Baby Daddy
A/N: I never understood writer's who disappeared for over a year. Longer note at the end of this chapter but all I can say is: life. Hopefully somebody is still interested in this story.
Chapter 10
Emma kept watch over Regina and her triplets overnight, until they knew who cast the curse, she wasn't taking any chances.
After a lengthy delay because the hospital was so disorganized after the citizens returned, Emma finally drove Regina and the babies home around dinner time the following day.
Regina had magicked 3 car seats to transport her new arrivals, as Emma carefully drove them home.
Together they got out of her car, Emma grabbed one car seat while Regina held the other two, sighing heavily as she spotted multiple cars parked in front of her house.
"Emma?" Regina questioned looking around.
"Yeah, this has my mother written all over it, I'm sorry in advance," Emma sighed. They were both tired, the triplets had them both up all night, wanting to be nursed.
Accepting her fate Regina proceeded to walk into her home. As the pair left their jackets and outerwear in the foyer's closet, she could hear voices coming from her living room.
"Let's get this over with," she directed to Emma as she picked up two car seats, she was pleased that currently all three babies were sound asleep.
The pair rounded the corner into the living area to find a group of people including Mary Margaret, Granny, Ruby, Belle, Whale, and Gold of all people.
Mary Margaret squealed upon seeing the three babies.
"Oh my goodness Regina! They're beautiful!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together excitedly.
"Snow if you wake my children, that sleeping curse I put you under will seem like child's play!" Regina growled angrily.
"Oops," Snow laughed covering her mouth, "Sorry," she whispered.
"What's everyone doing here Mary Margaret?" Emma asked, putting her triplet on the dining room table as Regina had done with her two.
"Well Granny and Red brought some food and Gold and Whale wanted to talk to you about their parentage or something?" Snow explained as she looked at all three babies snoozing in their portable carriers.
"Well?" Regina inquired, turning to the two men in the room.
Gold stepped forward. "Firstly here," he procured two bracelets, handing them to their mother.
"What are these?" she asked, holding them in her hands.
"They'll dampen their magic for the time being. Don't want any accidents at this age. It won't hurt or harm them, but it'll keep them from accidentally burning down your house," he explained kindly.
"Oh," Regina said surprised by his kindness, "Well, thank you." She put the bracelets on her two babies who had already exhibited magic at the hospital, slightly sad for her boy who hadn't. She wondered if he would feel different because he didn't have magic. Then again his older brother Henry didn't either.
"Whale tells me he hasn't gotten any further yet with the paternity. I understand the science takes a while in this realm but I thought I should point something out. You're only testing for male paternity?" Gold asked them.
"Of course," Whale responded. "Male plus female equals baby, science."
"Yes, you are right, in most cases, but any person with magic or any person who can wield magic, can have a baby with a woman," Gold continued to educate them. There was a long moment of silence.
"What are you saying?" Emma asked. "Another witch or woman could have 'fathered' her children?" If what Gold said was true, then that would imply that she and Regina could have more children in the future.
"Precisely," Gold replied giving Regina a harsh look.
"You don't mean…?" Regina trailed off.
"Yes a fairy could have had a hand in this too," Gold nodded solemnly.
"Wait," Emma choked on her laughter, "Like Blue? The nun?" she chuckled.
"Looking at their features I doubt it was Blue," Whale piped in.
"I'd have to agree with the doctor, it would appear somebody with fairer colouring 'fathered' your triplets. I believe you have history with Tinkerbell?" Gold questioned.
Emma's jaw dropped as Regina cringed, "Excuse me?"
Regina waved her hand, "I can't believe I would have let that happen," addressing the two men. "There's also the little matter of I shouldn't have been able to get pregnant anyways," Regina whispered to Gold, giving him a stern look.
Which means whoever created these children with you, was probably someone you had a previous relationship with. Not only could they be a potential magic wielder, but it appears they also broke that curse. Besides, I can't say either way, but just be aware men aren't the only suspects, I should go, we still need to find whoever cast this new curse," Gold nodded at Regina as he walked out of the room.
"They really are beautiful, congratulations," Belle injected as she followed him out of the room.
Whale scratched his eyebrow, "Well this definitely adds to our list of people to test, I need to get back to the hospital. Good luck, call me if you have any questions or problems with the babies."
Snow, Granny and Ruby remained in the room with Emma and Regina.
"Well that just made things interesting," Ruby chuckled, peering down at the infants. "Guess I missed out on my chance with the Evil Queen, cause these pups are too blonde to come from me."
"Wait you too? Is there anyone from the Enchanted Forest that doesn't have a thing for Regina? Things were already interesting enough," Emma grumbled, not liking the idea of Tinkerbell and Regina or Ruby. Did Regina even swing that way? And what did Gold mean by history?
Granny approached the three carriers. "It's odd, I, Ruby do you smell them?"
Ruby inhaled deeply, "Yeah I smell it too but I can't-"
"What are you two talking about?" Regina asked.
"Normally when a baby is born, they carry their parents scents. We can smell them. And we can definitely smell you on them, but there's somebody else, somebody familiar…" Granny drawled.
"Do you recognize them?" Snow inquired curiously.
Granny nodded, "I know that scent, I just can't place it, it's… it's somebody that's been in the diner within the last day."
Emma snorted, "That narrows it down."
Ruby perked up, "It's definitely not Gold or Whale."
"Lucky me," Regina groused, angry that she would even suggest such a thing.
"We should get going, there's enough food for a few days in your fridge and freezer. We'll keep our noses peeled," Granny offered, squeezing Regina's shoulder as she left.
Regina sighed heavily.
"I should get going home too," Snow announced.
"Where are Robin and Roland?" Regina asked as she peaked in at her children, all snoozing in their carriages.
"Oh they've been outside all afternoon, I set up a little shooting range for Roland to practice on, distract him for the time being," Snow explained, waving her hand.
"I'm gonna go say goodbye to them," Snow trotted out of the room and out the backdoor. She smiled as she saw Robin trying to teach Roland how to aim properly. She picked up a spare bow and arrow that was laying on the ground. Taking aim she pulled the arrow back and watched it slice through the air, stabbing the target dead centre, from 50 meters away.
Both men gasped in surprise and swung their heads around to face her. She smiled as she approached them.
"Did you do that?" Roland asked, pointing at the arrow.
"I sure did, women can use these too," Snow prided herself on her archery abilities.
"I'm heading out, I just wanted to say goodbye," Snow explained, pinching Roland's dimpled cheek.
"Thank you for keeping us company today, and I must say I'm very impressed your majesty, I didn't know you could wield a weapon like that," Robin replied smiling politely and dropping his head in a slight bow.
"Please call me Snow or Mary Margaret, but yes it's a handy skill I picked up during my days as a bandit," Snow pressed on.
Robin folded his arms across his chest, "Ah yes, I remember our names and faces gracing the same 'wanted' posters in the Enchanted Forest."
"Good times, anyways have a good night, I'll see you boys around, bye Roland!"
Snow entered into the house through the backdoor and bid her daughter goodbye, congratulating Regina on her new arrivals once more.
"Dinner?" Emma inquired tiredly.
Regina sighed, "You don't need to stay, besides where's Henry?"
"He's with David," Emma replied, or is suppose to be.
"And where is David?" Regina asked.
"I'm hoping working at the station," Emma walked into the kitchen, intent on heating up some food for them.
"I need to set up a nursery for them, I wasn't prepared, obviously," Regina sat down on a stool and closed her eyes, focusing her magic upstairs.
Emma watched as she warmed up a casserole in the microwave. She could feel her magic, it always sparked a warm electric feeling inside her. At first she had to be touching Regina to feel her magic, but now she could sense it when she entered a room. She understood how Regina became obsessed with magic because just the feeling of hers was addicting to Emma. Emma closed her eyes, basking in the warm fuzzy feeling Regina was unknowingly producing inside her.
Regina opened her eyes and slumped in her seat, "All done, at least for now."
Emma snapped her eyes open, her normally green eyes were dilated, glowing white as her magic sparked to life inside her body.
"Good, so I was thinking I'd stay here tonight, I don't like the idea of leaving you guys alone," Emma suggested sternly.
"I don't know Swan, what will you tell Henry?" Regina questioned.
"Henry could come here too, he knows I'm helping you out, it makes sense, he can even stay in his own room," Emma knew she was using their son to manipulate Regina into letting her stay, but at the moment she didn't even feel guilty about it. Her need to protect her fam…family? Friend? She wasn't quite sure what label to put on her son's other mother, but she had the strongest urge and yearning to protect her and her new adorable offspring.
"How would I explain all his stuff and pictures of him?" Regina was seriously contemplating her suggestion, there was nothing she wanted more than to have her little prince back under her roof.
"Can't you just…" Emma made a sweeping motion with her hands, "And poof, make that stuff disappear?"
"I suppose I could, and it would be so great to have him in his home again," Regina muttered, drumming her fingers along the counter.
Regina made up her mind and waved her hands in the air, removing any pictures of Henry from her home, saving them in her closet.
"If he asks why you have a kids bedroom you can just say you have a son but they're with their other parent, it's not technically a lie," Emma shrugged, knowing how Regina felt about lying or keeping secrets from Henry.
"Call your father, I want my son under my roof, especially when we're all still under an unknown threat," Regina ordered, pointing at the sheriff in her kitchen.
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Robin and Roland came inside shortly after and together the four of them ate Granny's casserole. The triplets woke up just as they finished eating. Emma offered to clean up and do the dishes, leaving Robin and Roland to interact with the babies.
"They're absolutely breathtaking," Robin whispered, in awe of the three children in front of them.
"Yes they are, I'm just hoping to get them on a schedule soon or else I fear I'll never sleep again," Regina chuckled, only somewhat kidding.
"Do you… think that they may be mine?" Robin inquired quietly, rubbing a finger against the softest cheek.
"Oh uh," Regina stuttered, truthfully she wasn't sure. But by examining what Gold said, someone had broken the curse she placed on her womb. She couldn't fathom a stranger accomplishing that in just a few months in the Enchanted Forest.
"They have some of your features, I just don't know," Regina shrugged sheepishly. She didn't want to hurt his feelings either way, as she wasn't sure if he wanted the triplets to be his or not.
"It's getting late, I should get this one to bed," Robin supplied as he pat Roland on his head, he was growing drowsy on his father's lap.
"R'gina?" Roland whispered.
"Yes darling?" Regina replied, rubbing her fingers through his chocolate locks.
"Will the babies be here tomorrow too?" the young boy inquired while yawning.
"Yes they will, I'll put a silencing spell on your room though, so they don't keep you up tonight," Regina smiled kindly at him as he gave her a hug.
Emma watched them from the kitchen. She didn't like how much they looked like a family. Roland could easily have come out of Regina and the triplets definitely carried a lot of Robin's features.
The doorbell rang as the boys headed upstairs. They were sharing one of Regina's guest rooms. The ringing broke Emma out of her angry thoughts. She didn't want to have to share Regina with the forest man. She sighed heavily as she opened the door, her father and Henry appearing before her.
"Hey guys come on in," Emma waved them over the threshold.
"Hey how was everything today?" David asked as he bound up the stairs to the living room, eager to see the babies.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" there was only so much she could say in front of Henry though.
"Things were hectic but fine, Henry had fun right, Henry?" David asked but his attention was drawn to the raven haired woman who was gently rocking 3 carriers.
Henry nodded, as he too entered the room, "Hi Miss Mills, thank you for letting us stay here tonight."
Regina pursed her lips, it stung to have her son address her so formerly. "Nonsense dear, you and your mother are helping me out after all."
"How were they last night and today?" David asked, smiling when 3 sets of blue eyes peered up at him.
Regina smiled at her children, "They were fine, a handful but fine. I need to get them on some kind of nursing and sleeping schedule."
"I'm sure you'll do great Madam Mayor, you've succeeded at this once before after all," David purposely didn't mention Henry's name who was cooing at his sister Rian, a sister he was unaware he was related to.
"It was easier with one child, now I have three, and only two arms, they already outnumber me," Regina joked.
"You already have a kid?" Henry asked her, as he turned his attention to Theo.
Regina gulped, her breath hitching, she didn't realize how painful it would be to hear him ask her that. "Yes, he's with his other parent though."
"Oh, that's a shame," Henry commented sadly, trying to hide a yawn.
Regina pressed her hand against her abdomen, "It's late why don't we all call it a night?"
David, who had been rocking Derek's carrier, frowned, "Oh, uh I guess I'll get going then. Are you all alright for the night? Does anybody need anything before I go?"
Emma, and Regina responded in the negative, while Henry shook his head no.
"Right, well call me if any of you need anything, at any time," David slowly walked away towards Regina's front door. He glanced back and watched the three remaining people, each one giving a baby their attention. They looked like a little family, they were a little family, even if Henry didn't know it.
"See you guys tomorrow," David called, leaving the house.
"Why don't we each take a baby and head upstairs?" Regina suggested to the other two.
Together they took the triplets upstairs to the nursery Regina had set up with magic earlier. It didn't take long for them to settle the triplets.
Next Regina showed Henry to his room and bathroom. It pained her and at the same time elated her, to see her son back in his room. He thanked her again and her and Emma left him alone for the night. It pained her not being able to hug or kiss him goodnight.
Regina and Emma stood in her hallway after closing Henry's door.
"You okay?" Emma asked, seeing the emotions on Regina's face.
Regina shook her head and tried to compose herself, "I'm fine."
"Well uh, I guess I'll just crash on one of the couches downstairs?" Emma proposed.
"Yes, I seem to be out of bedrooms Ms. Swan," Regina stated in a tired voice.
No, no, it's okay," although Emma selfishly wished Regina could've tossed Robin out the door.
"Just holler for me if the babies wake up," Emma proposed.
Regina quirked an eyebrow, "You're going to run up and down the stairs all night?"
"Guess so?" Emma shrugged sheepishly.
Regina bit her plump lower lip, "I have a big bed Sheriff, we're both adults, we can share?" If Emma was willing to help her, the least Regina could do was offer her somewhere comfortable to sleep.
"Really?!" Emma exclaimed as her brows flew towards her hairline.
Regina turned and walked to her bedroom door, "You coming Swan?"
Emma followed Regina into her bedroom, watching as Regina closed the door behind her. There was a baby monitor already propped up on one of her bedside tables.
Emma had never been in her bedroom before but immediately admitted it suited Regina.
"Do you want something to wear to bed?" Regina asked her as she made her way into her walk-in closet. "I have extra toothbrushes too."
"Ye-ah, that'd be great," Emma called to her.
"Sorry I don't have a large selection, I have nightgowns, or silk camisole and shorts sets?" Regina inquired about which wardrobe she'd prefer.
Emma was happy Regina couldn't see her as her jaw dropped and she let out an involuntary moan. She already thought she might struggle sharing a bed with Regina. But Regina in sexy pajamas, Emma knew she was doomed.
"Emma?" Regina was still waiting for a response.
"Oh-uh, the uh cami and shorts are fine," Emma swallowed loudly.
Regina appeared before her holding the pajamas. She had obviously changed in her closet. She was wearing a silk nightgown, it was a deep purple with black lace over the chest. Emma couldn't take her eyes off of her figure. Her breasts had definitely grown from her pregnancy and now they were straining against the lacy edge. If she squinted she was sure she'd be able to make out her nipples-
Regina thrust the pajamas into Emma's hands, interrupting her perusal, "I'm going to use the bathroom quickly, feel free to get changed while I'm in there, I'll leave a toothbrush out for you." Despite healing herself, Regina knew her body had changed with her pregnancy and while before she was overly confident about her figure, she couldn't help feeling like Emma was critiquing her now.
Th-thanks," Emma's voice was an octave higher than normal. She grimaced, she sounded like a teen boy going through puberty.
Ten minutes later and the two women were getting comfortable in bed. Emma had never slept on something so soft. Despite the events of the day, Emma still had so many questions bouncing around in her brain. One in particular kept popping up.
Regina was laying on her back, arms resting on her abdomen, tired from her long day and previously long night.
"So, you and Tink?" Emma whispered into the darkness.
"Oh Gods!" Regina moaned, rubbing a hand down her face.
"Look Emma I know you must have a million questions, but can they wait until morning?" Regina groaned, just wanting some sleep, while the babies were sleeping.
"Ye-yeah, sure, goodnight Regina," Emma acquiesced, not wanting to get kicked out of Regina's bed.
"Goodnight Swan," Regina turned onto her side, facing away from Emma.
Emma knew if she was tired, Regina would be 10x more fatigued. She closed her eyes and waited for sleep to overtake her too as she listened to Regina's breathing slow down to a steady pattern.
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A/N: Thank you so much if you returned to this story. Long story short I was in the hospital recovering from surgery and I got an infection, turns out sepsis is real and sucks. In the ICU for months. Back in a normal room now. I experienced some definite writer's block with this story before that. I got a couple really negative messages from a certain fandom and it just put me off of writing this story all together.
Endgame couple is still up in the air. And who's the daddy?
No beta all mistakes mine. Hopefully it won't be another year before I update this again. Thank you to anybody who reads this again.