Threw a little joke in there for Swan Queen shippers. I hope it's taken in the good-natured way it's intended ;)

David caught up to Regina in the street; she was crossing from Gold's shop to her car with her arms wrapped tightly around herself and her body angled against the icy night breeze. She caught sight of him as she pulled her keys from her pocket; rolling her eyes as he stepped up to her.

"I thought you were going to get burgers with your family and my son." She remarked bitterly, reaching to put her key in the car door but David blocked her with his body.

"I needed to make sure you were alright."

Regina stopped attempting to push past him for a moment, looking up at him with irritation. "Clearly, as you can see, I'm fine," She stated, once again pushing at his arm to let her past. David didn't budge, holding his arm across the door until Regina huffed in annoyance and took a step back. He could see the remnants of tears on her cheeks, the faint traces she hadn't managed to wipe away before exiting Gold's shop.

He wasn't entirely sure how to define her, but he knew Regina certainly wasn't the woman who had enacted the curse; at least not anymore. She was no longer the woman he knew he was supposed to hate, deep down. She'd done terrible things, manipulated, mocked and tortured people he held dear, but he couldn't for the life of him stop himself from caring. She was still so angry with the world, but there was a spark in her.

"Regina, Henry told me about the magic you absorbed."

"I'll be fine," She gave him a half-hearted smile as though it was supposed to alleviate his fears but it only sought to heighten them as he took in her appearance.

He could see it now; in the lines of her face, her hair. He'd never admit it to her out loud, for fear that she'd dismember him – but she reminded him so much of Snow in that moment; it had been nearly thirty years, but he could still remember the glow Snow had throughout her pregnancy.

But the difference was, Regina was imbued with bitterness against the world, outshined only by the protective edge to her voice and the hand unconsciously pressed to her belly. Behind her quick wit and her strong, rigid spine, he could see that she was afraid.

Knowing Regina was pregnant gave him all the power to see how it had changed her. It was the glow in her cheeks – in spite of her tears – and the small round of her belly. Down at his side his fingers twitched, wanting to reach out and touch her; but he stopped himself. She'd likely break his fingers if he tried.

"What are you trying to prove, David?" She threw her arms in the air and he could see the faint lines of confusion between her brows. For a moment she looked defeated; for a moment – with her shoulders slumped and her tired, tired eyes – she didn't look like the Queen at all.

"Nothing," His voice shook and he didn't know what to say.

"David," She started but he cut her off, waving his hand at her.

"No, look," She rolled her eyes and he grabbed her elbows so that he could force her to look at him. "I don't know what this is between us, Regina but I know this is going to be hard," She gave him a look of utter disbelief as she shook her arms free and David swallowed. "Okay, it's going to be really hard, but I need you to know that this child matters to me."

She made a sound of disapproval as she attempted once again, to push him aside. "Regina," He grabbed her arms again, shaking her slightly to get her attention. "This is important; it's not another one of your plots. You can't do this alone." Neither of them noticed the small audience that had made its way out of Granny's Diner and trickled down the street toward them.

"Don't think you have to help me, David." She held her chin high. "I've been alone all my life," She hissed. "And if you think for one moment that your help is what I need, you're sorely mistaken."

David's eyes widened as he caught sight of Snow standing in the middle of the road. Her arms were folded over her chest and though the shock was evident on her face, there were no tears in her eyes. Much to David's displeasure, though, Regina was yet to notice they were being watched. "I don't need you to care; I don't need any of you to care. I learned my lot in life a long time ago and that was never to rely on idiots and those self-ordained as good," She waved her hand angrily; and David could only assume the gesture was meant to encompass the whole town. "Look at Henry," She waved behind her in the general direction of the Diner, not knowing Henry stood beside Emma on the far side of the street. "Look at that boy and tell me I can't do this on my own. I've done it before, David and I'll do it again."

Regina reached to push him aside again and this time, he didn't stop her. He kept his eyes locked on Snow the entire time Regina angrily – with tears in her eyes – shoved her key in the door and swung it open wide between them. "This is my child, David; my body." She glared. "And I don't need you thinking you can protect either one of us."

"You're pregnant?"

Regina's head whipped around at the sound of Snow's voice. Her eyes went wide and her mouth slipped open ever so slightly, in shock. Snow's voice wasn't accusing though, it wasn't hurt. Regina let out a long breath as she caught a glimpse of each of their faces. They didn't know. They were too dim to work it out.

Slowly she schooled her features, letting her tears dry up on their own in the night air – refusing to wipe them away in front of these people. She straightened her back, raised her chin and let the Evil Queen's mask fall into place.

"You can blame your daughter, ultimately." Regina smirked and Snow's head whipped around to Emma with a look of shock on her face.

Emma's arms flew up in the air. "Hey, whoa," She scrunched up her brows. "No. That's so not physically possible," She gave her parents a look of disbelief quickly. "For many different reasons."

"I was referring to the curse, Miss Swan. Since the day you arrived it had started to weaken and it wasn't long before you broke it that I fell pregnant."

"How," Snow's voice caught and Regina chuckled coldly.

"Honestly dear, all these years and you still have to ask?"

David sighed deeply, his disappointed gaze meeting Regina's eye before she quickly looked away from him, ignoring that he was backing up towards his wife.

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh, I know dear. You meant to pry and demand to know when it happened and with whom. Two points of which are none of your business." She forced David's eye to meet her's again; she needed him to understand how much she'd changed and how much she hadn't. She wasn't going to destroy his wife and daughter in the middle of the street by telling them the truth. She was going to leave that for him.

They both knew the truth had to be told. David's misguided honour would eat him alive if he didn't find some way to help her and Regina's well-buried fears wanted that extra hand there to pull her up. David was offering it to her and though she was stubborn and hell-bent on making her own way, she knew fighting David was an up-hill battle.

"That's okay, Regina, we won't pry. But," She raised her chin in much the way Regina did – a small nuance neither woman had ever realized they shared. "David wants to help you and he seems to think you've changed. So we're here for you, if you need anything." She gathered the reluctant approval of the people around her before turning back to Regina. "You may have made us suffer over the years, Regina, but your child is innocent. If you need anything, just call."

That over-sweet sentimentality that accompanied her step-daughter practically oozed from her pores and Regina felt her hackles rise. She didn't need these people, she didn't want them. But then, through the crowd of dwarves, fairies and scantily-clad werewolves, poking his head around Emma's side, Regina caught Henry's eye. She felt her heart soften at the look he gave her, feeling her skin tingle at the small smile he offered and she suddenly knew that she didn't want these people, but she did want Henry. And she wanted to change.

She wanted to be worthy of him and worthy of the child growing inside her. She wanted to be better and if that meant accepting Snow's offer with grace then she would do it. She struggled to gather the words and it almost felt like bile crawling up her throat as she nodded her head and uttered the word. "Thanks."

Even though she meant it, the sentiment didn't reach her eyes. But how much could they honestly ask of her?

"Do you," Emma cleared her throat. "Do you want to come back inside for burgers?"

For a moment, Regina's mask slipped away and her heart felt raw. "I," She blinked. "No, I think I should get home, I need to rest."

"Sure, okay." Emma was quick to abandon the idea, but Regina clung to the notion that she'd even been asked at all. Henry dashed across the road, beaming up at her as she stood there, unconsciously rubbing circles on her belly. She could feel the entire atmosphere around her change.

"So I'm going to be a big brother, hey?"

Henry's words brought fresh tears to Regina's eyes and the audible sob that left her lips had Snow, David and Emma's heads suddenly turning back towards her as she wrapped her arms around Henry so tightly he almost squeaked.

"Yeah, Henry," She sighed. "You are."

To be continued.