A/N: More heartbreak ahead, I'm afraid... Enjoy.
Tears were soaked up in a pillow where Regina lied in her old bed, crying as she thought of how everything was so perfect still this. Last night, everything was even more perfect as her and Emma made slow, passionate and long lasting love all through the night, whispering words of love to one another. Completely lost in one another. The brunette placed her hands on her stomach as she thought about Emma's hurtful words once again.
The door was heard as it opened behind her. Mary Margaret came in with a tray of food, concerned for the brunette's well being and the baby she now carried.
"I brought you some food. You need to eat something." said Mary Margaret as she set the tray aside on the nightstand.
"I'm not hungry." was all Regina could say through sniffles and wiped tears, not even turning around to look at the older woman.
Mary Margaret took a seat next to the brunette on the bed, "You must eat something. You have to think of the baby now. Emma would want you to take care of yourself and the baby."
"Emma no longer cares for this baby, or myself." tears made their way down past the bridge of her nose and onto the pillow as her hand wiped them away quickly.
"She cares. She loves you, if she didn't she wouldn't be this hurt. This is just another rough patch but it will mend in time. You've been through worst things." Mary Margaret said with a hint of hope in her voice, trying her best to be as supportive as possible.
That made Regina sit up as her soaked, teary eyes looked into Mary Margaret's, "I would love nothing more than for her to come knocking on this door, but I doubt that anymore. She's been angry before, but… I never saw her that angry. That look in her eyes, Mary. It's not something she's just going to forgive me for."
"You did nothing wrong, you may have kept it from her but you were just scared. You could have left with him time and time again, you had many chances to do so - but you didn't. We all make mistakes, Emma has made her fair share of mistakes." the older woman assured her.
"No, but Emma is right! I should have said something, I should have told her! I had every chance to do so. I was just as much as a coward as he was to face her. Now, she doesn't even want to see me." replied Regina, her voice breaking as her eyes shedded more tears.
Another knock sounded at the door as it slowly opened.
"Kathryn!" Regina stood up from her bed, as she ran to her bestest and most dearest friend, embracing her in a tight hug as she sobbed uncontrollably, tears soaking up the woman's blouse.
"I couldn't believe it when you called me." said Kathryn as she embraced her friend in her arms, a hand rubbing smoothly against her back in support. Kathryn broke away from their hug as she took a seat next to Regina and M. M. on the bed, "What on earth happened? Last time we talked, you sounded so happy." she asked as she took Regina's hands into her own.
"She found about Daniel. I don't know how Robert came across that information and he made sure Emma saw it." her voice broke, "She didn't hesitate in telling me to leave. She kicked us out and… she didn't even care about the baby."
Kathryn looked down towards Regina's still flat stomach as her hands were still cupped over it, "Baby?" she asked in surprise, just finding out about her friends pregnancy.
Regina nodded.
"Emma thinks it's Daniel's, but I swear to you it isn't. Mary Margaret is my witness to what I had to do to give Emma this baby." she motioned towards the older woman as Kathryn only gave her hands a reassuring squeeze.
"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Regina. I know." she wiped her friends own tears with her thumb, "You know, he came looking for me. Daniel. He asked me if I knew how you were, but I didn't tell him anything."
"Don't. I beg you, if he looks for you again, don't tell him anything about me being here. Please." Regina begged.
"Of course not. You know me, I'm tomb." said Kathryn as she gave placed a hand on Regina's shoulder. "I know this is so typical of me to say, and it's not easy, but cheer up. All this crying can't be good for the baby, it can feel your pain as well as your happiness, you know."
"She hasn't been wanting to eat anything." said Mary Margaret, which normally Regina would have glared at the older woman for giving her up to her best friend, but right now she didn't have the energy for it.
"Regina Marie Mills, it is one thing to starve yourself to death, but I will not have you starve my baby nephew or niece to death." Kathryn said firmly as she stood up before Regina, not letting go of the brunette's hand, "Come on. We are having a day of shopping at the mall-"
"No, Kathryn. Please, I'm really not in the mood for anything. I just want to sleep." Regina protested as she shook her head.
"I am not taking no for an answer, Regina." replied Kathryn as she made Regina stand up before her, "Now, come on. Let's fix you up, we'll do some shopping, we'll have lunch - that poor child must be starving by now. You, Mary and I will go and have a grand time."
Mary Margaret smiled as she stood, encouraging Regina to nod in agreement with a small, but sad smile forming on her lips as Kathryn began searching through her clothes, looking for her best outfit.
Emma was seated in one of the chairs at a clothing store, bored out of her mind truthfully as she waited on Lily to try on the tenth outfit of the day. Her thumb softly ghosting over her bruised knuckles, as they started feeling the pain of the many beatings she had put on them. Her tired green eyes looked up as the sound of the curtain was heard as it was pulled aside by a smiling Lily as she came out wearing a pair of black tight pants, complimented by an orange sleeveless blouse, which wrapped well around her many forms.
"What do you think of this one, do you like it?" she asked the blonde as she spinned around, modeling her new outfit to her.
Emma's eyes quickly scanned it, not really in the mood to see her try on an eleventh outfit.
"It's very nice." she nodded dryly.
"You said that about the last nine outfits, Em." Lily replied, feeling discouraged by the blonde's lack of enthusiasm.
"I thought they were all really nice on you. Really." Emma shrugged.
Lily kneeled before Emma as she took her hands into her own, "We can leave if you want to."
"No. You need clothes, so pick whatever you want." replied Emma, not wanting to ruin Lily's good time.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
Emma gave her a small, sad smile as she nodded, "Yeah. I really like the one you have on, it really compliments you."
"I'll take this one and gather the rest I know you'll also like, then. Give me a moment and I'll be right out." she replied with a smile on her face, happy that Emma liked one of the many outfits as she made her way back into the dressing room.
Emma exhaled sharply as she stood up from her chair and walked over to the cashier, handing her one of her credit cards to pay for Lily's clothes, "She'll take all ten."
The cashier took the credit card from the blonde without question as she ran it through the machine, charging her over a hundred dollars for all ten items. Emma didn't care to honestly, what else was she going to spend her hard earn money on after all?
Regina, Kathryn and Mary Margaret walked around the mall, Kathryn still enjoying a cold beverage. They had enjoyed a big lunch, especially Regina whom was even hungrier than she had thought. It was still crazy to think that she was now eating for two. She had visited a couple of baby stores, buying a few items, not a lot, just clothing mostly - which was most important. Despite Regina's protesting, Kathryn was more than happy to buy the baby some items of her choosing, like teething rings, a pair of pajamas with small dinosaurs on them, a three bottle set, and the baby's first blanket. Having no kids of her own, she was going to spoil this baby.
"Thank you for today, Kat." said Regina as they walked past a few more stores, her arm linked with her best friend's.
Kathryn flashed a pearly white smile at the brunette, "What are best friend's for? I told you you'd be feeling better."
That short moment of tranquility had disappeared as all three women stood frozen, eyes wide, and four pair of eyes looking over at a now hurt and angry Regina as she saw Lily walking out of a clothing store with no other than Emma - her wife, linked to one arm. All that anger and pain were nothing compared to the many emotions of jealousy that stirred inside of her at that moment.
Emma's own eyes were like magnets, for they moved on their own to see Regina standing just a few feet before her. Lily's smile gone in a matter of seconds as she realized who the blonde was staring at.
What were the damn odds that they would find each other here - today of all days?
"Boy, it's true what they say, the world is a small place." Lily spoke as she grinned over at the three women before her.
Emma's eyes never leaving Regina's.
"And here I thought you were just as destroyed as Regina, but look at you - shopping with…" Kathryn motioned towards Lily with a free hand, "Whoever you are." she said careless, her eyes shifting back to Emma. "Honestly, Emma I thought you were better than this."
"Kathryn." said Regina, trying to stop what was sure to be turned into a confrontation.
"What? It's not right, Regina. You are carrying a baby for her, the least she can do is respect that." Kathryn glanced over, seeing a shocked, wide eyed Lily, "Oops. Let me guess, she didn't tell you they are going to have a baby?" she mocked.
"Kathryn, please, let's just go." Regina begged as a nervous Mary Margaret hid behind them.
"If Regina didn't care to respect what we had by bringing Daniel into my house, then why should I? Lily is the only one who never lied to me, unlike her." Emma motioned towards Regina with her eyes, as they shifted between the brunette and an angry Kathryn.
Regina pulled her friend back who was about ready to give Emma another slap, "Both of you, stop it! This isn't the place or the time." she stood between Kathryn and Emma as her brown eyes, pleaded towards her best friend, "Let's just go, okay?"
Kathryn inhaled sharply as she nodded, "Fine, but only because you've had enough stress for one day." she walked away without another word, but not before throwing another hard glare at Emma's direction.
Emma watched as Regina simply walked away, her heart feeling the ache come back all over again, her stomach turning inside out. She wanted to run after her, she could have, but her lies and the memory of Daniel being with her under the same roof still lingered over her mind.
"Let's go home, Emma. She's not worth it." said Lily, as she pulled the blonde away from where she stood. Emma obediently following behind as her eyes still looked over at Regina who was becoming father and father away.
In that moment, Regina stopped walking, turning around towards Emma's direction in hopes that she would still be standing there, so she could run to her and maybe earn her forgiveness. But to her disappointed, the blonde was already far and walking away without looking back.
August was shocked to learn that Emma had brought Lily back into the house. To make matters worse, he grew upset and called her stupid when she informed him that Lily would now be sleeping with her in what was once hers and Regina's bedroom.
He wanted to give Mary Margaret up with Emma and inform her that she was her mother, maybe then she would come a little bit to her senses. But there was no getting through to her right now. Even he knew that.
Dinner was quiet, Emma hardly touched her food, she ate about half of it and the rest was played with with her fork. Lily brought up most of the conversation, as Emma provided her with short, simple, dry answers. August had gone to eat in the kitchen. He had nothing against Lily, really. She was always nice to him and stayed out of his way, but the man was furious with Emma. He didn't agree at all with her throwing Regina out, much less Mary Margaret. No matter how bad things were. Because he knew Emma was doing this to feel some closure, to try and push back some of the pain that was lingering in her heart. At the end of the day - she loved Regina.
Emma splashed cold water on her face as she stood before the bathroom sink, the cool sensation providing some relief to her knuckles and tired eyes. She dried up quickly as she made her way into the bedroom, only to be surprised to find Lily in Regina's nightgown that she had hid underneath her pillow.
"Why are you wearing that?" asked a now angry Emma.
"Doesn't it look better on me?" asked Lily as a smirk displayed on her lips.
"Take it off. You'll ruin it." Emma ordered.
"What difference does it make who wears it, Emma? She left it here, it means she doesn't want it." Lily argued.
Emma took a step closer to the bed, her eyes seething with anger, "Take it off, now! That isn't yours to wear." the idea of someone else other than Regina being underneath that piece of fabric angered her. Even more, after knowing that Regina's sweet scent would be gone.
Lily kneeled on the bed as she crawled closer to Emma, ridding herself from the nightgown, being completely in the nude as she spoke in a low and seductive voice, "Is this better?"
Emma's eyes remained on Lily's, not even moving anywhere near her naked body.
"You need to forget about her, Em." her hand brushed back some of her golden locks, the tip of her nose brushing up against Emma's very own, "I can help you do that." she murmured near the blonde's lips.
Emma moved back, her eyes focused right on hers, "Lily. I told you, you could come back here, and you sleep here with me, but it doesn't mean that something will happen between us."
"I just want to make you happy. I'm patient to wait, for when you're ready." Lily nodded. And she was patient. It took her this long to realize that she was the only one Emma could trust, she had more than enough patience.
"Can you please put something on?" asked Emma.
Lily obeyed instantly as she walked over to her suitcase, putting on some sleeping clothes. Emma lied on the bed, as she hid Regina's nightgown underneath her pillow again. As soon as Lily crawled into bed, she snuggled up beside Emma as she took Regina's place in bed, a slim arm wrapped around the blonde's abdomen. Emma remained still, keeping her hands to herself as her eyes studied the bedroom ceiling.
"I always knew I would be like this with you. I dreamed about it countless nights." Lily broke the silence in the room as her arm wrapped around more on Emma. "I would never lie to you, Em." she murmured.
That made Emma's green eyes search for Lily's as she looked down at her, "Never?"
Lily simply shook her head.
"Then, tell me something. Did you know that Greg was Daniel?" Emma asked bluntly, wanting to know her answer.
Lily shook her head once again, "No. I always had my suspicions that he and Regina were hiding something. He was always so secretive, and she would always tense up around him."
"Why didn't you ever tell me this? You were supposed to be my friend."
"I am your friend, Emma. I wasn't sure if what I was suspecting was true, and even if I had… you were so under whatever spell Regina had you in, that you wouldn't of believed a word I said. Or, am I wrong?" said Lily as she looked up into Emma's green eyes, as the blonde remained silent. "See. And now look, you had to get hurt to believe me." she chuckled, "I can't believe she went and got herself pregnant from him."
"If you don't mind, I rather not talk about that." said Emma as her eyes looked back at the ceiling and slowly closed.
"Surely, you aren't going to see her again, are you?" asked Lily, as her head slightly raised from Emma's shoulder.
"That's none of your business." replied Emma dryly.
Lily placed her head back on Emma's shoulder as she snuggled up closer to her.
"You should just divorce her. It'd be pretty stupid if you remained married to her after what she did to you." said Lily.
"Can we just go to sleep? Please. I've had a really exhausting day." was all Emma replied as her eyes remained closed, a tiny headache creeping up on her from all the previous crying.
"Good night, Emma." said Lily as she simply smiled and placed a sweet and soft kiss on the blonde's cheek.
Two months had now passed. Two lonely, agonising and stressful months. Lily was still living with Emma, August would pay visits to Mary Margaret and Regina every once in a while, which Emma didn't bother asking him where he went, for she knew too well.
Despite trying her best for Emma to give in to her seductive ways, Emma remained uninterested. What Lily didn't know was that the blonde would have a hard time sleeping at nights. Sometimes, if Lily was unfortunate enough, she would hear Emma's voice call out to Regina in her sleep.
As for Regina, when she wasn't being constantly stressed about her mother, she was happy and glowing more and more each day with her now first, noticeable baby bump. Eating wouldn't be much of a problem anymore, for all she cared about was for the baby to come out as healthy as possible. Along side Kathryn and Mary Margaret, she would find distraction enough to think of other things that wouldn't evolve around Emma. But on those lonely nights - all she could think about was the woman she loved and missed dearly. Still hoping she would soon come to her senses.
A/N 2: I know this was a smaller chapter compared to the rest, but I promise you the next chapter will be longer. Thank you all for your amazing reviews!