A/N-This chapter is pretty long, I hope you all like it! I know I tend to be a dialogue heavy writer, so I tried to have a good amount of descriptive paragraphs and character development. Also, I know I tend to be a really fluffy writer, but I'm gonna try to have some more conflict coming up soon. Let me know your opinions on that! I loveeee suggestions because it's the readers that make the story! Reviews and PMs are always appreciated!
"Last I checked, a woman can't impregnate another woman, Emma!"
"Sweetie…Regina, I swear I would never, ever cheat on you. I love you so much, can't you just believe me?"
"How am I supposed to, Emma?"
"Can we go see Gold? Please? Or better yet, Whale for a test, then if we find out I actually am pregnant, see Gold after that?"
Regina told her secretary to cancel her two o'clock meeting and hold her calls and the women proceeded to walk to Regina's car. They were silent for the drive over to the hospital, Emma wanting to prove to Regina that she wouldn't be unfaithful, but also not wanting to push her too hard and upset her more. Regina, on the other hand, had a thousand thoughts running through her mind. She felt betrayed, hurt, confused and angry. She wanted to believe Emma wouldn't cheat on her, but if the blonde was pregnant then the evidence proved to the contrary.
Emma's pregnancy test with Dr. Whale was positive and he told her she appeared to be 9 or 10 weeks along. She couldn't even bring herself to be excited, even though she knew it was somehow Regina's. She hadn't been with anyone else for it to even possibly be someone else's. However, until the brunette accepted it, she knew she wouldn't be able to feel happy or celebrate it. They left and headed to the pawn and antique shop. Mr. Gold greeted them with a smile, their relationship on much better terms since he had helped so greatly in returning Henry to safety.
"To what do I owe this pleasure, dearies?" the man greeted after they had closed the door behind them.
"I'm pregnant," Emma blurted out.
"Congratulations, Emma."
"Oddly enough, it was naturally conceived. We've had no procedures, but I haven't been with anyone but Regina in a long, long time."
"I see." He looked to Regina. "And you don't believe her, it seems?" Regina gave a short shake of her head.
"So, do you know anything about this? Obviously it's possible, but have you heard of it before?" Emma pushed.
"I can't say I have. True Love is the most powerful magic of all, though. Regina, you know that already, dearie. I can't say I'm surprised. You two display a love stronger than any True Love I've ever seen, my own with Belle included."
"Really?" Regina asked, surprised.
"Stronger than any you've seen? Why is that, do you think?"
"I'm not completely certain, but if I guessed, I would say it is because you are equals." When Emma raised her eyebrows and Regina raised one eyebrow, both women looking inquisitive, he continued. "You both have magic, it puts you on even ground. You're both willful and powerful women. I suppose it could also be because you've performed the binding ceremony."
"What?" Emma asked, surprised. "We've never performed a ceremony."
"On the contrary, Emma. When you both held out each other's heart and the ties bound them together that was all it took. It's a seven second ceremony, do you recall it well, dearie?"
"Oh. Um, yeah I guess I didn't know that's what it was. Did you, Regina?"
"I didn't know it was anything official, no. I just knew that if we put our hearts together and we have True Love, then our hearts would prove it."
"Oh."
"Anyway, the best thing I can say is even though the circumstances may be questionable, Regina, trust Emma when she tells you that there's no other possibility. If it still matters when the baby comes, do a blood test."
The women thanked him for his help and left the shop. Emma took Regina's hand and with her thumb, caressed the soft skin on the back of her hand between her index finger and thumb.
"Sweetie, please believe me," Emma began, when they were back in Regina's car. "I would never do anything to hurt you, Regina. I love you so much that it's hurting me. All I want to do is make you happy and right now I can see that you're hurting, that you don't fully believe me. I hate that you don't believe me and I hate that it's causing you pain. Believe me, Regina, please." Regina looked at Emma with sadness in her eyes. There was nothing she wanted more than to believe her. "Look, we have one more place we can go. Let's go see Mother Superior."
Regina nodded and the two women drove to the convent. When they arrived and were both out of the car, Emma took Regina's face into her hands, cupping her cheeks. Leaning forward, the blonde pushed her lips to the tan forehead in front of her and then dropped her hand to grip the soft and warm hand of the other woman. They walked together to the Blue Fairy, who was standing outside. They were greeted with a weary smile as they approached.
"Regina, Emma, how are you two?" Blue asked.
"Fine, Blue, and you?" Regina responded, curtly.
"We have a question, if you wouldn't mind," Emma stated.
"Certainly. What can I answer for you."
"Is it possible for a child to be conceived out of True Love?" Emma blurted.
"Oh. Well, I supposed. I know of a couple in the Enchanted Forest, the woman was told she was unable to conceive, but they loved each other and they concentrated on it so much that they were able to conceive."
"So, um, say two women made love and they have True Love, and they uh, both have magic, do you think they could conceive a child together?"
The Fairy's eyes widened, looking between Emma and Regina thoughtfully before she responded. "You know, sure, I think it could be possible. If you wanted a family badly enough and thought terribly hard on it, I imagine magic could be able to make that happen."
"Do you really think so?" Regina asked, sounding hopeful for the first time since Emma arrived at her office that morning.
"I do. True Love is the most powerful magic in the world. I don't think that many things are impossible when it comes down to it. Is there anything else I can do for you ladies?"
"Nope, I think that's all. Thanks Mother Superior," Emma rushed, pulling Regina away.
Once again in the car, the women didn't speak. Regina drove them to the mayoral mansion and they went inside. After closing the door behind herself, Regina leaned against the wood, eyes closed and head down. She had two fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. Emma sat down on the steps that led from the foyer to the rest of the house, waiting for Regina to look at her. Regina kicked off her black stilettos and walked toward Emma, sitting down next to her. The women angled their bodies toward each other so one of each of their knees was touching. Emma stared into the chocolate eyes. She looked afraid and tired and Emma could see the pain in the depths of brown.
"Emma," Regina began as she held the gaze of the greenish eyes, moving her hands she took Emma's into her own. "Do you swear to me that you haven't been with anyone else since we began?"
Earnestly, Emma responded. "Regina, I swear. You are the only person I have been with since I came to Storybrooke. I would never be unfaithful to you, and even if I had been with someone else before we were together that could have caused this, I would tell you if I was carrying someone else's child. You're mine and I'm yours, for life I hope. I will never lie to you, I promise that."
The words must have convinced the brunette because her body fell into that of the blonde. Her shoulders were shaking with sobs, her mouth emitting sounds of quiet chokes.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Emma asked, rubbing soothing circles on Regina's back. After several moments of holding her, the brunette sat up and composed herself.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you," Regina whispered.
"Regina, it's ok, I probably wouldn't have believed you, either, if you had told me the same thing."
"I love you, Emma."
"I love you, too, Regina. You will always have my heart."
"Alright my dear, when will you be moving in then?"
"What? I thought we agreed to take it slowly?"
Regina chuckled. "Slowly? My Emma, don't you think maybe it's a little late for slow? We haven't even been together 3 months, we aren't married, or even engaged and you're pregnant, with our magical baby. We are way too far past taking it slow."
Emma smiled sheepishly. "I guess that's true. We, uh, we really do things backwards, don't we?"
"Yes. And, I'm sorry, Emma. It's my fault."
"What do you mean?"
"That night, after we talked about having more kids, being a family, when we made love, that was all I could think about. I mean, how happy you make me, how much I love you and how much I couldn't wait until we could expand our family. Since we saw Blue, I've been thinking a lot about that and how it is probably because of that."
"Oh. You know, it doesn't bother me. I mean, I maybe wanted more months of lots and lots of sex before expanding our family, but how could I be upset when you and Henry and this baby are exactly what I've wanted my whole life, a family?"
"Very well, dear. And, despite your attempt at changing the conversation, as long as you're pregnant with my child, I'd prefer you to be living with me. I can help you that way, and be part of your pregnancy. I don't think I can carry a child, I would like to experience as much of you carrying ours as I can." Regina ended the sentence sadly; a topic for her that always seemed to be touchy.
"Regina, I'm so sorry. I wish it could have been you, you deserve it."
"Anyway, you're perfect, you'll be a better carrier anyway. You know, less angry and not even a little bit evil."
"You aren't even a little bit evil either, Regina." Regina raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips. Emma tried to focus on a different part of the news. "Regina, when do we tell Henry?"
"Well, you're still in your first trimester and miscarriages are less common once you begin the second, right?" Emma nodded. "So, we'll give it two or three weeks and tell him."
"Ok. What about the rest of the town?"
"I'll leave that up to you. Whenever you're ready, I'm ready."
"I guess I'll tell my parents shortly after we tell Henry, then I guess I'll tell people when I start getting fat."
Regina rolled her eyes at the comment. "Like you could ever really get fat. You may get a pregnancy belly but I've seen the way you eat and it's remarkable that you aren't fat already. You may literally have the world's best metabolism. Anyway, will you call Dr. Whale and I'll call Gold and Blue, we need to tell them that as of right now our news is strictly personal and to please keep their knowledge quiet."
Emma nodded, standing and extending her hand to Regina. They both pulled out their cell phones and made their phone calls. They ended them and Emma realized how exhausted she was. Regina must have been able to tell because she led the blonde to the master bedroom and helped her lay down on the bed. Emma fell asleep almost immediately.
Regina pulled her phone out again and called Snow. "Hello, dear." … "Would you or David mind picking Henry up after school and taking him home for the night?" … "Yes, everything is fine, but Emma appears to have fallen ill and I don't want Henry to get sick as well. I was thinking she should stay here tonight and I'll help her get better. I would have had her call you herself but she was so exhausted she fell asleep before I thought about it."…"Yes, thank you dear."
When Emma woke around 7 that evening, Regina brought her some homemade soup and a vitamin-enriched smoothie. "I know you aren't actually sick, dear, but you need to take good care of yourself and our baby. I expect that bear claws will be only a snack and you'll begin having a proper breakfast, lunch and dinner now, yes?"
Emma groaned and nodded her agreement smiling brightly. "You'll cook for me, right?"
Chuckling, Regina stated, "Yes, dear. I will cook for you."
The next morning after an amazing night of sleeping in Regina's arms and eating a delicious and big breakfast cooked by her love, Emma headed to the apartment she had been sharing with her parents. She decided to discuss her plans to move out first, do that, then later after it calmed down and when she began her second trimester, tell her parents about their pregnancy. Emma packed her boxes that morning and early afternoon, making sure to not pack any too heavy so as to avoid any lectures from Regina on taking it easy. Then she cleaned up her room so that Snow and David didn't have to clean up after her. She didn't have much to pack, since she had never been extremely sentimental, but it still took several hours to get everything done. Regina had planned to pick Emma up after dinner and help with the boxes so they could fill up both cars and get it all done in one trip. Snow and David arrived home shortly after Emma finished, surprised to find her home. Most Friday nights she spent with Regina and Henry, so she was rarely home. They were even more surprised when she asked them if they minded her staying for dinner.
"Of course, Emma, you're always welcome. Um, but is everything ok with Regina?" Snow asked.
"Of course, as perfect as ever. Why?"
"Well, you know, you're usually gone for Friday and most Saturdays. Not that we don't love you being here, we just want to make sure everything is ok."
"Yeah, actually, I need to talk to you guys."
"Oh? What about?"
"We should wait until dinner is finished."
They did so, eating and chatting easily about Henry and how much they had enjoyed keeping him the night before. David told Emma about how good Henry was getting at sword fighting with the wooden swords and that Henry was doing really well riding his horse. After they were all finished and the dishes were cleared and cleaned, the three sat back at the dinner table.
"So, honey, what did you want to talk about?" Snow asked curiously.
"Regina and I had a lot of time to talk last night while I wasn't feeling well. We agreed that it's time for me to move in with her and Henry now."
Snow raised his eyebrows and David choked on his water causing him to spit a lot of it out. After several moments of silence, Snow broke it.
"Now?" the raven-haired woman squeaked.
"Yeah, um, I sort of already packed my things."
"Isn't it sort of…sudden?"
"Maybe. But I've spent so much of my life being alone and wanting a love like what Regina gives me. And you know, she's been waiting like, over forty years or something for love like this. And this will be so great for Henry, he won't have to be pulled between two homes and visitations with Neal, he'll just have one home and visitations with Neal."
"But we just really got you back."
"Please don't use that defense, mom."
"Emma, I'm just now becoming comfortable with you dating Regina, this…this is way too soon."
"It's not. And I really don't want to argue about this. I love her, like nothing and no one I have ever loved before and I'm ready to begin our lives together. I want us to be a family and you know, we want kids, more kids, I mean and I want to start being together so we have some time together before then."
"More kids? But how?"
"Seriously? I'm not discussing this. Look, it's not really up for debate, I'm not a child and I make decisions for myself. She is literally the love of my life, this is happening, no matter what you say."
Snow nodded and Charming smiled. He seemed to cope more easily with the news than Snow. He spoke, "Emma, we're happy for you that you found your family. Just remember, we're your parents and we fully expect you to come around often, maybe a weekly family dinner? All three of you, of course."
When David said that all three of them were welcome, Snow stared at his as though he had just grown a second head, but shook of the expression, though not before Emma saw it.
"You know, mom, Regina has told me beautiful things about your time together, when you were a child, before Leopold died. You could be more gracious about her."
"You mean before she had him killed?"
"If you knew the things your father had done to her, maybe you wouldn't hate her so much." Emma could feel her temper raising and her blood pressure, too. Her voice was getting louder in her anger.
"If he'd done anything bad to her, I'm sure she would have told me just to cause me more pain."
"No, because though she may have been vengeful, she did love you. You destroyed her happiness! I don't excuse what she did, but she had a terrible mother, why would she want to inflict a bad father onto you?"
"Emma, you have no idea what you're talking about. These things are far beyond your knowledge. You don't know what our world was!"
"Regina has answered everything I have asked. She's held back nothing, she has shown me her good and her bad! Don't you tell me I don't know! I know!" Emma was full blown shouting now, her anger raw and unchained. There was a knock at the door, so she lowered her voice. "That'll be Regina to help me bring my things home. David, can you please help?"
He nodded and Emma answered the door. Regina stood there with Henry, both looked shocked obviously having heard Emma's shouts. Emma and the two Mills' made their way up to Emma's former room to gather her things and David took Emma's box from her so she could grab another from the bedroom. Snow sat at the dining room table and watched the four shuffle in and out a few times, each time leaving with more of Emma's limited items. David and Emma hugged goodbye outside because Emma didn't want to go back in and fuel the fire even more. Henry got into Regina's car, staying by his brunette mother's side more and more since the Peter Pan fiasco.
Before heading to her own car, Emma pulled Regina in at the waist, holding her tight, needing comfort. Regina placed light kisses on Emma's face for a moment, then asked if she wanted to talk about it. The blonde shook her head and replied that they would when they got home and Henry was asleep. It was only after Regina drove away that Emma realized she wanted to talk to an outside party. She text the brunette that she would be home in a bit but was making a stop first.
She drove in silence to the diner. Running the argument over in her head several times in the short drive, she got angrier and angrier at Snow and at herself. She couldn't find herself angry at Regina or David. David was being extremely kind about the situation and Regina was so loving and beautiful and perfect; Emma marveled at the fact that they had managed to get past everything and fall in love with each other. She parked her car and walked into the diner. Just as she had guessed, Ruby was still tending the counter. The place was fairly unpopulated, probably because The Rabbit Hole tended to steal the weekend drinking crowd. Ruby looked at Emma as she roughly sat down and laid her head on the counter.
"Rough night?" Ruby asked sympathetically.
"Oh you have no idea."
"What can I get you?"
"A pint." The young brunette nodded and walked away before coming back with a container of double fudge ice cream and two spoons, holding one of them out to Emma and digging in the other for her own bite after she had taken the lid off.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'm in the process of moving in with Regina and Henry."
"Oh."
Emma dug her spoon into the ice cream, licking her spoon clean and taking another bite before continuing. "Snow wasn't happy."
"No, I guess she wouldn't be."
A few more bites of ice cream and Emma continued. "I get it, they have a long history. But Regina has saved my ass a lot, and she's the most amazing mom. And she's my True Love, that should…it should be enough. She makes me happier than I have ever been and that's not me embellishing. I had a shit life, but with her…everything is so great."
"I understand, Emma. Your mom just needs more time. I know it sucks, but they both really hurt each other a lot, and you know, Regina was really cruel to you mom in the Enchanted Forest so just go easy on her. She'll come around."
"I get needing time, I know we've only been back a couple of months. But David came around already and she had him locked in a dungeon or something."
"Just let it blow over, then keep trying." Emma nodded at her friend's advice, paid and left for home.
When she arrived she saw that Regina's car was already emptied. She grabbed a box and brought it inside, setting it on the elevated floor after the foyer. Regina walked down the few steps and pulled Emma's arm before the blonde could make it back out the door.
"Darling, we can get those tomorrow. Your clothes and toiletries are already inside, let's go to bed." Emma nodded and closed the door, locking it behind herself. She took Regina's hand and the women went up to the master bedroom—their bedroom.
"Do you want to talk about it, dear?" Regina asked after the bedroom door was closed behind them.
"No, I feel…" Emma shook her head. "I feel numb. Regina, please make me feel something. Please?" Emma looked at Regina with her eyes wide and pleading and looking more emerald than their usual blue-green.
Regina knew she'd do anything she could to make Emma's smile come back. She pushed the red leather off of strong shoulders and tugged at the bottom of the white long sleeve shirt. Emma's arms went up and Regina gently pulled the fabric over the blonde's head. Nimble fingers unbelted the tight belt on the small waist, pulling pants and panties down slender, pale legs, Emma lifting each foot off the ground so the clothing could be pulled all the way off. Last, the brunette unclasped the bra before her, letting it fall freely off her lover's beautiful body.
Regina pulled Emma into the bathroom and began running the shower. She undressed herself and helped Emma under the water, then joined the blonde. She tugged gently on long blonde locks, forcing her head to tilt under the water. Regina lathered shampoo into the long, thick hair and ran her hands through until it was clean. Next she poured a generous amount of body wash onto a loofah and began cleaning the thin, toned form in front of her. She then washed her own hair and body, after she was finished she pulled Emma into her arms, the blonde's head resting against her shoulder and Regina rubbed her hands up and down their fair back of her lover. She placed gentle kisses on the crown of blonde hair.
The women stood like that for a while until the water started running cold. Regina dried Emma off with a towel, wrapping it around the lithe figure when she was done, then pulled a towel out for herself and doing the same. Finding a pair of shorts and a blue t-shirt from one of Emma's bags, she helped the blonde put them on and dressed herself afterward in a pair of silk pajamas. Regina pulled Emma into bed with her and held her close.
"Emma darling, are you sure you don't want to talk?"
"Not right now, Regina. Make love to me. Make me feel."
"My dear, not right now. You would be upset later about it."
"Not with you, no I wouldn't."
"Are you sure I'm worth it, Emma? Are you sure this strain on your relationship with Snow is something you can live with?" She didn't want to ask the question for fear of what the answer might be. Everything she loved died or left her, but she loved Emma enough to let her go if that was what the blonde needed.
"You are worth losing everything for, Regina."
Regina smiled to herself, staying awake most of the night holding Emma until the blonde rolled away some time before dawn. The brunette got out of bed and dressed herself in one of her signature black pencil skirts and a deep purple blouse, pulling on a jacket, followed by a pair of knee high boots over her tights. She shook Henry awake and told him she was going to run some errands and grab breakfast for them from Granny's. She asked him to get into bed with Emma in case she woke up so she didn't have to be alone. He did as asked and she left.
Though the drive was short her thoughts wandered to what she was about to do. She could easily take pleasure if she was who she used to be, but her heart hurt for the woman she loved. It was still not yet dawn so there was next to no one awake, especially with it being a Saturday. She made her turns with ease and certainty finally pulling up to the unlit building. Regina pulled out her ring of skeleton keys and let herself into the apartment. No one was awake so she sat at the dining room table and waited.