Emma exhaled relieved when she felt the cool autumn breeze on her face, her body tense as pain radiated through it. Squeezing her hand tight as they walked through the automatic doors into Storybrooke emergency, he gave her a persuasive smile that asked her to rest. Emma rolled her eyes but smiled, waddling over to the waiting area, his arm guiding her gently into a chair.
"Wait here, I'll get help" Killian instructed.
Emma smiled wide watching him walk up to reception bags over both his shoulders he stood tall confident as ever. Emma gasped so overcome with happiness, a tear trickled down her cheek, her hands stroking her belly, before another contraction started. As she relieved this pain memories were brought to the forefront of her mind, seventeen alone chained to a bed, she had to let her baby go, give him his best chance. Interrupting her thoughts was the squeaking of wheels on the laminate floor looking up Killian was at her side with a wheelchair.
"I can walk," Emma said with a smile.
"Docs orders and he wants to do a full work up, once we're settled" Killian retorted pushing the chair closer.
Just as Emma was about to protest again the automatic doors opened and in waltzed Leroy smiling at them as he rushed by, axe in hand followed closely by his brothers. Emma looked over to her husband wondering if he had an explanation, but he matched her confused expression so she just shrugged and got into the wheelchair.
"What about Alice?" he suggested while he slowly pushed her down the corridor.
"I'll add it to the list," Emma smiled excitedly as she unzipped her bag looking through it.
"It's getting long" he chuckled before his eyes went wide, somewhat concerned they would never find the right name.
Emma hand riffled through her belongings in search of her phone in order to add the possible name to the ever growing list of options. Moving her hand in jerk movements rummaging into the overstuffed bag, she sighed upon realising she had placed the phone in the cupholder of the bug.
"I left my phone in the car" she advised just as he had wheeled her to her room
"Stay, I'll grab it love" Killian rubbed her shoulder begging to walk away.
Gripping onto his hand she pulled him close just as he stepped away, taking a moment to pause and embrace this moment they both smiled. Squatting low he leaned his head closer until their noses touched her hands and stroked his face.
"Oh and I left the pillow in the car too" Emma said, smiling.
Closing her eyes she felt his lips on hers softly kissing her and then he was gone strolling down the corridor. Arching her back hands on her hips to lift her stomach she got up from the wheelchair. About to bend down and pick up the bags Killian had placed on the floor she realised that manoeuvre would be impossible in her current state. Emma simply shrugged moving over to the bed, when she heard footsteps approaching her eyes went wide as it wasn't Killian that entered, but Zelena.
"What do you want?" Emma tone fearful, her eyes wide.
"Looking for Regina, have you seen her?" Zelana's tone was casual; she looked down at the time on her watch.
"No, why would she be here?" Emma asked, her brow furrowed as she started to wonder what was going on.
"For the protection spell, I thought you were in the group message" Zelena's shoulders slumped pulling a strange rock from her bag
"Left my phone in the car" Emma said each word slowly as the wheels turned in her brain and she realised what was happening.
"Supposed to meet me, outside" Regina gave her sister a pointed look, aware then Zelena showing up in the delivery room suddenly, would have raised concerns for Emma.
"Weren't you and Henry shopping for baby clothes?" Emma asked with a frown.
"He's with your parents" she shook her head while they began placing more crystals around the room.
"What are those?" Emma said through a chuckled scoff.
"They represent strength, peace and love, with these no witch, demon, or curse should be able to get past" Regina explained through bated breath.
"Am I missing something?" Emma scoffed bemused "Has someone threatened us" the energy in the room increased causing outlets to zap and lights to flicker.
"No" Regina rolled her eyes accustomed to these displays of Emma's power "just being cautious"
"What's going on?" Emma folded her arms after all these years she could tell when Regina was holding something back.
"Operation happy begging, I thought you knew" Regina frowned stepping closer "Henry and your parents have got the whole town involved"
Emma raised her eyebrows noticing more noise from out in the hall she stepped out, eyes wide upon seeing them overcrowded with the various people Emma had met since arriving in Storybrooke. Gran sat at the end of the hall with a crossbow at her feet while she knitted a baby blanket, hastily making their way past her, was Ruby and Belle.
This was an organised chaos as more of her extended family filled the empty halls of the small town hospital. Bringing her a sense of warmth to the sterile white walls, all coming together each with their own job to do. Emma scoffed in disbelief but she couldn't wipe the smile off her face.
Killian walked back down the hall to their room, sword in hand and Emma's phone, his earlier smile gone, replaced with an unimpressed look of confusion.
"Send you to get my phone, not a sword," she teased.
"Your father gave this to me" Killian eyes went wide in disbelief "said he would show me his technique, just in case"
"You've got hundreds of years of experience" Emma scoffed.
"Oh, but I've never had to sword fight with an infant in my arms" he smiled albeit frustrated he gave Emma a you look, the same one he gave whenever her father would try to pass down some misplaced advice.
"Right" Emma said through a chuckle
"Regina, Zelena could please just give us a minute" Emma gave Regina a pointed look.
Regina nodded, walking out while Zelena silently protested, the sisters having a silent discussion with their eyes. But Regina seemed to win, raising her hands in frustration before walking out.
"I was almost done," Zelena complained as she followed Regina to the hall.
"Do you want me to tell them all to go?" Killian asked with a smile.
"No, unless you want to" Emma locked his not his eyes apologetic.
"It's fine love, I just hope your father realises there are no swords aloud in the delivery room" He smirked, taking her hand leading her to the bed, they both sat by the edge "Oh and Gran wants to know the name, for the blanket"
"Right we're cutting it close" Emma smiled excitedly to meet her daughter, she gently stroked her belly.
Stomping into the room with a bemused expression and bow and arrow across her shoulder was Snow White "What's going on, is Regina not here yet?" she sighed.
"No she was here, we asked her to leave" Emma raised her eyebrows pointedly.
"Did she do the protection spell?" Snow eyes were wide frustration in her tone.
"I don't know" Killian shrugged in response, resulting in receiving a frown from his mother in law.
"Here take this" she ordered handing Emma a talk back radio from the station.
"Not going out on calls right now mom" Emma responded with a chuckle.
"In case the phones drop out" Snow exhaled frustrated, her eyes darting around as if scoping it for threats.
Before Emma could protest further the radio crackled "Mom, you there" Henry's voice cheerfully called out.
"Where are you?" Emma asked somewhat concerned.
"On the roof with Leroy, just making sure the skyline was clear" Henry's voice chipper through the cracking radio.
"Ok" Emma replied, eyeing her mother with a judgmental expression.
"Henry out" he stated before the radio went silent.
"What's going on?" Emma asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"We talked about this remember" Snow replied rather sheepishly, knowing full well this wasn't entirely true.
"I thought you were kidding" Emma chuckled, her eyebrows raised.
It was then she saw the heartbreak in her mothers eyes, the trauma that still remained, after not one but two babies were taken from her arms moments after giving birth.
"If I learnt anything from being a mother, it's that we can't protect them from everything, but we can sure as hell try" Snow replied with a deep exhale.
"I know, this must bring up some painful memories, but you didn't need to do all this" Emma insisted, stepping closer she took her hand.
"We just want her to have her best chance," Snow said, smiling.
"What makes you think she won't, have you lost all hope" Emma sighed frowning at her.
"We haven't lost anything, we'll never stop fighting" pausing as she became choked up "Hope isn't just waiting around for things to be ok, its fighting back because you believe things will get better"
"I never thought of it like that" Emma smiled nodding her head she turned to Killian who shared her expression.
Eyes distant as Emma pictured her little girl as she grew, knowing that sometimes she'd stumble and fall, but pick herself back up, wipe off the dirt and keep going. That her strength would be twice that of her parents, with this village to guide her and lift her up. That hope wasn't just an ethereal thing, but something that flourished in spite of what would knock you down.
"Are you alright?" Killian asked upon seeing Emma's distant eyes.
"I think we've got our name" Emma looked up at him with a smile.
"Hope" Killian stated in agreement.
