Emma woke up still on Regina's lap. She had somehow managed to turn around completely during her nap so her head was resting against Regina's stomach and her hand was hooked around Regina's small waist. She groaned internally as she realised that she had invaded the brunette's space yet again. However when she realised that Regina was stroking her hair soothingly she relaxed a little. Hopefully that meant that she hadn't upset the brunette.

She moaned a "Sorry" into Regina's stomach before pulling back a little to look up at the brunette woman.

"Hey" Regina said softly her hand still moving against the blonde's locks, ignoring the blonde's apology.

"I'm sorry for mauling you in my sleep..." Emma said shyly.

"You didn't 'maul' me, its fine." Regina replied removing her hand from the blonde's hair as Emma shifted her body awkwardly to sit up, her face scrunched up.

"What's wrong?" Regina asked, concerned by the look on the blonde's face.

"Nothing, it's just the baby moving."

"Does that happen so soon?" the alarm in Regina's voice didn't go unnoticed by the blonde.

"Yes it's normal. I've been able to feel her for a while now just fluttering around in there. It just feels like butterflies. It's not painful just weird" she replied as she rubbed her belly.

"That must be amazing." Regina said without thinking.

Emma just looked sadly at the other woman. "It's just with Henry all these things... they weren't pleasant experiences…It just made everything so real. It was terrifying and I guess I feel guilty not feeling so bad about them this time around. Sure it's scary but it's not as unwelcome as it was with Henry."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's fine. It's nice to have someone to talk to about this stuff."

"You can talk to me about anything Emma. Don't keep things bottled up. If you need to talk I'll always be here for you. "

"Thank you"

"Emma, about your mother..."

"Don't even try to defend her!" Emma warned, her voice rose slightly in annoyance.

"I'm not... I just, I guess I kind of understand where she's coming from"

"Regina!" the blonde warned.

"When you first came to town I was so terrified that you'd take Henry from me that I'd lose him, I said and did some horrible things that I didn't mean."

"It's hardly the same thing! There's no one trying to steal me away from her."

"She thinks that I am." Regina stated seriously.

"Well that's not true. You haven't done anything wrong. It's not your fault that if sooner spend time with you than her."

"Your mother doesn't know that and to be honest I'd sooner she blame me than know the truth." The brunette confessed honestly.

"You think I'm awful don't you?" Emma asked sadly, dropping her head in shame.

"No Emma not at all. I think you feel the way you do and I respect that. I know that your mother can be... Well really annoying and whiney and I can understand why you would want to avoid her in your current hormonal state. But she does love you and I can't help but think back to how it felt to be in her shoes, to love your child so much and to have no power at all to make them want you. To feel so helpless"

"I never really thought about it like that..." Emma eyes had filled with tears and she now cried silently.

"Emma you're not selfish, you needed time for yourself. That's ok but when you're ready you should speak to her."

"I should really work on my relationship with her shouldn't I?"

"I think you should but in your own time and Emma. I really appreciate you standing up for me to Snow but I forgive her for everything she said and did. She was hurting and I know she didn't mean it. We are friends now and I don't want to hold any grudges."

Emma returned to the mansion with Regina happily. She had decided she would speak to her mother tomorrow to give them both time to calm down; the evening was spent eating dinner with Henry and then they had played a game of monopoly before she settling on the sofa with Regina once Henry was in bed.

Emma was relieved that Regina seemed to be touchier again. It felt so good being close to Regina. It wasn't sexual, well not entirely. The slightest touch from Regina had the ability to make Emma's whole body tingle from head to toe but it was more than that. It made her feel content, happy, whole even. She hadn't realised she was trapped inside an internal monologue until she felt Regina's hand on her own.

"Emma dear, are you ok?"

"Yes totally fine" she replied quickly, with pink cheeks.

"Are you sure? Remember you can talk to me" Regina pushed.

"I was just thinking about how good it feels to be here with you. When you touch me it..." Emma stopped mid-sentence as she heard Regina's breath hitch.

"Shit Regina, I didn't mean it like that, It just feels nice to be together. It's good. It makes me happy" Emma shrugged.

"I know what you mean." Regina responded with a smile.

"Regina..." Emma said apprehensively.

"Yes?"

"Do you think maybe... I mean... Is there any chance that maybe... You know what forget it." Emma knew it was a bad idea to ask especially considering what happened last time she spent the night.

"Don't forget it. Just ask whatever it is you what to ask." Regina encouraged.

"Do you think maybe I could stay here tonight?" the blonde asked in a small childlike voice, avoiding eye contact with the older woman.

Regina looked at the blonde with an open mouth, her mind temporarily void of anything other than images of the blonde with her hands in her shorts the last time she had stayed over.

"Sorry it was a bad idea" Emma said unable to hide the sadness in her voice and still avoiding looking at Regina.

"No Emma, sorry I was distracted, of course you can stay." Regina replied, feeling guilty that she had been so distracted with inappropriate thoughts of the woman in front of her.

"It's ok Regina really. It was silly to ask"

"No, really I want you to stay. So please will you stay? For me" Regina asked hopefully.

Emma's smile was huge. How could this woman be anymore adorable she thought but replied with a simple "thank you"

"Shall we go and get ready for bed and then come back down and watch a film?" The brunette asked hopefully, wanting to spend as much time with Emma as possible.

"That sounds perfect."

Regina stood up and offered Emma her hand pulling her up. She led them both to her bedroom. Emma stood nervously at the door, not wanting to intrude on the other woman's private space.

Regina hadn't realised that Emma and stopped following her until she reached her dresser. "Come on in, do you want Pyjamas while we are watching a film? I can give you something lighter to sleep in for later."

"That sounds great. Sorry for keep stealing your clothes."

"Maybe you can bring a few things over then if you wanted to stop over in the future you'll have some of your things available to you"

"Erm, yes, I mean if that's ok with you that would be great." Emma replied happily, pleased that the brunette seemed to want her there.

"Good, that's settled then. So Pyjamas. Do you want to choose?" Regina asked opened the drawer for Emma to peruse.

"Whatever you like least is fine with me"

"Why would you want my least favourite pyjamas" Regina' asked with a raised brow.

"I don't want to steal your good ones." Emma answered with a shrug.

"its fine you're not stealing them, I hope your just borrowing them"

Regina handed Emma her favourite pyjamas unbeknownst to the blonde. They were flannel so Emma would never even guess at them being the stylish mayors favourite. Emma took the pyjamas into the guest room to change. The pyjamas felt amazing against her skin they were rather baggy on her so they must have drowned Regina, but they did pull over Emma's growing bump.

Regina was sat on the sofa waiting for Emma. When the blonde approached her she could see that the pyjama top was tight and gapping over Emma's stomach even though it fell loosely everywhere else.. The blonde was nervously pulling the material down to try and keep herself covered. When she sat down next to Regina two of the buttons came open.

"That bump really is growing" The brunette said with a smile, before standing up "I'll get you one of Henry's baggy t shirts. That way you'll be more comfortable"

"Do you have a vest top I could borrow?" Emma asked not wanting to lose the comfy flannel nightwear.

"Yes sure but won't you be too cold?"

"I can wear it under the top and keep the buttons open"

"Sure I'll go find you one"

Regina returned swiftly with a white vest top. Emma casually undid the rest of the buttons and pulled the top off each arm. Leaving her top half exposed except for a sports bra.

Regina could not help but look at Emma's body, the bump was clearly bigger than last time and her breast clearly at least a size larger too.

Emma caught Regina looking her, at first she felt uncomfortable and shy but when she saw the look on Regina's face and the brunette biting her lip. The shyness was soon replaced with boldness as she slowly made her way to the brunette before standing in front of her.

When Regina finally processed her thoughts she realised that Emma was stood in front of her she looked at the woman breathlessly. When she looked up at the blonde stood before her, biting her lip and her eyes wide, she thought that Emma was going to kiss her.

"Regina" Emma asked quietly.

"Hmm" was all Regina could manage in reply.

"The vest top…" Emma said holding a hand out.

Regina felt her face burning with embarrassment as she handed the item over to the blonde.

"Thanks" Emma said awkwardly before pulling the top over her head, before putting the pyjama top over it, keeping the buttons open.

Awkwardly the woman sat through a film that neither woman payed any attention too. When Regina noticed that Emma was drifting off to sleep, she placed a hand on the woman's thigh and shook her softly "Come on, sleepy head, let's get you to bed"

Regina turned off the TV, double checked everything was locked up and set the alarm before leading Emma upstairs. She stopped at the guest room before opening the door for Emma.

"You know where everything is, but if you do need anything just ask" Regina said with a warmness that made Emma's heartache.

"Thanks Regina" Emma sad quietly as she walked past the brunette.

Regina could sense that something was wrong. Emma looked sad and was being distant. "Are you ok?" she took the blondes hand in her own which forced Emma to look up at her. The blonde had tears streaming down her face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Regina asked pulling the blonde against her and wrapping them around her tightly.

Emma sobbed freely against her the brunettes shoulder. "I don't know what's wrong, I just feel sad." Emma really didn't know what was wrong with her, she was fine and then suddenly she felt an overwhelming sadness engulf her. Sure she had a million different things to be sad about but none of them came to mind.

"Don't be sad. Do you want me to stay with you for a while?" Regina asked sincerely.

"Please" Emma said through tears and small sobs.

Regina pulled the blonde over to the bed, pulling the covers back and instructing the blonde to "Get in" once Emma was in she pulled the covers over her and tucked them around her. She saw the look of panic on the blondes face and reassured her with a tight smile. "I'm staying, I promise"

Regina walked around the other side of the bed and stood there awkwardly for a few seconds, unsure where she should get in on lay on top of the covered. She needed on in the end as she was cold and she didn't know how long Emma would need her.

When she got in Emma turned towards her and moved closer. She opened her arms and the blonde settled against her shoulder. "Is this ok?" Emma asked nervously.

"It's fine" Regina answered as she rubbed the blondes back soothingly.

They way in which Emma laid meant her bump rested against Regina's side. She laid her hand against it softly but her fingers graced Regina's side in doing so.

Regina could feel Emma pushed against her side, it felt strange to think that there was a baby somewhere in between them. When she felt Emma's fingers innocently graze her side she felt butterfly's flutter through her stomach. Once she'd settled into the touch she spoke quietly. "Do you want to talk?"

Emma looked up at her and shook her head. "Can we just sleep?"

"You want me to stay here all night?" Regina asked, a little shocked.

"Oh, sorry I shouldn't have assumed, you can go to bed Regina. You don't need to look after me."

"No it's fine, I'll stay. I just wanted to be sure that's what you wanted."

"It is"

"Ok then, lets sleep" Regina said as she reached awkwardly to turn off the bedroom light, while still keeping the blonde against her.

"Sweet dreams Emma" Regina said as she placed a kiss on the blondes head without registering what she was doing.

"Sweet dreams" Emma responded before leaning up to kiss Regina's cheek before setting back against the brunettes side.

Regina's mind was going crazy. There was no way she would be getting much sleep.

…..

Thanks for reading and commenting. I will aim to update again by Wednesday at the latest.

The next chapter will be Swan Queen Baby kicking fluff and Snow and Emma having a talk.

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