Warning: Potential spoilers I gleaned from filming photos.

I'm also playing with some of my own theories for what we'll see in season two.

This takes place a few months after the Dark Curse breaks.

Business at the diner was steady, but had slowed considerably since the Curse broke. In the chaos that followed the Dark Curse breaking, that magical purple cloud, the destruction that tore through town like a tornado and earthquake combined the diner experienced a surge in business as it acted as a meeting place and base of operations. But with memories returned and families reunited more people were taking their meals at home than eating out. Also there was a fear of Regina and Rumpelstiltskin that had people wanting to stay close to home.

Ruby did not mind things slowing down at the diner. It gave her time to think, to focus on more important things than getting coffee, and gave Granny more time to rest. Besides those that Ruby considered her more important customers still stopped by regularly. Besides Ruby herself the diner was empty, but it was now past three, school was out. Ruby got out the cinnamon and prepared a hot chocolate. Just as Ruby set the hot chocolate down on the counter Mary Margaret came in the door.

Mary Margaret came to the counter and perched on a stool. She picked up the hot chocolate, cradling the mug in both hands. "Thanks, Red." After taking a sip Mary Margaret set the mug down and turned it in small circles.

Ruby noticed that her friend seemed agitated. "You look like you could use something stronger than cinnamon in that cocoa."

"I'd like something stronger," Mary Margaret chuckled nervously. "But can't."

"You can't." Concerned and curious Ruby studied her friend. "It's Friday, you're out of work for the weekend. So either you're planning on driving or..."

Mary Margaret closed her eyes and nodded.

"...pregnant." Red finished softly.

Mary Margaret's eyes popped open, her head whipped back and forth to look around the diner but it was just her and Ruby. "No one else knows yet, I just found out this morning."

Ruby did not entirely understand Mary Margaret's agitation right away. When Snow told her that she was expecting she was all smiles and laughter. Ruby got a very ugly idea, months ago Mary Margaret had gotten very drunk at the diner and had left with Dr Whale. "Oh Snow, was it Dr Wha-"

Ruby had chosen a bad time to ask that question, Mary Margaret had just taken another sip of hot chocolate, and she choked. She slammed the mug down, coughing and snorting, hot chocolate and whipped cream ran down the mug onto the counter. Ruby got Mary Margaret some napkins and a glass of water, after a few minutes Mary Margaret recovered. Mary Margaret shook her head. "Gods Ruby! No. If it was I'd be showing before now. This is James's baby."

"Sorry." Ruby apologized, feeling guilty for even thinking it. "Then what's the matter?"

"The timing. We're at war with Regina. James and I wanted to wait until she was taken care of before having more children..." Mary Margaret wiped the side of her mug.

"Ah, I see." Because of Regina Snow did not get to raise Emma. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Ruby asked.

"Don't tell anyone I'm pregnant." Mary Margaret said. "Even after James and Emma know... I don't want Regina finding out."

"Of course. That's for you to tell anyways." Ruby said. "Anything else?"

"How do you feel about being godmother?" Mary Margaret asked. "I'll have to discuss it with James first, but you're like family already."

Ruby felt honored just to be considered. "Me? Well, sure if you and James want me to. But don't you have anyone else?"

"Fairies are traditional for royals, but I'm not trusting fairies as much these days." Mary Margaret drank her hot chocolate.

"I'd love to." Ruby said. "When are you due?"

"I'm not sure, I haven't seen a doctor yet." Mary Margaret gently put a hand over her still flat stomach. "I'll know more after I see Doc."

Ruby smiled. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, Red." When Mary Margaret smiled back she seemed to glow a little.

Mary Margaret stepped out of the diner and crossed the street.

"Snow!"

Mary Margaret stopped and turned, David jogged over to her, the deputy's badge on his belt flashing from sunlight. When David caught up to her Mary Margaret took his hand, squeezed it, then bounced on her toes and threw her other arm around his neck to give him a kiss. She had only meant to give him a quick peck on the lips, but once her lips met his she felt more passionate. When they broke off the kiss there was color rising in David's cheeks.

"Good afternoon to you too." David joked, looking at her. Then his face grew more serious. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not really." Mary Margaret squeezed his hand again. She had meant to tell him at home, but it looked like that news would not keep until then. She tugged on his jacket collar so he lowered his head and whispered in his ear. "I'm pregnant."

David pulled back, looking a little startled at first.

"I know we were going to wait... But it must have happened before we decided that." Mary Margaret flustered. She was not entirely honest when she told Ruby she did not know when she was due, she had a pretty good idea of when she was due because she knew exactly when this baby was conceived.

David's startled expression disappeared, replaced with a warm smile. "Not what we planned but... life happens." He gently placed his hand over her belly. "It'll work out."

"Charming..." Mary Margaret put her hand over his for a moment before she laughed and playfully poked him in the chin. "You won't feel anything there for a while yet."

David laughed too but his hand still rested there. "I know, just... My baby is in there."

Mary Margaret wrapped her fingers around his hand and gently pulled it away. "Let's go home. We don't want her finding out."

"No, of course not." David sobered. He bent down and kissed Mary Margaret again, then the two began walking down the sidewalk, hand in hand.

Snow had felt the fluttering in her womb long before James was able to feel the baby kick. That did not keep him from trying to feel the baby. As soon as they learned she was expecting he would gently place his hand over her belly and patiently wait for the baby to kick, even though Emma was still to small for him to feel. He was like a boy with a wrapped present he was not allowed to open, staring and studying the wrappings in order to make out the shape of what was inside. At night Snow would fall asleep with James's hand on her belly, and when she woke in the morning his hand was still there.

His eagerness for the child was refreshing when Snow spent most of her time worrying about what her evil stepmother would do to take away her happiness, what Regina plotted to do to their child.

It was after breakfast when Snow felt the baby really kick for the first time. Because of morning sickness all Snow could keep down when she first woke up was dry toast and hot chocolate with cinnamon. After her stomach settled she would send to the kitchen for a proper breakfast where she would eat for two. So Snow had just finished her toast and chocolate, had gotten up from the table and was going to rest on the balcony listening to the bluebirds until the nausea had passed when she felt Emma give a strong kick. Snow put her hand over her slightly rounded belly, and felt a slight nudge under her palm when the baby kicked again. She gasped.

James was out of his chair and at Snow's side in an instant. "What's wrong?" He asked worriedly, an arm going around her.

"The baby's kicking!" Snow guided his hand to where she felt the kick. Emma obligingly kicked again. "Did you feel that?"

James's eyes filled and his face lit up.

When Mary Margaret left the diner Ruby was feeling protective. Mary Margaret had more to look out for than just herself, she was carrying. This time Regina might not give her enough time for the baby to be born, Ruby did not put it past that Evil Queen to cause her best friend to miscarry.

Ruby lifted a slat of the blinds to watch Mary Margaret cross the street and was thinking of going out after her to make sure she got home all right when David showed up. Ruby relaxed, he would protect her better than anyone else ever could. Ruby watched David and Mary Margaret kiss, Mary Margaret whisper something in David's ear which was evidently about the baby because he put his hand over her belly. Then Mary Margaret laughed and touched his face, they talked some more, Mary Margaret pulled David's hand away from her stomach, they kissed again then they walked away holding hands.

Ruby felt a touch of sadness, her chance at having her own family and happiness was lost long before the Dark Curse. Peter was dead. But she was determined that her best friend would have it. She wanted some good to come out of her cursed life. Back when she was just Red with her hood and basket she had made up her mind to help Snow and James be together. Now Ruby vowed to do what she could to protect their family, including their still unborn baby. She had seen how Mary Margaret had touched her belly, Mary Margaret had only known about this baby for a few hours, suspected its existence probably only for a few days, but Ruby could tell she already loved it.

And Regina had vowed to tear away everything Snow loved, that's what the Dark Curse that took them to this world was about. Regina spent 28 years doing everything she could to make Mary Margaret miserable. Regina even framed her for a murder that never happened.

Now Ruby understood why Mary Margaret was agitated about being pregnant. This unborn baby gave Regina another target, it was something Snow loved so Regina would want to take it away. If Regina had it her way Mary Margaret might not even get to give birth, Ruby did not put it past Regina to cause Mary Margaret to miscarry. They would try to keep it a secret but Regina had eyes and ears everywhere, she would find out eventually.

Ruby was about to turn from the door when movement caught her eye, someone was in the shadows between two buildings not far from where David and Mary Margaret were just standing. Had someone else already heard? Ruby threw open the door and ran to the across the road to get a better look at the potential eavesdropper. She caught his scent before she saw him, he smelled like pine.

"Come out of there!" Ruby snapped.

August Booth stepped into the sunlight. He had a slightly startled expression on his wooden face. "Hi, Ruby."

Ruby wildly looked around to make sure August was the only person on the street, then grabbed his arm. It was unnerving how she could feel hard wood under his sleeve instead of soft flesh. "Come into the diner, Booth." Ruby ordered and walked him across the street and into the diner.

"Can I just have a water?" August asked as Ruby turned the lock on the door.

"In a minute." Ruby studied August, her eyes fierce.

The town had mixed opinions on August. Shortly after the Curse broke and magic came to Storybrooke it came out that August was Pinocchio. Everyone wanted to know why he grew up while no one else aged for 28 years. That lead to the Wardrobe Conspiracy being revealed. The Blue Fairy, Geppetto, even Jiminy Cricket had been in on the deception. At the War Council they were told that the wardrobe could only take one, so the plan had been to send Snow White through before she gave birth to Emma, the prophesied savior. But it turns out that Wardrobe could in fact take two, that ideally both Snow White and James could have been sent through to raise their daughter together. What happened was that Snow White gave birth early, because everyone believed the wardrobe could only take one Emma had been sent through alone, alone except for the seven year-old Pinocchio who had been sent through first. Geppetto's idea had been that the boy would take care of Emma. Of course that worked out as well as anyone could expect a seven year-old boy to take care of a newborn baby and Emma grew up alone after Pinocchio abandoned her.

Majority of the people in Storybrooke believed that Snow or James should have gone through the wardrobe instead of Pinocchio. Everyone else was getting their happiness torn away from them by the Dark Curse so why should Geppetto and Pinocchio be an exception? Geppetto should have let one of Emma's parents go through and take his own chances on the Curse.

Ruby herself was undecided on August. He was just a little kid when his father sent him through the wardrobe, not the most honest kid and he was always getting into mischief but he was still just a kid obeying his father. However August was an adult now, and he still was not the most honest man. Was not him turning back into wood proof of the fact that he had not been good? And, more personally on Ruby's level, There are no lemurs in Nepal.

"Did you see or hear anything out there?" Ruby asked August.

"No I didn't-" August started, but the tip or his nose quivered. Ruby gave August a look, she did not need the Sheriff's superpower to tell if August is lying. "Fine, I know she's pregnant." August confessed and his nose stilled. "But I didn't mean to spy on them, they were just right in front of me. I can't help it if they're indiscreet."

Unless August wanted his nose to precede him by several feet he had to tell the truth. At least Ruby knew he wasn't spying on her friends on purpose. "But you can help who you tell about it. Don't tell anyone. If Regina finds out and it's because you told stories I'll turn you into toothpicks."

"Hey!" August held up his hands defensively. "I only told you because I figured Snow already told you. What got me and my people on the town's bad side was keeping a secret. I won't tell anyone, much less Regina. You have my word."

Not lying was no guarantee that August would not go back on his word, but it would have to do for now. "All right."

"Can I have that water now?" August asked.

Ruby unlocked the door, then went around the counter and got August an ice water. She set it before him on the counter.

"Thank you." August took a sip.

Ruby took Mary Margaret's empty cup to the kitchen, then came back to the counter to wipe up the spilled hot chocolate with a bar rag.

"I'm glad Snow and James are getting a second chance to raise a child." August said. "If it wasn't for me at least one of them would have had a chance to raise Emma."

"Regina had a lot to do with it, too." Ruby said, not letting August completely off the hook.

"I didn't even do what I supposed to do after I went through the wardrobe, I abandoned Emma the first chance I got. I failed everyone."

While August was going on about being an incredible screw up, Ruby went over to the coat rack for her cloak. Wearing a cloak while working at the diner was uncomfortable, it always got in the way, but she doubted she would have anything else to do until a few others started their shifts and she could leave for the night. There was going to be a full moon tonight, now that magic was in Storybrooke Ruby was off work at night when the moon was full. Ruby wanted to be wearing her cloak before the sun went down. She could not risk becoming a Wolf in Storybrooke. Back in the Enchanted Forest she had gained some control over herself as the Wolf, but it had been 28 years since then. One might say that while under the Curse the Wolf took over Ruby, Wolfstime was all the time. Only instead of killing sheep or people she just hunted guys, a lot of guys. Even after Granny told her she would be taking over the Diner and began trying to be a respectable businesswoman she still felt that urge to hunt.

It was not until after the Curse broke and magic came that Ruby became less wolfish and something closer to what she used to be in the Enchanted Forest. It was nice not to have those urges, but it meant she had to worry about moon phases and wearing her cloak, otherwise the Wolf could take over completely and people could get hurt.

Red tied the string at her throat but left the hood down for now. She looked back at August.

"I would do anything to make up for what I did, and didn't do." August finished.

His nose did not grow so he must have meant what he said. "Then just keep your mouth shut so Regina doesn't find out." Ruby said. But she knew even if August told no one, as he promised, Regina still had other ways of finding out. Besides whatever spies she might have she had her mirrors. Everyone had covered their mirrors, but it was impossible to get rid of every reflective surface. Regina might still be able to spy, perhaps she had an eye right in Mary Margaret's apartment. Something more had to be done than keeping a secret and covering mirrors.

Then Ruby got a stupid idea. "You really want to make it up to them? We have to make sure they get to keep this baby."

Unlike my other stories I actually have the next chapter mostly written out and I know where this fic will end- and it will end soon. It's only going to be two chapters, three tops. I'm a coward, not gonna compete with the show writing in the same season that's airing for long.

I doubt Snow and James would be having another kid as soon as I have Snow getting pregnant in this fic, but I'm pretty sure they'll be having more kids (Probably season 3).