A/N: Well, here we are folks, the final chapter of "I Carry Your Heart (I Carry it in My Heart). I hope you like it!
Epilogue
Four Years Later…
The lights from the Christmas tree twinkled in the corner as Emma snuggled against Regina's side, her head resting on her shoulder, her heavy eyes starting to droop while sounds of It's A Wonderful Life played in the background, a Swan-Mills Christmas Eve tradition. Emma had been more affectionate the last couple of days since Alice and Robin had left for England to spend Christmas with Zelena. Regina kissed the side of her wife's head as she listened to her snore ever so slightly. The sound of Regina's computer waking up on the table with the sound of an incoming Skype call woke Emma up suddenly. Emma tripped slightly over the blanket that was previously wrapped around their bodies as they rushed to the computer.
"Merry Christm-" they started to say as the smiling faces of the younger blondes filled the screen.
"MOMS! SHE SAID YES!" Alice yelled, interrupting them, their smiling faces filled with love and excitement. Robin's hand shot into frame, the perfect engagement ring the three of them had spent months meticulously searching for nestled snugly on Robin's ring finger.
"Congratulations!" they yelled back together, the computer camera masking the tears in their eyes.
"We're so happy for you both!" Regina answered, sensing Emma was too emotional to speak.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Alice said. "I still can't believe it's really happening."
"Did you honestly think I wouldn't say yes?" Robin asked, forgetting that Alice's mothers were still listening.
"No, not really." Alice smiled, kissing Robin softly.
"Can you freaking believe it?" Zelena asked, stepping into frame behind the girls. "Just yesterday they were emerging from Alice's bedroom to nervously inform us they were Soulmates, and now they're engaged!"
"I know, time is moving far too quickly." Regina smiled.
"Hey, sis," Zelena said, shifting the computer to see them better. "Merry Christmas. What are you two lovebirds up to this evening?"
"Just being a bunch of boring married ladies. Watching It's a Wonderful Life , waiting for this phone call. You?"
"Watching our daughters get engaged, apparently." Zelena laughed. "Did you know she was going to do this?"
"Yeah. We helped her plan it." Emma laughed.
"Thanks for the heads up." Zelena chuckled.
"You can't keep a secret to save your life. You would have blown her cover." Regina laughed.
"Hey!" Zelena said, faking insult. "Yeah, you're probably right." Zelena suddenly twisted her head behind her. "I better go, they just popped a bottle of champagne and I have a feeling there's going to be a mess waiting for me. Merry Christmas, you two!"
"Merry Christmas! We'll talk again soon," Regina said.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" they heard from the girls in the background at the last minute before the screen went dark again.
"I'm so happy for them!" Regina said, shutting down the computer and closing the lid.
"Me too," Emma said, yawning wide.
"You want to go to bed? You're exhausted."
"No, not yet. I'm okay." Emma smiled, leading Regina back to the couch where they had previously been snuggling. "Stay here, I'll be right back," Emma said, pushing Regina down onto the couch. A minute later, Emma emerged from their bedroom with a small white envelope in her hand. "I wanted to give this to you before we go to bed." Emma handed the envelope to Regina with a wide smile already plastered on her face.
"I thought we said no gifts, since we helped Alice pay for Robin's ring," Regina said, looking shocked and a little embarrassed that she didn't get Emma anything.
"It's nothing really," Emma said, sitting back next to Regina, throwing the blanket back around their legs. Regina opened the envelope and pulled out a simple Christmas card, featuring four Snowmen standing in a row, each dressed with a different combination of scarves and hats and mittens. She opened the card to reveal a thin piece of paper, revealing an ultrasound of the early stages of a pregnancy.
"Awww. Who's pregnant? Is August's wife pregnant? Oh wait! Is this Robin? Is Robin pregnant?" Regina asked, her excitement rising at the idea of her first grandchild.
"No, it's not Robin. Look at the name on the top." Emma smiled, pointing to the top of the picture, the name "Swan-Mills, Emma" displayed in small letters.
Regina's eyes instantly filled with tears as Emma felt her heart skip a beat.
"Emma…" she said, looking up at her wife, the tears already spilling from her eyes. Emma nodded, both at a sudden loss of words.
"I'm pregnant…" she whispered, her voice already failing her.
"How? I thought…" Regina asked, as much as she was capable.
"Looks like I had one last egg hiding after all." Emma smiled.
"When did you find out?" Regina asked, staring at the ultrasound picture again in the hopes of finding a date, only to be distracted by the sight of their baby.
"Well, last week I kinda fainted at work," Emma said, causing Regina's eyes to shift suddenly to her wife.
"What? You never told me that!" Regina said, concern in her eyes.
"It was nothing. There was a massive accident and we were running around all day, transporting people back and forth, and we didn't have much time to eat. August insisted that I get checked out before I went home. My blood test came back showing elevated hCG hormone levels. But since I'm sterile that caused a bit of a concern. I made an appointment with an OB/GYN to see what was going on. We did a quick ultrasound and sure enough, I'm pregnant," Emma explained, tears welling in her eyes.
"How far along?" Regina whispered, wiping the tears that escaped from Emma's eyes.
"About eight weeks."
"But wait, we had our cycle a few weeks ago. I thought those stopped when you're pregnant," Regina questioned, her voice sounding scared.
"I asked the same question. Apparently, it's possible to have a heat while in the first trimester of pregnancy, since my body is still getting accustomed to the pregnancy, especially if it's my first pregnancy," Emma explained.
"And the baby…is alright? Everything is going well?" Regina asked, suddenly getting scared.
"She said the baby is healthy and developing perfectly." Emma smiled.
"How are you feeling? Are you feeling sick? Do you need anything?" Regina asked.
"I'm fine. Just really tired." Emma smiled.
"That's because you're growing a little person inside you." Regina's eyes grew very wide suddenly. "Emma, we're having a baby!" Regina said as the news finally hit her.
"We're having a baby." Emma smiled. Regina threw the blanket off as she fell to the floor, kneeling in between Emma's legs.
"There's a baby in there," Regina said, her hand falling against Emma's stomach.
"No…" Emma said, causing Regina to look up at her. " Our baby is in there." Regina's tears fell onto Emma's skin as she lifted her shirt up and kissed just below Emma's navel.
"I love you already, little one," she whispered, so softly that Emma almost missed it, before kissing Emma's stomach once more.
"Regina, will you please come here so I can hug you?" Emma chuckled a few minutes later, the feeling of Regina's soft kisses tickling her. Regina shot up off the floor and back onto the couch as Emma propelled herself into Regina's arms, holding each other impossibly tight.
"We did it, Emma. We actually did it," Regina whispered, her tears falling onto Emma's shoulder. "We're having a baby…"
"You guys want some wine?" Alice asked, pulling the cork out of the bottle.
"None for me, thanks," Emma said from the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the mashed potatoes she was making while Regina pulled the roast beef out of the oven.
"Are you sure? I got the really sweet fruity red wine you like," Alice said, pouring a glass for her and Robin.
"I'm good with water. Thanks though," she said, setting the bowl of potatoes onto the table.
"Mom? Wine?" Alice asked.
"Umm…no thanks. I'm okay," Regina said, her eyes shifting toward Emma.
"It's okay. Have a glass. I'm okay," Emma whispered.
"You sure?" Regina asked.
"Positive. It's your Christmas celebration too. Enjoy yourself for the three of us," Emma whispered, winking slightly, her hand unconsciously resting on her stomach.
"You know what, sure. I'll have a glass after all," Regina said as she started to carve the roast. Ten minutes later, they were sitting at the table, plates piled high with the delicious meal that Regina and Emma had spent the better part of the day cooking.
"Merry Christmas, guys. Even if it is a few weeks later," Alice said, raising her glass for a Christmas toast.
"Better late than never." Emma laughed, raising her water glass, tapping it against the three wine glasses in front of her.
"Ma, are you okay? Seriously. Are you okay? You're not sick or anything?" Alice asked, suddenly concerned with the wellbeing of her blonde mother.
"Yeah, I'm great. Why?" Emma asked, shoving a pile of potatoes into her mouth.
"Because in all the years I've known you, you've never turned down a glass of wine. And now I'm afraid you're not drinking because you're sick, and you're not telling us," Alice said, fear in her voice. "And…I heard you throwing up in the bathroom this morning," she added.
"I'm definitely not sick. But you're right, there is something going on with me," Emma said, looking over at Regina.
"We were going to wait until dessert to give these to you," Regina said, rushing toward the Christmas tree to retrieve two identical gift bags.
"I thought we agreed on no gifts," Robin said, looking up at her future mothers-in-law.
"It's more of a prop, to be honest. Open them!" Emma said. The girls reached into the bags and pulled out the identical gray T-shirts, quickly unfolding them.
"Big sister?" Alice asked, a confused scrunch to her face. "I don't get it."
"Oh my god!" Robin chimed in, looking at her own shirt. "Emma, you're pregnant?" she asked, causing a wide smile to spread across both their faces.
"Yes," Emma said.
"What?!" Alice asked, her eyes wide with astonishment. "How is that possible? I thought you couldn't have kids."
"The doctor said it's extremely rare. But it is possible that one egg wasn't destroyed with the others while I was taking suppressors. And it sat dormant until it spontaneously released. It was a one in a million chance. I guess we got lucky." Emma smiled, reaching for Regina's hand. Regina's face was unreadable as she looked at their daughter, worried about her reaction.
"This will, in no way, change how we feel about you or Robin. We have more than enough room in our home and our hearts for everyone," Regina said, worried that Alice was angry.
"Oh, of course, I know that!" Alice jumped out of her seat and rushed toward her parents. "I'm so happy for you! This is amazing news!" Alice hugged them both, kissing their cheeks. Robin followed behind her Soulmate, hugging and kissing them in turn. "When are you due?" Alice asked, sitting back down across from her parents at the table.
"August. August tenth, actually. I'm almost twelve weeks along," Emma said.
"Do you want to see the ultrasound?" Regina asked, nervously.
"YES!" both girls said at once. Regina rushed to their bedroom and returned with the small framed picture of the ultrasound, the first picture of their unborn baby.
"That's my little brother or sister," Alice said, trying to hold back the tears. "I've always wanted a baby sibling."
"Better late than never." Emma smiled.
"Well, mommies. Are we finding out the sex of the baby today?" the ultrasound technician asked as she squirted the gel onto Emma's baby bump.
"Actually, we've decided not to find out," Emma answered as they both watched the blank screen.
"That's refreshing. Most couples can't wait to find out these days. It's nice to see people waiting for a surprise," the technician said, spreading the gel around the bump as she pressed the wand down, searching for baby Swan-Mills inside Emma. "I could always write it down on a card and seal it in an envelope in case you change your mind." She paused for a moment and turned the screen so the parents could see. "There's your baby."
"It looks…like a baby…" Emma said, tears in her eyes.
"As opposed to a monkey?" Regina laughed.
"No. Before it looked like a blob. Now it is a real baby. With a head and hands and feet and everything," Emma said, neither set of eyes tearing away from the screen, the gently thumping sound of the baby's heart could be heard through the tiny speakers.
"Would you like me to write down the sex incase you change your mind?"
"Yes, please." Emma smiled. After taking a few measurements and printing out a few pictures from different angles, the technician scribbled something down on a slip of paper, sealing it tight in a small envelope.
"Everything looks perfect. Any questions or concerns?"
"None that I can think of. As long as the little one is healthy, we're good," Regina responded.
"Everything looks good here. The doctor will be in shortly for the routine check up," the technician said, exiting the room.
"Ladies," Doctor Sage said as she entered the room, taking a seat on the stool next to the table. "I just reviewed the ultrasound footage, and everything looks perfect. The baby is developing perfectly. And given your age and fertility issues, I am very surprised, to be honest. Long term use of suppressors oftentimes destroys the quality of any eggs that haven't been completely destroyed. This little one must have been fighting to stay intact."
"That's incredible news," Regina said.
"Have you been feeling the little one moving around?" she asked Emma.
"All the time! It feels like they are doing back flips, especially when Regina's around."
"That's because they can sense changes in their mother's heartbeat. They know this person is special to you by your heartbeat. It's a beautiful connection to their other parent," Doctor Sage explained. "No external kicking yet?"
"Not yet," Regina answered, disappointed.
"It's still early. Give it a few more weeks and this little one will be kicking you too." She smiled, looking over Emma's chart once more. "Everything looks amazing, ladies. I'll see you again in a few weeks." She smiled, taking her leave.
"Are you sure you still want to be surprised?" Emma asked a little while later as they sat in the backseat of the cab.
"Yeah, I think so. Have you changed your mind?" Regina asked, looking at the envelope containing the sex of their baby.
"Yes…and no…a part of me wants to know every single little detail about the life growing inside me. But at the same time, I do still want it to be a surprise. I'm torn," Emma admitted, flapping the envelope as if it were on fire.
"We have time to change our minds. We have the information. We can open it whenever we want," Regina said.
"If you don't mind me saying…" the cab driver said through the window in the plexiglass. "…my wife and I didn't find out the sex of either one of our children. It was a decision we do not regret making. It only added to the amazing moment we had once they were born," the driver explained.
"Thanks." Emma smiled as she handed him the cash to pay for the ride, as well as a little extra tip for helping her with her decision.
"Here's to our biggest surprise," Emma said, ripping the envelope in half a few times, tossing the pieces into the sidewalk trash can before continuing upstairs to their apartment.
"You guys don't have to do this. This is your home; you don't have to leave," Emma said as Alice and Robin carried the last of their things out to the moving van downstairs.
"I know that, Ma. But you're pregnant. In three months, you're going to have a newborn baby."
"Yes, I know that," Emma said, rubbing her large belly. "But that doesn't mean my other daughters need to move out."
"Sure we do. Where will the little one sleep?" Alice laughed.
"We'll figure something out," Regina said, appearing through the front door, followed by Robin.
"You two deserve this time. You've wanted a baby for so long. Now is your chance," Alice explained.
"You're our baby too," Emma said, overly emotional.
"I know. And I know this will always be my home. Our home. But we need to do this too. This is the next step we need to take. We've graduated and are getting ready to get married. We need our own space as well. We're only a twenty-minute subway ride away. We'll see each other so much, you'll think we still live here," Alice explained, trying to calm the tears of her overly emotional pregnant mother.
"Promise?" Emma asked.
"Promise," Robin responded. "Now, get going and start building that crib. You only have three months to turn our room into a nursery." Robin smiled, hugging Regina.
"You'll come by for dinner tomorrow night, right?" Regina asked, hugging Alice.
"Of course. We'll bring cupcakes for dessert." Alice laughed, hugging her other mother and rushing out of the apartment before Emma could start bawling again.
"Why don't you go lay down and I'll get started on the crib. And once I'm done, we'll have an early dinner," Regina suggested, wrapping her arms around Emma's slightly swollen body."
"Okay. Be careful." Emma laughed.
"I'm a highly educated woman. I think I can handle a baby crib," Regina said, reading Emma's disapproving look. "I'll double and triple check everything." Regina laughed, sending Emma to their bedroom to lay down.
Two weeks later, Regina made her way home from work, her back and feet throbbing from standing in the courtroom for the last ten hours, and every day for the last week. It was the biggest case of her young law career, and for the first time since joining the firm, when the final verdict came in, she felt like she was going to cry. She had lost the case, and more importantly, the women she had been representing would not get the justice they deserved. She had failed them. Maleficent had assured her she had done nothing wrong. Sometimes, the scumbags find themselves disgusting lawyers to defend them. She had done everything they could have done, but sometimes these things happen. It didn't help Regina not to feel like a failure though. She was relieved to find Emma already home when she arrived, knowing an evening at home with her wife and unborn child would lift her spirits. The apartment smelled like smoke as Emma fanned the dark cloud out the window.
"Hey…" she said, with a deep sadness in her voice, when Regina walked through the door. "I burnt the chicken, I'm sorry."
"Looks like we both had a bad day." Regina tried to laugh, but knew it was true. "Let's just order a pizza. We can eat healthy again tomorrow." Regina smiled. She quickly ordered their usual, peppers and black olives, a combination made popular by Emma's weird pregnancy cravings. They ate on the couch in their sweatpants, off paper plates, both feeling too sorry for themselves to deal with washing dishes. After everything was put away, they settled onto the couch to catch up on some show they had started watching when Alice and Robin still lived there, which only made them miss the girls even more.
Regina's arms were around Emma, as always, as Emma laid on her chest, Regina's hand finding her belly as if drawn by a magnet. Emma was starting to doze when she felt the familiar nudge from inside her, although this time, it seemed a little harder. She slowly moved Regina's hand to the spot she had just felt the kick, hoping her wife might be able to feel it as well.
Minutes passed with disappointment as the baby seemed to settle in for the night. She was dozing again when she felt Regina's body jump under her.
"Regina? You okay?" she asked, sleepily.
"It kicked. I felt the baby kick!" Regina said, an excitement in her voice Emma had not heard in a few weeks. "I can feel the baby kicking." She moved to place both hands on Emma's stomach, waiting for more kicks. The sparkle that had gone out in Regina's eyes after Alice and Robin moved out had returned as Emma watched her wife's face each time she felt the kick. "You always make my day brighter, little one," Regina whispered, receiving one more kick from the baby.
"I missed that." Emma reached for Regina's face. "I missed your smile. Don't let it go away again, okay?" she whispered as Regina kissed her belly.
"I promise," Regina said, settling down next to Emma again, her hands back over her belly, unwilling to miss even one tiny kick.
Emma groaned as she laid in bed, her swollen and huge pregnant body preventing her from getting completely comfortable. She shifted slightly as she listened to the sound of Regina typing away on her computer next to her, Regina's hand finding hers on a reflex for a few seconds before returning to her computer. Regina had been working non-stop the last few weeks to ensure all her work was completed before the baby was born, so she could enjoy her maternity leave without being bombarded with phone calls. Emma was nearly a week past her due date and ready for this kid to vacate her body.
"Are you feeling okay?" Regina asked, looking over.
"Yeah. My back hurts," Emma said, half whining.
"Give me a few more minutes and I'll finally be finished with this, and I'll rub your back, okay?" Regina asked, her voice calm and soothing. Emma closed her eyes and listened to Regina type for a few more minutes when, true to her word, she was finished with her project. "Done! I'm all yours for the next six to eight weeks." Regina declared as she closed her laptop and collected the files she had scattered on the bed between them. She climbed out of bed and deposited her work stuff on her dresser before making her way to Emma's side of the bed, sitting down next to her, softly rubbing Emma's lower back. Emma smiled at the feeling of Regina's fingers on her skin, missing her wife's touch.
"Regina…" Emma whined, her body hurting from the overdue baby weight. "Can you please tell your child to get out of me already? They have overstayed their welcome."
"Believe me, my love. If I could, I would. What did Doctor Sage say we can do to help speed it along?" Regina asked.
"The only thing I heard was sex and nipple stimulation. But to be completely honest, the idea of taking off my clothes and having you touch me makes me cringe right now," Emma said.
"I understand." Regina smiled, giving Emma's back one last knead before returning to her side of the bed. "Let's get some sleep. I have a feeling we won't be getting much of that soon." She smiled, shifting as close to Emma as she could. Emma eventually fell asleep with some difficulty, her body eventually giving her a small respite from her back pain.
Ever since Emma's due date, Regina had been sleeping lighter and lighter, always listening for the sounds of Emma's labor, so when Emma started moaning in pain in her sleep, Regina was awake instantly.
"Regina…" Emma started crying, clearly in tremendous pain suddenly. "Regina, something's wrong."
"What is it? What's the matter?" Regina asked, rushing to turn on the light.
"My stomach. It…ARG…it hurts so much," Emma said, holding her breath until the pain stopped.
"I'm calling Doctor Sage," Regina said, rushing to grab her charging cell phone. Emma listened to Regina's voice as she spoke to Doctor Sage, focusing on the calm sound of it. "Emma, did your water break?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Does your bump feel rigid?"
"Not now. But the pain stopped."
"Okay…okay, thank you…I'll be in touch," Regina said, hanging up the phone quickly, plugging it back into the charger.
"What did she say?" Emma asked as Regina crawled back into bed.
"She thinks you're in labor." Regina smiled.
"Should we go?" Emma asked, clearly scared.
"Not yet. We can't go too early or they'll send us home. She said to stay here until the contractions are about ten minutes apart, or your water breaks." Regina smiled, clearly excited about the baby.
Twenty minutes later, another contraction swept through her body, this time more intense than the first, causing Emma to cry out in pain again. Regina held her as tight as she could while Emma breathed through the pain, wishing there was more she could do for her wife.
Emma's contractions continued every twenty minutes for the rest of the night, each one slightly more intense than the last, eventually causing Emma to climb out of bed.
"I can't…I need to walk…" she said, her back still on fire. Regina held her up as she helped her walk out of their bedroom, another contraction ripping through her as soon as they reached the couch in the living room.
"That was eighteen minutes," Regina announced once the pain faded.
"Progress." Emma tried to laugh.
Two hours later, Emma's contractions hit fifteen minutes apart.
"Regina, I don't think I can do this," Emma said, struggling to catch her breath after a huge contraction ripped through her.
"Do you want to have sex?" Regina joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"You touch me, and I break your hand," she screamed, giving Regina a taste of what was to come.
"What can I do?" Regina asked.
"Get this kid out of me," Emma cried, marking fourteen minutes between contractions.
They paced around the apartment for another hour, contractions ripping through Emma every thirteen to fourteen minutes.
"Fuck!" Emma screamed, stopping short, embarrassment filling her voice. "I think I just peed myself. And for once, I didn't actually have to pee."
"I don't think you peed, darling," Regina said as she moved to quickly clean up the puddle of clear liquid rushing down Emma's legs and onto the floor from inside her shorts. "I think your water broke."
"Oh thank god," Emma cried. She had been enduring labor pains for almost six hours now, and she was ready for it to be over.
"Let's get you some clean clothes, and we'll head to the hospital." Regina smiled, excited to be meeting their child soon.
Everything happened in a flash as they rushed out of the apartment, calling a cab almost instantly when they made it to the curb. As soon as they arrived, Emma was admitted into labor and delivery, and before they knew it, she was receiving her long-awaited epidural. Emma was already five centimeters dilated when they arrived, halfway to pushing, and when the nerve block had finally taken effect, Emma was able to get some much-needed sleep. Regina carefully cradled her in her arms, rubbing her back and stomach whenever the computer indicated her sleeping wife was having another contraction.
"Thank the Gods for drugs." Emma laughed as the nurse checked Emma once again, announcing she had reached ten centimeters and one hundred percent effacement.
"I hope you got some sleep, Emma," Doctor Sage said, settling between Emma's legs as she secured her feet in the stirrups. "Because it's time to start pushing."
Emma prepared herself and waited for her next contraction, Regina by her side the whole time. Even with the powerful pain medication, it began to hurt as Emma bared down and began pushing.
With each contraction, Emma squeezed Regina's hand harder and harder as she pushed, no doubt breaking a few of the older woman's fingers in the process as sharp pain shot through Regina's hand with each squeeze.
Emma pushed for a solid three hours, becoming more and more exhausted with each contraction.
"Okay, Emma. Your baby isn't progressing, and hasn't progressed in quite some time. Which most likely means their head is too big to clear your pelvis, since they are almost a week overdue. Right now, everyone's heart rates are fine, but I'm afraid that could change any moment," Doctor Sage explained, standing from her spot she had been sitting in for the past three hours, peeling off her gloves. "I'm going to begin prepping you for an emergency C-section."
"What?" Emma asked, her face matching her voice with fear. "No, it's okay, I can keep pushing. I'm fine." Emma bared down again when she started to feel the slight pressure of another contraction.
"Emma, if you keep pushing, you risk harming your baby. We need to go in and get them, before they become distressed," Doctor Sage said, in a calm voice. "You've already worked so hard, let us take care of the rest."
"Regina…I'm scared…" Emma whispered as Doctor Sage disappeared and the nurses began to move around the room quickly.
"Shhh…it'll be alright. You can do this." Regina whispered as she kissed her sweaty forehead. "Can I be in the room with her?" Regina asked one of the nurses who was preparing Emma.
"Of course," she said as the portable bed was delivered and Emma carefully transferred over. They rolled her down the hall quickly, Regina struggling to keep up, her hand never leaving Emma's the entire trip.
"Okay, this is our stop," the nurse said once they reached the operating room. "We're going to take really good care of Mama while you get dressed in your fancy clothes. Someone will escort you back once we are ready for you."
"I'll be right back. You got this," Regina whispered, kissing the scared Emma.
"Don't leave, please don't leave," she pleaded.
"I'm not. I'll be there as soon as I can," Regina said as a second nurse escorted her to a separate room as she watched the first group wheel Emma into the operating room.
"She's going to be fine. They'll take really good care of her until you get back," the nurse said with a smile as she handed Regina a paper gown and booties for her sneakers. "Is this your first?"
"Our first biological child. We have an adopted daughter. We had a lot of fertility issues. This is kind of our miracle baby," Regina rambled, her voice trembling.
"Everything is going to be fine," she said, handing Regina a cap and face mask. "When you go in there, you have to stay by her head, okay? Do not cross the line past the draping, or you'll contaminate the sterile field. Unfortunately, that means you will not be able to cut the cord."
"That's okay. I understand," Regina said, pacing the small waiting room.
"We will bring the baby to you guys when we're finished cleaning them up and performing our tests and you can hold them while the doctor finishes up with your wife. Mommies love it when you hold the baby to their chest since she can't hold them yet. And don't forget your phone. We will take a ton of pictures of you guys once the baby is out safely."
"Thank you," Regina said, trying to remember everything that she was just told.
Ten minutes later, the first nurse appeared. "We're ready for you." She smiled behind her mask.
"Is she okay?" Regina asked, rushing toward the operating room.
"She's fine. Scared, but physically fine," she said, opening the door for Regina. She rushed over as soon as she saw Emma with her arms strapped to the table, hooked up to IVs and a tube delivering oxygen in her nose, visions of Emma laying in a hospital bed after being attacked rushing across Regina's consciousness.
"I'm here, darling. I'm right here," she said, kissing Emma's forehead.
"Regina…I'm so scared."
"There's nothing to be scared of. I'm right here. And, in a few minutes, so will our baby," Regina said, kissing her scared wife's forehead once more. "Does she have to be strapped to the table like this?"
"She needs to be secured so she doesn't move during the procedure," the wonderful nurse explained.
"Alright, Emma, we're going to start. You won't feel any pain, but you will feel some pressure once we start to take the baby out. This part shouldn't take long," Doctor Sage explained from behind the draping. "Are you ready?"
"Yeah…don't go anywhere…" Emma said, more fear in her voice than Regina had ever heard.
"I'm never leaving," Regina said, kissing her softly. She continued to kiss her wife to distract her from the surgery, until Emma winced.
"Pressure?" she asked, receiving a nod from Emma. "That means they are almost here, my love. Just a little while longer and our baby will be here." Regina smiled, wrapping her arm around Emma's head, attempting to hold her close despite their physical limitations.
"Alright, Emma, your baby's head is out. Everything looks good, and the cord does not appear to be wrapped around their neck. A few more minutes and they'll be here," Doctor Sage said with a smile.
"Almost there. They are almost here. You're doing so well." Regina smiled, kissing Emma's forehead once more.
A few minutes later, the pressure stopped and the cries of a newborn baby echoed off the walls of the sterile room.
"Congratulations, Mommies. It's a boy!" Doctor Sage said, holding their son up so they could see him. Emma craned her head, looking at the baby they had just pulled out of her.
"He's beautiful," Regina cried, tears falling onto the hair cap Emma was wearing.
"Where are they taking him?" Emma asked when the baby was lowered behind the drape and out of sight.
"They're cutting the cord and cleaning him up. He'll be back soon," Regina answered, remembering everything she was told.
"You can't cut the cord?" Emma asked, with sadness in her voice.
"No. But that's okay. He's here and he's healthy. That's all I care about." Regina kissed Emma's cheek. "How are you doing? Are you in pain?" Regina asked as they both watched the staff attend to their newborn son.
"I'm okay. No more pain, actually," Emma said, her voice calmer than it had been in the past few days. Regina held Emma as best as she could while she was still strapped to the table as they waited anxiously to hold their son.
After what felt like eternity, the wonderful nurse approached, their son bundled in her arms.
"Are you ready to meet your mommies?" she whispered to the squirming baby. As soon as she lowered the tiny baby into Regina's arms he stopped squirming, cooing softly as Regina rested him on Emma's chest.
"Hi…" she cried, looking at the face of her son. "He has your hair," she whispered to Regina, who was unable to formulate words.
"Let's get a picture of the new family," the nurse said, accepting Regina's phone, snapping dozens of pictures of the crying family.
"How are you doing up there?" Doctor Sage asked.
"I'm okay." Emma smiled, her eyes on her son cradled in her wife's arms.
"Good, because we're done here." She smiled, removing her gloves. "Because you had local anesthesia, you have to spend about an hour or so in recovery, just in case you have a reaction. We're going to take baby and give him a little bath. In the meantime, we'll show Regina to your postpartum room and will bring your son to her once he smells a little better." Doctor Sage laughed. "I suggest we allow Regina to give him his first bottle before you get back. Is that alright?" Emma nodded. "Wonderful. I will leave you in the capable hands of these wonderful nurses. I'll come check on you in a little while," Doctor Sage said, leaving the room.
"Bathtime for little man," the nurse said, prying him from Regina's arms. "You'll see your mommies again soon." She placed him in a little carrier on wheels, pushing him out of the room.
"I'll see you soon," Regina said as she was being escorted out.
"Call Alice and Robin," Emma called back as Regina left the room.
Emma fell asleep as soon as she arrived in recovery, her body no longer running on adrenaline as it had been since she went into labor many hours ago. Before she knew it, the nurses were waking her up, letting her know it was time to return to her wife and son.
They pushed her bed slowly, trying to avoid every bump knowing her abdomen was extremely tender. Her heart swelled when she entered the room to see Regina seated in an armchair, their son cradled in her arms, an empty bottle on the table next to her. They wheeled her next to the hospital bed and helped to carefully transfer into it as they hung her IVs onto the new stand.
"If you need anything just hit the call button," the nurse said before silently leaving the room.
"Hey," Regina said, standing and carefully walking toward Emma, placing their son into her arms for the first time. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've just been gutted like a fish." She laughed, staring at her sleeping son. "How has he been?" she asked, finally looking up at Regina.
"Great. He just finished his first bottle like a champ. No diaper explosions yet though." Regina laughed.
"Did you talk to the girls?"
"Yeah. They got here a little while ago. I told them I would come get them when you were ready to entertain guests." Regina laughed.
"How kind of you. Go get them. I want them to meet him." Regina disappeared, leaving her alone with the baby for the first time. "Well, you certainly took your sweet time getting here."
"Hey," Robin whispered as the three entered the room, Alice and Robin proudly sporting their matching "Big Sister" shirts, moving immediately to give Emma kisses before addressing the baby.
"Now will you please tell us the baby's name?" Alice asked, snatching the sleeping baby from Emma's arms, a tiny blue hat on his tiny head.
"Alice, Robin, this is…Henry…" Emma said. Tears streamed down Regina's face as she heard her son's name for the first time.
"Henry, after your father?" Alice asked, looking at the crying Alpha.
"Yes…" she whispered, her voice already failing her.
"Happy birthday, Henry," Alice said, kissing the newborn's head gently. "Welcome to the family, little brother."
The End
A/N: Thank you so much for reading my story! I remember how excited I was when I started writing this, and before I knew it, the story had a mind of it's own. Thank you for taking this journey with me!
In two weeks I'll start posting my second story for SQSN 2022, "The Swan and the Queen" so stay tuned for more BrendaChenowith content!
Thank you again for reading my words! I hope to see all of your over at my next story "The Swan and the Queen" in two weeks!
Until next time,
Jen