Regina collected Emma right after dropping Henry off at school. The blonde had gotten in the car, offered the brunette a tight smile that the brunette had returned and then both women settled in a tense silence for the whole journey. The drive took less than an hour and they arrived 45 minutes early for the appointment. Regina parked the car, put on her handbrake and turned off the ignition. She looked over to Emma who still hadn't said a word or even moved.
Regina placed a hand tentatively on the blonde woman's knee "Are you ok?" She asked softly, looking at the blonde for an answer.
Emma shook her head before looking down at her lap, trying desperately to keep the tears that had already built behind her eyelids at bay.
Regina didn't need a verbal reply to know that Emma was anything but ok. "It's going to be ok Emma"
"What if it's not?" Emma made eye contact with Regina, her lip trembling and tears escaping onto her pale cheeks.
Regina placed her hand gently against Emma's' face which made the blonde keep eye contact as Regina spoke. "Then we will deal with it. No whatever what happens today I'll be here for you in whatever way you need me too"
Emma offered the brunette a small smile that seemed foreign on the face that looked so tired and pained.
The women sat together in silence for the next fifteen minutes. Regina moved her hand to Emma's leg in attempt to offer the blonde some sort of comfort. "Are you ready?"
"No but let's do this"
The pair walked into the clinic and Emma took a seat while Regina checked her in with the receptionist.
The receptionist handed Regina a questionnaire attached to a clipboard that Emma had to fill in. When she joined Emma she handed it over to the along with a pen, before she sat down next to the blonde and looked away to offer her some privacy.
Emma read the title on the form 'Parental Questionnaire'. She took a deep breath before she started to complete the questionnaire. Name, age, date of birth, date of last period, blah blah blah.
Regina picked up a magazine and pretended to read a random article. She noticed that Emma has stopped writing and was looking distressed.
"Is everything ok?" Regina asked
Emma showed the form to Regina. 'Biological Father Information' read the heading.
"Oh" Regina responded hopelessly not sure of what else so say.
"I don't know what to put"
"Can you not just put unknown?" Regina suggested.
"I can put it but I don't want to. I don't what to deal with the judgment again... I put unknown when I was pregnant with Henry. I don't want to deal with the questions that come from having a baby with an unknown father."
"Just make something up..." Regina suggested hoping that it was a possibility.
"Ok" Emma replied and then just stared at the sheet blankly.
"Do you what me to do it?" Regina asked sensing Emma's distress at the situation.
"Please" was Emma's reply as she handed over the form to Regina.
Regina filled in the details quickly and with ease before passing the form back to Emma.
"How did you manage to do that so quickly?" Emma asked in awe and confusion.
"I used my own details... My Storybrooke details"
"Oh. Rex Mills…" Emma said as she glanced at the form.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have" Regina apologised profusely, truly worried that she had upset the blonde woman.
"No seriously it's fine... I just… I just wish it was true." The blonde confessed sadly.
Regina just looked at the blonde in confusion. What did even mean by that.
"Shit I'm sorry. If that sounds really creepy and weird" Emma added desperately.
"It's fine. It took me by surprise that's all"
"I shouldn't have said it" Emma sad looking away awkwardly.
"Really I know you didn't mean it, its fine" Emma could sense that Regina was a little upset. Next time she needed to think before she made stupid comments. She had clearly made Regina feel uncomfortable.
Both women were relieved when a grey haired female nurse appeared "Emma Swan?" she called. Emma took a deep breath as she stood up.
Emma started to make her way over to the nurse when she realised Regina still hadn't moved from her seat.
Regina watched the blonde make her way over to the nurse. When she stopped and looked over at her she was a little confused "Will you come with me?" The timid voice she heard broke her heart especially knowing that Emma has had to do this before with Henry.
"Of course I will. I didn't want to assume" Regina said as she walked over to join the blonde and grey woman.
Emma held her hand out and Regina look it hers with a smile as they followed the nurse into a small clinical looking, insulin smelling room.
"I'm just going to do your height, weight and blood pressure and then the doctor will see you." they grey woman said with a warm smile.
Emma followed the nurse's instruction mechanically, her face straight showing no emotion.
"Is this your first?" The nurse asked Emma with a smile. She sensed that the blonde woman was a little nervous and often used distraction to help deal with her patient's nerves.
Regina looked over to Emma with a smile to offer some reassurance, but Emma's emotionless face was slowly but surely turning into a fearful face.
Emma looked at Regina for help. She really didn't want to engage in small talk with the nurse. She didn't need to though as Regina realised what the blonde needed from her and took over.
"We have a 12 year old Son" Regina answered with a smile.
Emma returned her smile and offered her a small nod to offer her thanks to Regina and confirm her answer to the nurse.
"Is he excited to be a big brother?" the woman probed further.
"He doesn't know yet. We didn't want to tell him until we knew everyone was ok" Regina answered again.
Emma just silently prayed for the checks to be over with and hoped the woman would stop with the small talk and get on with the checks. She was relieved that Regina had answered the questions for her so she didn't look rude or uninterested.
Once all Emma's checks where finally completed and her blood had been taken the nurse checked over her forms confirming Emma's information before leading the pair into a doctors room luckily the forms seemed to be completed correctly and no further questions were asked
Emma was relieved that no questions were asked about the 'biological father' and she was pretty sure that was because the nurse had assumed that she and Regina were a couple and having this baby together.
It was strange the effect knowing that piece of information had had on Emma as soon as Regina had answered the question about it being her first child; Emma had felt as though she had gained some extra strength and she decided the easiest way she could get through the appointment was if she played a role. So for the rest of the appointment she decided that she would be playing Emma Swan, Wife of Regina Mills, who was super excited to be seeing her and Regina's baby for the first time.
The room was a little more welcoming than your average doctor's office with flowers on display and colourful decor.
A red haired doctor entered the room and offered both women that were sat on the edge of their seats a warm welcome.
"Hi I'm Doctor Montgomery" she said offering her hand to Regina and then to Emma.
"Regina Mills" Regina replied with a smile "and this is Emma Swan"
The doctor confirmed that Emma's checks so far has all been ok. Her weight was on the lower side of the 'normal' scale bit surprisingly other than that she was physically fine and physically in good health. They would have the blood tests back within the next few days.
Emma lay on the bed with paper tissue tucked into the top of her trousers to protect them from the cold clear jelly that had been put on her tummy. Her top was pushed up to just under her breast.
For the first time Regina had got to see Emma's tiny baby bump, her heart swelled at the sight and the reality of what was actually happening. She sat next to Emma holding the blondes hand tightly in her own as the doctor moved around getting things ready to begin the scan.
"Breathe Emma. You're ok" Regina reassured as she ran her thumb over the blondes hand soothingly.
The red haired doctor looked between both women. "Are you ready?" she asked both of them.
Neither woman answered but both nodded nervously.
She pushed the hand held device against Emma's tummy, and Emma let out a small gasp as she felt it push against her full bladder.
The doctor moved the device around until the outline of a baby appeared on the screen. Regina grasped Emma's hand tighter as they both took in the sight of baby on the screen. As they watched the screen the baby wriggled around.
"Congratulations ladies. You have yourselves a very active baby. I'm just going to get some measurements" Dr Montgomery said with a big smile as she started taking multiple pictures of the baby.
"Is the baby ok?" Regina asked apprehensively, not wanting Emma to have to ask the question.
"Everything looks perfectly fine" She assured placing a hand on Regina shoulder.
"Do you want to know the sex?"
"Isn't it too early for that?" Regina asked in confusion.
"It looks like you're around 16 weeks pregnant. It's still early but I have a perfect view if you want to know?"
"I … what should I do?" Emma asked Regina hoping for an answer.
"What do you want to do?"
"I think I want too."
"Then let's do it" Regina replied looking at the doctor to confirm the decision.
"You're going to have a baby girl… Would you like to hear the heartbeat?"
"Please" Emma replied instantly still processing the information she had just received.
The doctor turned the volume up on the machine and found the baby again.
When Emma looked at the tiny baby wriggling around on the screen and then she heard the strong beating of her tiny heart. She loved her instantly. She looked up at Regina to offer her a smile but she saw the tears streaming down the brunettes face and a smile to match her own.
The ride back to Storybrooke was still a quiet one but both women were much more relaxed than they had been on the way to the clinic.
As they passed the 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign, Regina spoke up "do you want to get some lunch?" She asked hopefully.
"No thanks. I don't really want to see anyone" Emma said reluctantly not wanting to offend the brunette that had done so much for her.
"I could make us some lunch?" Regina asked. The hopefulness in her voice didn't go unnoticed by Emma.
Emma just looked at Regina sadly. She wanted nothing more than to spend more time with Regina but she didn't want to be a burden to the older woman.
"It's ok if you want to be alone..." The brunette offered. Not wanting to force herself on the blonde.
"I don't want to be alone. I just don't want to take all your time up"
"Emma... Please listen to me. I want to be here. I choose to be here!"
"Ok" was all Emma could manage to reply with, feeling exhausted and emotional.
"So my place or yours?" Regina asked with a smile.
"Mine, I have a fully stocked fridge thanks to this really amazing woman." Emma said with a big smile.
When they got to Emma's house Regina noticed that Emma was looking a little pale and exhausted. "Why don't you go take a seat and I'll make us a sandwich?" Regina said as she pulled a chair out for Emma before getting a glass and filling it with water.
Emma didn't protest, she wasn't feeling that great and knew she needed the rest. If not for her own sake, but for the sake of her daughter. She sat at the kitchen table and took a few deep breaths. Regina placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and placed a glass of water in front of her before she went to make lunch.
Regina returned shortly with two chicken salad sandwiches and two apples.
They ate in a comfortable silence. When they were both finished Regina picked up the dishes "why don't you go and get comfortable on the sofa and I'll get tidied up here..."
Emma tried to speak but was soon cut off by Regina.
"And before you protest, I want to do this! Don't you know I like to be in charge?"
Emma wanted to offer a snarky reply but she was too tired to protest or shark. So she replied with a simple "Thank you."
When Regina entered the living room ten minutes later she was greeting with the small snores of the sleeping blonde. She was amused to see Emma hadn't even bothered to remove her boots. Regina crept over next to the blonde, unzipped the boots before removing them. She pulled the throw that rested over the top of the sofa and placed it over the younger woman's small frame tucking the edge against the blonde's body.
Regina contemplated waiting for the blonde to wake but she felt staying watching Emma sleep may come across a little creepy. She found a pad next to the phone and left Emma a note, placing it on the coffee table next to the sleeping blonde.
