Chapter 16: Light of Love

The next several weeks were quickly passing by, time filled with doctor's appointments every week. Things with both Emma and the baby were going okay.

There was still no change in Graham's condition and Emma wondered if he would ever wake up. She had gone to visit him on occasion but her mobility was getting a bit limited. Emma had voiced her connection to Graham to Neal one night and whenever they needed answers Neal went to the story book. He showed Emma the story of how in the other life Graham was the Huntsman which was why the white wolf had passed by the hospital in the late night; he was waiting for his protector to wake up. Neal explained to Emma that had Graham killed Snow White like he was supposed to then she wouldn't have been born. Graham was in some way responsible for Emma.

Regina fumed as she often did. Graham's room was under constant surveillance and since there was no magic there was no way of getting around it. Going near Emma was also off limits since she was often around her parents or Neal. Even Gold stuck around since he and Neal were getting quite chummy. All Regina could do was bide her time and then once Emma was rid of the baby she would make her move.

"What are we doing here," Emma asked as she and Neal stood inside the crypt.

"Looking for insurance," said Neal looking around the mausoleum.

"Insurance for what, what could we find that's important here?"

"Haven't you read the book?"

"I tend to skip over parts containing creepy cemeteries."

Neal let out a small laugh. He decided to give Henry Mills' coffin a shove and when it budged, Neal pushed with more strength. When it was completely open a set of stairs led to a sub-level basement. At thirty-three weeks pregnant, Neal helped Emma descend the stairs.

There against the left wall was a row of boxes that looked like safe deposit boxes.

"What's in them," Emma asked.

"Hearts."

"Hearts, like actual hearts? That's kind of morbid."

"A bit."

"Why would Regina collect them?"

"For control. A heart is more than a beating organ. When you extract a person's heart you can either kill them or control them. My father used to do it all the time to bend a person to his will. Regina took Graham's heart when he failed to kill your mom."

Neal pulled out a fifth box and opened it. Inside the heart was glowing and beating.

"Here it is."

Emma looked at the heart. "How do you know that's his?"

"See that paw on it? The wolves are his family to the point where they've left a physical mark. Regina will no doubt try to get Graham to go after you so we need to keep her from controlling him. Come on, we need to get out of here."

The two of them left but what they had not known was that Regina was watching them leave. When they were out of sight she went inside the mausoleum and down to the vault not trusting them. She had come to visit with her father and it had been a chance encounter that she had seen them. She now wished she had arrived sooner to confront them.

Regina searched her hearts and found the one that was missing: Sheriff Graham's. Regina took a deep breath and angrily took a heart from one of the boxes, crushing it to ash, not caring whose it belonged to. Across town an unknown woman was having a heart attack and within seconds would be dead.

Time seemed to be speeding up. Neal and David had been spending their time working on the nursery. It satisfied Emma to see them getting along.

At thirty-nine weeks Emma could barely move. She knew the baby was coming soon, she just wasn't sure when. She had read that women went into labor between the thirty-eighth and forty-one weeks. After today Emma would begin her fortieth week.

Exactly on the start of Emma's fortieth week Neal had walked over to the door after hearing a knock come mid day. He and Emma knew it couldn't be David or Mary Margaret since they both had keys.

"Hope I'm not too late," August said when Neal opened the door.

After being stunned Neal said, "August, man what are you doing here?"

"You didn't think I'd miss this did you?"

"Neal who is it," Emma said uncomfortably waddling to the door.

"Emma Swan," said Neal as he ushered in their guest, "August W. Booth."

"You're August," Emma asked, unsure of whether to be pleased or pissed.

"It's good to finally meet you again. And good to see you believe."

Emma crossed her arms over her belly, "What makes you think I believe?"

"Because if you didn't I'd be a hunk of wood by now."

Emma looked at Neal, "What does he mean, who is he?"

"My name in the Enchanted Forest was Pinocchio."

Emma released her arms and laughed, "Pinocchio: the wooden puppet who turned into a real boy and whose nose grew every time he lied?"

"The very one," said August, "except my nose doesn't grow. If I screw up or am not true then little by little my body starts to turn to wood."

August took a few steps toward Emma. He took her hands. Emma wanted to pull back but there was something in his eyes, something familiar. Neal wanted to get close but instead he kept his distance.

"I'm so sorry, Emma. I was supposed to be there for you and I wasn't. I was supposed to protect you and get you on your path but I failed and when I did find you I was too much of a coward to enter your life."

"So that's why you had Neal do it instead."

"You trust him. I didn't think you'd trust me."

"You're probably right about that."

"So are we good then," asked August.

"I still don't know you."

"Hopefully that will change. In the meantime I have something for you, for the baby."

August reached into the man bag that was slung across his chest. This time Neal did stand near Emma as August handed her the book. The title read 'There Once Was a Little Prince'. Emma opened it and came to find that it resembled the 'Once Upon a Time' book in both style and art.

The first page began:

There once was a special little prince

who was born from two special parents

who came from two very special families…

Emma looked at August with a new sense of recognition. "It was you," she said, "I remember, how do I remember?"

August smiled, "Magic."

"You left. You left me there."

"I know and I'm deeply sorry Emma. I'm not exactly good at saying 'no' but I hate myself for leaving. I'll never leave again, I promise."

"You better not because if you do I'll stop believing and then you're really screwed."

The three of them let out small laughs and smiled.

"Permission to hug you?"

"Good luck," Emma said.

Out of all the awkward issues of being pregnant hugging people was certainly a challenge.

"There's some place I have to be but I'll check in on you guys later. Hey Neal, thanks for getting her here."

Neal simply nodded. "Aren't you glad I stayed?"

"Honestly," said August, "I wasn't sure this was going to work. I thought you leaving was Emma's best chance. Clearly I was wrong but I've been wrong about a lot of things so in the end what do I know?" August smiled at them, "I'll see you guys later."

By Friday evening, nearing the final week of Emma's fortieth week she and Neal were visiting with Mary Margaret and David in their apartment. David had invited them over for dinner. Considering that Emma's belly was the size of a watermelon she wasn't sure she could keep any food down. It was hard enough that she was making constant bathroom visits, more so than any other time during her pregnancy.

The evening was going smoothly for the most part until 10:22 PM when Emma and Neal were getting ready to leave. As Emma stood up something inside her belly felt different. And then as if waiting for something Emma could feel a rush of water flow, down her pants.

"Emma you're leaking," said Neal.

"Haven't you been reading the books," Emma said to him, "I'm in labor."

"Sorry," said Neal, "I kind of skipped over that part." Then Neal went into panic first-time-daddy mode, "Okay what do I do? Call the hospital, go get the bag."

Instead of answering Emma let out a banshee-like scream.

"I'll call the hospital," David said going to the phone.

Mary Margaret was by Emma's side, "Okay Emma, just breathe, breathe, that's it."

"What do you mean the hospital is closed," David said yelling into the receiver. "Well I don't care open it or get any of the doctor's. My daughter is in labor and in a lot of pain so get someone." David hung up angrily.

Emma and Neal both noticed David's Freudian slip when he said the word 'daughter'.

"What's wrong," asked Neal.

"There's a problem at the hospital," said David, "Some kind of bomb threat or chemical spill."

"What!" Emma said raising her voice and then adding, "Ow."

"The entire hospital is under some kind of quarantine or lockdown so no one goes in or out."

"And this happens now," Emma said adding emphasis on the "ow" part as she clutched her belly.

"Of all times why now," asked Mary Margaret.

Emma took a breath, "Regina."

"You think she planned this," Mary Margaret asked skeptically.

"I know she did. She can't wait till the baby is out of me and what better way than to screw with the delivery by making sure the hospital is shut down and we have no access to doctors." Again she added another "ow" followed by a scream.

"I have to go check this out," Neal said though he didn't want to leave Emma but as the current sheriff he felt he had an obligation there as well.

"You are not leaving!" Emma commanded.

"Emma I have to."

"Screw the town! Right now I need you here."

Neal took a breath and was kind of glad that Emma was ordering him around. "They'll just have to figure it out without me then. Right now we need to worry about you. We have to do something," said Neal. He walked towards Emma, "Do you think you can make it downstairs?"

Emma tried to walk but when she did it felt like her lower half felt squishy and felt like at any minute the baby would drop out of her.

"I think he's coming," said Emma.

"We'll have to do it," said David.

Emma's eyes widened. "What! No absolutely not. I am not having my kid here and you are not going to see me down there!"

Emma let out another scream. Her contractions were getting closer.

"Baby we don't have a choice," said Neal.

"He's right," said Mary Margaret.

"Mary Margaret," said David beginning to take charge, "Let's get Emma over to the bed."

"Don't you dare," Emma complained.

Neal laughed some, "Em, we can't exactly take you to our apartment."

"I'll hold him in. I am not having this baby here."

Mary Margaret and David, even Neal ignored Emma's commands and took her to the bed. She was propped up. Neal worked on taking off Emma's pants and panties. She felt completely exposed despite her black t-shirt which wasn't really doing much to cover her enlarged belly; it scrunched up to cover only her breasts.

"This is not how I wanted to do this," Emma said through her tears.

Mary Margaret sat on Emma's left side and wiped her sweat with a wash cloth. "I know," she said to her. "It's okay. You're going to be okay."

An hour and a half passed. Though Emma was far along in her contractions she wasn't quite dilated enough yet. The contractions felt like they were getting worse even though realistically they weren't.

David returned to the room with a medical bag and closed the drape around the room. He saw the looks that the other three were giving him.

"What, I wanted to be prepared in case something did happen. Unlike you're boyfriend there I did read the books."

"You didn't have to," Emma said.

David smiled as he placed on a blue gown and gloves from the bag, "Hey what are pretend dads for if they can't help their pretend daughter out?" David took a look at Emma's vaginal area and then right at 11:30 PM asked, "Emma you ready?"

Emma shook her head, "No."

David laughed, "Well he is. Okay Emma I need you to push, really push."

"I'm right here baby, I'm right here," said Neal, taking hold of Emma's hand.

"I am too," said Mary Margaret, taking hold of her Emma's other hand.

Emma's legs were stretched out as far as they could go. Emma took a deep breath and squeezing both her boyfriend and her mother's hand she raised herself into an almost sit-up like position and began to push, screaming and moaning all the while.

"Good, good," said David, "I see the head. Okay Emma, you can relax you're doing great."

Mary Margaret used the washcloth again on Emma's forehead. "Just think," she said, "In a few more minutes you'll have your precious little boy. Try to think about that instead of the pain."

"Right," said Emma.

"Okay Emma," said David, "Here we go. I need you to push again. You can do this."

Emma's legs felt like they were being stretched off but she willed herself to keep pushing.

"Good I've got his shoulders," said David, "One more big push Emma. That's my girl."

"We're almost there Em," Neal said placing a kiss on her forehead. "Squeeze as hard as you need to okay?"

Emma yelled and screamed her lungs out. The lights around them flickered after another final push David told Emma to stop saying that he was out; they heard him crying. David Henry was born at exactly 12:01 AM.

David smiled holding up David Henry, his grandson, still connected to his mother. "You did it," said David, "Here's your boy."

Emma smiled through her tears, "He's perfect."

David looked at Neal. "Dad, do you want to do the honors?"

Neal nodded, gloved up and cut the cord. After that was David took care of the afterbirth and stitched Emma up. Mary Margaret then went and got a blanket to cover up Emma with. David cleared Henry's airway with the teal looking baste instrument and then cleaned him up. David then took off his gloves and gown. He then handed the baby to Neal, who looked down at his son. Neal then brought the baby over to Emma. Emma smiled at her little guy.

"We did it," said Emma, "We actually did it."

"No you did it," said Neal, "You did the hard part." Emma looked up at Neal and smiled. "I love you, more than anything."

"I love you too," Emma said kissing him.

She turned her attention to the child in her arms, "I love you Henry," she said reaching up to place a kiss on the baby's head.

As she did this a wave of light spread throughout the room and the town.

In the time of Emma's delivery the other towns people had come to find that the quarantine and lockdown threats were exactly that, threats. People woke up as if from a haze and turned when they saw Regina, knowing it was her who had forced the town into a panic.

Gold smiled at his shop knowing that true love's kiss had broken the curse.

At the hospital Graham's eyes opened and he was fully alert.

Back in the apartment Mary Margaret looked at David.

"Snow?" he asked.

Mary Margaret smiled, "Charming!"

Mary Margaret got up from her spot on the bed and went to him, kissing him like Emma had never seen them kiss before.

"Neal, what's going on?" Emma asked.

Neal smiled at his family, "You did it, you broke the curse."

Mary Margaret and David turned to look at Emma. They remembered who they were and now knew the truth, that Emma really was their daughter. And not only that but they looked at the little bundle in Emma's arms realizing that they had just helped to bring their own grandson into the world.

Emma's eyes were filled with new tears, "Mom, dad?"

The couple smiled at their title. Mary Margaret cautiously took a step toward Emma. She then cupped Emma's face, admiring her daughter with a new set of eyes. "You found us," she said kissing the top of her daughter's head.

Emma smiled as their heads met. Mary Margaret then pulled back. The moment was broken when a cooing sound broke them from their state of parental bliss. Emma looked down at Henry and smiled and then at Mary Margaret.

"Do you want to hold your grandson?" she asked.

Mary Margaret let out a laugh. "I'm really a grandma," she said.

David took a step toward them, "And that makes me a grandpa."

Emma gently passed Henry off to Mary Margaret. The woman held the baby with a snug tightness. "Hi David Henry," she said using the boy's full name. "I'm your grandma. We want you to know that you come from a special family and you will never be alone."

Mary Margaret looked at David and smiled at him and then at Emma and Neal and smiled at them.

Emma smiled too and then leaned into Neal, finally feeling like she could relax.

No one could say what the future held. It didn't matter to Emma or to anyone that she was still a teenage mom. The only thing that mattered was that they were a family. Dealing with Regina and the town's renewed memories could wait, for now Emma wanted to enjoy the sense of normalcy that this town, her parents, and Neal had given her since coming to Storybrooke.

"Thank you," Emma said to Neal.

"For what?"

"Helping me find my family. I don't know what my life would have turned out to be had you left."

"It's a good thing you'll never have to find out."

Emma smiled and closed her eyes- not fully falling asleep but feeling content in the moment around her.

~END~