Thank you for all of the reviews! Mwah! I was going to post this in the morning, but I'm super sick and can't sleep. I think I caught all of my typos and nonsensical sentences, but I'm quite feverish, so the world is a bit silly. Back to my tissue boxes and chicken soup for now, but I'm stuck at work all day tomorrow so I'll see what I can do about a chapter 8. ;) You guys are the best!

Holiday Spirit

Chapter 7

The occupants of the diner all turned their heads simultaneously to watch as the little girl Regina had carried in ran directly to David, and they were all wondering the same thing; if David was her father, who was she to Regina? Any questions about the implied relationship between David and Regina disappeared after Isabella called, "Daddy, you're here!" before running forward to join her sister. This time, there wasn't any room for doubt. Isabella was the spitting image of her mother, and while it wasn't something David had noticed immediately in the chaos of the morning, it was blaringly obvious now, where he was painfully aware of how clear it was to everyone else as well. He was frozen for a moment before he felt a pair of little arms wrap around his neck, soon joined by another pair around his shoulders. Not wanting to upset the girls, and finding he wanted to anyway, David wrapped an arm around Ellie's waist to keep her from falling from where she'd climbed to stand in the booth next to him. He shifted her around to his other side so he could use his free arm to pull Isabella to him as well. "Hey, guys." He met a few of the gazes on him, glaring at them and daring them to say anything before looking over to meet Regina's eye. He gave her an accusing scowl, but she didn't seem affected. She was standing rigidly still, feeling all the hard stares of the townspeople. She opened her mouth to snap at everyone, but was cut off by Granny, who beat her to it.

"Alright! Everyone who's not eating, get out." At the gaping looks she received, she shook her head, her voice remaining firm. "My diner is too crowded, and it's making it hard for me to do business. Everyone go…sort out your problems at home. I have a job to do."

It only took a moment before more than half the people in the restaurant responded to the command in Granny's voice. They all shuffled toward the door, and several of the booths and chairs opened up as people stood to leave.

Regina picked up Benjamin's car seat once more and moved out of the way as people brushed past her, none of them bothering to hide their stares or their suspicious glances.

Finally, the bell over the door went silent, the last of the loiterers gone, leaving only a few scattered patrons. They all continued to stare between Regina and David, however, not deterred from the spectacle in front of them by Granny's gruffness or by the food still sitting half-eaten on their plates.

David didn't seem to notice anymore. "Why did you bring them here?" he asked, only managing to curb the annoyance in his voice at the last second. He didn't want to scare the children.

"Sunday is breakfast at Granny's," Isabella supplied promptly.

Regina's mouth opened and closed a few times before she managed to say, "There was no food in the house." She knew what she'd done now. As if dealing with the sudden family she and David shared wasn't awkward and painful enough at home, she'd dragged it out for the whole town to see and gossip about. She could see the anger burning in David's eyes, and she couldn't blame him, though a part of her felt smug about causing it.

"Henry?!"

The surprised call came from Emma, and she suddenly stood, looking over to where Henry was now standing next to Oliver, holding his hand.

"Umm, hi." He waved awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot.

"Oh my god. What…how…?" she trailed off as she reached him, holding a hand out as if to touch him and then dropping it back down to her side. "I mean, I get that this is some kind of fast-forwarded world, but wow."

"Ms. Swan?" Regina asked, finally joining everyone else at their booth in the back so they could have at least a modicum of privacy. She'd noticed the mini-Emma sitting next to her, and her curiosity was at an all-time high. "Am I to assume then that we were not the only ones affected this morning by…well, whatever this is." She glanced at Henry, noticing how he'd dropped his gaze to the floor. She didn't want anyone in the diner overhearing how this whole thing had started. If others had been affected – which, if Emma's companion and the unusual busyness of the diner that morning were anything to go by, they had – then the last thing they needed was for the town to be blaming Henry.

Emma opened her mouth to respond, but then her eyes narrowed and she looked down at David and back up at Regina, as if only just realizing everything that had happened. "We," she stressed. "As in…" She looked down at Isabella and her eyes widened. Then they shifted to study Ellie and Oliver, who'd joined his sister in his father's lap. "Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. The two of you?" Her eyebrows shot up into her hairline and she pointed a finger between the pair. No way."

"Emma…" David started, bringing a hand up to rub at his forehead. He hadn't told her about his situation with Regina. They'd only had a chance to talk about finding Snow – Olivia couldn't remember where 'home' was for the missing woman – and then about the events of Emma's morning.

"They look just like you guys."

"It's good to know that the town sheriff is so observant," Regina said sarcastically.

Emma ignored her. "I was going to blame you for this. I thought that it was something you did, but now there's this," she said, gesturing at the kids. She let out a small laugh, unable to hold it back, and feeling a bit of relief that she wasn't the only one suffering from the current events. "You and David. Ha!" Her laugh grew, somewhat hysterically, drawing the attention of some of the nearest customers, along with Granny.

"I thought I said to leave if you weren't eating!" the older woman snapped. Though she'd noticed their continued disruptive presence because of Emma, she was looking directly at Regina when she said it.

"And we're here to eat," Regina leveled back. "Isabella, why don't you go save that booth for us? Come on Ellie, Oliver…" she held her hand out for Oliver to grab as she picked Benjamin back up. "We'll all have the eggs," she said to Granny. "Scrambled please. Five plates – the twins will share. And some toast and orange juice, please. I'll take a coffee."

Granny raised an eyebrow, a frown etched into her face as she studied the mayor. After a quick glance around at the children, however, she gave a sharp nod. "Fine. Ruby!" she called over her shoulder. "Get out here and do your job!" With that, she disappeared into the back once more.

"Regina," David said as she started to turn away. The irritation in her eyes was far greater than the amount he'd let leak into his voice, and he felt himself backing off a bit. "We should talk," he finished, swallowing heavily.

She merely hummed in response, not really giving him an answer one way or the other before joining Isabella and Ellie at the booth.

Henry remained halfway between the two awkwardly, not quite sure what to do. "Right, ummm. I'm gonna go wash my hands." He dropped the diaper bag off at the table before disappearing down the back hallway.

Regina set Benjamin's car seat sideways on one side of the booth and helped Ellie and Oliver up onto the other side next to Isabella. She'd just finished getting them all situated when the door to Granny's opened once more and everyone looked up to see a highly distressed and heavily pregnant Snow.