THANK YOU for the reviews! It makes my day to know you are into this. I think it'll be a fun one as it is going to be pretty light aside from some EC angst later on. If you have something you really want to see happen, feel free to throw ideas my way. This story is a blank canvas.
I know this is moving at a glacial pace EC wise but it is necessary to keep it somewhat realistic, given Snow and David are still together. I've never written an EC story with canon Snow alive or heavily involved so I am interested to navigate that. I quite like Snow and Regina's friendship by this point in the show and don't want to merely use Snow as an obstacle. Lets see what you guys think. Happy reading! xoxo
"I hope you're hungry," David smiled up at Regina when she finally appeared in the kitchen. She still wore her silky pajama set but she had covered it with a thin robe that tied at the waist, the fabric of it parting slightly over the curve of her rounded midsection. Her face was void of any makeup and he was sure he'd never seen the woman look so wonderfully human before.
"Unfortunately I am staying that way as of late," Regina playfully perked a brow as she made her way towards the kitchen island, her dark eyes seeking out the pizza boxes with a hint of a smile.
"We got one with pepperoni and green olives, your favorite," Henry nodded confidently as he opened one of the boxes, "And then one with everything and extra cheese for me and Grandpa-" The boy shared a proud smile with David who grinned back in solidarity over their choice.
"You do realize that time is no longer frozen and that your poor eating habits are going to catch up to you with age," Regina taunted David, reaching to help Henry who struggled to separate the extra cheesy pieces he attempted to snag.
David merely shrugged and began separating their stacked plates, amusement curling his lips, "I work out, you know."
"That doesn't counteract the amount of grease you consume. Like this, Henry-" She said distractedly, helping him cut the pieces stuck together and put them on his plate after witnessing his clumsy attempt. "Less messy when you take your time-" She smiled at the teenager with no hint of frustration before looking back to David pointedly, "Like I said, I highly doubt you and your daughter hitting the gym three times a week counteracts the daily business you give the diner."
David grinned at the way she had seamlessly transitioned from lecturing him to helping her son and then back to lecturing him without skipping a beat. It was moments like those that reminded him what a stark contrast this maternal Regina was to the icy Queen he once knew. Snow had always been seen as the caretaker of the family but the woman he watched now was just as nurturing in her own more subtle way.
"See if I ever bring you pizza again," David feigned hurt before smiling playfully at her and taking the pizza spatula she offered to him from across the counter.
"That's Violet," Henry piped up quickly when his phone started buzzing on the counter, "Do you mind if I eat in my room so I can talk to her, Mom?" He asked with a pleading look, his excitement to talk to his girlfriend evident as he had already picked up his plate and phone.
"If you must," Regina nodded once and sighed as she watched Henry bolting towards the stairs with his plate in one hand and answering the call with the other. "Be careful!"
"Be careful? It's a phone call Regina not like they're making out in the backseat of a car-" David grinned when her gaze snapped back at him.
"I didn't mean that kind of careful. I meant not breaking his neck on the stairs!" Regina's face contorted in disgust as she pressed her hands against the island and sat down on one of the stools. "Although how you and Emma so casually treat the subject of my teenage son becoming sexually active is quite concerning."
"Oh come on they're just kids with an innocent crush," David chuckled and rounded the corner of the island with his plate to find the stool beside her. "He's only just turned 14. I doubt they've done anything more than holding hands."
"In case you haven't noticed, David," Her tone became sarcastic as she reached for a fork and knife to begin prissily cutting into her pizza. "This is not the Enchanted Forest. There is a thing called the internet that exposes children to a lot more adult knowledge than we had at that age. They grow up much faster."
"You don't think they're actually...doing stuff, do you?" David frowned and glanced at her, pausing as he held his pizza with his hands.
"I don't know," She sighed, "I think it is still rather innocent but I am reluctant to ask if he plans to defile his girlfriend anytime soon. I don't think I want to know."
"Defile? Jesus, Regina," David snorted before taking a bite of his pizza. "What kind of freaky stuff were you up to at that age to call it that?" He teased.
"Oh please, I didn't even know what sex was at his age," She scoffed and rolled her eyes before looking back to cutting her pizza, "I was hoping Emma would be better equipped to handle this subject. She understands this world's dating rituals and is more of a realist about what our son might be up to. Though every time I mention her speaking to him she brings up the pregnant teenager shtick to get out of it."
"Yeah, she may not be the best one to be preaching sexual responsibility with the kid...Have you given him the talk yet?" David glanced at her and caught the way she exhaled at the idea.
"I have given him a talk, yes. I gave him a book and told him the basis of it. I tried to explain to him how sex can be different for men and women, especially young girls and the importance of never pressuring a young woman who may not be ready. Though, after witnessing the two of them together it appears that Violet is not as bashful as the average girl from her realm."
David bit back a laugh at the judgmental raise of the brunette's eyebrows, "Oh c'mon, Regina. I know it's different because it's your son, but you don't strike me as the type to perpetuate that double standard for women from those older realms. Besides both of the kids have good heads on their shoulders. They know they're too young."
"You underestimate the decision making capabilities of horny teenagers," Regina said frankly, eyes shifting to meet him as she shrugged. "I knew my mother would've all but killed me had she known I let our stableboy 'ruin me' but that didn't stop me from sneaking off with him any moment I could."
David chuckled then and nodded at her fair point, "How old were you then?"
"My seventeenth year, right before I married the king," She nodded and her gaze returned to the pizza she was carefully cutting with her utensils.
"I didn't until I was nineteen," David admitted with a smirk to lighten the mood and took a large bite of his pizza. "Late bloomer."
"Oh, please," Regina scrunched her face and waved her hand at him to stop, "I just got through the morning sickness months, please don't nauseate me with the thought of you and Snow having sex."
"It wasn't with Snow," David laughed at her reaction and gave a shrug, "I had a life before her, you know."
"You were a shepherd," Regina bantered dryly and he found it comforting to see her come back to life after how solemn the mention of Daniel made her. "Your sheep girlfriends don't count."
David choked on his bite, coughing a few times before looking at her with wide eyes, "Oh that was low, Mills. Even for you," He grinned at the mischievous sparkle in her dark eyes and realized he quite liked the natural look on her.
"I never claimed to fight fair. You of all people should know that," She said with a smug glance at him before refocusing on her plate.
"Anyways," He emphasized his return to the subject with a loud breath and a chuckle of his own, "I understand your concern and my daughter isn't exactly the most mature when it comes to talking about sensitive subjects...I can talk to Henry if you want."
"You would do that?" Regina glanced at him as she considered the idea, "What would you say to him?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow then and he had to stifle a groan at how difficult she could be.
"I just offered to talk to my grandson about sex and you want to know the details? Isn't it awkward enough I'm gonna have to talk to him about it?"
"Well forgive me, David, but you did marry your True Love back in the Enchanted Forest in a much different time. Men back then lived by very different rules and women didn't have much of a choice. I want to be sure you speak to him about consent. I have tried to explain it in my initial discussion with him but he was too embarrassed to hear it from me that I don't think he retained anything."
"Well of course consent will be a part of the conversation," David scoffed and looked at her with a frown, "Who do you take me for? I may have grown up in the Enchanted Forest but I can still understand yes and no-"
"I'm not doubting that you do, David-" Regina rolled her eyes and stood to round the kitchen island and put her plate in the sink, "But please don't tell me you are naïve enough to believe that all women actually had a choice of yes or no back then. Consent wasn't a topic that was discussed when women were viewed as property and sex with her husband whenever he demanded it was considered a duty-" She looked up at him with hard set eyes that immediately made his gut sink. It was clear she had personal experience with the matter and he understood why she wanted the reassurance.
"Of course. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking-" David nodded seriously and decided to reassure her, "I'll start with discussing why people have sex and the importance of the right timing, as well as consent and the communication of that. Then answer any questions he has. Does that sound adequate?"
"Yes. Thank you...I was going to have Robin speak to him, but-" Regina's expression softened with a hint of sadness and she gave a small shrug, "I think it is important he hears it from a man he looks up to," She said before her expression became tight again. "God knows we need to counteract whatever sleazy advice Hook has given him."
"Oh god," David grumbled and pushed the lid of the pizza box back down, deciding against another piece at the mention of Killian, "Don't remind me of my son-in-law's questionable morals."
This seemed to amuse Regina and she gave him a rather toothy grin that made the scar on her upper lip stand out more from her lack of makeup. He found his scowl slowly relaxing as he studied her face for a moment and noted how naturally beautiful she was. Luckily for him, she spoke up before he had a chance to stare for too long, saving him from an awkward silence. "I have to say you're almost as good at holding grudges as I am. I've always liked that about you."
"What?" His brows furrowed and he gave a half-confused smile at her statement, "Is that a compliment? I can never tell with you."
"As close to a compliment as you'll ever get from me," Regina quirked her brows playfully, "But for a hero your instinct is surprisingly similar to my own. You're quick to act on impulse when you're angry. You know...Kick ass first and take names later as your daughter would put it."
David smirked at the coy way the woman spoke but shook his head skeptically, "Having a short fuse isn't exactly a virtue and neither is grudge holding."
"Not to some," Regina tilted her head in partial agreement. "But don't you think there are times when talking falls short? When points need to be made-"
"In what context?" He shrugged and listened curiously for her theory. Regina had evolved tremendously since her time as a villain but she still understood the grey area between right and wrong better than anyone in this town thanks to her past.
"Well, if someone is threatening the people I love, my first instinct is a primal one. I do agree that everyone deserves a chance to make the right choice, but I am not going to grant them opportunity to hurt anyone," Regina raised a testy eyebrow that he'd seen so many times before, "And I have learned to forgive those who have wronged me, but I will not forget and give them the option to do so again."
"I always thought that kind of thing made me a bad hero," David admitted and exhaled deeply, resting his elbows on the kitchen island as Regina leaned back against her own spot at the counter opposite him. "Snow has always had to rein me in because I would go to extremes when we were threatened or in danger. My anger would blind me and I was prepared to fight or kill while she would always try to diffuse the situation."
"I am aware. You once made the call to execute me," She smirked dryly at him when he lifted his head in surprise and he remained silent as she continued speaking, "You would do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love, even if it means blurring the line between right and wrong. Despite everything I've learned through redeeming myself, I don't think that is a quality to apologize for...If it weren't for people willing to make and act on those questionable decisions, everyone would be jeopardized."
David watched her for a moment as he processed, surprised by how open she was being and the fact that her point resonated so deeply with him. He realized then just how similar their roles were in their family's dynamic and that he'd never considered it before. She had spent half of the year taking it upon herself to defeat Hyde, deal with her counterpart, break curses and keep everyone safe. He had felt that same immense pressure to protect their family and carried the crushing weight of it on his shoulders. The anxiety it caused him had even created problems between he and Snow due to how differently they approached these issues.
"Snow has always been so moral, so good-" David raised an eyebrow when Regina looked at him with a hint of displeasure at the opening statement but remained listening, "She always wanted to see and believe the best in people, always giving them the benefit of the doubt. I guess deep down I knew that I would need to be the one to make the tough calls and act on them when the need would arise. There have been plenty of times she's stopped me from doing things I would likely regret, and given people chances I would not have given...but there have also been times where had I not reacted with violence or force, we would not be alive today. I am not saying it is right, but I do not regret doing what I had to while she always struggles with the morality of it. I think sometimes she judges me for that because she can't understand it...and that is a lonely feeling, you know?"
"Do I?" Regina sighed with a sad smile and met his gaze, her dark eyes reflecting the heaviness he spoke of. "Knowing you are the person others will look to in those situations is not an easy burden to carry. To know you will be the one people silently expect to commit dark acts in the name of survival. They look to you because they are not capable of doing what is necessary without it destroying their entire identity."
"We put you in that position so many times following the curse breaking," David frowned regretfully at her as he thought back. "We looked down on your darkness but also relied on you to do whatever it took to save us on countless occasions. It was unfair to exploit the same thing we condemned you for. I'm sorry, Regina."
"I didn't mean to reference the past, but thank you," She nodded and looked back at him with an unreadable expression, though he sensed she knew he understood. "We all have our roles to play, but it is not an easy thing to know that should the need for dark deeds arise, it will rest on your shoulders. Sometimes I am jealous of the innate goodness and optimism of people like your wife. I think of how much simpler it must be to know you will always take the high road instead of being in constant turmoil. But my instinct takes over in situations and I just-" Regina hesitated and motioned with her hands in an expression of frustration.
"Want to fillet a bitch?" David grinned at the brunette and delighted in the way her lips curled with devilish amusement as she hummed in agreement. "I know what you mean, Regina...and Emma gets it. She's a lot like me in that way, but with Snow sometimes it's like talking to a wall. I mean, in the middle of the Dark Fairy coming for Emma, Snow wanted to plan a wedding for our daughter in case she didn't survive the final battle. I couldn't fathom how she would even entertain losing Emma again as an outcome. It felt like she just stuck her head in the sand and gave up while I was driving myself crazy trying to find a way to fix everything."
Regina listened with an indecipherable expression when he glanced back up at her and he began to feel guilty for venting about his wife. He opened his mouth to apologize for saying anything but Regina wrapped her robe tighter around herself and spoke up with a gentle shake of her head, "When Robin left with Marian I was running myself ragged to try to find a way to get my happiness back. I didn't care how desperate I seemed. I even swallowed my pride and begged Blue for help. Begged anyone for help. It was heartbreaking to find out that while I could not even accept that our relationship was over, he had already tried to move on. I couldn't grasp how that could even be an option to him while I was in so much pain that I could barely function. I learned that everyone deals with things in their own way and that our ways were very different. I am the kind of person who gets so infuriated by the rock in my path that I will destroy myself trying to break through it while others save themselves the pain by simply walking around it."
"I wish I were one of those people, but it is not so easy for me to accept defeat," David shook his head as he tried to explain and folded his arms on the counter. "I guess I resent Snow sometimes for being able to live with her head in the clouds when our lives are falling apart. That it seems to rest on me at times to feel everything and act accordingly."
"It is not an easy thing to be in that position or to feel things more deeply than most," Regina shook her head, her tone soft and empathetic. It surprised David when he locked gazes with her again to see the understanding written in her expression. He didn't know why he hadn't considered that she may understand his inner turmoil. She had cast an entire curse because she loved hard and felt pain so deeply.
"Still, I shouldn't be saying these things," David caught his bottom lip between his teeth and looked towards the counter, "Especially About Snow. I just...no one else would understand, no one that I could talk to, at least. But I didn't mean to put you in a strange position."
"Relationships are hard work, David. It's not a betrayal of Snow to need to talk things through with someone. I wouldn't have entertained the conversation if I felt it was," Regina reassured and he watched her hand absentmindedly run from her bump to her lower back. "Speaking of Snow, should we box some of this for you to take home to her?"
"No, it's okay. She was at the school preparing for her summer classes and planned to have dinner after with the other teachers," David nodded with a smile as he slowly stood from his stool, deciding he should probably leave judging from the way she rubbed at her back. She was likely tired and achy and he had already intruded enough for one night. "I should get out of your hair, though. Sorry for barging in on you."
"Don't apologize, Charming," Regina waved a hand dismissively at his statement and turned to grab a container from the counter beside her before walking around the kitchen island, "Here, take these with you."
"What's this?" He smiled as she approached him and noted how petite she actually was while barefoot. He'd never seen her in anything but dangerously high heels and professional clothing and intimidatingly perfect makeup. Getting a glimpse of her bare face and tasteful dark red pedicure almost felt like something he shouldn't see.
"My famous apple turnovers," She nodded and lifted them up to him before raising an eyebrow, "Don't worry. They are safe. I no longer want you or your wife dead."
"You don't?" He dropped his mouth playfully as he took the container and grinned. "If you don't want to kill me...does that mean we are friends?"
Regina gave a roll of her dark eyes and fought a smile, "It is simply a thank you for dinner and bringing Henry home."
"I knew it. We are friends," He teased with a wide smile to further annoy her. It was quite fun to joke with her now that their banter was less vicious in nature and he knew she wasn't truly angry. "You like me."
"I'm going to take those back," She threatened, reaching for the container he held but he lifted it up over her head before she could snag it.
"Oh no, you are not taking back this token of friendship," David smirked and was truly amazed she hadn't snapped his neck yet.
"Goodnight, Charming-" Regina crossed her arms and gave him her best testy look but he noted her fighting smile as he walked backwards towards the foyer. She had never humored him for this long before and it made him grin stupidly in response.
"I'll see you Wednesday, Mills."
"How are we feeling?" Dr. Whale asked on his way into the hospital room, eyes glued to her chart before he looked up at her with a cheerful smile. Regina couldn't help her immediate eye-roll at the sight of him as she sat perched on the exam table, hands clasped on her lap so she wouldn't fidget. She had never been a good patient and the irrational first pregnancy jitters only made her less tolerant during these appointments.
"She's fine, Dr. Whale," Henry spoke up then and she glanced at him, feeling the gentle reprimand from her teenage son. He had a way of reminding her not to be stubborn without calling her out entirely and she was well aware he was warning her to play nice. "She hasn't had morning sickness for a while now."
"Excellent," Whale nodded and Regina looked at Henry in surprise at how he would know.
"I heard you in the mornings, Mom. It was like an alarm clock," Henry shrugged with a hint of a grimace, "Why do you think I took a sudden interest in making herbal tea for us in the mornings?"
Regina's chest tightened with emotion at the way Henry took care of her and wondered when their roles began reversing. She gave him a warm smile and nodded at his response before looking at Whale, feeling a bit more amiable due to her son's thoughtfulness. "My appetite has also increased significantly, but I did read that was normal for the second trimester."
"Indeed it is, Dr. Mills," Whale nodded and turned to the ultrasound machine, pressing the button to turn the screen on.
"Don't patronize me," Regina snapped before muttering, "I don't know why I didn't create more than one obstetrician in this godforsaken hospital," her eyes narrowed and he held his hands up innocently.
"I can assure you I was not trying to provoke you, Regina," He sighed with a resigned smile which only irritated her more. Yelling at Whale was much more satisfying when he reacted to it. "The baby is growing in size a little faster now, requiring a lot of nutrients which increases your appetite. And thanks to the fading morning sickness, you are able to consume more."
"So would you recommend she should eat more calories...like burgers and fries and milkshakes?" Henry piped up then with a mischievous grin.
"Babies need nutrients, not junk food," Regina squinted playfully at Henry before leaning back on the bed when Whale held up the ultrasound gel.
"As long as you are adamant about taking your vitamins, indulging yourself occasionally will not harm the child," Whale nodded reassuringly, "Regina, please remember this ultrasound gel is cold when applied...I would appreciate no fireballs this time."
"Yes, I am aware of that now and no, I will not throw a fireball this time," Regina muttered with a glare at the man as she relaxed back against the half raised exam table and pulled her blouse up to uncover her rounded stomach. "It was a reflex-" She huffed defensively when she saw Henry raise his brow at the knowledge of her bad behavior.
"We have come to an understanding that I would not do anything without warning first," Dr. Whale explained to Henry when the boy stood and neared the other side of the exam bed, "Alright Madam Mayor, are you ready?" He asked and she gave a nod, allowing him to apply the gel to her bump.
"This is so cool," Henry said excitedly, looking back to Regina as he stood closer when Whale pressed the monitor to her skin and began spreading the gel around.
"The nurse tells me you want to find out the gender this time?" Whale nodded with a brief smile as he watched the monitor, moving the ultrasound wand over her bump until it registered sound. "Ah, there's that strong heartbeat."
"That's it?" Henry heard the sound coming from the machine and his mouth dropped before looking at Regina.
Her heart nearly burst from her chest at Henry's excitement and she reached out, gripping his hand with a wide smile of her own. "Yes, we'd like to know so that we may start preparing. I know that you said you said it is entirely possible to know at this stage."
"Yes, you're measuring around 21 weeks, give or take a week," He nodded and glanced at her, "Feeling much movement yet? Given you have magic it is likely you can feel the baby move and that others could feel the baby earlier than in most pregnancies."
"I have felt movement for a while now, yes," Regina smiled in awe as she watched the screen and listened to the heartbeat that made her own thump faster, "It's still very gentle, but enough that Henry could faintly feel it."
"Enjoy that while it lasts. Once the baby gets bigger those twists and turns and kicks can become quite strong," Dr. Whale nodded before looking from the screen to them with a smile. "Alright Mills family. Are you ready to know?"
"You can tell by that?" Regina's gaze darted back to the screen, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.
"I can, thanks to training in the magic of modern medicine," Whale chuckled and glanced back at the machine. "Everything appears healthy. The heartbeat is strong and the baby appears to be developing on schedule. Your blood work looks good but I do want you to start taking an iron supplement. And now, if you still wish to know the gender..."
"Mom, tell him we are ready!" Henry urged with an anxious laugh, causing her to look back at the both of them from the screen that had captivated her attention.
"I'm...ready," Regina took a breath and gave a somewhat nervous smile, glancing at her son briefly. This child was incredibly real and about to become even more so.
"It appears your Mom is giving you a little sister, Henry," Whale smiled kindly at them and her breath caught in her throat, "Regina, you're going to have a daughter."
Regina announced the news from her doctor's appointment while they prepared Wednesday night dinner and her family had been buzzing with the topic throughout the entire evening. Having the lively bunch under her roof helped keep her from dwelling on what it would've been like to share it with Robin and the more melancholy aspect of her reality. She appreciated the joy that the conversation seemed to bring everyone and it helped keep her spirits high, even if Snow had blubbered at the news initially.
"We should do one of those gender reveal parties!" Snow exclaimed amongst the chatter at the table, reaching out to wipe Neal's face as he squirmed in his high chair seated between her and David. The baby grimaced and jerked, fussing in an animated way that made Regina chuckle before she looked back at his mother whose eyes had widened excitedly with her idea.
"A gender what-" Regina raised a bewildered brow at the woman to the right of her before looking at Emma when she groaned from her spot at the other end of the table.
"Mom, Regina is not the type to pop balloons full of paint in the backyard-" Emma smirked and rolled her eyes as Snow's mouth dropped dramatically at her idea being persecuted.
"A balloon of paint?" Regina looked between the two women in confusion. "What in god's name-"
"It doesn't have to be balloons! I've seen ones with confetti and cakes and smoke bombs-" Snow shrugged, "I even saw one on the internet with an alligator-"
"Maybe Emma and the pirate should keep the alligator idea-" Zelena piped in with a dig at Hook.
"Not the same thing as a crocodile, love," Killian tilted his head to the side in good humor and took a sip of his wine. "Stick to your monkeys."
"Wait a second-" David lifted his gaze from his plate, holding his fork mid-air when his brows furrowed at Killian and Emma, "Are you-"
"God no," Emma's eyes widened and she let out a startled laugh. "I'm still processing the fact we're actually married."
Regina smirked at how disgruntled David appeared to be by the idea of Hook impregnating his daughter and that it was the only thing that seemed to have slowed his inhalation of her apple pie, "Will someone please tell me what we are talking about?" She sighed and glanced back at the rest of them.
"It's like a thing people do now, Mom-" Henry shook his head, speaking up from his seat to her immediate left where he and Zelena sat with Robin in her high chair in the middle. "People have a party and they get like a cake with pink or blue food coloring in it, and cut into it to reveal if they're having a boy or a girl..."
"I could plan the whole thing. Oh it would be so much fun!" Snow smiled wistfully.
"But you all already know-" Regina raised an eyebrow skeptically, "I'm not sure I understand the point."
"Well, we could do it at the Town Hall or Granny's. Somewhere we could announce it to the town that Regina's giving us a princess!" Snow smiled and looked around pleadingly for agreement, "Come on, you guys. We had a celebration for everything back in the Enchanted Forest. I think it's time we start that here-"
"Snow, we're not exactly royalty anymore," David laughed and glanced at Regina with an apologetic smile.
"Not to mention there are certainly more ways to identify in this world than there were in the Enchanted Forest," Regina chuckled and reached for her glass of water, "She may not wish to grow up to be a pink-loving, tiara-wearing princess. I'm not going to put my child in a box before they're even born."
"Pretty progressive for a fairytale character," Emma gave a grin of approval from the other end of the table before glancing at her parents, "She's from the same land you are. Why the hell are you guys still so traditional?"
"We aren't that traditional," Snow sighed and reached for her wine glass as the rest of the table erupted into a series of snorts and chuckles. "Okay, okay. Gender reveal party is off the table, but I am throwing you a baby shower and there is nothing you can do about it, Regina Mills."
Regina gave an amused smirk and a slow nod of agreement, "I suppose I can compromise with that, Snow White."
"Ooooh a baby shower. We gonna play that game where we all guess her waist size?" Emma asked with a mischievous smirk, causing her mother's head to practically swivel as she spun to shoot a glare at her.
"No! Games are entirely optional!" Snow narrowed her eyes at Emma to shut her up before looking back at Regina, "She's just trying to instigate because she thinks it's funny to see us go back and forth."
"I'm just letting you know what she's going to get you into," Emma laughed and looked at Regina with a shrug of her shoulders. "Those baby gifts come with some humiliating games in this world."
Regina merely sighed and gave a chuckle under her breath, "Why am I not surprised?"
"Speaking of gifts, I do need you to start considering what you need so that we can complete a registry," Snow nodded adamantly at Regina when the table began to talk amongst themselves, "What do you still need to get?"
"I don't know," Regina frowned, hesitant to admit how much she'd put off, "Everything? I haven't really...done any preparation yet. With Henry I didn't need to until everything was finalized and with everything going on this year, I just..." she sighed and gave a shrug, feeling somewhat guilty.
"I saw some boxes in the foyer," David spoke up then, making her realize he had been listening to their conversation over the others, "Is that a crib and a changing table?"
"Oh, yes-" Regina nodded with a glance at him, remembering the nursery furniture stacked near her stairs. "I had them delivered but I just haven't had time to magic them upstairs and assemble them yet."
"Well, if you want-" David began before he was cut off by his wife.
"David can come over and do it-" Snow nodded, earning a perturbed stare from him.
"Oh, god no-" Regina shook her head at the look on David's face. It had sounded like he was about to offer his help before Snow cut him off but she wasn't sure, "No, he's already been subjected to my birthing class. Besides, I don't need help with the nursery. I can do it all with my magic."
"Then why haven't you already, Regina?" Snow asked knowingly. "It is okay to accept help. Working full time is exhausting enough let alone doing so while you're pregnant. You're not going to have the energy to do everything. David can come over on the weekend and move the boxes upstairs and get them put together."
David was looking at Regina when she glanced back at him with a softened expression and a reassuring smile, "Really, I don't mind to help."
"Why do I have a feeling you'll send him even if I say no?" Regina sighed and looked back to her former enemy who smiled triumphantly.
"Because we are family. It's what we do."
