Not in Kansas Anymore

Dad rushed Mom to the hospital, and I lingered behind for a moment. The sharp pain of labor pressed down on me, but I knew I could make it stop. It was too early, and I had no dilation. I muttered, "Come on, little girl, wait until after Grandma has her baby, please? I need to keep them safe." With that plea, I walked to my Bug.

A little while later, I arrived at the hospital. I walked slowly, trying not to accelerate my own labor. The pain was excruciating, but I couldn't let anyone know. Right now, it wouldn't be productive at all. I followed my mother's screams into her room, letting her cries echo for both of us. I held onto Henry tightly, standing to the side as they helped her into bed.

"It's gonna be okay," Dad reassured Mom, holding her hand. I watched, wondering if maybe leaving would lessen my discomfort, but I couldn't abandon her. "Our baby is gonna be fine. It's gonna be born, and it's never gonna leave your arms. I don't care who's out there."

"That's what we thought last time," Mom spat back. I looked over at her, frowning, as Dad glanced at me. A pain shot through me, and I turned my gaze away, so he wouldn't see it.

"Last time... not this time," Dad said firmly. "We have someone else on our side."

As I turned away, I saw Regina. She and I walked through the hall leading to Mom's room, and I began to put up a protection spell. I needed to concentrate. I raised my hands, trying to focus, and I felt the baby flip inside me. The pain intensified, and I took a deep breath, struggling to concentrate. "You really think this protection spell will be enough to hold her off?" I asked, trying to keep my mind off the tightening in my lower back. At least my water hadn't broken yet.

Regina turned to me, her expression troubled. "It depends if your brand of magic is stronger than hers," she replied. She stepped closer, and her gaze shifted to my belly. "If it is, no one wielding dark magic will be able to get in here."

"That doesn't sound like a vote of confidence," I observed.

"It isn't," Regina admitted, her worry apparent. She glanced at my belly and then back at me.

I shook my head, determined to keep the baby at bay. I walked into the hospital pharmacy and took out my medical pad, ordering a tocolytic to slow down my labor. I had to delay this birth; the fight with Zelena awaited. "This ends today," I said after swallowing the pill.

On my way out, I spotted Henry. He greeted me, "Hey, Mom."

"Hey, Kid," I replied with a smile.

"Is the baby here yet?" he inquired.

"Not yet, but I'm sorry I have to go take care of this witch," I explained. "But it's gonna be alright. I'll be back before you know it."

"I know," he said, putting on a brave face. "I'm not worried."

I smiled back at him. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, Mom. It's what you do," he said confidently. "But be careful with my sister."

I smiled, kissed his forehead, and whispered, "I love you, Kid."

"Love you too, Ma," he said. Hearing him call me that brought a rush of emotions. I looked at his Mom, who was watching our interaction. I signaled for Henry to go to her, then I walked out of the hospital. Despite feeling a little strange after performing magic with the protection spell, my contractions were calming.

I muttered as I made my way to the farmhouse, dreading being there. I had to bring this baby into the world with Zelena's threat hanging over me. "Zelena!" I shouted. "Come out!"

The witch's taunting response echoed, "Aren't you cute, the savior coming out here all on her own. Doesn't even know how to work her magic. What can you do to me?"

I laughed, trying to maintain my composure. "Sure, next time you want to take away my magic, why don't you enchant someone I actually want to kiss?"

"Like my dear little sis?" Zelena sneered, her laughter chilling the air. "You have a decision to make, Emma. You can fight me and kill me now, or give up that shining magic."

My growl echoed through the farm as I felt a newfound strength. My contractions had disappeared. I raised my hands, shot a stream of white magic at her, and heard her laughter. She mocked my efforts, and my confidence faltered. I tried again, eyes wide open this time, but she laughed once more. "I'm ready," I whispered. "This ends now."

With a cloud of green smoke, Zelena disappeared. My determination remained, and I knew I had to get to Mom and the hospital.

I rushed into the hospital to find Regina trying to stop David from doing something rash. "Hey, what's going on here?"

"Did you find Zelena?" he asked.

I flinched. "I did, but I couldn't stop her," I admitted, looking down at my hands.

"She took your brother," he said. The word "brother" sent a surge of love and excitement through me, despite my inability to access my magic.

"Fuck..." I whispered, my head spinning, and I turned around, heading back out of the hospital. "This is all my fault."

"I'm coming with you," Dad said.

"Fuck," I cried. "I can't do this."

"Yes, you can. You have magic," he insisted.

"No, I don't... at least not for another two hours," I explained.

"What?" Regina asked.

"I'm in labor," I admitted. "I took a labor suppressant, and I can't find my magic. I'm completely blocked."

"Emma..." Regina began, coming to my side. I pushed my hands out, keeping everything at bay. My brother was in danger, and it was my fault.

"Only the purveyor of the strongest light magic can defeat her," Dad said, while Regina held my hand and anchored me in the moment. "Maybe your baby needs to be born."

I frowned, the thought of accelerating birth being a form of torture at this point. "I'd be laid up for days, we don't have that kind of time."

"But, Mom," Henry said. "You can do it. Zelena only beat you because you were using dark magic."

"That's all I have," Regina said.

"No, it's not," I said, turning to her. "The kiss between you and Henry... that was light magic."

"See... You can do it," Henry encouraged.

"I don't even have my heart right now," Regina stated.

"That doesn't matter... we broke the curse without it," Henry argued. "I know you still love us."

"Plus, I can give you back your heart," I said. "You have to beat her."

"You aren't a villain anymore, Mom," Henry affirmed. "You're a hero; it's what you do. I believe in you. Now you need to believe too."

Regina looked at me, our joined hands, and moved closer. She kissed me, then placed her hand on my chest, and her hand went inside me. She held onto her own heart and pulled it out, now marbled with bright white. She smiled and placed her heart back in her chest, becoming overwhelmed with emotion.

All of us walked into the barn at her farmhouse. We had tracked the baby there. I was still suppressed, but I hoped Regina's magic would help. As Regina, David, and I entered, Zelena laughed. "Sis, did you finally come to deliver your heart?"

"Actually, I came jewelry shopping," Regina quipped. The two of them engaged in a fierce battle as I walked toward my brother. The Dark One seemed to avoid hitting me with his defenses, likely due to my pregnancy. It was a small mercy.

While Regina and Zelena fought, and David battled a flying monkey, I picked up the baby from the cradle. As I held him, I felt a sharp pop, and rivulets of amniotic fluid began to roll down my leg. I bit my lip and hurried away from the crossfire before I dropped my brother.

"Only white magic can defeat me," Zelena said, levitating Regina. The younger sister gasped for air, hanging desperately in the air. "And you're as dark as they come."

"Don't tell me how to be," Regina spat back at her, her hands beginning to glow white.

"What is that?" Zelena asked, her attention split as David reached me to take the baby from my arms. "What are you doing?"

"I'm changing," Regina said, and both of us extended our arms, blasting her with light magic. The labor suppressant had run out just in time for me to back her up. Regina dropped to the ground.

Zelena coughed in shock. "How?" The older sister asked, clearly astonished.

Regina marched up to Zelena and snatched the necklace around her neck. It was as if all of her magic exited her body at once.

Regina turned to face me, and I doubled over in pain. "Emma!" Regina said, rushing to my side.

"Wait, what about Zee-"

"Oh, her," Regina stated dismissively, sending the green witch away.

I looked over at Dad. "The baby, is he okay?" I asked, realizing that I was so busy trying to shield him that I had forgotten to give him a thorough checkup.

"Yeah…" David said. "He can handle anything, just like his big sister."

Regina came to me and wrapped an arm around me, helping me walk to the car. "Where did she go?" I whispered to her.

"She's in your office," Regina stated.

As soon as he had retrieved his dagger, the Dark One had disappeared. I moaned every tenth step I took. "That's enough," Regina said. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

Hours later, I was in a hospital bed, holding my brand-new daughter. "Mom, she's so cute."

I couldn't keep my eyes off her. I couldn't believe what I had missed with Henry, and I couldn't imagine ever wanting to sleep for fear of missing anything she did. "She looks just like you…" I whispered, as the vivid memory that Regina had fabricated stood starkly in my mind. I was so grateful for it.

"Knock, knock…" came from the door. I looked up to see Mom holding baby brother in her arms, with Dad beside her. "Hey… Oh my gosh, she's here."

"How is my girl?" Dad said, kissing my forehead.

"My entire body hurts… I don't recommend running a marathon while you're in labor," I said, dropping my head.

"May I?" He asked, and I nodded as he took baby J into his arms.

"Emma, I'm so sorry we put you in that position," Mom said. "But I'm glad to have at least met her before you move back to New York."

Henry perked up at that. "We're going back to New York?"

"I have different kinds of responsibilities there now. My job is different. And Henry, life was good."

"But what about Mom?" Henry said.

"She can come with us," I answered.

"No," Henry said, standing. "New York is not home!"

"I can't make you come with me, Henry," I stated, feeling too tired for this discussion. "You have a family here."

"Emma, so do you," Mom said sadly.

I sighed. I knew all of this intellectually. It's just that I don't like the responsibility of being the Savior. I wasn't created for this. I was thrust into a life of being a hero, and I know I'm bound to struggle with this for the rest of my life. Killian once accused me of being afraid of seeing a happy future in Storybrooke. But if you're happy, someone can take it away from you. And right now, I've never been happier.