Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait but because it's my birthday month and I'm finally on vacation. So I'm giving you two chapters this week, I will post chapter eleven in two days rather than a week. Give everyone a sufficient time to react to this chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter Ten
Not A Hufflepuff
"Regina it's time!" Emma yelled down the stairs just as she came in with Darien from a walk. Usually if she was home and Emma had time to work on the nursery she took a walk since she needed the exercise when she could, and the kid was showing her no mercy again. At least now though she was nearing the end of seven months pregnant. Regina got the sense that this kid wasn't going to be as powerful as Darien in terms of facilitating their own birth quickly.
"How many times do I have to tell her not to yell," Regina muttered to Darien. Darien laughed and lifted her arms. Regina got her coat and shoes off before she unzipped Darien's bear suit. Emma hurried to the stairs.
"Babe, did you hear me?" Emma asked.
"Yes, I heard you, but you know I hate it when you yell in the house." Emma huffed and blew a strain of hair out of her face.
That is beside the point, the nursery is ready, and I can't wait to show you, now come on Henry already has the camera ready for it." Regina chuckled.
"I'm glad you're finally done just in time for thanksgiving." Emma stuck her tongue out and waited as Regina walked up the stairs with Darien and she gave them both a kiss before they continued up. Henry was grinning extra hard and Regina knew he had gotten the blanket in without Emma seeing. Henry went in first to make sure he got their expressions.
"Both of you close your eyes and then look once you're both in," Henry ordered.
"That's silly kid I've already seen it," Emma said marching in and she paused when she saw the new quilt and Henry was already snapping pictures as Regina entered with her eyes closed which gave him enough time to get her reaction too.
"Oh my God it's perfect," Regina said. They had agreed early on that while they all had their house preferences they would not try to force a house choice on the kid before they were old enough to decide for themselves. So, Emma had a little representation of all the houses to create a general Harry Potter theme. "This is so great you even did a brick wall with the platform and the drawers come out, I love it."
"When did you make this?" Emma asked picking up the quilt.
"Oh, when you were at work, Henry helped with the sewing and the weaving," Regina smiled as Emma looked at the modified Hogwarts coat of arms. In place of the Lion for Gryffindor was a storybook that represented Henry. In place of the Raven for Ravenclaw was an apple for herself, in Slytherin instead of the snake it was fireball for Darien, and in Hufflepuff was a yellow bug for Emma. Everything was made and dyed the right color from the velvet so that it was soft against the baby's skin whichever way they turned it. By the time Emma realized the crest was modified she was frowning and turning to Regina who just gave her the cutest smile.
"Reggie, no Regina whatever your middle name is Mills, I am not nor have I ever been a Hufflepuff!" Emma cried. At that Regina just lost it as she began to laugh as tears streamed down her face. "This is not funny."
"All right, all right answer one question for me and if the answer is right, I'll change it," Regina told her. Emma crossed her arms but nodded as Henry laughed as well. Rowan wandered in from the nearby bathroom. Regina made a note to ask Emma why Rowan was still in their house. She loved having her, but she was honestly surprised there wasn't a lynch mob outside their house this week.
"Fine, what is your question, oh wise Ravenclaw," Emma grumbled.
"I tell you I just bought a knife that toasts bread as I slice it, what is your response?"
"Absolute fucking excitement because we can make toast," Emma replied.
"Henry?" Regina asked.
"Little bit curious what it might be like to stab someone, I know that feels morbid for a gryffindor."
"No, it's a reasonable thought besides it would immediately cauterize the wound, so you at least wouldn't kill them." Emma glared at them both.
"Well Darien you at least would go in with me on the toast, right?" Emma asked. Darien made the sign for stab. "Who taught her the sign for stab?" Everyone laughed.
"She may have heard me bitching to Kathryn and I may have been making that motion about I should have just stabbed her when I had the chance. And I didn't know it was actually the proper sign for stab."
"Jesus she's a little Evil Queen in training," Emma sighed as she rubbed her face. Darien giggled along with Regina and Henry.
"If it makes you feel any better I think no one is pure one house but a mix like Hermione, she could have easily been Ravenclaw. So, you're a cute little Grifflepuff."
"It's Gryffynpuff goddamn it, that's what the quiz said," Emma groused. They laughed again.
"Language in front of Demi she can hear you, I swear if her first word is a swear word, I will punch you until I get tired and I have a mean left hook." Emma rubbed her jaw as she remembered.
"How could I forget, it's a thing of beauty really," Emma told her. Henry chuckled as Emma resettled the quilt on the frame of the bed. Regina moved to get into Emma's arms.
"You know I love you right?" Regina asked. Emma shrugged.
"I don't know, depends on what's for dinner," Emma said even though she gave Regina a hug. Regina chuckled.
"If this is you angling for a pizza night you are going to be sorely disappointed. The baby has been craving garlic bread and lasagna all day."
"YES!" Henry and Emma cheered. Even Darien raised her arms and her little voice.
"Oh, so I guess it's consensus that lasagna is for dinner," Regina chuckled.
"Oh, this is one hundred percent unanimous, now you give me her and you get into that kitchen woman, I want to smell those wonderful tomatoes of yours cooking." Regina chuckled, but took Demi with her, because she liked sitting on the counter while Regina cooked. Regina always had a hand on her of course, but Demi's favorite thing for her to do was pop little pieces of veggies she was chopping or pepper, or meat she let cook to taste test, or noodles, into her mouth. Once the lasagna was in the oven though Demi was reaching for Emma and making the sign for music, so that meant dancing around to the wiggles.
"Not that I'm not happy to have Rowan, but why hasn't Mary Margaret taken her home?" Regina asked later that night after everyone was in bed.
"She's not been home; the only reason David isn't here is because he's chasing her down along with the dwarves, honestly she's done us a solid," Emma said as rubbed Regina's ankles as they rested on the couch watching yet another movie Regina didn't care for, but it made Emma giggle.
"Hmm…hopefully she doesn't kill herself, she's stupid, but she's definitely the more sensible of the two about Rowan. Her eventual need to have everything be right and perfect won't allow her to keep calling Rowan a boy or Leo. David is more likely to take risks using dark magic he knows nothing about."
"You think he convinced mom to go to Gold in the first place about Rowna?" Emma asked curiously.
"No that fuck up was one hundred percent both of them. Snow is very much delusional to think that a male heir would change everything, because of the importance in the Enchanted Forest, this was an easy way to solidify power as a ruling Queen or Queen Consort. Otherwise the people didn't accept you."
"But you never had a son, and they accepted you until you became you know the Evil Queen for a while," Emma said. Regina had a far away look in her chewed her bottom lip before she prepared to speak, she hadn't spoken about it in ages, no one talked about it. But with Emma she wanted to talk about it well at least tell her once, because she was her true love and she deserved to know.
"Imogene wasn't the only one," Regina admitted. "Before the curse, he thought after Imogene he had done sufficient enough damage to me. It's taken so little in the past to prevent pregnancies in the Enchanted Forest, but if I'm honest I think my mother did something to me and that's the reason Imogene was able to survive that trauma to begin with and why I had no lasting damage apparently. Your grandmother, Queen Eva, just simply rode in a carriage too late into her pregnancy and nearly lost Snow. And that was after years of trying, for all I know that was my mother's doing."
"Who was the other?" Emma asked. She wanted to know every story about Regina to take some of her pain away and replace it with love. Regina rubbed her belly absently remembering her son.
"I hadn't wanted his baby, but after Imogene, I was excited to defy him," Regina told her. "He was away traveling around the Kingdom and to foreign dignitaries. He even took Snow with him to show her off. I was to stay home and maintain the Kingdom. I was like a kid at home alone for the first time without parents. I was that happy." Emma chuckled imaging an excited Regina running around doing what she liked and eating sweets in the absence of parental authority. "For the first time the castle seemed much brighter, my decisions mattered, my wishes were followed to the letter without being questioned or undermined. He was gone so long the economy saw improvement and the general happiness of the people raised. I went out more, talked to people more, I was every bit the loving Queen people were looking for instead of being shut away in my room. I began to see what life could be like without him, began to see why being Queen could be good and nice. Since I was having lessons with Rumple I hid my pregnancy and took hearts of those closest around me for the first time to make sure it never got back to Leo. I didn't want him home sooner than necessary. I wanted my child."
"What happened?" Emma asked.
"I gave birth to my son, my father had the honor of naming him, he chose Xavier after his father because even with all his flaws he was actually a good ruler, My efficiency comes from lessons learned from him and my mother. My grandfather's father had ruined the country financially, but my grandfather changed all that even before he saw an opportunity in my mother. And I wanted that for him, that he would be better than Leo, so much better than Leo. My grandfather taught my mother love is weakness, but he never hit or beat his wife or sons. He wasn't cruel just because he could be. Leo was."
"He must have been furious when he returned home."
"A month after he was born I sent out a messenger. He returned home apparently ecstatic, but I wasn't fooled. I did my best to keep Xavier safe. But I should have known that Rumple knew that I would not cast the dark curse if Xavier was bringing me joy, he was the thing I loved the most and I would not sacrifice him for revenge or happiness when he was my happiness. And he brought me so much joy despite Leopold cursing me not long after."
"How long?" Emma asked.
"One year, on his first birthday he declared that his birth was suspicious had Blue check his parentage. They spread rumors that I had some incestual relationship with my father. His birthday cake had been poisoned with something I couldn't detect yet. I wasn't as adapt as I am now at that and now you know why I'm so good at that. I can detect the stuff even without my magic."
"Oh, Regina I'm so sorry."
"It's also why I chose vipers to kill him, because he deserved to die just as painfully and slowly as I watched my son. If I could I'd treat Blue to the same fate, that bitch didn't come help me and she's supposed to be good. She let him die, she watched him die. Rumple at least is the representation of all that is evil I cannot expect better from pure darkness. Not who he was at the time."
"She watched him?" Emma asked horrified.
"In cases like these, royalty often call on fairies to stop such a thing from passing to save heirs. But she said because it was now known that he was not Leo's son, he did not have the favor of the fairies."
"But what about you?" Emma asked quietly.
"That gnat always hated me, and I never knew why, she decided a long time ago that I was not worth saving when I needed it most before things escalated. Not even when Snow broke down begging her by some weird twist of fate I think even she genuinely loved Xavier after awhile maybe she had matured slightly from when Imogene was born. I don't know. But Blue just said no, her wishes were to be used on more important things."
"More important things," Emma growled. "What is more important than your brother at a moment like this? What did she teach my mother, no wonder she is so fucked up?" Regina wiped a few tears that escaped.
"It's past now, Xavier is harder than Imogene, she was gone so quickly I only have what I imagined of her. But with Xavier, I remember everything. The way his little body felt against mine, his laugh, the way his brown eyes lit up when we watched horses, his baby smell, the way his breath felt against my skin when he slept next to me at night. I still smell his birthday cake, it's why I never eat it, and I only make Henry's birthday cakes myself. I honestly couldn't even give it to him on his first birthday even though I made it. I was too terrified I would lose another son, so we had apple pie. Only after he had cake at a kid's birthday party did I relent. You know I even still hear him choking as his throat closed, the way the black lines appeared on his skin. The way his body shook in my arms and hear the last mommy he got out before he could no longer speak. True fear is in that of a child barely in this world who cannot comprehend the sudden way his body is dying, and true loss is that light going out." Emma was absolutely balling now.
"I promise that fucking bitch is never coming near our babies again. I'll blast her off the property." They hugged, and they cried over it. "I'd really like to visit both Imogene and Xavier. Did you do the same to his body."
"I tried but I got hysterical because of the lines, they wouldn't disappear, I suspect now what I didn't then in my pain that Rumple had something to do with that. I had him cremated, because fire purifies. And I scattered it in a river in my homeland that is supposed to bring peace to his soul in his next life even if it's not with me. From that day on I knew I would kill the King for sure with the same poison but Snow I would have a little more fun with until she realized the world didn't revolve around her. But there is a flame that still burns from his funeral pyre, I usually pay my respects there. I hadn't meant to keep it glowing, but it is, and I will be sad when it goes out."
"Maybe it won't," Emma said. They were silent for awhile before Emma got an idea. "Can I name the baby since you named Darien and surprise you?"
"Are you going to name her something crazy, don't think I haven't seen those lad baby videos you and Henry like to giggle over." Emma laughed. "I swear Ms. Swan my child will not be named after a soccer team or something uncultured or worse yet what's that name you occasionally call your bug…Gertie or Vicky I don't know."
"No, I promise I will come up with a cultured name worthy of the Queen's new princess, you have my word," Emma told her even as she had to laugh at the mention of her bug. Regina glared at her but nodded.
"All right, I did get free rein with Darien, not on purpose, but you may choose the name, but I seriously reserve the right to refuse if it is ridiculous. My child won't walk around scarred for life, names are very important Ms. Swan." Emma chuckled some more.
"I know love," Emma reminded her before giving her a kiss.
"Okay seriously where the fuck is Snow?" Ruby asked Emma as she came in to take their orders. Rowan was still with them after a week and a half, David had given a weak hello, glared at Regina but hugged Emma and Rowan without much comment to anything. For once he was just happy to see anyone from his family. He had grabbed a cup of coffee and gone back out with the dwarves.
"Language Pup," Regina said. "Seriously between you and Emma, Darien's first word is going to be something terrible."
"Sorry Queenie," Ruby grinned. "So, what's going on with Snow?"
"We have no idea, everyone's been looking, she's been spotted though so we know she's still in town, and we know she's alive. We personally think she's gone complete bandit Snow and is hiding out in the forest until she can face reality again," Emma shrugged. "If she's not hurt I am not going to chase her down."
"You wouldn't catch her, she doesn't want you or David to follow her. She wants me to follow her and make it all better again," Regina shrugged.
"Mama!" Darien yelled out drawing the attention of the three adults and two other children at the table.
"That's me, she chose me!" Emma cried. "Suck it Queenie!" Regina glared at Emma so hard.
"Mama," Darien said but she was making the sign for crown and looking at frustration at Regina. A slow evil smirk spread across her face as she looked at Emma who looked so dejected and upset as Ruby and Henry rubbed her back.
"Yes darling?" Regina asked Darien giving her a big smile. Darien made the sign to eat. "Okay, honey mommy's going to order your favorite today." Darien gave her a big smile. "Darien will have the chicken hash for breakfast, Ruby, my little mayor will not be kept waiting today." Darien made a noise as if to agree. Ruby giggled.
"No worries, your wolf won't keep her pup waiting," Ruby told Darien kissing her bedazzled little headband. Today it spelled out Demi on it with a bow to match Rowan's. If Rowan had it her way, Emma would also be dressed similarly with a bow.
"I'll have pancake breakfast with blueberries please," Henry grinned. Rowan pointed to the pancakes shaped like mickey mouse with fruit and eggs.
"I'll have my usual big breakfast," Emma told her.
"Today I'll have chicken and spinach omelet and hash browns, with a side of fruit please. And green tea instead of my delicious black coffee." Regina gave a sad sigh and they chuckled.
"Coffee for you though Emma?" Ruby asked.
"No, not even for me unfortunately, she won't stop making out with me otherwise, because she misses the taste and Henry says there's only so much he can take." They all laughed. Ruby went to place their orders and came back with their usual orange juice and water, there was milk for Rowan and Henry though.
"So, how's my new little pup when can I expect them?" Ruby asked.
"Still seven months," Regina sighed. "At least everything is ready now, and I'm not worried about if we have anything at all. We had a doctor's appointment before breakfast and as far as Whale can tell aside from my occasional migraines, back pain, or swollen feet everything is fine."
"I maintain the headaches are from caffeine withdrawal, I mean you can have a little coffee you know." Regina shook her head.
"No, I'm trying to do my best, I already went through a phase where I ate entirely too much fish. What if something is wrong with her because of me?"
"Regina the baby is healthy," Emma assured her. Regina pursed her lips not at all that convinced. "Hey, no today is happy because Darien officially called you Mama, as much as it pains me."
"Don't worry it's only because she could get only two syllables, I assure you she meant Mami," Regina said suddenly grinning again. Emma glared at her.
"Mama," Darien said again trying out her voice, they were glad she was trying and being vocal and able to hear sounds enough to mimic them. She turned more towards Regina.
"No baby, Emma is Mama," She made the sign they had developed for Emma usually Swan to help Darien get specific. Although she had been signing the general sign for mom for three days now. "I am Mami, say it with me Mah Me." Regina signed a few more times to associate Emma's sign with Mama and her sign with Mami.
"Mama," Darien said finally making the sign for Emma. Regina smiled at her and nodded. "Mah EE." She made the sign for Regina.
"Yes baby, close enough, we'll get you saying Mami in no time," Regina beamed at her. Darien smiled back and puckered her lips out for a kiss which Regina eagerly gave her. She could never give her enough kisses and hugs and that's the way they both liked it.
"She learns so fast," Emma beamed with pride.
"You know even if she wasn't a true love baby, she was so always going to be your kid," Ruby grinned as Granny yelled at her to get back to work. The family soon had breakfast with Regina stealing one of Emma's pancakes for herself and Darien. Though Darien didn't let her not share her omelet or hash browns.
"Honestly I now understand how you can look at me and be astonished by how much I can put away just like this kid," Emma laughed as they ate. Regina stole all of Emma's sausage though which made her order extra as she glared at Regina.
"What the baby just had to have all my sausage?" Emma asked glaring at Regina.
"Nope, that was all me," Regina said finishing the last one. Henry laughed at his mothers prompting Rowan and Darien to join in. They were just leaving when Emma got a call from Mulan. She stepped outside while Regina handled the bill.
"What are you sure?" Emma asked.
"Yes, there's a note in everything, should I just meet you at the station or stay here."
"More like the hospital," Emma said frowning. "We're just on our way out." Emma hung up and turned to her family.
"Hey kid why don't you take the bus to school, your mom and I need to take care of some town stuff and time is of the essence." Henry frowned but nodded as he went to the car and Emma popped the trunk, so he could get his backpack. School had a later start time today as they had been anticipating a snow day, but the snow had let up just in time to Henry's hatred. He kissed them both goodbye and hurried to the bus stop where the other kids were waiting.
"What's going on?" Regina asked as Emma strapped the kids in before she helped Regina into the tesla. Emma drove back towards the hospital.
"Someone left a baby on our doorstep with a note." Regina raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sure it was from the poorer parts of town and probably didn't know how to properly surrender their child, what better place than with the mayor and sheriff," Regina told her. "Hopefully we can reunite them and help if there is a social problem." Emma nodded.
"Leave it to you to put everything in perspective carefully." They smiled at one another. They made it to the hospital where Mulan and the nurses were trying to console a dark-haired toddler who stopped crying as soon as Regina came into sight.
"Oh no she wouldn't, would she?" Emma asked seeming to recognize the blue eyes of her mother.
"She can't be that stupid," Regina muttered. "Or that desperate."
"I am afraid so, I didn't want to say over the phone," Mulan said handing them the letter.
Dear Regina, you're right you weren't meant to be my mother then, I was already all wrong because of your mother. But now I will go back to a place where I wasn't so corrupted. Now you can be my mother, and we can be together forever. I'm sure Leo will be much happier with me as a sister and Emma hates me anyway she's too old to be my daughter.
Your daughter,
Mary Margaret
P.S. Snow was someone else's daughter.
"Holy fucking shit," Regina whispered.
"Shit!" Darien yelled out. Regina went red in the face as Emma couldn't help but laugh at the insanity happening in her family at this moment. And it just had to be punctuated with Darien repeating her first swear word after Regina cursed in front of her just once. She could imagine Regina was absolutely losing her shit inside.
"What shit?" Rowan asked. The last month had seen her trying out words to communicate more but not often. Her favorite question was what for now. That seemed to do Regina in as she fainted. Emma was so grateful for Mulan in that moment who caught the falling Queen as Emma tried to one handed without dropping her Princess, because God knew the hell she would catch if she accidentally dropped Darien trying to save her.
"Regina!" Emma cried out. Nurses and doctors rushed to help her, but it was still twenty minutes before she woke up in a hospital room with a baby monitor on her.
"Hey there, love you gave us quite the scare," Emma told her stroking her head.
"The girls?" Regina asked. "The baby?"
"All fine, Ruby just came to take them to the diner, and the baby is fine even though you're having a few contractions…." Regina looked alarmed and Emma ran a calming hand over her. "Don't worry I've been assured they are Braxton hicks, which were brought on by stress. Although Dr. Whale is going to come back and do another ultrasound and check your cervix. He's convinced you grew since this morning."
"I grow after every meal," Regina grunted as she rubbed her and belly and started her breathing techniques she had recently learned from actual child birthing classes. "Are we sure this isn't the real deal?"
"Yes, I've been watching the monitor they are infrequent." Emma flipped the call button and a nurse came in. As soon as she saw Regina was awake she disappeared to go Call Dr. Whale.
"Sure, feels real enough," Regina grunted. Soon it all subsided for the time being to her relief. The contractions weren't comfortable. Dr. Whale came in and gave her a physical examination as well as another ultrasound.
"You are not dilated, but you are finally at what I would expect to see at eight months congratulations. Baby is of proper weight and as usual I don't detect any abnormalities from here." He measured her bump before he released her since she hadn't actually hit her head. They called the midwife to update her and she said she would prepare the birthing box. Regina wasn't eager to deliver at the hospital, so it was going to be a hopefully less traumatic home birth then Darien's.
"What are we going to do about Mary Margaret?" Regina asked as Emma led her out of the hospital, wanting to get her back home to rest, and contemplating discussing Regina leaving the office earlier for maternity leave.
"Don't you worry about her, she may have tried to put her wellbeing on you, but that's not happening. I called David, he's already taken her home since she's all right. She at least seemed to take to him, they said. He'll take her to Blue and see about getting his wife back. He asked me to keep Rowan a while longer."
"Oh, he's not worried that I'll do something evil to her?" Regina snorted as Emma helped her into the car.
"You know I think me being over the town line helped and the stress of having Mary Margaret completely awol was just too much for him. Also, he's finally got to think for himself for a bit especially when Blue just gave up on trying to help him find her."
"That's because the gnat recognizes a weakling when she sees her. She's too weak to even bother manipulating at this point." Emma cringed but she couldn't disagree with that assessment. "But make no mistake that she will try to ruin us." Emma nodded.
"I'll keep my guard up still," Emma murmured. They returned home, and Ruby was already inside with the girls.
"When I heard it was drama with Snow I just brought them home instead, I don't want David suddenly trying to snatch Rowan or harming Darien."
"No, I think he's starting to finally calm down," Emma told her as she helped Regina to sit. Darien crawled over to a toy and picked it up before she crawled over to her mothers eager to show them the new wooden truck that Ruby must have either made or bought.
"Oh, that's nice sweetie did you get it from your wolf?" Emma asked her. Darien gave her a big smile and nodded.
"Pup what did I say about anymore presents before her first Christmas?" Regina asked her.
"Not too," Ruby grumbled. "It's just a little one though." Ruby had a pout on her face.
"A little one that now will not make a great stocking stuffer," Regina pointed out. Ruby huffed.
"All right, all right lesson learned, why isn't there a stocking yet for my new pup I need to know her name already."
"Because Emma has yet to tell me a name, so I can add it to her stocking and we were debating if we should even put it up this year. Next year will be her first Christmas."
"No, new bet I think she's going to be your Christmas Present, how special would that be," Emma grinned. Regina smiled and rubbed her stomach.
"While she would be the best present ever, no I just want to enjoy Darien's first Christmas." Darien looked up at hearing her name and gave her a wide smile. Regina returned it.
"You could still enjoy it, it would be both of their first Christmases," Emma argued. Regina shrugged as she yawned. "You go lay down and get some rest, you're not going into work today I hope you already know that." Regina glared.
"I will call and let Kimberly and Kathryn know you won't begrudge me that," Regina told her. Emma nodded and helped her up and lifted Darien for a kiss and Rowan too when she frowned at Emma for having forgotten her. Rowan hadn't asked about their parents once though Emma intended to sit down and have a chat with her. She would get Ruby to look after Darien while she did that one on one.
"Rubes can you watch Darien while Rowan and I have a chat?" Ruby nodded and immediately began to play with Darien who gave her a big smile and drove the car back and forth. Emma carried Rowan into the kitchen and made her some hot cocoa with cinnamon and cayenne pepper because that's the way Regina liked it and that's the way Rowan had to have it.
"So, I bet you're wondering why we're in here having cocoa instead of playing, huh?" Emma asked Rowan. Rowan just stared at her over her drink, a whip cream mustache framing her lips. "I'll just be honest with you, that seems to work well with us." Rowan nodded. "Mom got really upset and she used magic to make herself just a little younger than you. You see when she was young she lost her mommy, and then she met Regina. And we both know how kind and beautiful and wonderful Regina is right?" Rowan smiled and nodded.
"Reggie good mommy," Rowan said. Emma smiled big.
"Exactly, but some bad things happened to Mom and Regina when they were still children, and Regina was married and had to pretend to be Mom's mommy. And when Regina finally escaped, it hurt mom that she never wanted to be her mommy. So that's why she made herself a baby to make Regina be her mommy. But the world doesn't work like that Rowan, the past is the past and we have to live with our mistakes. And we have to live with the after effects of the actions of other people." Rowan nodded.
"Mommy go?" Rowan asked.
"In a way sort of, maybe she will be back I don't know yet, but maybe you won't go back to Mom or Dad." Rowan made a face when she mentioned David. "I know it's been rough and even though I'm your big sister, they are still first-time parents. I mean they shoved me in a wardrobe off to God knows where, and you well you know what they did to you. It was my hope that they would grow and chance, and maybe David can one day, but I really don't know about Mom." Rowan drank her cocoa.
"Rowan here," She pointed downward.
"Yeah you stay here, you're my little sister, my twin, and that make you family, we love you as the beautiful little princess you are. And this is your home too as much as you should have a home with our parents. I guess we aren't meant to have parents that are there for us like they should be, but we have Regina and somehow I think that's a lot better."
"Okay." Rowan finished her cocoa and gave Emma the cup. She went to wipe her mouth on the back of her sweater sleeve, but Emma just stopped her and cleaned her face with a napkin, Regina would never forgive her for the chocolate stains. "Play out?" she pointed to the backyard.
"Yeah, kid, let's go get our outerwear on," Emma told her satisfied that Rowan at least wouldn't be left in the dark and for now was taking it well. Ruby offered to take the girls outside and play with them, well actually she had ordered Emma to go do anything else but get in the way of her play time with the kids. So, she headed upstairs to make sure Regina was in fact resting and not working. She glared at her when she found Regina in bed half undressed and frowning as she typed furiously on her phone. A long shirt lay next to her, obviously the baby was too much on her bladder as she hadn't pulled out the leggings either.
"Regina, you were told to rest," Emma scolded.
"I am resting, but I'm not sleeping," Regina told her as she put her phone down and began to finish undressing. Once she had her clothes neatly folded and put to the side, she situated her pillows and then got into bed properly. "See in bed properly now, anyway I thought you'd be taking the chance to toss our child into the air without me to scold you." Emma blushed a bit.
"No, and I don't always toss her in the air when you aren't around," Emma told her as she sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed Regina's belly.
"That's a lie if I ever heard one," Regina snorted. Emma chuckled. "No, but seriously did the Pup send you away?" Emma nodded.
"She did, she threatened to huff and puff until I was blown out of town." Regina laughed out right then.
"God, I love the pup, she knows damn well that's not her story." Emma laughed as Regina's phone dinged. She picked it up quickly and unlocked the phone before her eyes narrowed.
"Uh oh I know that look who just pissed you off?" Emma asked.
"That damn dwarf he's bidding on everything I am and driving up the price that little fucker."
"What are you even bidding on?" Emma asked.
"Matching outfit for you and Rowan, if she's going to stay here she's got to have style, not that shit you brought over from the loft."
"Regina, you don't have to buy her stuff," Emma said. "Or me." Regina frowned.
"Don't you tell me what to do woman, if I wanna buy you and your sister matching outfits, I am going to buy you and your sister matching outfits. Do you understand me?" Regina didn't wait for an answer as her phone dinged again. "Damn it you fucking dwarf, I know you don't have the money for this, those shoes will be Darien's." Regina out bid him once more and he out bid her and then she let him have it. She knew he was balking at the price and terrified of having to pay it. Soon he was sending her a message asking for the money and swearing on Snow White the Items would be delivered to her door. She took screen shots and asked for photos of her address being put into the shipping address. She paid the amount with a smirk.
"Well he thought he was going to out fox the Evil Queen and he was wrong."
"That he was darling, he should know by now I always get what I want as should you," Regina told her. Emma nodded with a sigh as if she were doomed.
"You're totally right, I really should know better and yet I don't," She grinned. Regina grinned back. Emma crawled up and kissed her before she moved to get completely into bed so they could snuggled. Well most Emma just snuggled her belly and Regina got into yet another bidding war with Leroy. By the end though she had a whole list of shit he'd have to deliver to her house, and a whole list of shit he had no idea how he was going to pay for on his salary, especially as he hadn't cleaned city hall in ages so Regina hadn't been paying him unlike Mary Margaret who had overpaid for a while, but he had drank it all away at the Rabbit hole.
"So, I have been thinking and maybe it's time we consider a half day of day care for Darien," Emma suggested. Regina paused in taunting Leroy.
"What, why?" Regina asked.
"Because we're going to have a newborn soon, Darien is awake a lot longer and you won't be able to sleep as much as you did when it was just Darien. Of course, I'll be home with you the first few weeks, but I won't be able to take as much time as you unfortunately. I just want you to rest sweetheart, and at some point, Darien does need to be with other children."
"I know she does, it would just mean she's growing up, I mean I think she could handle an hour or two maybe, she does like the playgroup we started last week."
"I'll be enrolling Rowan too, she needs to be socialized just as much as Darien if not more so."
"That I cannot argue you with, they really screwed things up for Rowan and it will be hard for her, but this may encourage her to use her words more, so she can communicate with her peers."
"Yes, and Demi needs that too, we'll start off with one day, how about Fridays…"
"Wednesdays, because that's the day I'd do a half day anyway," Regina sighed. "She won't understand why her sister stays with me and I drop her off at day care."
"We'll explain it to her, she'll cry anyway, and she'll make friends, and maybe I can drop her off in the mornings once the baby is here. Or if the baby comes before she starts, we'll leave Ruby and Granny with the baby, so she doesn't associate the baby with us leaving her there. It will be like she's going to school like Henry." Regina let out a long breath.
"God this is going to be so hard, do you know how many times I gave into Henry's crying before he stayed?" Regina asked. "Ten times and then the first day he actually decided he would stay, I cried in my offices for two hours straight. And he was much older when he finally went at three."
"You didn't put him in day care until he was three?" Emma asked.
"We were clingy, I couldn't stand not seeing him all day after I worked from home, he was just in my routine, so I started taking him to the office too. And it was great, we would play mayor all day, I'd always make a copy for all the stuff that needed my signature, one just for Mayor Henry, you know. Then we had lunch at Granny's and it was just wonderful."
"That's cute, but you have a newborn who's going to need way more attention then Demi," Emma pointed out. Regina sighed.
"I know, I know I really know," Regina told her. "But we go slow yes we both agree?"
"Yes, we go slow, I'm not eager for this new milestone either. It means she's growing up old enough to spend time away from us with other children." They frowned and sighed.
"You know a good age is three, now that magic is back I can pause her there, and we can all be happy together. I can get Henry too." Emma raised an eyebrow at Regina.
"Reggie you know that's not right, we deserve to see what they will grow up to be and they deserve to grow up."
"Oh, but Emma it's so hard," Regina pouted.
"Reggie be a good girl, no magic age staying potions, promise?"
"Fiiine," Regina whined. "If you want to be engaged to a good girl." Emma laughed as Regina made it sound as if that were the most boring thing in the world.
"You are anything but a good girl Reggie, of that I have no doubt."
"I'm the worst," Regina grinned. Emma grinned back.
"Don't tempt me woman," Emma scolded. Regina shrugged.
"I best do it now, even I feel super pregnant it will still feel better than I will after I give birth."
"No, not right now, we'll make it special you and I," Emma told her. Regina snorted.
"You're assuming the car will make it out of the garage before I jump you," Regina snickered. Emma gave her a playful shove.
"You will, cars are awkward, the last thing I need is for it to be awkward."
"It will be just right if you ask me," Regina giggled earning another playful shove.
"Shush now you rest, no more fighting with Leroy and no work, just rest." Regina sighed but made a show of putting her phone down. She read a book instead which seemed to please Emma as she closed her own eyes and rubbed Regina's belly as they relaxed. It was one of her favorite things to do these days. Emma had never thought she would ever meet someone where being silence with them was just a treat. She had always felt compelled in the past to fill the empty spaces when conversation was lacking.
They were hardly resting thirty minutes when there was yelling from outside for Emma, and her phone was going off. And there was something hitting the barrier outside constantly.
"What in the world," Emma muttered as she got up. "You stay in bed." Regina raised an eyebrow at her and Emma huffed but helped her sit up and get to her feet. Regina used magic to get her leggings on, because she would not be seen with bare legs by anyone from the town. Her exceptions being Emma, Henry, Ruby, and Granny when it came to her I'm lazing around the house in regular clothes.
"David?" Emma asked when she opened the front door.
"Please Emma I need help," David cried dragging a screaming toddler.
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