Wowwww Chapter 20, I didn't think this fic would be this long. Thank you all for still reading and reviewing!
And so it begins...Don't hate me. Let me know what y'all think xoxo
"Regina, honey," David laughed under his breath as he stood in the doorway of their room with their morning coffee, regular in one hand and her decaf in the other as he watched her fighting the zipper of her dress in the mirror, "I don't think you can wear that one anymore."
Her eyes snapped up at him in the reflection, instantly letting him know that was the wrong thing to say to her. Their chocolate depths narrowed considerably as he shifted, bracing himself for the wrath of her temper that was aligned with a very short fuse these days. She was six months along now, her belly rounding out considerably and deeming most of her clothes unfitting. He'd tried to get her to order maternity clothing, but she was being stubborn and found fault with everything he suggested. She was a vain little thing, and her growing belly was not something she adjusted to easily.
"Yes, I can, I just can't reach it by myself," She gritted, "Quit standing there judging and come help me!"
He sighed, setting the coffees down on their dresser before making his way over to stand behind her at the mirror, "I'm not judging you, Regina. I just think it's time you give up on regular clothing and buy some maternity pieces."
"I will not wear those stretchable monstrosities, David," She gasped as if he'd suggested to the queen she wear peasant clothing itself. "Are you saying I need to? Do you think I'm fat now?" She glared at him in the mirror as he attempted to zip the back of her dress, looking at her hesitantly as it still gaped widely around her waist where her stomach protruded.
"Take a deep breath," He raised an eyebrow at her in warning, "You're being irrational, I never called you fat."
"Oh! Now I'm irrational because I want to wear my own clothes and not some god awful maternity tent?!" She snapped, throwing her hands into the air before storming over to her closet. He stood still, watching her tantrum lose momentum as she grabbed articles of clothing off hangers and threw them on the floor. She was losing steam, thank goodness. At least nothing had been burned this time.
"Oh fuck this," She huffed, twirling a hand in the air and erupting in purple smoke, David seeing her clad in a sleek, fitted black sweater dress when the clouds dissipated. She turned sideways and sighed at herself in the mirror before turning back to look at him with a pout on her lips, "I'm sorry," She offered, shifting her eyes to the side so she wouldn't have to look at him.
He let out a chuckle at her sudden guilt over the way she'd lost her temper, finding it amusing how she could go from fiery evil queen to softhearted Regina even faster than usual with the elevated pregnancy emotions. "You look gorgeous," David said as he closed the distance between them, leaning down to kiss her for a long moment.
"You don't have to say that," She sighed when he pulled away, "I feel like such a bitch. I'm snapping at you one minute then making you comfort me the next. I say I'm happy about this baby but I'm complaining when I get bigger, I'm so selfish. What kind of mother am I going to be?" She looked up at him with watery brown eyes. Oh god, she was extra emotional this morning. They were going to be late for work again.
"Regina, it's completely normal," He wrapped his arms around her reassuringly, "Your body is going through a lot right now. You are and will be an amazing mother, Regina. In fact, I swear Neal looked disappointed this morning when I got him out of his crib instead of you," He added to lighten the mood, seeing a smile threatening to curl her lips.
"Did you already take him to Belle's?" She nodded with a sigh, pulling away from him to slip on a pair of heels, making David frown at the height of them. Another thing she was being stubborn over.
"Yeah I knew you were in the shower and running late, otherwise I would've brought him in to say bye for the day," David nodded, tuning to his own side of the bed to grab his belt and finish getting ready for work, "You need anything before I head to the station?"
"I don't think so, thank you," She glanced at him with an apologetic expression for how she'd just acted, "Don't forget we're meeting everyone for dinner at Granny's tonight."
"I'll meet you there," David nodded, clasping his belt and putting his gun on his hip, "See you this evening," He smiled with a tap of his hand on the doorframe as he went out, stopping for a moment to glance at her, "Love you."
"I don't know why," She said playfully with a roll of her eyes before smiling when he wouldn't go unless she said it back, his tall frame still lingering in the doorway, "Love you, too." She shook her head, watching him leave with a satisfied grin on his face.
David smiled to himself after pulling into a parking spot in town and checking his phone, seeing Regina had text him to say they were all at the diner already. They'd resorted to having their Wednesday night family dinner's at Granny's now that her pregnancy was further along, even though she insisted she could still cook. He wouldn't have it though, not after she insists on still wearing those damn high heels and working a full day at her office. He sure as hell wasn't letting her come home and prepare a full meal for six people.
He looked forward to weekly gatherings with his entire family, reveling in having them all in one place. Emma was busy with planning a wedding ceremony for later in the summer, after suggesting she wait until Regina had the baby so they could all enjoy it fully. Henry was increasingly involved with school and his friends, and a certain dark haired girl who he couldn't seem to stop texting. David knew their friendship was turning into a first love, which was a source of contention for Regina, having to accept that her 'little boy' was a full blown teenager.
Putting his phone back into his pocket he got out of his truck, making his way down the sidewalk towards the diner until he caught a glance of someone pass across the alley behind it. He couldn't ignore the way goosebumps had broken out on his arms at the build of the person and the color of their hair and complexion. He'd only seen a glance of them, but it was enough to give him chills.
He felt an uneasy gnawing in the pit of his stomach, his intuition telling him that something wasn't just right as he put a hand over his gun holstered to his waist. Starting down the ally he heard a laugh that made him swallow hard, causing him to walk faster. What in the hell was happening? Rounding the back corner of the building he came to a dead stop, his heart thumping in his ears, feeling light headed.
"David," Snow turned to him in a sing-songy voice, a bright but empty smile appearing over her features, "I've been looking everywhere for you!" She exclaimed as she bounded towards him. He took a step back, fear creeping through him. This couldn't be real, he'd watched her die. They'd buried her a over a year ago now.
She latched onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek in her typical, cheerful manner, "I know you must be confused, David," She whispered, pulling back to look up at him.
He stared down at her in utter shock, trying to process this, wondering if he'd been in an accident and was in a coma, or simply dreaming. Anything to explain why his dead wife was now in front of him. He could feel her against him, her cool hands cusping the back of his neck. She looked and felt exactly like Snow White, but something was off. David swallowed hard, watching her for a few moments as she looked up at him with her wide, innocent eyes. They were different, darker and without the sparkle that they usually carried. "This isn't real," David muttered, pushing her back from him gently and running a hand over his face, closing his eyes in hopes when he opened him she would be gone.
"I am real, David," She assured him, putting a hand back on his arm and causing his eyes to fly open again, "I came back for you, I saw what was going on here and I just couldn't take it," Her eyes brimmed with tears.
"I don't understand you're...you're dead," He said with a frown, beginning to tremble slightly as the panic crept up in him. Something definitely wasn't right. She looked exactly like his late wife, sounded exactly like her, but something was off. She was gone. He watched Snow's mouth turn into a pout before her eyes glinted darker as she seemed to realize his suspicions.
"This could've been so much more pleasant, David," She sighed, a dream-catcher similar to the ones he'd seen in Emma's shed appearing in her hand before everything went black.
"Here, appetizer on me," Granny said with a grin as she set the plate of cheese fries in front of Regina, swatting Emma's hand away when she reached to take one, "They're for the pregnant lady, girl." She chided the blonde with a hand on her hip.
Emma's mouth dropped, causing Regina to chuckle and slide the plate towards the middle of the table for the both of them, "Thank you Granny, but I can share."
"Well that's a first," The older lady jested over glasses before clucking her way back to the counter, making them both laugh.
The diner was full and noisy, as most of the town people had made their way out for dinner. Regina glanced around, marveling in the way they had come to accept her as one of their own. She remembered when her mere presence struck fear and hatred into the hearts of these people, and now they treated her like she was an old friend. She'd never been one for all of the hope and forgiveness crap, but these people had found their way into her heart. Of course, she always went back and forth with Grumpy, but it lacked the bite that it had before. He respected her now, she could tell, and even though they still argued about those damn potholes, it was less vicious. Robin and the Merry Men had even kept a respectful distance, spending most of their time on the outskirts of Storybrooke at their camp, and being cordial when they came to town.
"I think Neal wants one," Emma mused at the little boy chattering away in his own baby language from the high chair beside Regina's own seat. She laughed, taking a fry and cutting it into pieces for Neal before putting them on his tray. She'd picked him up from Belle's on her way to the diner, she and David taking turns on who got him each day, and today had been hers. She looked forward to seeing him and had missed her usual goodbye kiss to him that morning, so she'd been extra eager to pick him up, even leaving her office twenty minutes early to do so.
"Charming still not here?" Killian asked as he made his way back from the jukebox where he had been helping Henry pick songs, sliding a seat out beside Emma's and sitting down, "Aye mate," He grinned, roughing up Neal's hair, causing the baby to grin.
"Not yet," Emma smiled, "What's the matter? Did Henry no longer need your assistance?" She asked, glancing over to see Henry and a girl giggling at the jukebox.
"That he didn't," Killian mused with a grin, "That lass walked up and I no longer existed," He chuckled as Regina turned her head to see who they were talking about, her eyes squinting in slight disapproval at Henry and the girl flirting.
"Henry is too young to start dating already," Regina said when she turned back to Emma and Killian, "Can we all agree on that?"
"Listen with my track record, I can't very well go preaching to Henry that he's too young," The blonde raised a brow at her, "I did have him when I was 18."
"And weren't ye sneaking around with your stable boy as a teen?" Killian questioned Regina.
"Not until I was 17, I'll have you know," She narrowed her eyes at the pirate, "And it was perfectly innocent," She glanced him up and down once with disdain, "I won't have my son acting like a young Hook, I know how you were."
Killian let out a laugh when Emma nudged him to stop egging Regina on, "I'm just saying, the kid likes the girl, let's not give him a rough time," He said, waving the white flag with his words.
"But boundaries and rules are still important," Regina countered, looking at Emma who agreed with a nod.
"Aye, ye know you might not be the best one to be preaching responsibility to the lad," Hook couldn't help but add with a nod towards Regina's baby bump, "With yer little Charming bun in the oven there," He grinned, teasing Regina though she found no humor in it.
"What's this? Parenting advice from the One-Handed Wonder?" Regina crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at the sheriff when she laughed at the both of them.
"Couldn't resist that one, Queen," Killian offered in apology with a smile that made the brunette roll her eyes again.
"There's Dad coming, finally," Emma nodded towards the door seeing David through the window on the diner path, causing a smile to replace Regina's irritated expression.
Granny's door burst open with a little more gusto than normal, bells jingling loudly and making most in the diner glance up. David stood in the doorway breathlessly, scanning the restaurant with a cagey expression, as if he didn't know what was going on. Worried frowns found both Regina and Emma's faces as they shared an unknowing glance before looking back to him as he stood, still yet to say anything.
An uneasy feeling crept up in Regina as she pushed her chair back, standing up from the table, "David, we're over here," She waved as she made her way over to him, reaching for his hand as she leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek in hopes of calming him down. Panic rose in her as he jerked away before her lips made contact, removing his hand from her own like she was crazy for attempting to touch him.
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked, a bewildered expression playing on his face, "Why are you all just sitting here?" David glanced around, addressing the dwarves at the table nearest him and the rest of the townspeople, "You know, you have some nerve showing up here," He turned his attention back to Regina, glaring down at her.
She swallowed hard, her mind reeling, "David, what's gotten into you?" She whispered, reaching for him again only to make him recoil once more, "What's happened?"
"What's gotten into me?" He let out a laugh with wide eyes, throwing his hands in the air in an obvious state of frustration, "Who the hell do you think you are Madam Mayor? What have you done to everyone to make them suddenly forget the curse that just had them rioting at your door yesterday?" David spoke vehemently, every trace of love and adoration that had been in his eyes this morning replaced with coldness and hatred.
"Dad," Emma stepped forward then, trying to intervene on the scene unfolding in front of half of the town. Henry followed before Killian put a hand on his shoulder, motioning him to stay back and let his mothers handle this.
"Emma!" David's eyes widened, his expression a combination of shock and relief at the same time, "How did you get back? Where's Mary Margaret?"
Emma exchanged a worried look with Regina before stepping up to David, "Dad, what do you think is going on?"
"Where is Snow?! Did she not make it back?" Anguish gripped his features as he searched Emma's with questions, "I just had the hat this morning, I was trying to find a way to get the two of you back!"
"He's talking about when I opened the portal with the Mad Hatter's hat and you were pulled in and Snow followed," Regina explained in a low voice, trying to keep the conversation as private as possible regardless of the onlookers. Her stomach turned at the realization of the time David thought he was currently in, remembering the look in his eyes. It was over three years ago, when the curse had broken and everyone had just found out Regina had cursed them to Storybrooke. Everyone still hated her, in David's mind, as did he. Especially now, since he thought it had just happened and that Regina was responsible for Snow still being missing.
"Dad, that was years ago," Emma tried explaining to him as she put a hand on his arm, "Please calm down and we can explain everything," She nodded, giving a glance to Regina who stood by quietly, her face pale.
"What are you talking about?! She just had me strapped to a goddamn wall!" He yelled, pointing a finger at Regina before looking at the people in the diner, "You all know what she did why are you just sitting here? You were trying to burn her at the stake two days ago! Now where is Mary Margaret?!" His frustration grew as he looked around, not understanding the confused expressions and pitying glances the people were giving towards the Evil Queen, who stood there in silence.
"Dad, I don't know what has happened but you seemed to have lost years of your memories," Emma attempted again, "That happened over three years ago, a lot has changed since then. Mom is...mom is gone," She swallowed hard at how her father's expression sank in despair as he ran his hands through his hair, glancing over at Regina who hung her head, "You're with Regina now and that's your baby," She said firmly, looking him in the eyes honestly when he lifted his head to meet her gaze. Emma desperately hoped that telling him this would jog some sort of memory, though she had no clue what they were dealing with.
"What kind of sick joke is this?" David breathed heavily, looking towards Regina, his eyes widening when his gaze met her protruding baby bump, "I would never be with that woman!" He yelled, his face red with fury and eyes distraught.
"David, it's me," Regina stepped forward then as her emotions got the best of her, tears streaming down her cheeks when she looked up at him pleadingly, "She's telling you the truth," She reached for his hand in desperation, pressing it to her bump.
"Don't touch me!" He snapped at her, pulling his hand away quickly, glancing her up and down with a bewildered look, obviously wondering how her appearance could change so much. David began walking backwards towards the door of the diner, his face contorted with desperate confusion as he tried to make sense of it all. His eyes wandered one last time over the diner, seeing the Evil Queen standing solemnly with a hurt look of rejection, Emma's grim expression, Henry and the rest of the townspeople staring at him with pained looks. He turned suddenly, storming out of the diner, prompting Regina to try to follow.
"Regina, no," Emma stepped forward, catching her arm gently, "I don't think that's a good idea right now. Whatever happened to him, it took his memories, as far as he's concerned you're still the Evil Queen," She bit her lip at the pained look on the brunette's face, "I'll go try to talk to him and find out what happened, okay? We'll get to the bottom of this, I promise," She looked at her in earnest before glancing back as Granny stepped forward.
"I've got her, girl, go on," The wolf nodded, coming up beside Regina and wrapping an arm around her waist. "I'll get her home safe."
"Mom, let me go with you, he'll believe us better if it's coming from both of us," Henry insisted, running to catch up with Emma who gave him a hesitant look before nodding once. They both disappeared through the diner door, leaving nothing but the sound of the bells ringing with the movement and a broken Regina, oblivious to everything around her except the familiar feeling of heartbreak.