AN: I apologize for the long wait. I have a medically needy foster puppy, and the little guy has been taking up all of my time.
This story is coming to a close, only one or two more chapters to wrap it up.
Regina woke up screaming. Sweat trickled down her spine while tears tracked down her face. Before she had time to draw another breath she found herself wrapped in a pair of strong arms.
"Shhhh," Emma soothed. "I've got you now. You're safe Gina."
Regina quickly turned over in her lover's embrace. She pressed her face into the crook of Emma's neck and breathed in her calming scent. The blonde's fingers ran through her hair and down her back, tracing a familiar pattern.
"It was him. And Mother," rasped Regina as she shuddered against Emma's sturdy frame.
Emma patiently waited for her fiance to continue.
"Listening to Red and Eugina brought it all back to the surface again. I just want them to be gone. I've felt the sting from both of their hands for too many years now," sobbed the brunette.
"You don't have to carry it alone any more babe. You've got a real family now, and we all want to take part of the burden. I think Ruby proved that in recalling her vigil over you," reasoned Emma.
The blonde continued rubbing soothing circles against Regina's spine.
"I know. Logically..." she sighed. "However, a very large part of me is reticent to allow them back in."
"Take it one step at a time babe. We have a lot of wedding planning to get through. If we all make it through that alive, you should be reasonably assured that they're not going anywhere," the blonde laughed.
Regina leaned away from her fiance only to laugh and playfully slap her on the shoulder.
"Miss Swan, can you not take anything seriously?" the brunette inquired with an arch of her brow.
"I'll have you know madame mayor, I take some things very seriously. Like kissing my fiance for example," Emma smiled.
She leaned in and gently pressed her lips to Regina's. The brunette sighed in to the kiss before wrapping her arms back around Emma's neck.
"Moms!" Henry shouted as he came bounding in to the kitchen. "I'm starving, what's for breakfast?"
"You're always starving, dear." Regina laughed as she flipped the bacon in the pan.
Emma came up next to their son and ruffled his hair affectionately.
"He's a growing boy babe. Besides, he eats less than I did when I was his age," the blonde shrugged.
"Somehow, I don't doubt that." The mayor smiled as she placed bacon on each of their plates.
The room fell in to comfortable silence as the trio devoured their breakfast of bacon, bagels and fruit salad. The fruit was upon Regina's insistence that they had to make up for the bacon somehow.
"So, now that you're getting married does that mean I can have a little brother or sister?" puzzled Henry.
Emma inhaled sharply, coffee shot in to her throat causing her to sputter. Regina arched one eyebrow at her fiance before placing a calming hand on her shoulder and replying to their curious son.
"Henry, Emma and I haven't spoken about growing our little family yet. How would you feel about it?"
Regina felt the blonde take a deep breath and hold it, only exhaling upon Henry's response.
"It would be awesome! I've always wanted to be a big brother. Besides, I think there's plenty to go around Moms," he casually shrugged before digging back in to his breakfast.
"Plenty of what, bud?" asked Emma.
Chewing a last bite of fruit the small brunette looked up at his mother's as if it were obvious, "Of everything."
Emma and Regina's eyes met over his head, tears sparkling in brown and green. The boy didn't realize the emotion he had stirred and hastily finished his food before dashing from the kitchen.
"Gina?" the blonde spoke softly, so as not to break the moment.
"Yes, darling?" the queen replied, lacing her fingers through Emma's shaking ones.
"Would you like to have a baby? With me?" asked the sheriff before gently squeezing the warm hand in hers.
"I would love nothing more than to have a second child with you," signed the brunette as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She broke eye contact and looked down at their joined hands.
"What is it Regina?"
"I've always wanted to carry a child Emma. It's just one more thing that Leopold stole from me," she whispered brokenly.
"I'm so sorry love. But there are lots of ways for us to have a child in this world. And whichever way a child comes in to our lives, it will be perfect." Emma caressed Regina's face before leaning in and placing a chaste but loving kiss on her lips.
Pulling back from the kiss, the blonde rested her forehead against her fiance's and smiled.
"I love you Emma, and of course you're right. Any child of ours will come in to our lives exactly as she's meant to."
"She, huh?" asked the blonde, playfully nudging Regina's hip with her own.
"Or he, I suppose. I just can't imagine loving another little boy as much as I love Henry," admitted the brunette.
"That's true. I love Henry so much it hurts some times. He is the reason you and I are here right now. Without him..." Emma trailed off.
As if on cue the truest believer bounded in to the kitchen once again, interrupting his emotional mothers.
"Moms! We're gonna be late," he cried.
"So we are, dear. We best get a move on, wouldn't want to make you late for..."
Henry cut his mother off in his excitement, "soccer, mom! I'm gonna be late for tryouts I we don't leave right now."
He dashed from the room and could be heard digging around in the front closet.
"Well I guess that's our cue. Time to put the mushy stuff on hold and go cheer our best guy on," Emma smiled.
She paused for a moment and stole one more sweet kiss before dragging her soon to be wife towards the door.