Sorry to have kept you all waiting! Still a good few chapters left, so we'll get more than 33. This story just will not let me end it, haha. Thanks for sticking with it, and for your reviews. You guys are the best! As always, bless Addicted1 for her invaluable help! Finally have some sun this week, so every second I'm not at work will be spent outside writing!

Holiday Spirit

Chapter 32

Part of the five hours had disappeared quickly with the help of David and Granny, but the rest had crawled by at an agonizingly slow pace. David had been right about telling Granny, of course, and though she was too proud to admit it, she was grateful he'd pushed her to do so.

Instead of spouting off words of comfort and support as Regina had dreaded, the older woman had said, "You'll know soon and that'll be that," before spending the next full hour distracting her completely with gossip about the rest of the town, and even some stories about back in the Enchanted Forest. Regina had actually been disappointed to leave the diner after they realized they couldn't keep Granny from her work any longer.

Now that they were back in the hospital hallway, pacing and anxiously awaiting the arrival of Dr. Jill Patterson, time seemed to be moving more slowly than ever. Just minutes from knowing the results and Regina was having a hard time not chewing on her thumbnail, a nervous habit she hadn't reverted to since her mother had broken her of it when she was ten.

The second Jill appeared from around the corner, Regina was striding toward her, David hot on her heels.

"Well?" she bit out.

Jill looked around, unsure of whether or not to give them the results right out in the middle of the hallway, but the decision was made for her a split second later when Regina gave a sharp nod and spat, "Out with it."

"It was positive," Jill said. "You're definitely pregnant."

Regina stilled completely, placing a hand on her stomach, a veil of momentary calm falling across her features. She didn't smile, but she didn't seem upset, either. She was just silent.

"Con…gratulations?" Jill said slowly, unsure of how the couple would take the news, and confused by Regina's reaction.

"Regina?" David questioned, ignoring the doctor and stepping up behind the woman he loved. "Are you alright?" He placed a hand on her back, and she startled, turning around to face him. "You okay?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

She knew he was asking if what was happening was okay, and she jerked her head once in acknowledgement, shaking it a moment later to rid herself of the daze that had fallen over her. Clearing her throat, she nodded again. "Yes. Can we go home now?"

He nodded, then looked to Jill. "Anything else we need to know?"

The doctor shook her head. "That's all today. I'll call you to set up another appointment later on down the road," she said to Regina. "But that's it for now. You'll probably want to pick up some prenatal vitamins."

That was that. She was definitely pregnant.

—§—§—§—

Three months later…

"Henry, at least."

"No."

"Why not?"

"We've had this conversation a million times. I don't want anyone else knowing. The two of us, Dr. Patterson and Granny are enough. That's already more than I'd like."

"It's already been three months, honey."

She brought a hand lightly to her stomach before letting it quickly fall away again. It was a move that he'd noticed more often than he'd like. She never allowed her hand to remain, and he knew it was because she was afraid to form a connection with the baby. "I just don't think we should be telling anyone before we're sure," she said quietly.

They were sure; they'd had the test, the check-ups, the ultrasounds, but he knew she was still worried about a miscarriage. Regina was a firm believer in the idea that if anything bad could happen, it would, and this pregnancy was putting that theory to the ultimate test. Regina was terrified, and David was heartbroken watching her go through it.

"Okay," he agreed. "We'll wait."

She nodded tensely before turning to leave him standing alone in the room.

Later that day, David found her napping in a chair on the back porch. Winter had finally turned to spring, and today had proven to be a beautiful day, almost enough to believe it was summer, though the forecast predicted rain for the rest of the week.

He smiled at the sight of her leaned back, head turned to the side, eyes closed and a peaceful expression on her face. Tightening his grip on the box in his hand, he moved toward her, his heart beating faster with the sudden nerves.

When his shadow fell over her, she stirred, eyes blinking open as she turned her head to look at him. "I didn't mean to fall asleep," she admitted, stretching a little in the chair before sitting up. It was then she noticed the expression on his face. "David? Is something wrong?"

He shook his head. "Regina," and then slowly dropped to one knee, holding the box out in front of him. "Marry me?" he asked.

She froze, staring at his face before noticing the gold band in the box, the same one she'd worn while they were under the spell. "If this is because I'm pregnant—" she started, but he shook his head vigorously.

"No. It's because I want to be married to you. This morning I was trying to think of things I could say to make you feel better about everything that's been happening – us being together, the pregnancy, the torture of wondering if we can ever have what we did – but I realized that there wasn't anything I could say, because I don't know what's going to happen for sure, and I know that you hate false promises. I love you, and when it hit me that no matter what future was in store for us, I wanted it to be an us, I suddenly wondered why I'd been waiting. You and me together. I want to be your husband regardless of whether or not we have children."

She sat, staring at him for a moment, tears building up in her eyes. "That is the cheesiest thing I've ever heard," she said through a choked cry.

"Is that a yes?" he asked hopefully.

She let out a teary laugh and nodded her head. "But you have to promise never to say anything like that again."

He stood up, pulling her up with him as he went and bent his head to kiss her. When they broke for air, he laughed. "Well, they don't call me Charming for nothing, you know. It's in my nature. I can't make any promises. Can you settle for me restraining myself unless I'm moved so deeply I can't help it?"

She raised an eyebrow. "How often might that happen?"

"I could maybe limit it to a few times a year."

She laughed. "Deal."

"Perfect." He kissed her gently again and then leaned back to say, "Here."

He tugged her hand lightly, and she looked down to see him holding the ring. She watched him slide it into place and then looked up to his smiling face, his eyes bright with happiness.

"That's better," he said quietly. "I'd gotten so used to seeing it there; your hand looked bare without it."

"Can we get married soon? Forget the whole big ceremony – just you, me, Henry, Emma, and the person marrying us? Tomorrow? I'm the mayor; I can expedite the paperwork."

"Tomorrow?" he asked, a little surprised.

"Too soon?" she asked nervously. "I just—"

"No, tomorrow sounds perfect," he agreed. "It's the marriage that matters, not the ceremony, and why wait any longer? I don't want to."

"Neither do I," she smiled. "Can we tell Henry now?"

"Of course. And then we should find someone to marry us."

"Granny," she told him immediately.

"Is she certified to officiate?"

"Well if she's not, she has twenty four hours to fix that," she told him, her tone permitting no argument.

He chuckled. "Yes, ma'am. I'll let Granny know as soon as we've told Henry." He reached for her hand, moving toward the back door before he felt her give it a small tug.

"David?"

He turned, not answering with words, but waiting for her to say what was on her mind.

"I'm really happy," she finally said. "Right now in this second, I'm happier than I've been in a long, long time. I wanted you to know that." She leaned forward, bracing her hands against his chest as she stood on her tip toes to kiss him again. "Thank you," she whispered before dropping back down.

He brushed a thumb over the ring on her finger before lifting her hand to kiss it, reveling in the way her eyes watched him as he did, the sunlight giving them a warm glow. "No. Thank you."