he did the same thing I did." Emma explained, inhaling a fry.
"Where did you go when you shifted?" Regina asked.
"If we happened to be near a forest or a wooded area, I would run. Most times I would just find someplace to hide until morning. I would hide behind a dumpster or under a car. Anything I could find." Emma answered.
"What about when you were in prison? How did you shift in prison?" Regina asked, her expression showing concern. They never spoke about Emma's time in prison.
"That was a different story." Emma laughed, causing Regina's face to grow even more concerned. "I had to get creative with the first Wolf's Time inside. I basically had to tie my blanket and sheets around me until there was only a small opening so I could breathe and would curl up in a tiny ball all night, praying no one would come check on me or make me move. A few times I purposely got myself sent to solitary during Wolf's Time so I could shift without having to worry. But too many trips to solitary would have added time to my sentence so I couldn't do that too many times." Emma explained, as she saw tears welling in Regina's eyes.
"I can't believe you had to endure that." Regina said, a stray tear falling from her eyes.
"Again, ancient history." Emma smiled, trying to comfort her Wife. "None of that matters anymore."
"How can you say that?" Regina said, another tear falling from her eye.
"Because the only things that matter to me now, are sitting across the table from me right now, crying at the idea of my rough life. And sitting in his kindergarten class right now, learning how to read. And growing inside me, getting ready to join her family. And here, running around making sure everyone has exactly what they need for lunch." Emma said, once again reaching for Regina. "You, and our family. That's the only thing that matters to me now. The past is just that. The past. You are my future, Regina."
Regina smiled for the first time since finding out Emma and Neal's history, as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
Emma shifted uncomfortably in bed, trying in vain to get comfortable, but nothing she did could relieve the discomfort. She was two weeks into her scheduled maternity leave, and she was more than ready to get this kid out of her. She was able to spend her last Wolf's Time in the forest with Regina and Ruby, and she was days away from her due date.
"Do you need anything before I go?" Regina asked, as she sat back on the bed, dressed in her Mayor clothes.
"No, I think I'm ok." Emma shifted uncomfortably.
"I can stay and work from home today if you want." Regina said.
"No, it's ok. You're going to be out of the office for a while once she comes. Don't waste the day." Emma snapped slightly.
"Staying home with you is never a waste of a day." Regina smiled, cupping Emma's swollen face, as Henry came rushing into their room.
"Bye bye Mama! I'm going to school now!" He screeched, as he jumped onto their bed, backpack bouncing around on his back.
"Bye bye, my little Prince." Emma said, kissing and hugging her son. "Have a good day at school! Learn lots of things." She smiled, even though her back was already killing her.
"Rest today. I'll be home for lunch around one." Regina said, leaning over to kiss Emma goodbye. "If you need anything, anything at all, please call me. I can be home in less than twenty minutes if you need me." Regina said, kissing Emma one more time before crawling off the bed, stepping into her heels.
"I will." Emma smiled as she watched her Wife finish getting ready for the day. "Have a good day, My Love." She said, causing Regina to rush over for one last kiss before she left the room, rushing Henry out the door to get to school on time.
Emma continued to shift uncomfortably in bed for another fifteen minutes, eventually giving up on the idea of getting comfortable and slowly made her way downstairs to grab some breakfast. Not having the energy to cook anything, she settled for a bowl of cereal before making her way into the den to settle on the couch with her cup of tea. She missed coffee more than anything she had to give up for her pregnancy, and counted the days until she could indulge in a cup again. She dozed off on the couch a few minutes after getting comfortable, her cup of herbal tea abandoned on the table just within arms reach.
A little while later, a sharp pain shot through her body, waking her suddenly. The pain was gone by the time she realized what happened. She grumbled as she was forced to shift positions again, her low back killing her. Just as she was starting to doze off again, another wave of pain shot through her, this time stronger and lingered a little longer.
"Is that you, little Princess?" She asked, as she sat up, settling in a seated position, rubbing her large belly.
Twenty minutes later, another contraction ripped through her, the worst one so far, causing her to wince and double over in pain, breathing heavily while she waited for the pain to pass.
"Let's let your mommy work a little longer before we call her." Emma said to her belly, as she struggled to get up off the couch. "We still have time." She said, making her way towards the kitchen, picking up her half empty cup of tea to dump in the sink.
She took her time milling around the kitchen, feeling a little antsy from not being used to sitting so much. She reached into the fridge to grab a bottle of water before going back to the den, the extra weight making her tired when she stood for too long. She had only made it a few steps past the island counter when she felt the warm gush of liquid between her legs, soaking her pants and rushing down her legs, pooling at her bare feet.
Emma panicked as another contraction ripped through her, worse than the last. She looked at the clock, gripping the counter for support, as she waited for the pain to ease. Fifteen minutes exactly since the last contraction. As soon as it was over, she fumbled to pull her phone out from her pocket, quickly dialing Regina's number.
"Regina…" She said, before Regina had a chance to say hello. "…it's time!"
Regina rushed out of her office, slamming her office door so hard she swore she cracked the door frame.
"Miss Boyd, please clear the rest of today, as well as the rest of the week." Regina said, stopping abruptly at her secretary's desk.
"Today is only Tuesday, Madam Mayor, are you sure you won't be in the rest of the week?" She asked, startled at Regina's abruptness.
"Yes, Miss Boyd. I will not be in for the remainder of the week. In fact, I probably will not be in for the next six weeks either. I will be in touch within the next few days to confirm." Regina said, impatiently.
"Is everything alright?" She asked, concern written across her face.
"Yes. Everything is great!" Regina smiled, her demeanor changing drastically. "My Wife is in labor!" Regina said, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
"That's wonderful! What are you still doing here? Get out of here! I'll take care of everything!" She said, shooing Regina away. "Good luck, Madam Mayor." She added, as Regina rushed down the hall towards the stairs, and out of the building, tripping slightly on the sideway as she ran to her car.
She was grateful to be married to the Deputy Sheriff, because she broke every driving law in the state of Maine, as she rushed to get home to Emma, nearly hitting the Yellow Bug as she pulled into the driveway. She could hear Emma groaning as soon as she opened the front door, slamming it behind her before following the sound into the den. Emma was doubled over on the edge of the couch, one hand clutching her stomach, the other on her low back, as she breathed through the pain. Regina was by her side before Emma even realized she was home.
"Regina…" Emma whispered through gritted teeth, as the pain started to subside.
"How far apart are they?" Regina asked, as Emma leaned into her.
"Still fifteen minutes apart." She said, her body relaxing into Regina's.
"We still have some time." Regina said. "Have you called Granny yet?"
"Not yet. I know it's still the breakfast rush, and she'll be prepping for lunch by now. I didn't want to bother her until they were closer together." Emma said, looking up at Regina. "Hey, can you do me a favor? I know I'm being crazy but, can you change? I want Regina…not Mayor Swan-Mills."
"Of course, My Love. I'll take a quick shower and call Granny to let her know what's going on." Regina said, knowing Emma was referring to her straightened hair and pantsuit. "Do you need anything before I go? I'll try to get back before the next contraction." Regina said, rubbing Emma's back.
"I…umm…I'm kinda made a mess…" Emma said, embarrassed. "I'm wet…" She whispered, motioning to her wet pants. "My water broke all over the kitchen floor."
"Let's get you cleaned up and into dry clothes." Regina smiled, as she held Emma's arm to help her stand up. "After I transform back to myself I'll clean up the kitchen floor." Regina said, as they made their way slowly upstairs.
The first thing she did when they made it upstairs, was help Emma out of her wet pants, taking a wet washcloth to wipe off the remainder of the fluid, making sure Emma's legs and core were clean and dry, before helping her into a clean pair of pants, both agreeing to forgo underwear for the time being. Emma's next contraction ripped through her right before Regina got into the shower, causing Regina to rush towards Emma on the bed, wrapping her naked body around her, holding her tight as they waited for the pain to stop. Emma's contractions were still fifteen minutes apart, which gave Regina enough time to call Granny to fill her in on the details of Emma's labor, and take a quick shower to wash the Mayor off her, before her next contraction hit.
"Do you want to go back downstairs?" Regina asked, as Emma relaxed into her body again. "Granny said we don't have to start preparing for delivery until they are five minutes apart. She and Ruby are going to come over in a little while, unless your labor progresses before then."
"Can we just lay here a little longer?" Emma asked.
"Of course. Rest, My Love." Regina said, as she moved quickly to the other side, facing Emma, her hand instinctively resting on Emma's stomach.
"What are we going to do about Henry?" Emma asked, yawning.
"I'll ask Ruby to pick him up from school and take him for ice cream and let him know what's going on. Maybe Mary Margaret will be able to come over and look after him while you're pushing." Regina suggested. Emma nodded, yawning again. "Get some rest. I'll go call Ruby and Mary Margaret and I'll be right back." Regina said, kissing Emma quickly, before grabbing her cell phone and walking out into the hallway. By the time she was back, Emma was asleep. Her impromptu nap didn't last very long, as her next contraction ripped through her, waking her up. "Thirteen minutes." Regina whispered, as Emma closed her eyes again, waiting for the next contraction.
By the time Granny and Ruby made it to the house, Emma's contractions were ten minutes apart, and growing more and more intense each time. Regina stayed by her side, wrapping her arms around her body for support, or lending a hand for stability, as Emma doubled over, her entire body on fire with each contraction. On Granny's initial examination of Emma's cervix, she was already seven centimeters dilated, moving along well, but still had a ways to go before she would be ready to deliver their daughter. Before Ruby left to pick Henry up from school, she helped Granny prepare their bed for the delivery, while Regina helped Emma through another contraction.
"Auntie Ruby!" Henry yelled, as he ran over to Ruby, excited to see her waiting outside for him. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm picking you up for school. I thought we could get some ice cream before we go home." She said, as she picked Henry up. "That is, unless you don't want to." She smiled, as Henry bounced in her arms, excited for the opportunity to have ice cream with Auntie Ruby.
It didn't take long after walking into the ice cream shop for Henry to completely cover his face, and somehow Ruby's face with chocolate ice cream.
"So buddy, there's something I want to tell you before we get home." She said, attempting to wipe the rest of the ice cream off of Henry's face.
"Yeah." Henry said, squirming as Ruby struggled to clean his face.
"Your Baby Sister is coming very soon." Ruby said, seeing Henry's face light up.
"She is?" He asked, bouncing up and down from excitement, and the sudden sugar rush.
"She is!" Ruby said, taking his hand and walking out into the parking lot. "But there's something you need to know. Things might be really loud when we get home, and until she's here. I don't want you to get scared if you hear some scary things." Ruby explained, as they pulled out of the parking lot, making the short drive home.
"Ok…" Henry said, not really understanding what she meant.
Mary Margaret was already at the house when Henry and Ruby made it home, waiting for them on the front porch, not wanting to impose until Henry got home. The sound of Emma's loud groan of pain could be heard as soon as they opened the front door, causing Henry to cling to Ruby tightly. Mary Margaret excused herself to the den, waiting for Henry, while Ruby carried the boy upstairs to check on his mother, the groaning growing louder and louder as they approached their bedroom.
"Let me go check on your Mama for a second, Ok?" Ruby said, stopping outside their bedroom door. "Don't come in unless I tell you." She added, as she disappeared into the room. A few seconds later, she opened the door again, ushering Henry into his parent's bedroom, a scared look on his little face.
Emma was laying on the bed on her right side, Regina curled up behind her, arms and legs wrapped tightly around her, her head resting on Emma's shoulder. Her contractions were now five minutes apart, and she was eight centimeters dilated.
"Come here, Henry. It's ok." Emma whispered, as she reached her hand out for her son. Regina shifted up a little, giving her a better view of Henry, while giving Emma a little more room with him.
"Mama? Are you ok, Mama?" Henry asked, as he slowly climbed onto the bed.
"Of course, little Prince." Emma answered, reaching out to hold Henry's little hand. "Did Auntie Ruby explain what's happening?"
"Yeah. She said my Baby Sister is coming now." Henry answered quietly, as if afraid to talk loud.
"That's right. She's going to be born soon." She said, noticing he looked a little confused.
"You know how she's been growing inside Mama's belly?" Regina asked, waiting for Henry to nod in understanding. "Well, it's time for her to come out of Mama and live with us." Regina added.
"Mama? Why were you yelling before? Are you hurt?" Henry asked, as he softly laid his hand on Emma's belly.
"Because sometimes it hurts to have a baby." Emma answered, looking at his face.
"Did it hurt when I came out of you too?" Henry asked, tears filling his eyes.
"A little." She said, as Henry started crying.
"I'm sorry I hurt you, Mama. I didn't mean to." Henry said, crying.
"Oh my sweet boy, it's not your fault. It's just a part of nature." Emma said, holding Henry's hand. "After all the pain, we got you. So it was all worth it." Emma smiled, trying to hide the fact that her next contraction was coming quickly.
"Mary Margaret is going to take care of you, while Mama brings your Baby Sister into the world." Regina said, sensing Emma was in pain.
"No. I want to stay here with Mama." Henry yelled.
"You can't, little Prince. It's going to be really loud and scary here. And Mama is going to be yelling really loud. You shouldn't have to see that." Regina explained.
"I want Mommy to stay with me then." Henry said, turning towards Emma, who was struggling with her contraction without scaring Henry.
"Mommy needs to stay here with me to help me give birth to your Sister." Emma whispered, trying to keep her voice calm.
"We'll come get you when she's here and you can see her." Ruby said, as she moved to Henry's side.
"Don't be scared. No matter what you hear, don't be scared." Emma said, as Henry hugged her tightly, kissing her clammy cheek, before leaving the room with Ruby to meet Mary Margaret downstairs.
As soon as Henry left, Granny checked Emma one more time, determining she was at nine centimeters, the time for delivery was almost upon them. Regina undressed Emma, preparing her for delivery, draping a sheet over her body until she was ready to push, as Emma decided to deliver naked, like she had with Henry. By the time Emma's next contraction hit, she was officially ten centimeters dilated.
It was time to start pushing.
Regina propped herself behind Emma, holding her up, pulling the sheet off her body, while Granny settled at the end of the bed, Ruby standing behind her with a bigger mirror than before, giving Emma and Regina the opportunity to watch their daughter being born. Emma screamed as she pushed with all her might, her body feeling like she was being ripped apart, and their daughter slowly made her way through the birth canal in Emma's body.
Forty-five minutes later, Emma was exhausted, every inch of her body hurt, very little progress made.
"I can't…I can't do this anymore." Emma cried, as she collapsed into Regina's body, her skin soaked with sweat, her long blonde hair sticking to her forehead.
"You can. I know you can." Regina whispered, kissing Emma's head. "She's almost here. Just a little longer."
"Emma. Open your eyes." Granny said, hearing the defeat in Emma's voice. "Look down here." She instructed. Emma opened her eyes, and together, they looked at the mirror in Ruby's hand. Blonde hair stuck out of Emma's vagina, their baby girl's head was crowning.
"She has your hair, darling." Regina cried, as they stared at the top of their baby's head.
"Just a little while longer, Emma. Hang in!" Ruby said over Granny's shoulder.
The three women coached Emma on, her screams could be heard throughout the house, scaring Henry slightly, as he played in the den with Mary Margaret. Regina's eyes were glued to the mirror, as she watched Emma slowly push their baby's head out, collapsing back into her arms for a few moments rest in between contractions.
"Look at her." Regina whispered, urging Emma to open her eyes and look down at the mirror, the sweet face of their daughter clearly visible.
"One more push, Emma. One more and she'll be here." Granny said, as Emma pushed the rest of their daughter out, collapsing against Regina when she felt her little body slip out from inside her.
The newborn's cries filled the room, as Granny placed their baby girl against Emma's chest.
"Emma, hold your baby." Granny whispered, as she held the baby to Emma's chest, Emma's arms lay unmoving beside her.
"I can't…" Emma whispered, her body too exhausted to even open her eyes.
"I got you." Regina whispered, tears streaming down her face, falling into Emma's sweat soaked hair, as she wrapped her arms around Emma, holding their daughter to her chest.
"What does she look like?" Emma whispered, her body limp.
"She's beautiful. She has your hair." Regina whispered, as she looked at their newborn daughter in her arms. "She's like you, Emma. She's an Omega like you." Regina cried, kissing Emma's head, as she rubbed her thumb over the dark red circle birthmark on her right arm, just above her elbow. The same birthmark Emma had above her right elbow. "Open your eyes, My Love. Look at our daughter." Regina whispered, encouraging Emma to open her eyes.
Emma's eyes fluttered open, as she saw their daughter for the first time, her arms slowly moving around the tiny baby on her chest.
"Hi…" She whispered, brushing her thumb over the baby's tiny cheek, tears streaming down her face.
"Are we ready to separate mother and daughter?" Granny asked, waiting for Emma's nod of approval, before handing the scissors to Regina for her to cut the cord. Regina nodded slightly to Ruby, before she disappeared into the bathroom. Granny moved down to attend to Emma, giving them a few moments with their newborn daughter. They cried together as they held her against Emma's chest, unable to formulate words.
A few minutes later, Granny gently lifted the baby from her exhausted mother, promising she would be returned as soon as Granny took the necessary measurements and tests, before cleaning her up. As soon as the baby was out of Emma's arms, Regina slid out from behind her, slowly scooping Emma into her arms, carrying her into the bathroom where Ruby had prepared a warm bath.
"Regina…" Emma whispered, as Regina slowly lowered her into the warm water. "What…"
"Shhh…" Regina said, as she gently laid Emma back in the tub. "You just gave birth to our daughter. Let me take care of you." Regina said, as she reached for a cup to slowly pour warm water over Emma's head.
Regina slowly shampooed and conditioned Emma's hair, using the cup to rinse the product out, before softy washing her skin, making sure she was clean and comfortable, before slowly helping her out of the tub, the water already slightly red from Emma's postpartum bleeding. She helped Emma redress, gently brushing her long hair, before scooping her up and bringing her back into their bedroom, where Ruby and Granny had already changed the sheets on the bed, laying her gently back onto the bed, propping her up with pillows. Ruby handed their newborn daughter back to Emma, as tears fell down her face. Granny sat in the corner, wiping her tears, as she watched the women cuddle together, their eyes glued to their new daughter.
"What's her name?" Ruby whispered a few moments later.
"Hope." Emma whispered, looking up at Ruby, who stood at the side of the bed. "Hope Ruby Swan-Mills." Emma added, as Ruby collapsed onto the bed, her face shocked at her Niece's name.
"T-t-t-thank you." Ruby cried, reaching for Regina's hand.
"Welcome home, Hope Ruby Swan-Mills." Granny cried from the corner.
"Can I stay with you guys and Hope a little longer?" A very tired Henry yawned, as he curled up in Regina's arms.
"Just a little longer." Regina said, as they watched their son's eyes start to droop. A few minutes later, he was sound asleep against Regina's chest.
They sat together as a family for a little while longer, Regina watching as the rest of her family slept beside her, Henry in her arms, and Hope in Emma's, Emma's eyes and head falling slightly as she fought against exhaustion. Regina slowly slid off the bed, carrying the sleeping Henry to bed, returning a few moments later to lift Hope off Emma's chest, urging her Wife to lay down, falling asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
Regina rocked Hope against her chest for a few moments, as she watched Emma sleep, the light from the waning moon filling the room with light.
"I love you." She whispered, as she kissed her daughter softly before laying her in the bassinet. She crawled into bed with her Wife, holding her close, slowly closing her eyes, as visions of their family flashed through her mind. "I love you so much, Emma. I love you with every fiber of my being." She whispered, kissing Emma's neck sweetly and softly.
"I love you too." Emma whispered, grabbing Regina's hand, intertwining their fingers, as she pulled Regina's arm around her, kissing her hand. "I love you so much." Emma whispered slowly, and she fell asleep again.
A/N: Happy Birthday Hope :D