Disclaimer: Same as always.

A/N: Part 2 picks up right when Emma figures out that she's going into labor. This one starts off a little angsty. I was thinking about how going into labor could trigger memories of the last time Emma was in labor and went with it. It doesn't stay that way the whole time. Meanwhile this two shot gave me some fits. There's some scenes that ended up getting cut or redone, but I'm thinking of posting some of them. I'm also thinking about maybe highlighting some of the big moments from Emma's pregnancy with Clara at some point. There's some more angst and drama coming, so those would help keep things more balanced. In the meantime, thanks for reading!

Rating: K+

This was not how this was supposed to happen, Emma thought dimly as she clutched her bathroom sink in pain. She'd woken up in a bad mood and was feeling awful. It was August and she was sick of being pregnant. Beyond sick of it. Her due date was a week away, but she knew that that was no guarantee that her daughter would actually be born on that day. Odds were that she wouldn't be. Most babies weren't born on their due dates, after all. The thought that it might be weeks until she gave birth made her want to cry.

She was over it. Over being pregnant and ready to finally hold her baby in her arms. She felt gross and was so tired of being so uncomfortable all the time. And she was tired of the constant hovering. Tired of everyone treating her like she was fragile and incapable of taking care of herself. She was pregnant; that didn't make her weak. Quite the opposite, she thought.

Emma knew they meant well. She knew that they worried about her because they loved her and the baby. But they were driving her crazy. She'd been snippy over the past few days because of it. So much so that Henry had decided to take refuge over at Regina's.

Leaving her with Killian.

Oh Killian. Her sweet, doting husband was driving her up the wall. It seemed like everything he did annoyed her lately. He'd been so overprotective and there were days when she found it endearing. And then there were days she found it so incredibly irritating.

Today she had reached her breaking point. She'd woken up already in a snit and when he'd rushed to help her out of bed, she'd practically bitten his head off. She'd deliberately picked a fight with him, hoping that she could get him angry enough to leave her alone for a few minutes.

It hadn't worked.

Killian had been so patient and understanding with her and she'd wanted to punch him for it. It was so aggravating trying to argue with someone who didn't want to fight back. She'd ended up yelling at him to leave so she could have some peace, for crying out loud.

And he'd left, mumbling something about heading to the Station. David had been filling in more as Emma had needed to cut back her hours. He was there now, but Killian said that he'd go relieve her father of his duties and that he'd be back later. She'd have a whole day of peace, if that's what she desired. Before he'd left, he'd told her that he loved her and she hadn't returned the sentiment.

Instead, she'd asked him if he would just leave already. So he had, the look on his face making her think of a wounded puppy. She'd ignored the pang of guilt that had followed and tried to enjoy finally having a moment to herself.

Only to end up bursting into tears a few minutes later when she hadn't been able to open a bottle of water. Of all the stupid things to send her over the edge. The sheer ridiculousness of that fact had only made her cry harder. At that moment she felt every bit as helpless as she'd been telling her loved ones she wasn't.

Right then only thing she wanted was to curl up in her husband's loving arms. Except she couldn't do that because she'd kicked him out. She'd pulled herself together, though she continued to feel worse as the morning progressed. It was when she'd waddled back upstairs and into her and Killian's master bathroom, suddenly doubling over in pain that she realized exactly why she was feeling so lousy.

She was in labor.

She should've known. She'd been having what had felt like period cramps off and on throughout the morning, but had waved them off as Braxton Hicks contractions. She'd had those with Henry and these had felt the same. They'd been mildly annoying, but tolerable. The pain she was having now? This was something else entirely. That and they were happening at regular intervals now.

She was in labor.

Ironically, as tired as she was of being pregnant, it was hard for her to be happy about finally being in labor. Because it hurt for one thing. For another, she was alone. Again. She was overcome by a flood of memories of the last time she'd been in labor. She remembered crying out for a prison guard and being taken to the hospital. Remembered being handcuffed to the hospital bed, alone and terrified. Left holding the hand of a total stranger when it was time to push.

Tears filled her eyes as the next contraction hit, but they were less from the pain and more from those memories that were so unexpectedly vivid that she couldn't stand it.

She was in labor and alone again. This was exactly what she hadn't wanted to happen. What's worse was that it was her own fault.

Emma gritted her teeth as she left the bathroom. She could do this. She'd survived all kinds of things, labor being among them. She might be alone at the moment, but she did have a lot of people who loved her. She did. She wouldn't be alone forever. She knew that. Her circumstances had vastly changed from the last time and her life was good now.

She was loved and wanted now. Killian hadn't abandoned her and wouldn't. He would be back. Hopefully in time to see his daughter being born. She had her parents in her life now; she wasn't the lonely orphan she'd been the last time. She'd even gotten her son back. She was a grown women now; not a terrified teenager. That was a big difference in and of herself. She took a calming breath.

She could do this.

She just had to get downstairs.

She'd left her cell phone on the kitchen table and would call Killian once she got to it. If he didn't answer, well, she'd just have to call someone else. Worse came to worse, she'd call for an ambulance to take her to the hospital where she would then deliver her baby. Without her husband or anyone else she loved by her side if she had to. That wasn't what she wanted; she was still hoping she'd be able to get in touch with Killian. But she'd do what she had to do.

Everything would be fine. The bag she'd packed the week before was waiting by the front door, she knew. Killian had put it there.

Killian. He'd done everything he could to get them prepared for the arrival of their baby. Had looked after her and put up with all her mood swings. Had even resisted fighting back this morning. And she'd kicked him out.

She couldn't do this.

Not on her own. Not without her husband by her side. She didn't want to be left holding another stranger's hand. Not again. She knew that she needed to get it together. Needed to suck it up, get downstairs and call for help. But right now all she wanted to do was cry.

"Emma?" She thought she was hearing things at first. "Emma, are you up here?"

"Killian?" she called, hopefully.

It wasn't Killian who came into her bedroom, however. It was David, who immediately rushed to her side when he saw her. She must have looked as awful as she felt. "Emma!"

"Dad!" Emma didn't think she had ever been so relieved to see her father in her life. She wasn't alone anymore. Her father was here and he'd take care of her, she knew he would. "The baby's coming." She cried out, doubling over as another contraction hit.

"It's okay," he said, calmly. "I've got you." He wrapped an arm firmly around her shoulders and she slid hers around his waist, holding onto him for dear life. "I've got you, Emma," he repeated.

"Dad," she managed as they made their way to the stairs. "I'm so happy you're here." She reached for the banister with her free hand as they began carefully heading downstairs. "But what are you doing here?"

"Killian," he told her. "He wanted me to come check on you. He didn't think you'd want to see him."

"Yeah," she grimaced. "I kind of kicked him out of the house."

"He mentioned that," David nodded.

"I was awful," she admitted, closing her eyes against the pain. "I made him leave. And then I realized I was in labor and it took me right back."

"Back where?" he asked.

"The prison," she answered, her chin quivering. "Being alone and scared and..." They had reached the bottom of the staircase.

"Hey," David said, lifting his hand to her face to make her look at him. "It's okay. You're not alone. I'm here, okay? I'm going to get you to the hospital and we'll call Killian. Everything is going to be fine."

"Will you stay with me until he comes?" she asked. She must have sounded so pitiful to him, but at the moment she didn't care.

"Of course," he answered, keeping his eyes locked on hers. "I'm here for you, Emma. I'm not going to leave you alone."

"Thanks, Dad."

She was so grateful that David was with her. It was silly, she knew. She was a grown woman, in labor for the second time and yet at this moment she felt more like a scared child. No matter what she'd just told herself. She still desperately wanted Killian with her. She needed him and knew she wouldn't feel right until he was by her side. But if she had to pick anyone else to take his place, it was her father. He would give her the strength she needed to do this. Plus she knew that he meant it when he said he wouldn't leave her alone.

She was right.

David had rushed Emma to the hospital and called Killian while Emma had been taken to a room. He also called Henry and Snow to let them know what was going on; they would be coming to the hospital with Regina. David had then planted himself by Emma's bedside, stepping out only when Dr. Whale came in to examine her. She'd somehow managed to resist the urge to slap the doctor when he confirmed that she was definitely in labor. As if she hadn't already figured that out. She'd then groaned when he'd told her that it might take hours. Although the longer it took, the more likely it was that Killian would make it in time. David came back in the moment the doctor had left. And he'd stayed by her side until a frantic Killian came barreling in.

"Swan?!"

"Killian." His name came out on a sigh of relief as she flung out her hand to him. "You made it! Thank God you made it."

"I got here as fast as I could," he told her, leaning down to kiss first her hand and then her forehead.

"Killian." She squeezed his hand, hard. "I'm so sorry! I was so awful to you and I-"

"Ssh," he said softly. "Don't worry about that, my love. It's okay."

"Listen, I might call you all kinds of horrible names in there. And I might threaten you and I might say I want you to leave, but I won't mean it. Please don't leave me." She looked so panicked at the thought that it made his heart ache.

"I assure you that I'm not going anywhere. I'll be with you the entire time. I promise," he vowed.

Catalina Pearl had been born as the sun was going down. Killian had kept his promise and remained by Emma's side the entire time. She'd kept a death grip on his hand, drawing strength from the connection. The best part? By the end of it, she had the enormous pleasure of getting to hold a beautiful and, more importantly, healthy baby in her arms. A baby that she got to keep.

Holding Catalina in her arms for the first time had been more healing than Emma had ever imagined it would be. It was like having to give Henry up as a baby had left a festering wound on her heart. A wound that had faded some over time, but that had never gone away completely. Emma hadn't realized how much it still hurt until she was holding her little girl. The feel of her precious Catalina in her arms was like a soothing balm on that wound left so long ago.

This time the tears that she cried were happy ones. They had come in waves. The first wave being when Catalina was finally placed in her arms. The second came as she watched Killian fall in love with their daughter. Watching him hold Catalina for the first time had been better than she'd ever imagined it being. Killian showered their daughter with words of love, devotion and protection. Her husband had basically been turned into a total ball of mush, cooing over his little princess like the love struck fool he'd been turned into.

The next wave of tears came a little while later when she'd sent Killian to go get Henry, who had arrived at the hospital with Mary Margaret and Regina sometime while Emma had been giving birth.

Killian found Henry in the waiting room with his grandparents, Neal and Regina. Mary Margaret was the first to spot him and she jumped to her feet and hurried over to meet him. "Killian! Is she here? Is Catalina here?"

"Aye, she is," Killian confirmed, a bright smile on his face.

"What's she like? Is she perfect? She's perfect isn't she?" David couldn't help laughing at his wife's enthusiasm.

"Let him get a word in, Snow," he teased her.

"I'm the grandma, I get to be excited," she reminded him.

"She is." Now Killian laughed a little. "I mean, yes, you're the grandma and yes, Catalina is perfect. She's 6 pounds and 11 ounces of pure perfection. Wait until you see her. She's the most beautiful, most precious baby in all the realms."

"And Emma? How's she doing?" Mary Margaret pushed.

"She's doing great," Killian assured her. "Both my girls are doing great." They all watched as a look of realization filled his face. "Bloody hell! I have two girls now. Officially, I mean."

"Oh Killian." Mary Margaret threw her arms around her son-in-law. "I'm so happy for you both!"

"So how's it feel?" David asked, a grin on his face. "Being the father of a newborn?"

"Wonderful! It feels wonderful. I...I'm the father of a newborn. Bloody hell." This time the words took on a different tone, one that bordered on panic.

"Easy there, Guyliner," Regina spoke up, though she was smiling. She grabbed his elbow and more or less pushed him into a seat.

"You okay?" Henry asked, trying not to be amused and failing. Killian was looking somewhat ill by this point.

"Oh aye. I'm perfectly alright. I'm just the father of a newborn. It's fine." Though now Killian looked at Mary Margaret. "It's fine, right? I mean, I have no bloody idea how to take care of an infant, but it's perfectly fine."

"If it makes you feel any better, all parents go through this," Mary Margaret said calmly. "You're going to be a wonderful father. I just know it."

"I hope so," Killian said.

"You will be," Regina offered, laughing at the look Killian of disbelief that Killian shot her. "Yes, I just gave you a compliment. I can't believe it either." The hostility that had existed between Killian and Regina had faded over the years; these days they seemed more like siblings. Oh, they still bickered from time to time, but it was usually done in jest. "You'll be a good father, Killian. Stop doubting yourself."

"Two compliments in so short a time," Killian shook his head. "Regina, I'm touched."

"Don't get used to it," she smirked.

"Alright," Killian chuckled, the panic that had been in his expression fading some. "I know that you all want to meet our new little princess, but I'm sure you'll understand if I take Henry back first."

"You...you want me to meet her first?" Henry clearly hadn't expected that. "Shouldn't it be Grandma and Grandpa first?"

"With all due respect to your grandparents, no," Killian said, matter-of-factly. "It should be you."

"Killian's right." Mary Margaret smiled at her grandson. "Go meet your little sister."

Henry seemed a little nervous as he followed Killian into the room. Emma was holding Catalina again and greeted Henry with a big smile, asking if he wanted to come meet his baby sister. He approached the bed carefully, a small paper gift bag in his hands. The smile that had appeared on his face as he laid eyes on his new baby sister for the first time warmed Emma's heart.

"I, uh, brought her a present," Henry told her, lifting up the paper bag. "I was going to get her a little stuffed sea creature. Like a whale or a fish or something, but then I saw this and well." Emma smiled as Henry scratched at his ear in a subconscious imitation of his stepfather.

Henry looked back and forth between Emma and Killian, who was by then standing on the opposite side of the bed from him. He then offered the bag to Killian. "I saw this and I thought it was cute. I don't know." Killian balanced the bag on the handrail of the bed, using his prosthetic to keep it steady as he reached in and pulled out a small and adorable stuffed cat out of the bag. "I thought that since her name is Catalina, why not get her a cat? I don't know. Maybe it's stupid." Henry shrugged and Emma couldn't help finding his awkwardness endearing.

"It's perfect," Killian assured him.

"It is," Emma nodded, smiling at Henry. "Do you want to hold her?"

"Can I?" He asked, looking cautiously eager.

"You're her big brother aren't you?" Emma teased. "Here. Make sure you support her head. Yeah, just like that," she encouraged him as he very carefully took Catalina from her arms.

"Hey Catalina." Henry took care to keep his voice soft so as not to startle her. "I'm Henry and I'm your big brother." He smiled down as his baby sister and Emma felt a lump form in her throat as she watched them. "I got you a kitty cat," he told his sister, moving to sit down on one of the chairs. He made sure she was secure in his arm before carefully bringing his other hand around to adjust the receiving blanket around her. "Hey, maybe that's what I'll call you! What do you think, Kitty Cat?" She caught one of his fingers in her tiny fist, making him laugh. "Does that mean you like it?"

"I think it does, lad," Killian spoke up, his eyes shining. Emma looked from Henry and Catalina and then up at Killian, feeling like her heart might actually explode from happiness.

"Happy, my love?" He smiled down at her and Emma was overcome by a rush of love for him. It was as if he had read her mind.

"Very," she replied, a bright smile on her face. "I'm very happy. Are you happy, Captain?"

"Aye." He leaned down to brush his lips against hers. "Very."