Chapter 12
"He's finally down." Regina said, as she walked back into the room and joined Emma on the bed as she nursed Hope, switching on the monitor to Henry's room. "It only took three stories and the promise of pancakes at some point in the near future." Regina said, as she nuzzled closer to her Wife and daughter.
"Speaking of the near future." Emma said, adjusting Hope against the opposite nipple, wincing slightly. "Are you going to run with Ruby in a few days?" Emma asked.
"No, I wasn't planning on it." Regina said, gently rubbing her hand over Hope's tiny head. "I don't want to run without you. We're a package deal now." Regina laughed.
"What are we going to tell Henry? He's going to want to know where Mommy went and why he can't come into our bedroom." Emma said, shifting Hope onto her shoulder to burp her.
"I'll hide in the bathroom or under the bed until he goes to sleep." Regina said, watching as Emma slid Hope back to her chest, offering the newborn her nipple again.
"No! Absolutely not!" Emma said, reaching out to cup Regina's face. "I did enough hiding for the both of us. You will not hide from our son."
"Should we tell him? Do you think he'll understand?" Regina asked.
"I don't know. Maybe. He's a smart boy." Emma said, shifting Hope once more. "How old were you when your parents explained it to you?"
"I don't remember to be honest. I just always knew. I guess they had to have told me at some point, and I must have been quite young if I don't remember the conversation." Regina said, gazing back to Hope in Emma's arms.
"Can we trust him not to tell people that his mothers turn into Wolves?" Emma laughed.
"Probably not." Regina laughed. "But he's five. People would just think it's a product of a very creative boy's imagination." Regina answered, as they both watched Hope drift off to sleep, her little mouth hanging open, releasing Emma's nipple.
"So we tell him?" Emma whispered, not wanting to wake their daughter.
"Yes. Let's tell him." Regina smiled.
Three days later, they were laying in bed, Hope squirming on the blanket between them, Henry playing quietly on the floor, making the occasional honk honk sound while he drove his trucks around the carpet, as they watched the sun dip quickly towards the horizon.
"Are you ready?" Emma whispered, not wanting to alert Henry to anything just yet. Regina nodded, quietly slipping off the bed and making her way to the bathroom, grabbing their blanket from the closet on her way. Emma continued to play with Hope for a few more minutes, until she heard the bathroom door open and Regina emerge, their blanket wrapped around her naked body.
"Hey, Henry." Emma said, as she scooped Hope into her arms, bringing her over to the bassinet near the window, before taking a seat in the chair in the corner of their room, beckoning Henry to join her over. "Mommy and I have something we want to talk to you about." Emma said, as Henry scampered over to her, Regina moving into the middle of the room.
"Yes, Mama?" Henry asked, his wide eyes staring back at Emma.
"Do you remember the story we used to tell you, about the people who would turn into Wolves during the full moon, and run around in the forest all night before turning back into people when the sun came up?" Emma asked.
"Yeah!" Henry nodded wildly. "It's my favorite story EVER!"
"What would you say if I told you that story was true?" Emma asked, watching the excitement in Henry's eyes.
"That would be SO COOL!" Henry exclaimed. "Is it true, Mama?" Henry asked.
"It's true, little man." Emma smiled. "And better yet, those people…the ones who turn into Wolves…those people are us." Emma added, glancing out the window at the rapidly setting sun, knowing they only had a few more moments before Regina would shift.
"What do you mean, Mama?" Henry asked, looking confused. Regina cleared her throat, letting Emma know she was about to shift.
"Watch Mommy." Emma whispered, as she nudged Henry to turn around, making sure he was looking right at Regina when the sun officially set in the sky.
The familiar cloud of smoke surrounded Regina, as she transformed instantly into the Black Wolf. Henry looked shocked, until Regina's head poked out from under the blanket, revealing her Wolf face.
Henry screamed louder than he's ever screamed in his entire life.
"Shhh…don't be scared." Emma said, wrapping her arms around her son, as he stood shaking, watching the Wolf in front of him. "Shhh…stop screaming, it's ok." Emma said, trying to calm her son down.
"MAMA! MAMA! IT'S A WOLF! MAMA! He screamed, his little body still shaking.
"Shhh…it's ok. Stop yelling, it's ok." Emma whispered, as he slowly settled down, his body still shaking, as Regina stood silent and still, not wanting to scare the little boy any more. "Look…" Emma said, sliding off the chair, crawling over to Regina.
"No Mama!" Henry said, his voice dripping with fear, as he watched his mother approach the Black Wolf that sat in the center of the room.
"No, look. It's ok." Emma said, as she ran her fingers through Regina's fur, kissing her snout, as Regina nuzzled into Emma's neck, a soft soothing coo like noise coming from Regina's throat. "Come here." Emma said, reaching her free hand towards Henry.
"No! I'm too scared, Mama." Henry said, moving farther away from Regina. Emma could tell his reluctance was breaking Regina's heart, even though they both understood why Henry was so scared.
"It's ok, little Prince. She won't hurt you! I would never let anything bad happen to you. I promise." Emma said, reaching out for Henry once again.
"You promise?" He asked, taking a tentative step towards them.
"Promise promise!" Emma said, as Henry took another slow step towards them.
Slowly, Henry made his way towards his mothers, until he was a few feet away.
"Look at her eyes." Emma whispered. Regina opened her eyes as wide as she could to allow her son to really see them. "Who's eyes are they?"
"Mommy's eyes." Henry whispered, taking another step towards Regina, his eyes fixed on hers. "Mommy? Is that really you?" Henry asked, once he was within touching distance. Regina nodded her head wildly, reaching out a paw towards Henry.
"It's really her." Emma smiled, as she watched their son's expression change from fear to excitement.
"Can I touch her?" He asked, his voice almost a whisper.
"Of course you can." Emma smiled. Henry reached a cautious hand out towards Regina, gently petting her head with his sticky hands. As soon as his hand touched her fur, she lunged forward, licking his face, startling him.
"Ewwwww, Mommy!" Henry laughed, wiping his face. "Gross, Mommy!" Henry laughed, as Regina licked his face again, nudging her nose into his side, knowing exactly where he was the most ticklish.
"Do you have any questions?" Emma asked, as soon as Regina stopped tickling Henry with her nose, his hand grazing Regina's head softly.
"Do you turn into a Wolf too, Mama?" Henry asked.
"Yes, I do." Emma smiled.
"How come you didn't turn into one now?" He asked, the wheels in his head turning.
"My body is still healing from bringing Hope into the world. Once I'm all healed, I'll turn into a Wolf with Mommy." Emma explained. "You know how Mary Margaret comes over a few nights every couple weeks to watch you while Mommy and I go out?" Emma asked, as Henry nodded. "That's when we go running in the forest. I'm sure you've even heard us howl before we run off." Emma smiled.
"I do! Sometimes I hear Wolves." Henry said, excited.
"That's us!" Emma said.
"Will I turn into a Wolf too?" He asked after a few moments.
"Yes, you will." Emma said. "Hope will as well. You start shifting after your tenth birthday."
"Does anyone else turn into Wolves too?" Henry asked, not missing a beat.
"Auntie Ruby does. So does Granny." Emma answered, pausing as Henry processed the information. "Mary Margaret's husband David and their friend Archie do as well, but you don't really know them."
"Auntie Ruby turns into a Wolf too?" He asked, excited at the new information.
"Yeah! In fact, tomorrow night, if we listen carefully, we can probably hear her howl at the start of the night. Once you're a little older, we'll explain everything in more detail. But for now, this has to be our secret, though. No one outside of our family can know about us." Emma explained, hoping he understood the severity of this secret.
"Can I tell Teddy?" Henry asked.
"Yes, you can tell Teddy. And you can tell Hope when she gets older. But you can't tell anyone else." Emma explained.
"Ok, Mama. I won't tell anyone." Henry said, his eyes squinting as he was thinking. "Can I play with Mommy when she's a Wolf?" He asked suddenly.
"I don't know, why don't you ask her?" Emma smiled, already knowing the answer. Before Henry could ask, Regina lunged forward again, nudging him with her head, causing him to topple over. She pounced over towards him, licking his face repeatedly, causing him to squirm under her.
"Yucky! Mommy!" Henry laughed, as he tried to escape Regina. He eventually rolled away from her face, rushing over to Emma to wipe his face on her arm, before running out of the bedroom, Regina chasing after him. His laughter rang out through the house, as Henry and Regina played together in Henry's room, bringing a tear to Emma's eye.
A few hours later, Henry wrapped his arms around Regina's neck, holding her tight, as she draped her right paw on his little back in an attempt to hug him back.
"Night night, Mommy. I love you." Henry said, as he kissed her nose lightly. She let out a small Yip before she licked his face softly, saying goodnight, as Emma walked him out of the room. She could hear him slur his words with exhaustion, as he talked about how much fun it was to play with Mommy when she was a Wolf, and how much he was looking forward to playing with her again tomorrow night.
By the time Emma made it back to their room, Regina was laying on the bed, her head on her paws, as she listened to the sounds of Hope cooing in the bassinet close by. Emma scooped her up and carried her to the bed, settling next to Regina, lifting up her shirt to give Hope access to her nipple.
"Once she's fed and asleep, and I pump what's left, we can go to bed." Emma whispered, as she ran her hand over Regina's head. Regina watched in silence as Emma fed their daughter, Hope falling asleep in Emma's arms once she was full. As much as Regina loved feeding Henry, and looked forward to the time when she could feed Hope, she knew how much it meant to Emma to be able to nurse, so she didn't push to transition them to a bottle until it was absolutely necessary, even though Emma has already begun to pump after each feeding.
A little while later, after all the tasks were finished, Emma climbed into bed and pulled the blankets over herself and Regina, the two meeting in the middle of the bed. Emma wrapped her arm around Regina's shoulders, and reached out for her paw, holding it tightly as she gazed into her eyes.
"Henry couldn't stop talking about how excited he is to play with you again tomorrow night." Emma whispered, as she yawned.
Regina made a very quiet Yip to let Emma know she was just as excited as Henry is.
"I wish I could hear your voice. I miss falling asleep to the sound of your voice."
Regina shifted closer to Emma, trying so hard to keep her voice down as she attempted to speak, low howls the only noise that escaped her lips.
"Shhh…it's ok." Emma said, running her hand over Regina's face. "It's only a few nights a month. Before we know it, I'll be back on my feet. Or my paws." Emma laughed, triggering another yawn.
Regina nudged her face.
"Yeah yeah, I know. I'm going to sleep." Emma smiled, leaning over to kiss Regina's nose, before closing her eyes. She was asleep within minutes, her arm still draped across Regina's shoulders, Regina's paw held tightly in her hand.
Time seemed to fly by in a blink of an eye, and suddenly Hope was four months old. Emma found herself sitting on the couch in the den, Hope bouncing in her little bouncer, while Regina and Henry wrestled on the floor in front of her, the coffee table moved against the wall to give them more room. Henry convinced them to mark each full moon on the calendar in his room, making sure to check off each day, counting the days until Wolf's Time, so he could play with Regina while she was a Wolf. On the second night of Wolf's Time after Hope was born, Henry discovered that he could tickle Regina back, quickly finding the spot on her belly that was the most ticklish, and used it to his advantage every moment he could. Emma's heart was so full, as she watched her family, imagining the time when all four of them could shift together, and spend the night in the forest as a family. But that dream was quite a ways off before both Henry and Hope were old enough to shift. She quickly wiped the tear that fell from her eye as she tried to envision what her children would look like as Wolves.
Regina walked slowly over to Emma, placing her head in her lap as she sat on the floor in front of her. Regina closed her eyes for a moment, as Emma rubbed small circles on the top of her head.
"Mommy! Come on! You're it!" Henry said, bouncing back over to his parents.
"I think Mommy needs a little break." Emma laughed, as Regina nodded slightly into her lap. "Plus, I think it's almost bedtime."
"No, Mama. A little while longer, please! I want to keep playing with Mommy." Henry whined.
"There's still one more night of Wolf's Time tomorrow night." Emma said, lifting Regina's head as she slid out from under her, kissing the top of her head as she stood up to pull a very tired Hope out of her seat. Regina pawed at her leg until Emma crouched down and let her lick her cheek lightly, returning Emma's kiss.
"Can we still play once you start turning too?" Henry asked, as he followed Emma and Hope out of the den, Regina trailing behind them.
"I don't know." Emma said, as they entered Henry's room, motioning for him to change into his pajamas. Regina sat by the door, a sadness in her eyes as she couldn't help Emma with the kids like she usually does. "I'm sure Auntie Ruby will want to play a little before we run." Emma said, as Henry quickly changed, throwing his dirty clothes on the floor for Emma to pick up tomorrow.
"I hope so!" Henry said, as he ran out of his room to the bathroom to brush his teeth and pee once more before bed. "Night night, Mommy." Henry said once he was finished, hugging her tightly around her neck, kissing her nose before climbing into bed with Emma. Regina slowly moved out of Henry's room, making her way back to their bedroom to keep an eye on Hope while Emma read Henry a bedtime story.
Regina watched as Emma walked back into their room, scooping Hope into her arms and settling on their bed, lifting up her shirt to nurse as they did every night. On normal nights, Emma would sit snuggled up to Regina, her head on her shoulder, as she nursed Hope to sleep, handing the sleeping baby to Regina to tuck into her bassinet, before crawling back into bed, holding Emma close while the breast pump sucked out the remainder of Emma's milk to be frozen and used at a later date when Hope was in daycare. Emma usually dozed off leaving Regina to disconnect the machine when it was finished, carrying the milk downstairs to be labeled and placed in the freezer. During Wolf's Time, all Regina could do was watch as Emma struggled to put Henry to bed before nursing and pumping, having to get out of bed a few times, trips that Regina would usually help her with.
"Stop it." Emma whispered, as the sound of the machine whirred next to them. "I know what you're thinking." She said, noticing the look of sadness in Regina's eyes.
Regina shifted closer to Emma, her head resting on Emma's thigh.
"I'm fine. I don't mind taking care of the kids during Wolf's Time." Emma said, reaching for Regina's head. "Plus, you tire Henry out playing so he goes down pretty quickly." Emma laughed, as she rubbed lazy circled on Regina's head.
Regina whined slightly, even though she knew Emma was right. There's not a lot she could do to help during Wolf's Time.
"I'll be right back." Emma said, disconnecting the pump from her nipples, carrying the milk downstairs to the freezer. Regina sighed, as she sat on the bed, her eyes fixed on their sleeping daughter, as she waited for Emma to come back.
"It's only a few more nights." Emma said, as she curled up next to Regina, pulling the blankets over them both. "I started shifting after six months with Henry. Just two more months and we'll be back in the forest." She said, as she gazed into Regina's eyes. The light from the full moon made Regina's eyes sparkle, as she pulled Regina a little closer. Regina licked her face lightly when Emma's eyes started to close, drifting off to sleep with Regina's paw held tightly in her hands.
The sky was starting to lighten, as Emma tucked Hope back into her bassinet, after a quick late night change and cuddle. Regina had drifted off to sleep, her body preparing to shift back, but for the moment, she was still in her Wolf form. Emma knew she didn't have much time, as she quickly climbed back into bed, her eyes glued on Regina's form beside her. This would be the first time she would witness her Wife shifting back, always either a Wolf herself or asleep next to her when the shift happens.
Emma watched as the first rays of sunlight flooded their room, hitting Regina's face as the familiar black cloud engulfed her. As the smoke cleared, she could see Regina's face, hidden partially by her wild curly hair. Emma shifted closer to her, inhaling deeply the faint smell of lilacs that still clung to Regina's skin. She brushed the hair from Regina's sleeping face, tears welling in her eyes as she leaned over to place a soft kiss on Regina's lips.
"Hey…" Regina whispered, her eyes still closed. "Is everything ok?" She asked, as she struggled to open her eyes.
"Yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Emma said, still cupping Regina's face. "I just watched you shift back."
"Really?" Regina asked, her eyes finally opening, noticing the tears in Emma's eyes, reaching out to wipe them away.
"It was beautiful." Emma said, grabbing Regina's hand, lacing their fingers. "I've seen you shift into a Wolf before. I've shifted with you. But I've never seen you shift back. I've always woken up and you're there." She said, pulling Regina closer.
"What was it like?" Regina asked, seeing how emotional the shift made Emma.
"It was like getting my favorite parts of you back all at once." Emma explained. "I Love the Wolf part of you. I will always Love my mysterious Black Wolf, because that's how we met. But I would rather be a Wolf with you."
"I know the feeling." Regina said, leaning in for a light kiss, pulling away only because of the yawn that ripped through her body.
"Go back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you." Emma said, as they settled closer to each other, wrapping their arms and legs around each other, as they both drifted back to sleep.
Emma laid on the floor in the den, watching as Hope laid on her belly, lifting her head, looking around as she tried to roll back onto her back. She missed her Wife and son while they were at work and school, but she had to admit, she loved these quiet afternoons, just her and Hope. She only had one more week left of her maternity leave, so she tried to savor every moment she had with her baby girl before returning to work the following week.
She had just settled onto the couch with Hope asleep on her chest, when she heard the front door open and close, the familiar sound of Regina's heels clicking on the linoleum as she made her way into the den looking for Emma.
"Shhh…" Emma said as Regina walked into the room, pointing to the sleeping baby on her chest. "What's up? Aren't you supposed to be in the weekly council meeting now?" Emma asked, as she looked at the clock.
"We have a bit of a situation in town." Regina said, as she sat on the edge of the couch next to Emma, rubbing her hand over Hope's back. "I have very bad news." Regina said, her eyes red from crying.
"What's the matter?" Emma said, sitting up slightly, still holding Hope tight. "Henry? Is Henry ok?" She asked, panicking.
"Henry's fine. It's not about him." Regina said, soothing Emma's concerns. "It's about Sheriff Graham." Regina whispered.
"What about him?" She asked. Over the almost seven years that Emma has been living and working in Storybrooke, she had grown very close to Graham, as well as David once he joined the force five years ago. The three of them had all become very close friends, which made this announcement even harder for Regina.
"He collapsed at work this morning. He was talking to David when he suddenly collapsed." Regina said, pausing for Emma to process.
"Is he ok?" Emma asked, concern reaching her face, as she sat up, no longer concerned with waking Hope.
"He didn't make it." Regina whispered, tears falling from her eyes again. "Turns out he had an undiagnosed heart condition. He was gone before he hit the ground. There was nothing anyone could have done." Regina explained, reaching out to comfort Emma, tears falling freely from her eyes.
"No…" Emma cried, as she clung to Hope in her arms. "Do we know when the service will be?" Emma asked, trying to compose herself.
"Graham has a sister who lives a few hours away. She and her husband came into town a little while ago and started making the arrangements right away. I've offered to speak at his funeral." Regina said, as she watched her Wife continue to cry for her friend. "There's more…" Regina said, after a few moments.
"What is it?" She asked, not sure she was ok with more news.
"You're the new Sheriff." Regina said, reaching for Emma's hand. "There's some paperwork to fill out, as usual, as well as a formal swearing in ceremony. David said he would take over this week while you finish your maternity leave."
"This is all so surreal." Emma said, as the tears stopped flowing, her mind began to get a handle on the current situation. "My friend dies, and I get a promotion." She said, the gears running in her head. "What happens now? What do I need to do?"
"There's obviously paperwork that needs to be drawn up, contracts to sign, so that'll take a day or two. I can bring them home when they are ready and you can sign them here. The ceremony should take place by the end of the week, but I don't want it to coincide with Graham's funeral, so we can plan that once we know more." Regina said, reaching to rub Emma's thigh. "Until then, you just continue enjoying your last week home with our little Princess." She smiled, her gaze falling on their still sleeping daughter.
"Ok…" Emma said, clutching Hope.
"I have to get back to work. I might be home later than usual." Regina frowned. "I'll pick up dinner from Granny's on my way home, that way I can't work too late." Regina laughed.
"Ok." Emma said, as Regina leaned in to kiss Hope gently on her head, before leaning in to kiss Emma goodbye. "Be careful." Emma whispered, as Regina stood from the couch.
"I will." Regina smiled. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Emma said, as she watched Regina leave, listening for the sound of the front door opening and closing behind her.
Graham was buried Thursday morning in a public funeral, attended by more than half the town. Regina spoke beautifully as Emma sat in the back, Hope cradled in her arms, cooing softly. David sat next to her, his hand clutching Mary Margaret's, as they attempted to remain composed during the service. It didn't look dignified if the future Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff lost composure during a funeral.
Her last weekend home flew by, and before she knew it, the alarm was going off Monday morning, waking them both, requiring them both to get up and get ready. She cried hysterically as she and Regina dropped Hope off at daycare for the very first time. Regina arranged for her swearing in ceremony to be a quiet affair, attended by just a handful of people, including Henry, who had been given the important task of pinning Emma's badge onto her shirt for the first time. He and Regina practiced the task over and over again in secret, Henry demanding he be able to do it perfectly for Mama.
Before she knew it, Emma was pulling into the spot reserved for the Sheriff after dropping Henry off at school later, and walking into the station, settling behind the desk that only one week prior had belonged to Graham.
"Good morning, Sheriff Swan-Mills!" David said, leaning on the door frame. Emma looked at the glass door, Graham's name still painted on it.
"Hey, let's hold off on the title for a few days. At least until we can have Graham's name removed from the door." Emma said. "It feels disrespectful to Graham to assume the title just yet." Emma said.
"Good point." David said, lowering his head out of respect for their friend. "You're still doing the Mayor's weekly meetings, right?" He laughed after a few moments of silence.
"Yes, David. I will still be the one attending my Wife's weekly meetings." Emma said, rolling her eyes. "Don't you have work to do? I hear your new boss is a bit of a hardass." She laughed.
"You're right, she totally is!" David laughed. "I'm going on patrol. I'll be back before you need to leave for the meeting." He said, grabbing the keys to the cruiser before leaving the station.
Emma spent the rest of her morning and early afternoon reorganizing her new office, making arrangements to have the name changed on the door before heading to her first council meeting as Sheriff.
All she could think about during the meeting was how much longer she had to wait until she could curl up in bed next to her Wife and drift off to sleep in each other's arms.
It didn't take Emma very long to adjust to her new position as Sheriff of Storybrooke. It still felt a little weird to assume the position so soon after Graham's death, but she knew it needed to be done for the good of the town. She was sitting at her desk, struggling to complete the piles of paperwork in front of her, when she started to feel the familiar pull of the upcoming full moon. She smiled, as she closed her eyes, letting the feeling wash over her. She missed the moon. She missed the forest. She missed running alongside her Wife and her Wife's Chosen Beta. She missed the feeling of the wind through her fur.
Just one more week, and she would be back in the forest.
"I have a surprise for you!" Emma said to Henry, as they drove home from his after school program.
"Yeah?" Henry asked, excited.
"I'm going to shift tonight with Mommy." Emma said, looking in the rearview mirror at his reaction.
"You are?" He asked, his eyes lighting up at the idea.
"I am!" Emma said, sharing in his excitement. "Auntie Ruby is going to come with us too." She added, knowing Henry would be excited to see Ruby shift as well.
"I'm so excited!" Henry screamed, wiggling around in his booster seat.
Regina and Ruby were already home by the time they pulled into the driveway. As soon as she unbuckled Henry, he took off running, shoving the front door open as he ran full speed into the house, looking for Regina and Ruby, Emma following quickly behind with his backpack.
"MOMMY! AUNTIE RUBY!" He screamed as he ran through the house. He found them standing in the kitchen, Ruby bouncing Hope in her arms, as Regina moved around the kitchen making dinner.
"Hello there, little man! What's got you so excited?" Ruby asked, already knowing why Henry was so excited.
"Mama told me she's going to shift with Mommy tonight!" Henry said, jumping up and down from excitement. "And she said you're going to shift too, Auntie Ruby!"
"Wait? I am?" Ruby asked as she giggled. "You're so excited, you would think YOU were the one shifting tonight." Ruby added, messing Henry's already messy hair.
"Not yet, Auntie Ruby. Not until I'm ten." Henry said, disappointed.
"You're halfway there, kid." Emma said, as she made her way into the kitchen, moving to hug Ruby as she kissed Hope's head before making her way to Regina, giving her a proper hello kiss.
"How much longer?" Henry asked, as he jumped up and down to look out the kitchen window.
"About two hours." Regina answered. "We have to have dinner first."
"Ok." Henry said, reaching for Ruby's pants. "Come on, Auntie Ruby! We're going to play before dinner." Henry said, pulling Ruby out of the kitchen towards the den.
Henry could hardly contain his excitement through dinner, asking every few minutes if it was time. By the time Mary Margaret arrived just as sunset began, he was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement.
"It's time! It's time!" He screamed, as he ran out into the backyard, the setting sun low in the sky, as the women followed him, wrapped in their blankets, Mary Margaret hanging back in the kitchen to give them a little privacy.
"Stand back." Regina whispered, as the sun disappeared from the sky.
Henry watched in awe, as the familiar smoke engulfed the three women, instantly changing them to their Wolf counterpart. They quickly crawled out of their blankets, sitting in front of Henry, as his eyes grew wide at the sight of the three Wolves before him.
"Mama?" He whispered, as he slowly moved towards the White Wolf sitting next to Regina. "Mama? Is that you?" Henry asked again, as he softly touched Emma's face, looking deep into her green eyes.
Emma nodded as she looked back at her son.
"Mama, you're so beautiful, Mama." Henry whispered, as he grabbed the side of Emma's face, kissing her snout lightly. Emma jumped to lick his face like Regina had, causing him to laugh hysterically. "Ewww MAMA! Not you too!" He laughed, as Emma and Regina started poking his sides with their noses, knowing exactly where his most ticklish spots were.
A couple minutes later, Ruby slowly walked up to Henry, nudging his leg with her paw, waiting for him to notice her for the first time.
"AUNTIE RUBY!" He screamed, tackling the Red Wolf with a laugh. "Auntie Ruby, you're so pretty too!" He screamed, as Ruby knocked him over, pouncing on him gently.
They played together for a little while longer, until it got too dark for the five year old to be outside. Regina nudged him towards the back door where Mary Margaret was waiting, Hope cradled in her arms. Henry reluctantly started walking towards the door when she heard a loud Yip causing him to turn around again just in time to see Regina tilt her head in the air, letting out a loud howl. Emma and Ruby joined in after a few moments, before the three of them took off running into the forest, Henry watching from the kitchen door.
Just like she had done five years ago during her first run after Henry was born, Emma ran faster than she had in years. Regina and Ruby struggled to keep up as they ran through the forest, the wind flowing through her fur. Once again, she was the first to make hunt that night, offering her first kill to Regina, before taking off to catch the second. She gloated a little when they realized she was able to catch two rabbits before Ruby could catch one squirrel, knowing she would tease her about it at a later date. They ate together, before taking off again, running full speed through the familiar forest. Regina had to nudge her and remind her to start heading back to the house once the sky started to brighten slightly, Emma's attention was too focused on the feeling of being a Wolf again to notice how late it was.
By the time they made it back to their blankets, they were beyond exhausted, barely making it under their blankets before falling into a deep sleep for a few hours after shifting back. The loud noise of the kitchen door slamming open woke them suddenly a few hours later.
"MAMA! MOMMY! AUNTIE RUBY! TIME TO WAKE UP!" Henry screamed, as he launched himself onto Emma and Regina's bodies, curled up together under their blanket.
"Morning kid." Emma laughed, as Henry's knee made contact with her back, before knocking his head into Regina's, causing them both to grumble and rub their heads.
"How was your run?" He asked, as he climbed off Emma and Regina, making his way to Ruby, pouncing on the sleeping woman.
"It was amazing!" Emma said, curling up closer to Regina, leaving a soft, quick kiss on her lips while no one was looking.
"You Mama kicked our butt." Ruby laughed, as she hugged Henry good morning. "Six months of resting made her run so fast."
"You ran really fast, Mama?" Henry asked, turning his attention back to Emma.
"I did. I was so excited to be back in the forest!" Emma smiled.
"Thank you for waking us up." Regina said. "Why don't you go back inside and have some breakfast with Mary Margaret and Hope before school. We'll see you later." Regina said, tightening her grip on Emma under the blanket, not quite ready to get up just yet.
"Ok Mommy." Henry said, kissing his mothers and Ruby before rushing back inside to finish breakfast.
"I'll give you guys a few more minutes to rest. I'll let you know when we leave." Mary Margaret said, closing the door behind her, as the three women closed their eyes to get a little more sleep before they start their days.
The next two nights of Wolf's Time went just the same way. Henry's excitement never ceased, as he stood in awe, watching them shift, playing for a few minutes before they took off into the forest for the night. Each morning they were woken by Henry pouncing on them, eager to find out how their night was before heading back inside to get ready for school.
Emma was happy that life had returned to normal. Well, mostly everything had returned to normal. Which was why she was caught off guard when Ruby and Granny offered to take the kids for the night a few weeks later, to give her and Regina some alone time. She and Regina had not been intimate for almost eight months, not since she reached her eight month of pregnancy when it became too uncomfortable for her.
She was tremendously nervous the entire morning, while they collected all the things the kids would need for a night away from home. By the time Ruby arrived to pick them up for the night, her stomach was in knots.
"So." Regina said, as she closed the front door after waving goodbye to Henry through the window of Ruby's car. "I was thinking we order take out for dinner, spend the day cuddled on the couch and enjoy the fact that we don't have to change a diaper for the next twenty-four hours." Regina laughed, as she wrapped her arms around Emma.
"Oh…" Emma said, shock on her face at Regina's suggestion. More specifically the fact that she didn't mention having sex. "That sounds amazing!" She said, as her stomach settled.
"Excellent! Go get settled on the couch. I'll make us each another cup of coffee, one that we can actually enjoy while hot." Regina laughed, disappearing into the kitchen.
They spent the day doing exactly as they planned. They spent the day wrapped in each other's arms, watching tv, falling asleep randomly, never leaving each other's side for more than a few minutes. As Regina promised, they ordered Chinese for dinner, from the same restaurant that Emma used to stop at before she moved to Storybrooke. Before they knew it, it was nine o'clock.
"Would it be weird if I said I miss the kids already?" Emma asked, as she was nestled in Regina's arms, the breast pump attached to her nipples.
"No. I miss them too. Especially this time of night. When we all cuddle in bed before bedtime." Regina said, holding Emma tighter. "I do not, however, miss Hope's diapers." Regina laughed.
"Poor Ruby." Emma laughed back. They fell back into a silence for a few moments, Regina kissing Emma's neck lightly. "Um…so…there's something I want to talk to you about." Emma said, nervous again.
"What's up?" Regina asked.
"I…ummm…well…I know we haven't…in a while…and I just want to…ummm…" Emma stuttered, trying to find the words.
"Shhh…" Regina said, kissing Emma's cheek. "I understand." She whispered.
"Really?" Emma asked, turning to look at Regina, making sure her facial expression matches her words.
"Of course." She smiled. Emma could tell she was telling the truth. "I'll be right back." She said, scooting from behind Emma, jogging out of the den and upstairs. Emma listened as she heard Regina turn the water on upstairs, not sure why she suddenly needed to take a shower.
A few minutes later, the water turned off, and she heard Regina come back downstairs, just as the pump finished.
"Let me take care of that." Regina said when she entered the room, taking the freshly pumped milk from Emma. "Go upstairs. There's a hot bubble bath waiting for you. Go relax." Regina smiled, knowing that was exactly what Emma needed right then.
"Really?" Emma asked.
"Yes." Regina smiled, cupping Emma's face. "You deserve a little Mama time. Go. I'll clean up and make sure everything is closed and locked. And when you're done, we can snuggle in bed and watch a movie until we fall asleep." Regina smiled.
"Thank you." Emma said, kissing Regina sweetly, before making her way upstairs.
Just like Regina had said, the bathtub was full of luxurious bubbles, a dozen candles scattered around the room. The room smelled like lavender and vanilla, and Regina had even set up their iPod in the corner, soft classical music playing, knowing that would relax Emma even more. She quickly undressed, stepping into the hot bubbly water, sinking to the floor of the tub and leaning back. Her body was instantly relaxed as the heat seeped into her sore muscles. Two young kids and her new position as Sheriff of Storybrooke was starting to take a toll on Emma's body, as she was still trying to get back into the swing of things.
She dozed off for a few minutes, the feeling of the warm water surrounding her soothed her until she heard the bedroom door open and close followed by the low sound of the tv turning on in the bedroom. That was when Emma's mind started racing, thinking about the real reason they haven't had sex in eight months. She looked down at her body under the water, the bubbles long since disintegrated. She took a deep breath before climbing out of the tub, and drying off, wrapping her towel around herself. She stopped to unplug the drain and blow out the candles, before making her way into the bedroom, where her wife was waiting for her.
"How was your bath?" Regina asked, looking up from her phone, a wide smile on her face.
"It was perfect, thank you." Emma said, standing in the middle of the room. "I want to show you something." Taking a shaky breath, she dropped her towel, her hands nervously balling into fists at her side. "This…this is what I…look like now." She said, her voice shaky and full of emotion.
She stood in the center of the room, as she watched Regina's eyes scan her body, nothing but love in her eyes. Emma's breasts sagged with the added size and weight of almost a year of breastfeeding. The skin on her stomach still hung loose from being stretched over her previously pregnant belly, not yet returning to its original tautness. She now had new stretch marks running up and down her thighs, and her butt was a little bigger than before, still holding the last of her baby weight.
"Emma…" Regina whispered, as she made her way to Emma, preparing to wrap her arms around her, when Emma stopped her.
"There's more." She said, moving around Regina to the edge of the bed. She laid down, with her feet at the edge of the bed, slowly opening her legs, resting her arm over her face to mask the embarrassment she was feeling. "It looks different now too." She whispered. "It's still stretched out, and discolored." Emma said, trying to hold back the tears.
Regina fell to her knees with a thud in front of Emma, gently encouraging her to close her legs, reaching for her hands to pull her up to sit in front of her.
"Emma…" She whispered, tears already welling in her eyes. "You are, and will always be the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." Regina said, as Emma mindlessly reached out to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"But I don't look the same. Everything is droopy and saggy and stretched out." Emma said, tears falling from her eyes this time. "And you…you're just as perfect as you were the day we met."
"This body…your body…brought our children into this world. They grew inside you. They came out of you. They fed from you. You gave them life, something I can never do. This is the body of a true Goddess. And nothing in this world, nothing at all, will ever make me think otherwise. You are amazing, Emma Swan-Mills. Everything about you is truly amazing, including your body." Regina said, resting her hands gently on Emma's knees, her tears falling from her face to land on her thighs. "I love you so much, Emma. Everything about you."
"I love you, too." Emma whispered. "I don't disgust you, looking like this?" She asked, still feeling self conscious.
"Emma, I've never been more attracted to you than I am right now." Regina said, smiling through her tears. "I don't want to pressure you to do anything you're not comfortable with yet. I will wait as long as you need."
"I'm ready. I just needed you to see me first." Emma said.
"Lay back." Regina whispered, encouraging Emma to lay in the middle of the bed. She stood slowly, removing her own clothes, before crawling onto the bed to lay next to Emma. "Let me show you how beautiful you truly are." Regina whispered, as she kissed Emma slowly.
After a few minutes, Regina pulled away from the kiss, moving to kiss Emma's neck softly and slowly, making her way down her neck to her collarbone, shifting to the other side, kissing slowly down on the other side, making her way down the center of her chest towards Emma's breasts.
"Are your nipples sore?" Regina asked, looking up at Emma.
"A little." She whispered, as Regina moved to cup her breasts softly.
"These nipples." Regina said, as she planted soft kisses on Emma's nipples. "These nipples feed our children. They drank from them. The milk you produce allows them to grow and develop." Regina said, planting soft kisses on each breast, cupping them gently, squeezing ever so slightly, before continuing down Emma's body, stopping again when she reached the loose skin on Emma's stomach.
"This skin." She said, as she planted kisses across Emma's stomach. "This skin stretched as our children grew inside you. You carried them inside you for nine months, enduring all the symptoms from morning sickness to contractions in order to give them life." Regina said, continuing to plant soft kisses across Emma's stomach, before making her way down between Emma's legs.
"This vagina." She said, planting a soft kiss on Emma's stretched labia. "This vagina allowed us to connect in a way that only a few people have ever experienced. It allowed us to create two amazing children. And after nine months, this vagina brought our children into this world. After hours of pain, it stretched to accommodate our children as they entered this world."
"Regina…" Emma whispered, tears streaming down her face.
"This body." Regina whispered, moving to lay next to Emma. "This body created two new lives. This body is the most amazing body in this world. This body could never disgust me…" Regina whispered, as her words got caught in her throat. "This body…" She choked through her tears. "This body is perfect…" Regina finally said, losing the fight against her emotions, bursting into tears, wrapping her arms around Emma tightly, their bodies molding to each other, as they cried in each other's arms.
They made Love all night, resting occasionally to catch a few moments of sleep before waking up and starting all over again, until the first stray rays of daylight flooded into their room.
"We need to get some sleep." Regina whispered, her eyes already closed, refusing to open any longer.
"Yeah…" Emma said, unable to say anything else, as she attempted to catch her breath. "I love you." Emma whispered, curling into Regina's arms, their bodies tangling with each other. "I love you so much."
"I love you, too." Regina whispered, placing a soft kiss on Emma's lips. "I love you more than you could ever know."
Before they knew it, Hope was a year old, moments away from taking her first steps. Her favorite thing to do was crawl after Henry, as she chased him around the room. They kept her party as small as they had with Henry, just the five of them in the backyard. All the people who mattered the most to them.
Henry and Hope sat on a blanket, playing with Henry's trucks, while Ruby sat next to them, making truck noises with Henry as he drove them over her arms and legs, occasionally parking one on top of her head before letting out a huge laugh that triggered an equally loud laugh from Hope. Granny insisted on cooking again, this time insisting she make the birthday cake after Ruby's previous attempts. Hope smashed her cake as Henry had, insisting on feeding her Big Brother a handful of cake before smashing her face in what was left. By the end of the day, everyone was exhausted, including all four adults.
"Mommy? How come you give Mama flowers on our birthday?" Henry asked, as Regina tucked him into bed that night.
"Because Mama worked really hard to bring you and your sister into the world." Regina explained, making sure Teddy was tucked tightly under his arm. "I like to thank her for all her hard work, and remind her how much I Love her for giving me the best gifts in the world."
"What did Mama give you?" Henry asked.
"You and your sister!" Regina answered, trying not to cry.
"Oh." Henry said, understanding what Regina was saying. "Can Mama read me a bedtime story tonight?" Henry asked.
"Sure." She said, standing, kissing Henry's head. "Good night, my little Prince."
"Night night Mommy." Henry said, as Regina walked out of the room, in search of Emma.
"I hear someone requested a bedtime story from their Mama." Emma said, as she entered Henry's room, moving to lay next to Henry on the bed.
"Thank you Mama." Henry said, right before Emma started reading his story.
"For what?" She asked, looking down at her son.
"For working so hard to have me and Hope. Mommy said you worked really hard to have us, so I want to say thank you too." Henry said, yawning.
"I would do it all again for you and your sister." Emma said, kissing his head. "I would do anything for our family." She added, as she saw his eyes growing heavy.
It only took half a story before Henry was sound asleep, snoring slightly, Teddy clutched tightly in his hands. Emma carefully slid out of bed, turning off the light and closing the door, leaving it open a crack to allow the hallway light to spill into the dark room. She walked into their bedroom to see Regina lighting the last of the candles, another bottle of champagne sitting on her dresser.
"Regina?" She asked, as she looked around the room.
"Sit." Regina said, pointing to their bed, an old fitted sheet laying on top of their usual blankets, as she popped the cork from the bottle of champagne, carrying two glasses of champagne to the bed, sitting next to Emma. "One year ago today, I held you in my arms once again, in our bed, as you brought our daughter into this world." Regina said, raising her glass to Emma, clinking as they both took a sip of the sweet, bubbly liquid.
"Are these the same sheets that were on the bed too?" Emma asked, looking down at the familiar sheets.
"Yes. They are also the same sheets that were on the bed the first time we mated." Regina said, pointing to the deep red stains. "Those are the blood stains from when we marked each other." Regina said.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Emma laughed, taking another sip.
"I may have." Regina smiled, as she slid off the bed, retrieving something from her nightstand drawer, handing Emma a small box. "I got you a little something." Regina said.
"Regina, you didn't have to." Emma said, unwrapping the small box, slowly lifting the lid.
Inside was a small silver locket, very similar to the one Regina had given her on Henry's first birthday. Inside were two small pictures. The first was a picture of Hope's first Christmas. She was wearing her reindeer pajamas, a small Santa hat on her tiny head, laughing hysterically. Neither could remember what made the infant laugh that loud, but they both remembered the sound of the full belly laugh. The second picture was taken shortly after Hope was born. Henry held his new Baby Sister in his little arms, as he gazed down at her face as she slept soundly. He looked so happy and proud to be a Big Brother already, and they both knew how excited he was. They both knew in that moment that Henry was going to be an amazing Big Brother.
"I know it's similar to the one I gave you when Henry was born." Regina said, as Emma moved her hand over the first locket, a necklace she wore every day.
"I love it!" Emma said, with tears in her eyes, pulling her hair aside so Regina could put the necklace around Emma's neck. "Thank you." She said, clutching both necklaces in her hand.
Later that night, while they slept soundly in each other's arms, Regina was once again woke suddenly with no known reason. She slowly untangled herself from Emma's arms and quietly made her way to check on both Henry and Hope, making sure they were both ok, before going back to bed, curling up with Emma, with a wide smile on her face.
The room smelled faintly of the forest.