Ch.2
"So now what do we do?" Emma asked.
Regina wasn't paying attention and instead was staring at the wall in front of her with a glazed expression.
"Regina? Are you okay?" Emma asked concerned.
"I'm fine. Please take the baby. I think it would be best if you brought him to your parent's house." Regina said as she handed the child to Emma. She noticed Emma's look of concern.
"I don't think that it's a good idea to bring him to my parent's house. They are currently in the process of potty-training Neal, and things are a bit hectic." Emma said as she began to sway back and forth to sooth the now fussing baby.
"Well bring him to your house. I'm sure it will be good practice for you and your pirate." Regina said as she stalked out of the room. Emma followed close behind, the baby starting to settle down again.
"Regina, we agreed together to take him! You can't just dump all the responsibility on me! Besides, don't you have all the stuff from when Henry was a baby? I have nothing at my place and it's a bit late to go shopping now, every store in this town closes at before eight. Please Regina." Emma begged.
"Fine, you can stay here with him, but you're not leaving him alone with me. I think Henry's old baby stuff is up in the attic, I'll be right back." Regina said as she disappeared in a cloud of purple magic. A moment later Emma heard loud banging coming from upstairs, she quickly ran up the stairs with the baby in her arms.
"Regina? Are you okay? Where are you?" Emma called as she reached the hallway.
"The spare room across from mine!" Regina shouted.
When Emma entered the room she was amazed to see that Regina had already had a crib set up in the corner of the room and was just picking out blankets and stuffed animals from a cardboard box on the bed.
"These should be good for tonight, and tomorrow I can go shopping for some newer toys when I get him clothes and formula." Regina said.
Emma placed the now sleeping baby in the crib and walked over to the box.
"You know sometimes I wish I had things like this. A box of Henry's baby things to look through now that he is so grown. Hell, I don't even have baby things from when I was a baby. Besides the blanket I was found in." Emma said as she held one of the baby blankets close to her chest. Regina looked at her sadly. It was her fault after all that Emma didn't have any of those things. Regina reached out and placed a hand on Emma's shoulder.
"There are many things of Henry's in the attic. How about we make a plan to go through everything once the baby goes home? I can show you all his old baby things, and you can take what you want from it. It's just sitting up there, and you deserve to have a piece of it. I can't give you memories of him when he was little, but I can at least give you some of his baby things." Regina said as she started to refold the blankets she had taken out and checked.
Emma smiled as a tear fell down her cheek.
"You would really give me some of Henry's old stuff?" Emma asked through tears.
"My god Swan, pull yourself together. But yes, I will." Regina said with a sideways smirk to the blonde. Emma returned the smile and wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. Regina then walked over to the crib and placed tiny stuffed lion in the crib next to the sleeping baby. They both stood over him and watched as the child slept peacefully.
"He is pretty cute, don't you think?" Emma asked.
"He is. I always thought Henry was the cutest baby I had ever seen, but this little guy could give him a run for his money." Regina said as she smoothed the baby's hair with her hand. He had a thick head of dark hair that stuck out at odd places.
"How old do you think he is?" Emma asked. "We forgot to ask."
"He looks to be about two months. But I am just guessing." Regina answered. That was how old Henry was when she adopted him, and he looked similar in size.
"Well good night Emma, I am going to get ready for bed. If you need anything just yell." Regina said as she left the blond and the baby alone.
Regina rolled over and checked the time that illuminated in the darkness of her bedroom and groaned when she saw it was barely 2am. The screams from the baby in the room next to her woke her. Emma was not calling out for assistance, but Regina wanted this crying to end. She got up and threw on a robe over her silk nightgown. When she entered the spare room she saw Emma pacing back and forth with the screaming child in her arms. Regina stood in the doorway as she watched her try to bounce and shush the child back to sleep. Emma had not yet noticed her, her back was to the door.
"Here, let me try." Regina said as Emma jumped in surprise.
"I'm sorry Regina, I was trying to get him back to sleep before you woke up." Emma said as Regina walked over and took the baby from her. The second Regna had put the baby to her chest the child stopped crying. Both woman looked down in surprise.
"Wow, it seems you have the magic touch. Pun intended." Emma said as she laughed at her own joke. Regina couldn't help but laugh too, even though she was exhausted and annoyed. It also gave her an odd feeling of goodness. She didn't feel superior to Emma, but in a sense she felt she was proven to be 'Good' by this child instantly calming with her touch. She remembered the first time she was able to sooth Henry. It hadn't happened for several weeks after he was in her care. Maybe this child sensed she was truly a hero now? Or maybe her years of mothering Henry really did make her a natural now?
Whatever it was she didn't care. She had calmed baby Christian simply by holding him, and that alone flooded her with warmth. She leaned down and kissed his soft head and breathed in the scent of his new skin. After a few moments of swaying back and forth Regina had successfully managed to get the little boy back to sleep. She went over to the crib and placed him safely back in the warm bed. The second her hands left him he awoke and screamed yet again. Both woman groaned.
"Here, let me get him to sleep this time. I need to practice anyway and then you can get back to bed. It's my fault he is here, I agreed to this, not you." Emma said as she took the baby from Regina and he instantly started screaming again.
"I agreed to watch him as well." Regina said.
"Yeah, but I talked you into it." Emma said as she bounced the crying little boy.
"That is true, well if you're sure then I will see you in the morning." Regina said as she turned to leave. When she closed her bedroom door she could still hear the muffled cries of the baby through the door. She waved her arm and cast a silencing charm around her room which put her in instant silence. She sighed in relief, glad to be in the silence. As she laid down she began to wonder how Emma was holding up, and then worried that if the savior needed her help she wouldn't be able to hear her.
Deciding that the silence charm was too risky, Regina waved her hand and removed it. The second it was gone the rush of noise penetrated her ears yet again. It seemed the baby was not going to be sleeping unless in Regina's arms.
Emma was at her wits end, Regina left her alone with the baby and things were not going well. The baby didn't like her, she knew it. She needed Regina to help her but she also knew she wouldn't call for Regina. She already felt bad enough for needing to stay the night at her house. If Emma hadn't pushed to help The Dark Swan then they both would be sleep right now.
A second later Regina was back in the room and took the baby from Emma's arms. Emma was immediately flooded with both relief and guilt. Christian had stopped crying the second his small face was resting in the crook of Regina's neck. Emma mouthed the word "Sorry" to Regina, who answered with a tired smile as she went to sit down on the bed.
"Maybe I should lay here for a bit, until he is in a deep sleep, then I can slip away, back to my room?" Regina suggested.
"Yeah, good plan, that way you can rest while you hold him." Emma said as she went to sit on the armchair next to the bed Regina was now laying on.
"Are you going to sleep in that chair all night?" Regina asked.
"No, when you leave I will lay back on the bed." Emma answered.
"And risk waking him again? No, that won't do. Come lay here now on his other side. Put a pillow next to you and I will do the same once I leave, that way he is protected and wont roll off to either side in the night, or have the sheets cover his head." Regina said as Emma cautiously pulled back the sheets and placed a pillow in-between herself and the baby. Regina waved her arms to magically turn off the lights in the room.
"You can close your eyes, I'll stay awake and let you know when he has been asleep for a while." Emma said as she propped her head on her hand to look at Regina. The baby was laying on his back with his head resting on Regina's outstretched arm, playing with the fingers on her other hand.
"Are you sure you can stay awake?" Regina asked.
"You can count on me. There is no way I am falling asleep." Emma said as she held up her fingers in a 'Scouts honor' salute.
The next morning Henry pulled into the driveway and noticed that Emma's car was parked outside the house as it had the day before. He wondered what his other mother was doing at the mansion this early in the morning. He had thought he wasn't going to see her until after she worked at dinner, and there he would tell her the tales of his prom night. When he opened the door he had expected to see at least his brunette mother in the kitchen making breakfast. It was past nine and normally she was in full swing for the day, even on Sundays. Starting to get nervous Henry called out.
"Mom?" Henry shouted. He paused and waited for a replay from at least one of his mothers.
But nothing came. He looked down at the coffee table and saw both their cell phones and purses were still here.
"Moms! Are you guys here? Is anyone here?" Henry shouted from room to room. When he saw no sign of life downstairs he bounded up the grand staircase. He first checked his mother's room. Seeing only a messed but empty bed. He had never seen his mother's bed unmade, unless she was still in it. Now he was really getting worried. Where were his mothers? Why were both their cars here, but no sign of either of them? Henry quickly pulled out his phone and called his grandparents as he made his way back downstairs.
"Gramps, can you and Grandma come to the mansion? My Mom's cars are both here, and their phones, but I can't find them anywhere." Henry said.
"Their missing? Okay Henry, stay there. We will be there in five minutes!" David said.
When they arrived Henry watched both is grandparents run to the door.
"Henry, how long have they been missing?" Snow asked as she crossed the entrance.
"I'm not sure. I got here around nine. I was at my prom last night and then stayed at my friend Conner's house. I checked the house, and only their phones, and my mom's purse are here. They never leave the house without that stuff." Henry said.
"And you checked every room in the house? They weren't in any of them?" David asked.
"Well…I checked all the rooms down here, and I called out a lot. No one answered. I'm sorry, I just got nervous." Henry said realizing he should have checked all the rooms first.
"No Henry, you did the smart thing and called us first. If someone or something took them then it could have happened to you too. We will check the rooms." David said.
"I'll come with you. I'm not useless." Henry said.
"Okay sweet heart, and no one thinks you are useless. You have helped save this town as much as any of us!" His grandmother said comfortingly.
"Yeah champ! Come on, let's go find your Moms!" David said as he drew his sword and led the way upstairs.
They checked Regina's room and bathroom, and then moved to Henry's next to it and the bathroom after that. Nothing.
The last room on this floor was the spare room. The door was closed, so the eased it open quietly. Not sure what they were expecting to see, but they definitely were not expecting to see what lay behind that spare-room door. David and Snow's eyes fell right on the trio on the bed. Their beautiful blonde daughter, asleep with her hands outstretched and resting upon another set of hands which belonged to the mayor. Both women had their hands on the tiny baby who sat in-between them, just as sound asleep as the two women. Snow inhaled sharply, and the noise woke the tiny baby who began to cry at the sight of the intruders. Emma and Regina's eyes shot open at the same time. They both quickly took in the scene and realized what had accrued. Emma was the first to shoot out of the bed, quickly followed by Regina. The sudden movement startled Christian, which caused him to cry even harder. Regina leaned down and scooped him up in her arms, in less than a few seconds she had him calmed down again.
"What the heck is going on? Whose baby is that?" Snow asked. David and Henry stood at her side looking just as shocked and confused.
"We fell asleep trying to get him back to sleep. Let's go downstairs and we can explain everything." Emma said.
"You explain, I need to go shopping. This little guy is going to be hungry soon, and we need diapers." Regina said as she handed the baby to Emma.
"Better leave him here with you so people don't ask questions until we can figure out a little lie to keep him safe." Reinga said before she disappeared in a cloud of purple magic.
A half hour later Emma was pacing back and forth in the living room, her parents and Henry sat on the couch watching her. Emma cradled the baby on her chest, his head resting on her shoulder, not strong enough yet to hold up on his own for very long.
"So you and Regina agreed to help the dark one kidnap a baby?" Snow asked her daughter.
"No! The Dark me asked us to help protect him. He is not kidnapped. We think." Emma said as she rubbed the baby's back.
"So just a possible kidnapping. Most likely a kidnapping as that is the Dark one's calling card." David said. Emma could tell her father was annoyed and a bit disappointed in her rash actions.
"It wasn't just any Dark One though, it was me. I was the Dark One and I could tell I wasn't lying. So could Regina. She can always tell when I am not being truthful, even when Dark." Emma said firmly.
"Well I believe her too!" Henry said. "And even if she is lying, we have time to figure it out, and the baby is safe here with us!"
"Thanks Kid." Emma said, feeling very proud of her son in that moment for making such an excellent point. "I thought the same thing, she already had her hands on the baby, so at least we got him away from her if her plans really are evil."
"I guess you have a point. He is safe here with us, and now we can make sure he gets back to his parents." Snow reasoned. David nodded.
"Okay, but who is he going to be staying with?" David asked.
"I guess with me and Hook, but I haven't had a chance to tell him yet. He was out with his crew last night and is most likely still sleeping off the rum." Emma said with a roll of her eyes. "It's not fair if Regina has to keep him here. I basically begged her for us to agree to the Dark One's deal."
"Well, then I would first talk to Hook about it. I don't think he will be happy if you just showed up with an infant in your arms." Snow suggested.
"Yeah, I guess you're right, but he would be a real asshole if he turned this little cutie away." Emma said as she pressed her nose into the baby's cheek. Snow got up and walked over to Emma and held out her arms. Emma handed the baby over and Snow's face brightened.
"What's his name?" Snow asked as she too pressed her nose into the baby's cheek and kissed him.
"Christian." Emma said.
"Well Christian, welcome to this Universe, I hope you enjoy your stay." Snow said as she handed the baby back to Emma.
An hour after David and Snow left to go back home to their own child, Emma and Henry were struggling with Christian who was now screaming and had large tears streaking down his face. They tried bouncing him, and toys, music, and TV. But nothing worked. He cried for a solid hour.
"Where is your mother with the baby stuff? He must be hungry!" Emma said as Henry dangled the toy lion over the baby's head. They had set Christian down on a blanket in the living room so to not get any baby drool on Regina's plush white carpet. A moment later Regina burst through the front door with an armful of bags in her hands. Emma scooped up the baby and rushed into the foyer.
"Thank god Regina! We were dying here! He hasn't stopped screaming since my parents left an hour ago!" Emma said as Regina dropped her bags and took the crying baby in her arms. He stopped crying instantly. Emma's eyes widened.
"Wow that is so not fair! I tried ever thing!" Emma whined.
"Get over it Emma, we have to get him fed, I am sure he is starved. The formula is in that bag there, and the bottles are in that one." Regina said as she pointed to random bags in the pile. Emma quickly got the formula powder and the bottles and went to work making Christian a bottle. In a few moments to returned to the foyer and handed the bottle to Regina who tested the temp on her hand.
"I'll go help Henry clean up the living room. We made a little mess with all the baby toys." Emma said as she left Regina to it. When she got into the living room she saw Henry already had put the toys back in the box and was passed out on the couch. Clearly he was as exhausted as she was. She went over and stroked his hair. "Thanks for helping kid."
"No problem Mom." Henry said while keeping his eyes closed.
Emma went back to the foyer but stopped in the door way. Regina was facing away from her so Emma was able to watch her unnoticed. Regina was swaying back and forth while humming a beautiful tune. Emma couldn't place what the song was, but she wanted to hear more of it, and just like that Regina started to sing. Emma was shocked at her voice, it was beautiful and full of love and warmth. Emma leaned against the doorframe and closed her eyes as Regina sang and Emma realized it was a sad song, about a mother fearful of losing her child, so instead she takes her own life.
"Sleep and remember my last lullaby, for I'll be with you when you dream." Regina sang. She turned around and was startled to see Emma just standing there.
"Emma, I didn't know you were standing there."
"Regina, your voice is amazing! I didn't know you could sing like that." Emma said as she followed Regina back upstairs.
"That is because I don't sing. That was a song I used to sing to Henry when he was little and wouldn't sleep, but I don't make a habit of letting others hear me." Regina said tartly. They entered the spare room and Regina set the baby down, the bottle was empty and the little boy had heavy lidded eyes that slowly closed into sleep. "When he wakes up I would prefer it if you took him to your house." Regina said as she fixed her skirt and walked out of the room and into her own.
Emma was left standing in the hallway, Regina's door slammed in her face.
"Fine, guess I will go and tell Hook we will be having a house guest." Emma said to herself as she went downstairs and said goodbye to Henry.
She found Hook down at the docks, he had never left, which meant he never knew she spent the night at Regina's. He was hungover and attempting to clean up the deck of his ship from last night's festivities. Emma walked across broken beer bottles and vomit as she made her way over to her boyfriend. Hook saw her and his face brightened. Even in his hangover slump she still brightened his world. Emma smiled weakly at him, she hated seeing him like this. He was always getting drunk, and always here at his beloved ship.
"Hello there love! What a lovely surprise to see you here!" Hook said as he pressed his lips against hers. He smelled of rum and tasted of worse.
"Hi, so listen I need to tell you something important." Emma said seriously.
"Shoot Love." Hook said as he leaned against the mop he was holding.
"Last night a portal opened up and 'me' from another land came through asking for help. She had a baby with her and needed help hiding him for a while. It was dangerous for him in her universe and she knew she could only trust herself, so she came here." Hooks eyes widened to this new information.
"Damn, so where is the little lad now?" Hook asked.
"Regina's house, she had Henry's old baby stuff and helped." Emma said.
"Great, so the lad can stay there?" Hook asked.
"No, Regina asked me to take him home since I was the one who agreed to help." Emma lied.
"Well then I guess we will have to finally clean out that extra room we have been using as storage. And who knows, this could be good practice for us someday!" Hook said as he grabbed Emma's butt with his good hand and squeezed.
"Whoa, settle down there, we aren't even married yet cowboy."
"I'm a pirate love, not a damn cowboy. We don't need to be married to have children. Didn't stop you when you had Henry. Millions do it all the time in this land." Hook said as Emma pulled away.
"Very true. But off topic. So you are okay with Christian staying at our place?" Emma asked.
"Of course Love. When I'm done here I will get to work on that room." Hook said and Emma was hit with a pang of guilt for not telling Hook the full story.
"Okay, I will meet you at home tonight." Emma said as she gave Hook a chased kiss on the cheek and left.