Sorry it's been so long again. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I hope to be able to update more frequently now. Thank you as always for all the follows, favorites, and reviews!
It had been a month since she had gone to see Rumplestiltskin and Emma still couldn't figure out how to protect her children from the impending danger they would face. She had toyed with the idea of asking Regina for help once more, but with the news of her pregnancy, Emma didn't want to poke the very emotional bear. Emma wanted to comfort her, knowing all too well the loneliness and pain of having to carry and birth a child alone, but Regina tended to lash out at people even when they were trying to help. Walking out of the castle, the sun shining brightly over the valley and into the courtyard, she was more than surprised to see Regina slowly riding up to the castle on her horse. Her hair was down and around her shoulders, tears running down her face as she skillfully got down from the horse.
"Regina?" Emma said in surprise, "I wasn't expecting to see you."
"I know," Regina said rolling her eyes, wiping her face, and sniffling as she folded the handkerchief back to its original shape, "I honestly can't believe I'm here." Regina didn't make eye contact with Emma as she fiddled with the hankie.
"Why are you here?" Emma asked looking at Regina and waiting for her to look up.
"I need your help," Regina said, finally looking up, her eyes red and face puffy from crying, "I figured it was the least you could do after I've helped you several times now."
"Sure." Emma said, taking a tentative step forward, Regina stepping back as she did, "What do you need?"
"Marian died last night," Regina said, taking a deep breath in, "Robin thinks I purposefully put Marian's heart back infected with the Snow Queen's ice curse so that we could finally be together."
"Did you?" Emma asked, looking up slowly through her eyelashes.
"No!" Regina said, slapping her hands to her sides and turning around, "I didn't know it was infected, I thought when I took it out that the ice hadn't gotten to it yet, that it was safe."
"Did you tell him that?" Emma asked, now watching Regina as tears began to flow once again from her eyes.
"Yes, he doesn't believe me." Regina said, "When he brought her to me I tried to save her." Regina looked down at her hands, "It just happened so fast." Regina wrapped her arms around her body, visibly shaking.
"Does he know?" Emma asked boldly.
"Know what?" Regina said turning around.
"You know…" Emma said, using her hand to gesture a pregnant belly.
"Oh," Regina said, her hand going to her abdomen, "No." Regina whipped around to look at Emma, "You can't tell anyone, I haven't even told Henry," Regina looked down as her hand went back to her abdomen, "I just can't."
"I'm here, Regina." Emma said, putting her hand on Regina's arm, "I know how it feels to do this alone."
Regina pulled her arm from Emma's embrace, "I just need you to talk to Robin. I know he'll listen to you."
"What makes you so sure?" Emma said tightening her lips.
"I don't know," Regina said, angrily, "You're the savior, you're a hero. I'm a villain, who listens to a villain?"
"Fine," Emma said, looking up, then back at Regina, "But you're coming with me, you're telling him about the baby." Regina opened her mouth to protest, "Or I will, because he deserves to know."
Regina opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. After a minute of silence, Regina moved to get back on her horse.
"Are you coming?" Regina said, holding her hand out to help Emma up.
"Yeah," Emma said, not taking Regina's hand, "But I have my own horse, my mother taught me how to ride."
Regina pulled her hand back and wiped it on her pants.
"I hope you ride better than she did in the beginning," Regina said with a smirk, "the first time I met Snow she wasn't exactly a pro."
"I'm not too bad." Emma said, turning and walking away towards the stables.
Once Emma got her horse ready, she ran quickly in to let Killian know where she was going and headed back out to her horse that waited next to Regina.
"I guess we should go now." Emma said, hoisting herself onto her horse with more skill than Regina expected.
"You'd guess right, follow me." Regina nudged her horse forward and led the way.
Once they got close to Robin's campsite, Regina started to slow down, positioning herself behind Emma. Emma got down first, walking slowly towards the campsite and Robin's tent. Emma looked back every few steps to make sure Regina was still behind her, Regina's eyes cast down as she slowly and tentatively followed Emma.
"Emma?' Robin said smiling, his smile fading as his gaze fell onto Regina, "What is she doing here?"
"Hear me out," Emma said, putting her hands up in surrender, "We just came to talk."
"About what?" Robin said, disgusted, "About how she killed my Marian? About how she killed the mother of my child, Roland's mother?" Robin thrusted his arm back, pointing at his tent, "He hasn't come out or stopped crying since it happened, and the sick part is that he's crying for her." Robin pointed at Regina aggressively, Regina tensing and jumping at the gesture.
"She didn't do it on purpose." Emma said, putting her hands up to calm Robin down, "Why would she want to hurt Roland or you? She loves you? Why would she risk losing you?"
Robin didn't speak, but his aggressing stance didn't change. Turning away from Emma and Regina, his shoulders shaking as he began to cry. Turning back to the two women he looked directly at Regina.
"How do you think I feel? The woman I love killed the mother of my child…" Robin said, "I was going to choose you." Robin's word seem to hit Regina like a ton of bricks, her knees going out as she fell to the ground, sobbing.
"I'm sorry." Regina cried between sobs, "I promise I didn't do it on purpose. I can't lose you."
"You already have." Robin said, turning to leave.
"Wait!" Emma said, causing Robin to pause and turn back.
"What?" Robin said angrily, "There's nothing you can say that will change anything."
"There is one thing I think that might." Emma said, looking back at Regina crumpled on the ground.
Regina looked up, her eyes wide with fear.
"Emma, no." Regina said, "Please."
"What is she talking about, Regina?" Robin said, a puzzled look replacing his anger.
Regina looked down at her hands, her tears landing on her clasped fingers.
"I'm pregnant." Regina said just above a whisper, but Emma could tell that Robin heard her. Robin stood frozen, staring at the woman that was too scared to meet his gaze.
"How long?" Robin said quietly.
"I-" Regina started, but couldn't seem to form the words.
"How long?!" Robin shouted, an echo filling the air.
Regina jumped at his outburst, "A month, I wasn't going to tell you."
Robin's face went white as she fell to his knees, "You didn't do it on purpose."
"No, I didn't," Regina said, her voice cracking, "I was going to let you be with your wife. You didn't need 'baby-mama-drama' after you were finally reunited with Roland's mother."
Robin got up and quickly made his way to Regina, crouching down next to her and hugging her against his chest. Regina began to sob hard, soaking Robin's shirt. Just then the sound of bows being pulled brought Robin's head up.
"Stand down, men," Robin said, causing the men to put their bows down, "She was telling the truth." Robin brought Regina's face into his hands, kissing her cheeks where her tears had fallen. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, my love."