A/N: Thanks for the follows and favorites! They're much appreciated, I can assure you. This chapter, we may get to be seeing a different side of a few people, which will be interesting, I hope! A little bit of angst, and a little long, but it'll get brighter, I promise!
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Emma was sitting in her bed, mulling over (well, more like pouting over) the days events when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She slipped it out and stole a quick glance at it to see that it was her mother. Looking over at Merida and Elsa, she decided to step out into the hall to avoid being ridiculed for her mom being her only friend.
"Hello?" Emma said softly when she shut the door behind her.
"Hey, honey! How's it going so far?" Mary-Margaret's chipper voice greeted her without hesitation.
"Fine, I guess." Emma stated simply.
"Oh, I need more details than that! Make any new friends? Are you having fun? Crushing on any guys?" Mary-Margaret pressed.
Emma had been meaning to tell her mother about her... inclination towards the same gender, but for now she left her in the dark, "Well, my roommates are pretty cool. Their names are Merida and Elsa, but I haven't really gotten to know them."
"That's nice. Is it too boring for you?" Mary-Margaret asked.
Emma decided against lying, "No, not really. It's... there are a few things holding my attention." Emma thought of Regina, The Image of Rich Perfection.
Mary-Margaret hummed her approval and then went on to say, "Well, the reason I called is to tell you some very exciting news."
Emma rolled her eyes and tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible, "Yes?"
"Guess who's not going to be an only child anymore?" Mary-Margaret's voice was practically bursting with anticipation.
"Who?" Emma asked without enthusiasm, not registering the question.
"You! You're going to be a big sister!" Mary-Margaret squeaked loudly.
Emma had to pull her ear away from the phone to avoid going deaf, and only then did she realize what the news meant. She hurriedly whispered into the phone, "Holy shit! You're pregnant?!"
"Emma! Language! But yes, that's what I'm saying. I've just been feeling kind of nauseous all the time, and so I bought a couple tests and they were positive! So I went to the hospital today and they don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, because it's only, like, a few weeks into pregnancy, but the point is that you're going to have a younger sibling!" Mary-Margaret breathed excitedly.
Emma was speechless, "Uh... that's great mom.."
"Isn't it! Oh, I can't wait!" Mary-Margaret said.
Suddenly, a thought dawned on Emma, and she nearly fell over, right there in the hall.
Who the fuck is the father?
For years now, her mother and father had been divorced, living on opposite sides of the country, with Mary-Margaret in full custody of Emma. As far as she knew, her mom hadn't been seeing anyone else.
Or has she? Would she had told me if she was? You can't just have a baby by yourself!
"M-mom?" Emma stammered cautiously.
"Yes?" Mary-Margaret chirped.
"Um, who? I mean, like, with who? Like, how did... or when..." Emma sputtered.
It took her mother a few moments to figure out what Emma was trying to say.
"Oh."
Mary-Margaret fell silent at the other end of the line, and Emma could hear the quiet fizz of the connection.
For what seemed like hours, Emma stood there scuffing the carpet with her shoe, her palm growing sweaty on the phone.
"Well, Emma..." Mary-Margaret began, but she never finished her sentence.
"Mom, I'm kind of worried now. I won't be mad or anything, I... I promise." Emma said.
"I was hoping you wouldn't ask that question, sweetie, but I guess you're a little older than I'd like to admit." Mary-Margaret sighed.
"Yeah, I guess I am." Emma said.
"Do you really want to know, honey?" Mary-Margaret asked hopefully.
Emma thought for a moment, then said, "Yes, mom, I think I do."
"Okay. Then I guess I better just get on with it." Mary-Margaret took a deep breath, "So, earlier in the year," Mary-Margaret shakily began, "you were off with some friends for the night, and I was just sitting in the house, reading some romance book. Emma, you... um... know how people get when they read romance, right?"
"Yeah, mom, I get it." Emma flushed a deep red, grateful that no one could see her.
"Mm hmm. So I called up one of my own friends, and we decided to go out for the night. My friend was feeling a little adventurous, and I wasn't really... in the mood to stand in the way. We went out, had a few strong drinks, and I completely forgot about... everything. Before I knew it, a couple guys had come up to us, and I was feeling young... and then..."
"I know the rest, mom." Emma said, "Did you... at least catch a name?"
Suddenly, Emma heard a small sob come from the other end of the line, "No..." Mary-Margaret stammered, "No, and I'm really sorry, honey... I am. I just... we... and David had been gone for so long, and I couldn't handle it... and I know this sucks for you, Emma. I didn't expect anything to come from it at all, but then I felt the way I did, and I was so excited... and I didn't stop and think."
Now Mary-Margaret was openly crying, and all Emma could think about was her... rage. Stop it, Emma. She's sorry, and maybe you'll be that way when you grow up... no. No I won't. Not after this. She doesn't even know who she fucking got pregnant with!
"It's okay, mom." Emma lied, gritting her teeth.
Mary-Margaret sighed and said, "Just... focus on the stuff this weekend, okay? Don't let this bother you. Oh, Jesus, I shouldn't have even told you while you were away. Now that's all you're going to think about."
"No, it won't be." Emma lied again.
"I'll let you go, okay, sweetie? Have fun, and forget this." Mary-Margaret pressed, sniffing.
"Alright, mom. Good night." Emma said.
"Good night, Emma." Mary-Margaret hung up.
My mother's pregnant. I'm in love with an obviously straight girl. I'm stuck in this shit hole for four days.
Great.
And before Emma could stop herself, she was on the floor, head on her knees, crying.
For God knows how long, she sat there, crumpled against the wall, watching salty tears soak her jeans drop by drop.
Drop, by drop, by drop, by drop, by freaking waterfall, Swan. Pull yourself together! It's not your problem, it's not your problem, it's not your problem. People will see you!
"Are you okay?" a voice said softly, and Emma immediately recognized it as her dream-brunette-girlfriend.
Emma lifted her head, and hurriedly wiped her face on her sleeve, "Yeah, I'm fine."
When Regina saw who it was, she murmured, "Oh, it's you."
Emma heart clenched a little, "Yeah, it's me. The poor girl who sleeps in a barn." she said spitefully.
"You know, I didn't think you guys would actually believe that." Regina sat down cautiously a couple feet away from Emma.
"Really? You certainly acted like you did." Emma said, hoping her face had returned to normal.
"I do a lot to impress my friends, alright? It's what I was taught." Regina said.
Emma scoffed.
"Look, do you want to talk about it? Because if you're just going to sit here and berate me for pulling a few jokes, then I'll just leave." Regina crossed her arms.
Emma was prepared to chew her out some more, but decided against it, "Promise you won't judge or anything?"
"Promise." Regina refrained from rolling her eyes.
"Okay. I just got a call from my mom, saying she was pregnant." Emma said, far too eager to spill.
Regina arched a perfect eyebrow in confusion, "And... that's bad news? Or were those tears of joy you were crying?"
Don't look at her, Emma. Don't look. Just talk.
"She doesn't know who the father is." Emma explained.
"Oh, my." Regina put a hand over her mouth.
Don't cover up that beautiful mouth, Regina.
"Does she... usually do that?" Regina asked.
"No! At least, she didn't tell me if she was..." Emma said.
"I'm... I'm so sorry, Emma." Regina hesitantly put her hand on Emma's thigh.
Firecrackers exploded in Emma's head, and her thigh felt like it was being electrocuted. Calm down, Swan. Calm down. It's just a hand. She's straight. It's for comfort, not seduction, you idiot.
"I mean, it's okay, I guess. New baby! Cool." Emma sarcastically cheered.
"You don't have to be all malicious about it. But I have to admit, that really sucks." Regina took her hand off Emma's thigh to pull her hair back in a ponytail.
Emma immediately missed the warmth and whimpered a little in her mind.
Regina smirked.
She noticed! I did that out loud? Jesus, Emma! Turn off the gay!
"Is that all, Emma? I'm sensing a little..." Regina paused, "... tension." her eyes smoldered, and Emma nearly fainted.
Now she's messing with me. She's doing this on purpose! The nerve! What a... what a... jerk! What a gorgeous, manipulating, perfect...
"Yeah, I think I'll leave you to your thoughts." Regina stood up and winked, walking back to her room.
She winked! She freaking winked! I am so deep in this shit!
Emma got up a few seconds after Regina left, watching her open her dorm room and step in.
119, that's her room number. Just in case, of course.
Emma smacked her forehead on the door.