More Than She Wanted
-Thanksgiving:
As Thanksgiving arrives, all of Storybrooke is covered in a thick layer of snow, and frost makes the air ice cold.
Regina puts a finishing touch on her makeup, and gives her hair one last brushing before she braids it. A hairstyle she hasn't sported since a very long time ago in the Enchanted Forest.
When she's finished braiding her hair, she stands up in front of the full figure mirror. She's wearing a black dress that ends just above her knee. The dress shows off a bit of cleavage, but nothing too outrageous. The necklace Mal gave her on their wedding day is resting nicely in the valley between her breasts, and the massive gemstone feels very warm despite the cold air.
Regina smoothens the dress and rests her hands on her still-growing baby bump. The twins have already kicked several times today, and Regina is positive that they're only just getting started. Not that she minds of course, oh no, feeling her daughters kick is the most wonderful feeling in the world, and Regina relishes in the feeling of every single kick.
The brunette shakes her head and sends the long braid tumbling over her shoulder. She wonders whether she can pull this hairstyle of or not. She hasn't worn her hair like this since she was twenty something. Maybe she's too old.
,,Beautiful."
Regina turns around to find her wife lurking in the door, and the brunette gets a distinct feeling that she has been standing there for a while.
,,It's not nice to startle a pregnant woman. Do you want me to go into early labors?" she questions as she puts on a pair of golden earrings that matches the necklace perfectly.
,,I'm sorry," Mal says rather unapologetic. ,,But you do look beautiful."
,,Why thank you, I try my very best," Regina quips as Mal wraps her arms around her waist and rests her hands on her baby bump.
,,You do realize you don't have to work very hard to look beautiful, don't you?" Mal questions and presses a soft kiss to her neck.
,,Oh stop it."
Maleficent toys with her braid and hums in appreciation.
,,What?" Regina asks and raises an eyebrow.
,,I like the hair," Maleficent says and presses another kiss to her neck. ,,Reminds me of the first time I saw you."
Regina chuckles warmly and reaches back to give Mal's shoulder a soft squeeze.
,,We better get going. We promised Snow and David to be there at five o'clock exactly.
Maleficent only reluctantly let's go of Regina.
Since the weather is very cold at the moment they decide to drive instead of walking to the Charming residence. A very good idea since Regina's ankles are quite swollen right now.
But a short drive later, they are forced to park the Mercedes a little away from the Charming house. Patches of ice has made it impossible to park right outside the house. Emma's yellow bug are parked there as well, so she and Killian has apparently already arrived at the Charming's house.
Regina and Maleficent gets out of the car and Maleficent doesn't let go of Regina's arm for one second as they walk the short distance to the Charming residence. The dragon fears that Regina will slip and fall on the slippery ice. Which could easily happen, since Regina can't see her feet anymore.
,,How are you feeling?" the dragon questions as they walk in the cold air.
,,Very well, thank you. How are you feeling?" Regina teases and flashes her wife a cheeky smile.
,,Wonderful," Mal says and grins. ,,I'm with you."
,,I do believe you're being silly again, my darling," Regina points out.
,,So I am." Mal says and feigns being deeply sorry.
,,For a fire breathing creature, you are very tame," Regina chuckles, and Mal instantly mock sneers at her.
,,I would be careful with throwing remarks like those at me," she warns and growls.
,,What are you gonna do, eat me?" Regina teases.
,,No," Maleficent scoffs. ,,But I am gonna clip your wrists to the headboard and make you beg for hours."
,,Please," Regina says dryly. ,,You would never leave me untouched for an hour. You don't have that much willpower."
,,Watch it," Maleficent growls, and Regina laughs in her face.
They've almost reached the Charming residence when Mal gently grabs Regina's elbow and guides her away from the house.
,,What do you want, dragon?" Regina asks teasingly.
,,A moment in private with my wife before I have to act civilized an entire night."
Regina looks around. They are shockingly alone at the moment.
,,I think we're alone right now," she purrs huskily.
,,I do believe you're right, my darling."
,,Did you have anything special in mind?" Regina asks innocently and bats her eyes at her wife.
,,As a matter fact.." Mal doesn't finish the sentence; she simply wraps her arms around Regina and pulls her closer until she can capture her lips in a tender kiss.
Regina smiles into the kiss and clasps her fingers around Mal's neck. The dragon sighs contended and presses her warm palms into Regina's shoulders.
If it is coincidence, then it's one hell of a coincidence, but the babies starts kicking when Regina and Maleficent kiss each other, and Maleficent chuckles a little and her left hand leaves Regina's shoulder to caress her baby bump tenderly instead.
Regina can't help but to throw her arms around her wife's neck and kiss her properly. A deep, tender, "I need you right now"-kiss.
Maleficent responds to the kiss with the same eagerness and her hands leaves Regina's stomach to cup her face and gently brush her fingertips against the brunette's cheekbones.
And then their tender moment is interrupted by the smallest member of the Charming family who tugs at Regina's coat to get her attention.
Regina and Mal breaks the kiss, and Regina looks down at Neal who is still holding a onto a handful of her coat.
'llo," Neal babbles, and Regina guess that means "hello"
Maleficent sniggers a bit breathless. ,,Now there's an interruption."
Regina is about to answer her wife when she realizes that Snow and David is watching them from the porch.
,,Sorry," David says and shakes his head. ,,I tried to stop him."
,,It's alright," Regina assures and flashes Neal a beaming smile. ,,Hello there, little man."
Neal immediately stretches his chubby arms up towards Regina. ,,Up, up," the toddler demands.
Regina shakes her head in sadness. ,,I can't lift you right now, little man. I'm sorry."
,,But I can lift you," Mal offers and crouches down. ,,How about that, huh?"
Neal quickly forgets all about Regina and stretches his arms out towards Mal. ,,Up, up!"
Maleficent chuckles and scoops Neal up.
,,The oh so scary Mistress of all Evil carrying a toddler," David quips when the two sorceress enters the Charming house.
,,David!" Snow laughs and shakes her head. ,,I'm sorry he interrupted you," she adds and glances towards Neal. ,,He got away from us."
,,It's fine," Regina says and blushes a little. ,,I think we were done anyway so.."
,,I don't think we were," Maleficent interjects. ,,But between you and me, I don't think we ever will be."
Regina doesn't get the chance to throw a crass remark at her wife before they are interrupted by Zelena, who comes into the hall with Robyn on her hip.
,,Well, well, if it isn't my pregnant little sister. You are positively glowing, dear."
Regina opens her mouth to argue with that ridiculous statement, but is interrupted again. This time by Maleficent.
,,Yes, isn't she?" the dragon says proudly and flashes Regina a beaming smile.
,,Now you're just embarrassing me," Regina says awkwardly.
Mal sets Neal down on the floor, and Snow beams when the dragon helps Regina out of her coat. The pixie haired woman seems to nearly hit the roof every time the couple show affection in public.
,,Well, do come in, ladies," David says and show Mal and Regina into the living room where Emma and Killian are already seated on the couch.
,,Hey," Emma says and flashes the couple a smile when they approach.
,,I do believe the Madam Mayor is about to pop," Killian chuckles and glances towards Regina's enormous baby bump.
,,Not yet. I'm only seven months along," Regina shrugs and measures the couch with her eyes. Snow and Charming's couch is very low and stuffed with cushions. This should be interesting. How is she even gonna sit down in that thing? Maybe she should just stand up.
,,Do you need a hand?" Maleficent offers quietly.
,,Yes, as a matter of fact I do," Regina confirms with a sigh.
The two women joins forces, and by some miracle, and a great amount of help from Mal, Regina actually manages to sit down. Not that it didn't cost her anything. She's panting a little when she leans back against the cushions.
,,Alright?" Maleficent asks and sits down next to her wife.
,,Mmhm. Fine." Regina nods and exhales deeply.
,,That looked bloody difficult," Killian observes.
,,Yes well, you should try and carry twins," Regina quips, and Henry sniggers.
,,How are the little dragons doing today?" the teenager asks and gives Regina's round stomach a light pat.
,,For the last time, they are not little dragons. They are human babies," Regina sternly corrects her son.
,,Why can't I call them little dragons?" Henry pouts. ,,You call yourself "the Mother of Dragons"!"
Regina ignores Emma's snigger. ,,That was just a joke between me and Lily because she watches that television show."
,,Game of Thrones?" Emma suggests nonchalantly.
,,Yes, exactly."
,,Are there dragons in that television show?" Mal asks, immediately interested.
,,Yes." Regina confirms.
,,Are they scarier than me?"
,,Definitely," Emma says flatly.
Maleficent sneers. ,,You're lying, Savior!"
,,Actually, she isn't," Regina says and rubs her belly. ,,They are scary. And not very pretty either."
,,I didn't realize dragons could be pretty, mom," Henry chuckles.
Regina shrugs and fiddles with the massive gemstone on her chest.
Maleficent still looks a little dissatisfied. ,,So, no one in this room finds me scary anymore?"
,,No." both Emma, Killian, Zelena and Henry says, and Snow and Charming yells "no!" from the kitchen.
Maleficent sighs dramatically. ,,I've really lost my fire."
Regina chuckles. ,,Well dear, you could leave me and concentrate on being a mighty fearful dragon instead."
,,You know what, I think I'm very comfortable with being the tamest dragon there ever was," Mal says quickly and winces at the word leave.
,,I thought so," Regina says teasingly.
Zelena looks interested at the red gemstone resting on Regina's chest. ,,Is that a real flame in Regina's necklace?" she asks Maleficent.
,,Yes it is," Maleficent confirms. ,,The flickering flame is symbolizing the dragon's heartbeat."
,,How sweet," Killian says and winks at Regina.
,,Do all dragons have such a necklace?" Zelena inquires.
,,Yes," Mal nods. ,,Every dragon gets a necklace to give to whoever they chose to spend their life with."
Emma smiles broadly at Regina.
,,Who knew dragon traditions were so sentimental?" Regina says dryly.
In that moment, Snow and David announces that dinner is ready, and Mal promptly helps Regina up, and they all head into the kitchen where the table is set. A giant, fried turkey with stuffing is the centerpiece on the table.
Maleficent once again demonstrates her old fashioned manners and pulls Regina's chair out for her. Regina doesn't comment on it, she simply accepts Mal's help to sit down, and then the brunette sighs. Her stomach is very much in the way, and she can't see her damn plate. She has to push the plate away just a little in order to be able to eat properly. Pregnancy is difficult.
Snow pours red wine for the guests, and Regina groans silently. She dearly misses drinking wine.
When Snow reach Mal, the dragon puts a hand over her glass and shakes her head.
,,Why aren't you drinking?" Regina questions.
,,Solidarity, my darling."
Emma also refuses her mother's offer of wine, and the little, secretive smile she shares with Killian, makes Regina raise an eyebrow. Clearly, there's something the Savior hasn't told yet.
Emma locks eyes with Regina for a moment, and the blonde savior nods in affirmative and puts a finger on her lip. Regina nods understandingly. She's more than willing to keep Emma's sweet secret until the Savior is ready to announce it herself.
David cuts the turkey, and they all clink their glasses together and digs into the food. But halfway through the dinner, Regina is forced to excuse herself to the bathroom. Again. It's the seventh time she has to use the bathroom today.
She's definitely not gonna miss that part of being pregnant, she muses to herself as she washes her hands and quickly checks her appearance. She pushes a few stray hairs behind her ear and makes sure the braid is still sitting in place. Then she smoothens her dress over the prominent baby bump. She is immediately greeted by a light kick at the contact, and Regina smiles fondly and rubs her stomach. Her daughters kick again, and Regina is sure she can feel a foot press against her hand. Or maybe it's a tiny little fist. Or two.
Regina leaves the bathroom and re-enters the dining room. Maleficent immediately looks up, and the way her eyes lights up at the sight of her, is still enough to make Regina's knee buckle slightly. Mal looks at her with so much warmth and tenderness, and Regina silently wonders whether it's allowed to be so much in love.
,,Could you be a little less obvious, Mal?" Zelena questions the dragon and sniggers at the expression on her face.
,,No," Maleficent says plainly and continues to stare at Regina.
Killian chuckles. ,,That's one soft dragon you've got there, Madam Mayor."
,,Actually, she's pretty scaly," Regina jokes as she sits down next to her wife.
,,I can't really argue with that, can I?"
The dinner proceeds, and despite it being a very big turkey, it doesn't take them long to eat it, and once they've finished dinner, David offers to clear the table and clean the dishes, so Snow, Emma, Killian, Zelena and Maleficent and Regina goes back into the living room where Regina once again needs her wife's help to sit down.
,,Cushion?" Maleficent offers kindly.
,,Yes, thank you," Regina says and places the pillow behind her back. There. Much better.
Neal squirm on his mother's lap, and Snow sighs heavily and sets the toddler on the floor.
,,I think he's overtired," the pixie haired woman sighs.
Overtired or not, Neal seems very determined, and he promptly wobbles over to Maleficent and demands her attention.
Maleficent does her very best to keep Neal entertained, but the toddler keeps tugging at her trouser leg, and in the end, the dragon leaves her spot next to Regina and sits down on the floor with Neal instead.
,,Watch this, little man," Mal says lightly and golden sparks erupts from her fingertips. She's using her lightest magic, and Neal squeals in delight and tries to catch the golden sparks.
Henry chuckles.
Maleficent then makes beautiful, purple soap bubbles float from her fingertips, and that makes Neal even more excited, and he happily babbles on as he tries to catch the bubbles.
,,She is going to make on hell of a mother," Emma observes with a grin.
,,Yes she is," Regina agrees and smiles softly at the scenery in front of her.
,,He really likes you," Snow beams.
,,Well, why shouldn't he?" Mal teases. ,,I happen to be quite delightful, don't I, Regina?"
,,Especially when you're not talking," Regina deadpans, but smiles in spite of her crass words.
,,Oh nonsense," Maleficent scoffs as Neal chases after the bubbles. ,,You love it when I talk."
,,That depends on what you're saying."
Killian sniggers.
Maleficent smiles teasingly at Regina, and then she continues to entertain Neal with bubbles and sparkles.
,,Neal honey, you can't keep Maleficent on the floor all night," Snow says. Then, she turns to her newly arrived husband:
,,Can't you put a movie on for him until he falls asleep?"
David nods and scoops Neal up, places him in the corner in front of the television, and puts on a movie.
Regina wrinkles her nose in disgust when she sees which movie Snow and Charming uses to make their son fall asleep.
,,Seriously?" she says and raises an eyebrow at Snow.
,,It's just until he falls asleep," Snow defends. ,,He usually just watch like fifteen minutes of it."
Regina makes a face as she watches Disney's version of Snow White on the television screen.
Zelena grins. ,,Nice dress," she tells Snow who rolls her green eyes at her.
Maleficent rises from her spot on the floor and tilts her head at the action on the screen.
Regina groans when the rather unattractive queen Grimhilde comes into view.
Maleficent sniggers. ,,Is that supposed to be you?"
,,It's a caricature of me," Regina snips haughtily.
,,It doesn't look like you at all," Mal observes calmly.
Killian and Emma grins, and even David looks slightly amused.
,,No it doesn't," Regina agrees. ,,Movies always get it wrong."
,,I don't suppose there's any mentions of your torrid love affair with a terribly lonely dragon in that movie?" Maleficent questions nonchalantly.
,,No. Sorry. Never made it to the final cut," Regina says flatly, and ignores Zelena's sniggers.
,,But it did make it to the storybook," Henry chirps in with a grin.
,,Really?" Mal questions with a raised eyebrow.
,,Yes!" Henry stands from the couch and rummages through his bag. He soon finds what he's looking for and hands his mother the storybook.
Regina quickly flips through the book which takes a while given how many stories there are in the book, but finally she finds the first picture. She smiles fondly at the memory. It's a picture from many, many years ago, and it is of her and Maleficent in Mal's castle. Judging by the picture, Mal is attempting to teach her how to make fireballs.
,,You are standing rather close to her," Zelena observes with a smug smile, and Regina silently agrees with her sister. Mal is, in fact standing close to her in the picture, and she is holding Regina's tiny wrist in her hand.
,,I took advantage of the situation," Maleficent admits blithely.
Regina flicks through the books. More pictures. Her and Maleficent at Granny's, everyday situations, the kiss they shared at their wedding, and finally a picture of a heavily pregnant Regina.
Regina takes a closer look at that particular picture and frowns a little.
,,Is that from today?" she questions her son.
,,Yes," Henry grins. ,,I couldn't help to write just a bit more."
,,Very sneaky," Mal says with a little chuckle. ,,You certainly captured us perfect."
,,Be grateful for that," Henry teases.
,,Oh, I am," Mal assures. ,,For that and much more." She reaches out and takes Regina's hand.
To Be Continued..