so i am sorry for the really small update and delay. i've been really busy with school and with october being near, i will be busy with working the haunt i'm at. i hope to be able to get the updates coming more quickly, especially since i absolutely adore this story and the reactions from it.

please be patient, i promise to try my hardest to get everything together so the updates come more quickly. but for now, enjoy. i promise a longer update next time. :3

The pregnancy books were lies, Emma knew that from when she was pregnant with Henry. Perhaps it was worthless hope thinking that, this time around, she wouldn't have to worry about everything she went through before. Not only that, but Snow had told her that she didn't even have morning sickness when pregnant with her or Graham.

Never had Emma been so jealous of a fairytale character.

The morning sickness wasn't even morning sickness, it was just sickness that came in random intervals throughout the day. It did not, however, seem to care if she was asleep and had to be up early the next day.

It was why Emma was hunched over the toilet, groaning in annoyance more than anything, forehead pressed against the cool seat. Whatever had remained of Regina's lasagna in Emma's stomach was now being flushed down the drain, and the sheriff could not help but sigh.

It was three in the morning and she had woken just because she felt nauseous. She had struggled to untangle Regina's limbs from her own without waking her just to make it to the bathroom in time. It had been such a rush that she didn't even had time to pull her hair back as she normally did. So now, Emma sat with an empty stomach, hair tangled and probably had bits of her former stomach contents in the ends of her hair.

"God fucking damn it," she grumbled, eyes pressed shut as she tried to calm her still churning stomach.

"Eloquent as always, dear."

Sitting up quickly, the blonde hissed at the invasion of light, immediately covering her eyes with her hands. "Shit, Regina, I didn't mean to wake you."

Humming in response, Regina moved across the room, grabbing a small towel and turning on the faucet, letting the cool water run across the cloth. "Yes well, I'm quite awake now." Turning off the water and kneeling in front of Emma, she grinned, pulling Emma's hands away from her eyes. "Hard to sleep when it sounds like there's a dying whale in my bathroom."

Rolling her eyes, Emma sighed, taking the wet cloth from Regina and wiping the residue from her lips. "Yeah, well, it's hard to keep myself quiet when this baby is rejecting your cooking. I think it prefers a cheeseburger and fries."

Snatching the towel away from Emma, Regina narrowed her eyes. "Don't be rude, I got out of a warm, comfortable bed to make sure you were alright."

Sighing, Emma let her head fall forward, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Look, I'm sorry, but I'm tired and I have to be up in a few hours for work and well… It sort of sucks."

Frowning slightly, Regina reached forward, taking bits of Emma's hair and cleaning the ends. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't make you feel guilty over morning sickness."

Scoffing, Emma shook her head. "It's hardly morning sickness. It's more like 'sickness-when-busy' sickness or something. And it really, really sucks."

Smirking, Regina put the towel to the side, shaking her head. "Yes, well, from what I've read, morning sickness is rarely just in the morning."

"Then why would you fucking call it that?" Groaning, Emma gripped her stomach, pressing her face into her knees. "I had this same thing when pregnant with Henry. Which sucked even more in prison, my cell mates were so pissed."

"Really?" Regina lit up then, inching closer. "Was it as bad as this, then?"

Though they had been together, Regina knew little about Emma's pregnancy with Henry. Yes, there had been a few times something had been mentioned about the pregnancy, but Emma had learned more about Henry's childhood than Regina learned about Emma's former pregnancy. Perhaps it was an attempted avoidance of ever having the baby topic brought up, but who knew at this point.

Lifting her head, Emma nodded, smiling slightly despite herself. "Yeah, really. Definitely not as bad as this, considering I was losing food that tasted absolutely awful." Licking her lips, the blonde shook her head, running her fingers through her hair. "God, it was fucking awful. I remember I had a cell mate request a transfer because she couldn't sleep with me around."

"Well, you do kind of sound like you're dying."

Leaning forward and smacking Regina's arm, Emma glared playfully. "Don't be mean, I'm carrying your baby, damn it."

"Our baby," Regina corrected, leaning forward and pressing her hand on Emma's stomach. There wasn't a bump yet, but Regina always found her hand drifting for Emma's stomach every chance she was near. Whether it was for protection or just instinct, she didn't know, but Emma certainly didn't seem to mind.

Nodding, Emma smiled, letting her hand rest over Regina's. "Our baby," she reiterated, leaning forward to rest their foreheads together. "Go back to bed, I'll be back in in a bit."

Pulling back and pressing her lips to Emma's forehead, smiling slightly. "Alright." Standing, she brushed the invisible dirt off her knees before turning to walk towards the door. "Do brush your teeth, however. I really don't want to smell your breath right now, it's dreadful."

Slipping quietly into the sheriff's department, Ruby peaked her head around in hopes of seeing the office empty. She was late, again, and if Emma's newly found raging hormones paired with her unstoppable diet were anything to go on, she was screwed.

Perhaps trusting a man with a hook for a hand (he refused to try the prosthetics Whale had offered) to actually set the alarm for the correct time was a dumb idea. It was probably just as dumb to not set her own alarm on her phone. It was probably just plain moronic for her to allow Killian to hook her into sharing the shower when she was already late.

Just as bad as her laughing at the pun she had made in her head.

Seeing no one inside the office, Ruby moved into the room, shutting the door quietly behind her, flinching as it clicked shut.

"You're late."

Sighing, Ruby leaned against the door. "Christ, Emma. You have better hearing than me."

"I'm hearing for two." Slipping out of her office, Emma sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "What the hell, Rubes? That's the third time this week, it isn't like you."

Ruby opened her mouth, about to spill out her usual excuse.

"Don't even use Granny as an excuse, or my mom. I called both of them looking for you."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Ruby grumbled. "Damn, my own grandmother would sell me out…"

"Can you blame her? You haven't really been working at the diner when you should be."

Rolling her eyes, Ruby crossed the room, dropping the brown paper bag in front of Emma on the table. "Yeah, well, eat your bearclaw and let me off the hook."

Grabbing the bag, Emma opened it, raising an eyebrow. "Cold? You cannot actually think you're off the hook with a cold bearclaw." Leaning forward in an attempt to intimidate, Emma rose an eyebrow, looking at Ruby's neck. "Is that a hickey?"

Smacking her hand over the hickey to cover it, Ruby felt a blush rise up her chest, turning and walking to sit at her desk. "Shut up, Emma."

"Oh my god, is that seriously where you've been!"

"Shut it, Swan!"

Laughing and sitting at her desk, Emma shook her head. "Oh my god." She tried to quiet herself, covering her mouth with her hand, but her shaking body gave her away.

Glaring, Ruby sat into her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. "You are such an ass. Even more so now that you're pregnant."

Shrugging, Emma leaned back, kicking her feet up onto the desk. "Yeah, well, I think I'm allowed to give you a hard time for being late just so you could get some morning sex."

"Says the person who used the same excuse last week."

"Yeah, but I'm pregnant, I have needs."

Scoffing, Ruby leaned onto her desk, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously? Emma, it's been nearly three months, you're still going to use that as your excuse?"

Nodding slowly, Emma shrugged, taking a bit of her bearclaw. "Yep, because it definitely works." Swallowing her bite, she made a face of disgust, putting the pastry down and pushing it away.

Sighing, Ruby leaned back, reaching for her paper work. "What, is the bearclaw tainted now because it came from me?"

Shaking her head quickly, Emma waved her hand to silence her friend. "No, no, it's not that… I have no idea what it is." Looking over her food, Emma picked at it as though it were some sort of science project. "Did you put something in it? Or did Granny try a new recipe?"

Ruby snorted, rolling her eyes and she began to work on the papers before her. "Granny, a recipe? Emma, you know everything she makes is either frozen or comes premade in a box." Licking her lips, she glanced upwards. "I had one on the way here, tasted fine to me."

Frowning and furrowing her brows, the sheriff sighed, letting her hand slide over her stomach. A baby bump was developing. Small and growing, but the only people who noticed were her parents, the werewolves, and her wife. "This baby is fucking up my taste buds so bad… Did I tell you how a month ago, and pretty much ever since, I can't even eat Regina's lasagna?"

Gasping over dramatically, Ruby covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh Emma, say it isn't so!"

Picking up a pen and tossing it at Ruby, she rolled her eyes as the wolf laughed. "You won't be laughing when you work the night shift for a week."

Immediately the laughter stopped, Ruby's eyes going wide. "You wouldn't dare… Emma that's just unfair!"

"Life isn't fair, my furry friend." Shrugging, Emma stood, grabbing her jacket. "Sometimes you can't eat your wife's lasagna or a humble bearclaw of apology," she said simply, walking towards the door. "And sometimes, you get stuck doing the night shift because you couldn't stop doing your boyfriend."

Rolling her eyes, Ruby pouted, leaning into her arm. "That's the worst joke I've heard."

"Yeah, but it's still pretty amusing you'll still be staying up all night for the next week, just not in a fun way."

As the door clicked shut behind Emma, Ruby groaned, letting her head fall to the table. "I hate having a pregnant savior."

Having a pregnant mom wasn't as bad as Henry had originally assumed it to be.

Originally, he assumed she would just be moody, annoying, and the typical stereotype for a pregnant woman. He pictured her sobbing at all hours, driving him insane with things she demanded or needed. He pictured his adoptive mother having sleepless night, going insane from the things Emma demanded.

Henry could not be happier about being wrong.

With Emma craving ice cream and burgers at all hours, not only did Henry now have an excuse to eat as his teenage body wanted to, it also gave him access to the car. With access to the car, that meant more unsupervised time with Grace.

It wasn't so he could have sex, no, it was more that he wanted to just be alone with her. With their relationship being more of an official thing now, his adoptive mother hovered so close, it was shocking that Grace even stuck around.

Still, she stuck around, which Henry was relieved over.

"Where are we going again?"

Shrugging Henry glanced over to Grace. "Uhm, I don't know. Wherever you want to go-"

He was cut off by the ringing in his pocket. Sighing, he reached into his pocket, rolling his eyes as he saw who was on the caller ID. "Hey, Emma."

A happy sigh was heard from the other end. "Thank god you picked up, your mom is avoiding her phone."

Rolling his eyes, Henry glanced over to Grace, mouthing "I'm sorry" before turning back to his phone. "Can't say I blame her. Do you need me to get something?"

"I control your allowance, you know. Don't be mean." Licking her lips, Emma fidgeted slightly. "I need you to pick me up something from Granny's."

Groaning, Henry leaned back into his seat, pulling off to the side of the road. "Seriously? Can you not get it yourself?"

"No, I let someone borrow my car because he had a date and his girlfriend didn't have a car of her own."

This was the downside of Emma letting Henry borrow the car, she made him her personal food deliveryman.

"Can mom not get you something?"

Sighing, Emma shut her eyes. "No, she won't pick up her phone. She's probably in a meeting or something, I don't know. Just- Henry, I gave birth to you, the least you could do is get me fries and a milkshake."

"So that's where I learned how to guilt trip," Frowning, Henry glanced over to Grace once more, sighing in defeat. "Fine, I'll be home in a bit."

"Best son ever," Emma moaned in delight grabbing the bag of food from Henry as she made her way into the kitchen.

"I better be," Henry groaned, slipping onto a stool next to the island as Grace slid up next to him.

"Be nice," she whispered to him, elbowing him in his ribs. "It's nice to finally be invited in your home, seeing as I've been kept away."

"Yeah, of course," Emma mumbled mindlessly, waving her hand to quiet her as she dug into the bag. "Awh, you even got me the jumbo sized thing of fries. You're so sweet!"

Rolling his eyes, he snatched the bag from Emma, grinning when she whimpered and held out her hands to get the bag back.

"Henry! Give me back my food or I'll ground you."

"The fries are for sharing, Emma. Sharing is caring." Opening the bag and taking a few fries, his grin only grew as he ate them.

"Bullshit, give me my fries, kid."

Mocking a gasp and putting his hand over his chest, he looked at her, eyes wide. "Emma, what if mom was here? What would she say?"

Henry was smart with this blow. The sheriff knew her son well enough by now that he wanted something out of all of this, and clearly, was willing to get his other mother involved. Tattling or not in the eyes of all others, Henry would end up getting what he wanted by doing so.

Glaring, Emma leaned across the table, grabbing her milkshake and taking a long sip. "What do you want?"

"Car for the month, no questions asked."

Laughing, Emma shook her head, letting a smile grace her lips. "No, your mom would kill me." Tapping her chin, the sheriff let her mind begin to think, "Two weeks, but you have to tell us where you're going."

Shaking his head, Henry held the bag out of her arm length. "Three weeks, I get to break curfew."

Nudging him, Grace rose an eyebrow. "You're seriously bargaining with your mom, over French fries? Are you crazy?" she hissed, eyes slightly wide at the thought of angering, not only the sheriff, but the savior. It felt like a big no – no.

"Yes, now shush," Henry whispered, turning instantly and smiling sheepishly. "I mean, please be quiet. Sorry."

Pursing her lips, Emma narrowed her eyes. "Grace seems to be the smart one here, Henry. You'd be wise to listen to her."

"You forget, I hold the fries." Leaning across the counter, he narrowed his eyes as well, being sure to hold the fries far behind him. "Again, three weeks, no curfew."

Squaring her jaw, Emma blew a breath of air from her nose. "Three weeks, curfew is extended to one on nights you don't have school the next day, and you still let us know where you are."

"Deal," he said quickly, handing the bag to Emma, laughing as she ripped it away from him "You really wanted those fries…"

"Little shit," Emma grumbled, eyes fixated on the open bag in her hands. "Yeah, well, don't tell your mother. I'd rather not be couched with my back killing me."

"And why would that happen, dear?"

All three froze, turning slightly and mirroring one another with sheepish grins, all speaking at the same time, "Nothing."

Nodding slowly, Regina moved into the kitchen, placing a chaste kiss on Emma's cheek as she moved to the fridge. "Of course… Not like Henry would be using food as a bargaining chip." Again.

Letting out a low whistle, Emma slipped from her seat, bag of fries and milkshake in hand. "I think my show is on… I should go and…. Watch it," she said quickly, walking out of the kitchen and straight for the living room.

"I'll join you, I've always wanted to watch… Show," Grace mumbled, following Emma closely behind.

Henry attempted to slip from his seat, trying to be quiet as so Regina wouldn't see him slipping away.

"Sit, young man," Regina said sharply, back stilly turned as she poured herself a glass of water.

Sighing, Henry sat back on the stool, leaning on the island. "Mom, come on, it was no big deal."

"Of course it wasn't." Turning, Regina took a sip of her glass, setting it down as she leaned against the island across from her son, mirroring him. "What did you get her to agree to this time?"

"Car for three weeks, extended curfew on nights without school during that time." Grinning slightly, he looked up to his mother, squaring his shoulders in how proud he was. "I have to admit, I feel rather proud."

"I bet." Pursing her lips, Regina shook her head, sighing softly, "You need to stop taking advantage of Emma right now. Her hormones make her less than reasonable and with her food cravings, well… She certainly has been a lot more willing to negotiate things that should be discussed between the pair of us."

Henry instantly shrunk, head dropping down. "I know, I know, I just… I don't know. You freak out so much about Grace and me driving and I just want a little more free reign."

"And you thought the only way to get that was through saturated fats?" Immediately Regina frowned when Henry nodded slightly, biting her bottom lip. The former mayor knew she was strict with Henry, but she couldn't help it. She almost lost him twice, and it terrified her beyond all means to lose him again. She had a habit of losing the things that made her happiest.

At this point however, it wasn't just Regina who was protective. While Emma was a bit more lenient when it came to Henry driving and him playing sports, she was the one who tended to worry more about his relationship with Grace. Emma had been a teenage mother, and while Neal leaving her may had been a necessity, she was alone through it all. Henry wouldn't leave Grace if that happened, but Emma didn't want to even run that risk.

Most curfews were instated by her, as well as the rules of what Henry can do with Grace in and out of the home. Regina just ended up taking most of the heat for it because she didn't really mind being portrayed as the bad cop, even if Emma protested against it.

Licking her lips, Regina reached her hand out, gripping Henry's gently. "How about you and I negotiate this a bit. You may keep the extended weekend curfews, but you only get the car for two weeks and you're grounded for a week after that for bribing your mother with food."

Lifting his head with a raised eyebrow, Henry grinned slightly. "How about I'm only grounded for three days?"

"Deal, but they're weekend days." Pulling back, Regina took a sip of her water. "You could be a great politician if you were able to make such a great deal."

"It involved food and a pregnant lady, pretty easy." Henry chuckled, "Especially with the pregnant lady being Emma."

"Behave," she said with a pointed look, breaking into a smile and chuckling softly moments after. Emma was always easily bribed by food, pregnant or not. Regina had been told it was because of the foster care system and the fact that food was so scarce in some homes that making these sort of deals was customary. A pack of cigarettes for an apple.

They were quiet before they began to hear laughter and high squeals of delight and conversation in the living room, the eyebrows of both mother and son raising.

"What do you think is going on in there?" Henry asked quietly, eyes locked on the doorway to the living room.

"No idea," Regina mumbled, moving swiftly towards the living room, Henry following quickly behind her.

Entering the living room, Henry made a face of disgust, Regina just making one of less severity.

"What are you two doing?"

Looking up, Emma and Grace both smiled, shrugging.

"Eating," Grace said simply, proceeding to put a fry in her mouth.

"Yeah but," Henry gestured to the milkshake with a fry sticking out of it, "that's not how you eat fries."

Rolling her eyes, Emma scoffed, taking three fries at once. "You, my son, clearly do not have good taste."

"Hey!"

"Excluding you Grace. You're the only other person I've met who likes this as much as me!" Emma exclaimed, smiling brightly to the girl beside her.

Smiling in response, Grace nodded, "Yes, same! My dad thinks it's really gross but it's so delicious!"

"Salty and sweet."

Henry's face only continued to grow in disgust, shaking his head. "That's just… Wrong."

"I'm pregnant, nothing I do is wrong," the sheriff responded, waving her son's comment off with a gesture of her hand.

"And I am your girlfriend, and guest, you better be nice."

Jaw dropping at the fact his girlfriend and birth mother were teaming up against him, he felt himself relax a bit when Regina patted his back.

"Yes well, to each their own," Regina replied with a simple smile, turning to look at Henry. "Henry, why don't you help me make some popcorn in the kitchen? It's a weekend night, why not have a movie?"

Nodding, Henry turned slowly, face still in slight shock, shaking his head.

Looking back to the two girls on the couch, Regina shook her head. "That really is quite… Well, unappetizing to look at."

Rolling her eyes, Emma sighed. "Regina, you said the same thing about a cheeseburger before I convinced you to eat one."

"Yes well, it was one moment that I do not enjoy dwelling on." Looking to Grace, Regina nodded. "It's nice to finally meet you, Grace."

Nodding in response, Grace smiled. "Same, Mayor. Or no, wait-"

Waving her hand to silence the girl, Regina smiled simply. "Just Regina is fine. Really." Turning back to Emma, Regina narrowed her eyes. "That's still disgusting, full of fat. It's idiotic to eat."

Shrugging, Emma just smiled as Regina turned to join Henry in the kitchen.

Turning to look to the sheriff, Grace frowned slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get you in trouble."

Shaking her head, Emma took another fry, dipping it into the milkshake. "Oh no, I'm not in trouble, that's our normal way of speaking to each other." Shrugging, Emma looked down, biting her bottom lip as her smile continued to grow. "Besides, I'm her idiot anyway."