Hey guys, here is chapter 25 :) I'm so sorry about the delay but I really hope you like it... We are going to start seeing action...
I have been asked to post an oneshot about their last night (end of chapter 24) and I wrote it. Please, go read. I wrote with much love and you know... go ahead and leave me a review, let me know if you guys liked it. By the way, it is rated M, so don't read if you don't want to! It is called "THIS IS HOW IT IS TO BE LOVED" and you can find it in my profile.
To EvilRegalsTwinnies; you have always great ideas and I'm going to hear you... but you need a little more calm haha ;) We have a long way ahead from now. By the way, thank you so much for reading this story... ;)
To Jcat30; Hey thank you for reviewed me... what about the baby shower? See you around sweet *-*
To CCangel; Glad you liked, I do hope you like what is coming...
To Marina Masterson; I'm always laughing about your reviews... Hope you like this chapter, so please let me know what you think! See you ;) *-* kisses:)
To singingtree54; Thank you so much for your prayers. About the sequel... I already thought about it, but this story is so far to get an end...
To anapcmesquita; Regina is mine, I can do whatever I want with her ok? So she do not want to have a natural delivery (It is what she want... take your own conclusions). You ask me an oneshot.. you got it ;) Lov u ;) My friend, I do hope you have already take advantage of the all fluffy thing because it's going to stop for now...
To itspb1; Hey... so many questions... They all will be answered with time :) Thank you for always reviewing me, my lovely guest ;)
To Ailec-12; Heey my favorite reader... How are you doing? I'm so glad you liked it ;) See ya, hope you like this chapter as always...
To Angelina; Haha Thank you, sweetheart *-* Keep with me ;)
To Gotapenname; Thnk you so much! BUuut you are wrong.. Claire is someone from Fairy Tale. ;) I love seeing you on tumblr ;)
To michele puretachi; Eu também fico ansiosa, maaas você vai gostar do que estar por vir (eu espero *-*). Pois é, nosso Brasil acordou, eu sou de Rondônia e até aqui acordamos haha ;) Um grande abraço! Espero que goste do que está por vir.
To Annie; Thank you for being my beta;) I couldn't do it without you and please, don't forget leaving me a review, I would love to read it ;)
Enjoy it!
CHAPTER 25 – IT'S DAWNING
They wanted to take advantage off being in each other's arms, the kisses from each other, the time lost. They didn't want to split now, and they didn't. Archie didn't go home that night.
Regina didn't know how to handle a situation like this. She had never been loved like this by anyone but she was enjoying every second of it as if it were a dream, a wonderful dream from which she would have to wake up in the morning.
They took every second as if their lives depended on it. They wanted to discover more about each other and know what was going on in the other's mind and heart.
They spent so much time just looking, decorating each line of expression on the face of the other that they didn't even realize how late it was. When they looked at the clock, Regina took him to her bedroom. Archie was anxious and worried at the same time, but both knew it was the right thing.
Nothing could overcome this moment of intimacy. It was night and it seemed they were the only two people in the entire world. They lay, enjoying the comfort offered by the warmth of the other body. There were no words or intentions. They were just happy to be lying next to each other and in that moment, both knew that they wouldn't want to be with anyone else.
They knew they were essentially a bunch of bones and organs and muscles and at the same time, they knew they were much more than that because they met and suddenly everything made sense.
Now, under blankets, they looked at each other, they truly looked at each other and saw the other for what the other was. They were not caring about their position in society or wealth, but only with the person that they fell in love deeply in recent months. Both were clearly nervous, they had things to find out including how to make it work with a pregnant five months belly between them, but they were so sure of what they were doing. Archie wanted Regina. Regina wanted Archie. They never felt so sure about it.
So this is how it is to be loved... and to love…
And then, not for the first time, they fell asleep in each other's arms.
Perdita was the only one not so happy. Archie had taken her place in Regina's bed.
It had been so long since Regina had slept so well, so peaceful.
Regina opened her eyes and was met with Archie's green eyes staring at her. She frowned slightly in confusion. He was staring and smiling.
"Good morning." he whispered.
She opened her eyes a little more to look out the window, checking if it was actually morning. It wasn't. Yet.
"Good morning." she said and closed her eyes, enjoying the tranquility of that moment. "What?" she asked after a few seconds when she opened her eyes and Archie was still there, still staring at her.
"What what?" He frowned.
"You are staring"
He sighed and said "You're beautiful." he smiled when he saw her blushing.
Then she planted a kiss on his lips.
"It's dawning." he observed, when the first rays of light began to invade the room.
With a little effort, Regina was able to turn to the side of the window, getting back to Archie. While she was observing the light from outside she felt Archie's arms involving and pulling her closer to him and then, she smiled.
"It's dawning."
Two weeks had passed. Archie and Regina could say that these last two weeks had been the best time they had ever lived. They took advantage of every moment they had together to get to know each other better and fall in love a little more.
As Regina had requested, they hadn't told anyone about this new phase of their relationship. The truth is that they still didn't know what they were and they weren't going to waste time discussing it.
Regina spent a few nights at Archie's apartment, but unlike before, they spent the night together, talking in bed until they fell asleep. Archie, likewise, spent a few nights at Regina's home.
14 DAYS AGO
So this is how it is to be loved... and to love
"What what?" He frowned.
"You are staring."
He sighed and said "You're beautiful." he smiled when he saw her blushing.
"It's dawning" he observed, when the first rays of light began to invade the room.
"It's dawning."
13 DAYS AGO
"Sorry I'm late." Regina said as she entered the stables.
After the morning practice, David made his way to the police station while Regina and Emma picked Henry up at school.
"What happened?" Emma asked curiously.
"Why?" Regina frowned in confusion.
"You can't stop smiling and you're in an amazing mood today."
"And you could be enjoying my amazing mood and not trying to annoy me." Regina sang the words.
"I take back what I said. I will try to take advantage of your good mood."
They picked Henry up and had lunch with him. Before going to work at City Hall, Regina said she had to get something she had forgotten in Archie's office. She sighed when Henry volunteered to go along.
Henry and Regina made their way to Archie's office. Henry was being pulled by Perdita, who seemed to know exactly where they were going.
Arriving at the apartment, Archie opened the door and a huge smile graced his face as he looked at Regina. A slight blush came over to the two adults.
"Hi!" Regina said.
"Hi Archie, how are you?" The boy smiled happily, wrapping his arms quickly around the older man.
"I'm fine, buddy, and you?"
"I'm fine, I got an A+ on the math test."
"Wow, that is amazing!" He smiled and the boy passed him and ran to the couch, enjoying Pongo's joy.
Archie smiled at Regina, who wrapped him in a hug. She wanted to kiss him, but Henry was sitting right there on the couch and she wouldn't do it in front of the boy. Understanding Regina, Archie pulled her inside the office and closed the door behind him.
They were all sitting in the small kitchen, chatting and joking. Regina was drinking a glass of water when Henry excused himself to go to the bathroom.
Once the boy was out of sight, Regina sank into Archie's arms. They kissed and could feel the smile gracing each other's face. Then he whispered "Hi, beautiful." and he noted her face blushing again.
Still in his arms, the two were frightened when Pongo barked at them as he wagged his tail. Recovering from the brief scare, the two fell out laughing.
When they heard the bathroom door closing, they walked away, returning to the places where they were before. The boy entered the room and looked at her mother and then at Archie. They were strangers and could barely look at each other's eyes.
"What's going on with you?" The boy asked confused.
And for the third time that day, Regina blushed.
10 DAYS AGO
A series of raids were being reported in the city. Someone, for some reason, was raiding several places. The first was City Hall, followed by Mr. Gold's store, Granny's, a workshop and a few houses and some abandoned buildings.
The problem was that nobody knew the reason for these invasions. In every invaded place, nothing was stolen, but each environment from each place had been surveyed as if someone was looking for something.
This night, Regina was at home. The day had been very busy for everyone and she really wanted to rest. She thought about calling Archie and going to his apartment or calling him to come to her house, but gave up.
Regina was in bed, almost asleep when her cell phone rang.
"Good night, girls of my life."
Regina laughed at the text displayed on the mobile screen.
"The girls of your life are saying good night, daddy." and pressed the send key.
A few seconds later the phone rang again.
"You will call me daddy now? How about you just call me Archie and let "Daddy" be just for the girls?
She couldn't stop laughing. She got it. She was part of the 'girls of his life.'
"Good night, bug." she sent and in less than a few seconds from when the reply came.
"Good night, my queen."
And then she was asleep. On such nights, the nightmares never appeared.
7 DAYS AGO
"So, you think they're dating."
"I'm sure. Don't you notice how Archie and mom are happy all the time?" Henry whispered so no one in the restaurant could hear.
"You have a point. Regina is hiding something from me. She doesn't come as early as before and she is smiling all the time." Emma said, frowning in thought.
"I'm saying, I know my mother."
"But don't you think they would have told us?"
The boy shrugged. At this time, Claire appeared in the restaurant. The boy looked at the woman, then turned to Emma and continued to whisper.
"Mom doesn't like her."
"I know, but why? Do you know?"
"No, she's having consultations with Archie." he said. "Who do you think she is?"
"What?"
"In the Enchanted Forest." the boy clarified.
"I don't know."
Then, a huge smile appeared on Emma's face. Definitely, it was a novelty. She didn't know that the woman had been visiting Archie. Obviously, Regina was jealous. Mentally, Emma made a mental note to find out if Regina was jealous of Archie, she would figure it out very soon.
"What?" The boy asked.
"What?" she asked confused.
"You're smiling, what are you thinking?"
"Nothing." she smiled.
6 DAYS AGO
"So I was thinking... what are we?"
"How so?" Regina frowned in confusion.
"I... we only... are we dating?" He took all the courage he had to ask. "It's just that I-"
"I... I don't know, Archie. We just..." Regina was stuttering. Regina never stutters. She was uncomfortable, he knew.
"Sorry, Regina, I didn't want to press you."
"No, that's not it, Archie. It's just that... just that I'm not very good with relationships, I... we can't just stay like this?" she offered hopefully.
"This is great for me." he said not wanting to bother the woman.
He planted a kiss on her lips and smiled. When she was almost asleep, he said "you know, I love having you in my arms and being able to spend more time with you... and with them." he said rubbing her rounded belly.
"Us too." It was all she said before falling into a peaceful sleep, safe in her love's arms. Love? He was it for her? Her love? She didn't know if she could confirm this, but she felt good that way.
5 DAYS AGO
Regina was coming to Archie's office, Henry and Perdita running in front of her. Before she could knock on the door, it swung open, revealing Archie and Claire. She was leaving.
"So I'll see you after tomorrow" the man said, opening the door so the woman could pass.
"I'll wait eagerly." she replied and only then the two realized the people who were at the door.
The frown on Regina's face was huge.
"Hello, Henry! How are you?" The woman greeted.
"I'm fine, thanks!" He replied and passed the woman. "Hi Archie." he said hugging the man.
"Hi, Henry, I didn't know you were coming." He replied, looking at Regina.
"Madam Mayor, how are your babies?" Claire asked with a smirk crossing her face.
"They are great." The woman said sharply.
"And you? How are you?"
"I was better before" she said and passed the woman "have a nice day" and then turned around, passing the door and closing it behind the beautiful redhead with long hair.
She let out a groan of anger when she entered. Both Archie and Henry looked concerned. They both knew that she was angry. Henry looked at Archie, widened his eyes and shrugged showing that he didn't know the reason for this explosion. The boy ran to the couch.
"So will you tell me what just happened at the door?" Archie said.
"What?"
"That, Regina. I know you don't like Miss Bennet, but you didn't need to treat her badly. She was just wondering how you were" he explained.
Regina snorted again, incredulously. Doesn't he see the front put up by that woman? Is he so blind to not realize the woman is hitting on him, even knowing that he will have two children soon? Then she stopped, stared and looked at Archie.
"What?" he asked confused.
"Archie, she knows that these babies are your babies?" she asked, trying to control the pang of anger and jealousy she was feeling. No. I'm not jealous of Archie.
"Of course, Regina. I think the whole town knows that" he replied in exasperation. "Wait, what's the point here?" He asked, not understanding what that had to do with the whole situation between the women.
"Nothing."
Both slept alone that night. Regina angry and Archie uncomprehendingly.
3 DAYS AGO
The town's library was raided. As before, all the places were searched and nothing was stolen.
"People are getting mad." Emma admitted to David, both sitting in the police station.
"We have to find who is invading these places and what that person wants, Emma."
"I know."
Regina was sitting on Archie's couch. If she did that until the end of this pregnancy, he would have to buy a new couch, one more comfortable for her, he thought. Her back was on a pile of pillows and legs in a puff. Archie was massaging her swollen feet and Henry was reading something at her side.
"Ouch." she jumped a little and was greeted by two pairs of watchful eyes.
"That hurts, Regina? I'm sorry, I didn't think I was using so much force." he said, feeling guilty and looking at her face.
"It isn't that, Archie. They kicked." she said rubbing her belly.
At the same moment, the two men were at her side, talking, stroking and waiting for any movement. Not that they needed it to move. In recent weeks, especially in recent days, they were very active and their kicks were getting really strong. It was almost impossible not to feel them moving.
"Oh my God!" Henry almost cried when he saw a wave in Regina's belly.
"Henry, get the camera, we need to record it." Archie said with wide eyes.
Regina pulled up her shirt to the edge just below her breasts. Her belly was showing. Archie and Henry were almost falling over her, eager and amazed with every visible movement. Visible and sometimes painful, Regina thought.
1 DAY AGO
Henry woke at dawn from another nightmare, this was different from all the others. For the first time it had no Cora, but it was still terrifying.
The boy made his way to Emma's room and asked to go to his mother's house. She sighed in defeat knowing that she couldn't get the idea out of the boy's head.
After entering the house as silent as ever and being followed by Emma, they made their way through the stairs toward Regina's bedroom. Henry opened the door as quietly as possible and encountered two dogs curled asleep on the carpet. Two Dalmatians. Two? Pongo? What is Pongo doing here?
So, ignoring the presence of the dog, he made his way toward his mom's bed. The only light in the room came from outside, flashes of light passing through the window. Just then he looked at the bed and took a fright. He almost shouted. Almost. He put his hand on his mouth to make sure no sound came out.
Archie was in his mother's bed. Regina was lying in his arms. Her head was resting on his shoulder, mouth slightly open and her hands resting on his chest. Archie had his arms around Regina, holding her close to him. One of his hands, resting on her belly.
With wide eyes and trying to avoid making any kind of noise, the boy turned and found Emma keeping a little behind the door, she hadn't seen what he had seen.
When Emma noticed Henry's eyes widened, she tried asking questions, but was interrupted by Henry putting a finger on his lips in a silence signal and pushed the woman out of the room, closing the door behind him.
"Henry, what is it? She isn't there?" Emma asked, her eyes widening as much as Henry, if possible.
"Shhh, speak low!" The boy warned and got a shrug from Emma and a look asking for explanations. "Archie is there... there on mom's bed."
And, as if it were possible, Emma's eyes widened even more and her mouth opened in disbelief.
"You mean in bed, in bed? He's in there with Regina?" The woman asked in disbelief.
"Uh-huh." the boy nodded "let's go before they wake up."
Still speechless, Emma only did what the boy said.
Later that day.
"So they're dating." the blonde woman admitted trying to convince herself.
"I told you."
"But why don't they tell us?"
"I don't know, maybe they want to keep it a secret?" The boy offered.
"Maybe."
"We can't tell mom." the boy said a little insecure.
"No!" Emma almost shouted "We won't tell, right?" Emma asked. The two were completely lost and Emma felt like a child.
They kept talking, trying to forget the image Henry saw.
"... and then mom almost shouted at her, she was furious." Henry was telling Emma what happened when Regina met with Claire at Archie's office.
"But you said she did nothing."
"And she didn't, she just asked how mom was and how the babies were and then mom was furious. After that, Archie and mother were estranged."
"Hm..." Emma whispered and smiled. She had no doubt. Regina was jealous of Archie. Who would say it? I knew it! Regina was hiding something, but this? She'll enjoy it! She'll play a game of indirectness with Regina, Regina likes this game. It will be her turn to be on the other side.
The hospital was invaded and along with it, Regina's "secret place" was discovered.
TODAY
After the uproar of the last day, the whole town was a mess. Mr. Gold was more than angry because "finding" the "secret place" in the hospital, they could see the names of everyone who had once been imprisoned. And then he saw a cell where the name of his beloved was written on the door. Belle. He was furious with Regina.
The day was troubled. Many people asked questions to Regina and other desperate people asked questions to David and Emma. There had no training this morning and would probably have no training for the next few days, not until they find who was responsible for the invasions.
Mr. Gold fought with Regina in public and the fight only came to an end because Belle appeared and interrupted. Sidney Glass was another. And, when she was making her way home, in the afternoon, she still had to deal with Claire dropping hints and joking about her.
Not this time. She almost went to the woman's neck if it wasn't for Henry pulling her and calming her down. And, to get a conclusion, Archie and Snow spent the day together in search of a solution to calm the city and quiet people.
It was the most stressful day for Regina in the last months. She was furious with herself and with the unknown person who was causing the commotion in the city. She ended up fighting with Emma, Claire, Mr. Gold, Sidney and Spencer, the former King George, and all this in just one day. She also got into a discussion with Archie because of her safety.
She was exhausted and angry. She just wanted this chaotic day to end soon. She asked Henry to sleep at Emma's house that night.
It was night and the whole town was asleep. Regina spent the last four hours lying in bed, stuck in a deep sleep. It was around 2am when she heard a noise in the bottom of the house. Awaking from her sleepy state, she looked at the clock and the dog sleeping in her bed and smiled. She knew it was Henry, who else? In a childish moment, she decided to get out of bed and surprise the boy, giving him a little scare.
She got up and opened the door, but was met by silence and darkness. Wondering why the boy hadn't yet appeared in the corridor, she made her way silently being followed by Perdita, preparing to give a scare to the boy, but he didn't appear, nor Emma. Weird.
Realizing that they should have already appeared, she called the boy's name and then Emma's. No answer came. So, fear consumed her. She was alone in this huge house, she got a lot of angry people in the same day, she was pregnant and without magic. Damn!
She ran back to her room and locked the door, resting her back against the door, sighing with relief. Suddenly, a noise reached the door and her heart soared again. She turned to the door and took a few steps back, breathing loudly and her eyes wide. So Regina could hear Perdita's exalted barking on the other side of the door. She looked at the bed and smiled to herself. It was just the dog, Regina had left her outside the room when she ran scared and locked the door.
Soon as she let the relief take care of her, a strong arm wrapped around her and a cloth was placed over her mouth and nose. She tried to fight and struggle, but the person was stronger and something was wrong. She was feeling dizzy and weak. The only sounds she could hear were her moans, an exasperated breath on her neck and the desperate barking of her dog. Her arms were weakening, her vision was blurring, and then her legs gave way. The darkness engulfed her.
I know you are going to kill me because I stopped it here... buut we all need a bit of thriller... Don't you think?
What you thought about this chapter?
Don't forget to go read my oneshot based on the last chapter ;) See you.
Bárbara