A/N: The response to the last chapter has been amazing. I wasn't sure how Nita's death would be received, and I'm glad that most of you could see why it had to happen in regards to the story. The least I could do is offer you a last glimpse into their lives. Happy holidays/fijn feestdagen! (Apologies for any mistakes, I'm exhausted.)

When she opened her eyes, she wasn't sure where she was. She was surrounded by a vast amount of fruit trees and beautiful flowers in bloom, and the mix of scents created a heady aroma that immediately put her at ease.

It was night, and the light of the moon felt cool and calming to her skin. Her first steps forward were hesitant, but a whisper of sound had her following a path her feet knew even if her mind didn't quite remember.

Her breath caught as she cleared a last ring of pear trees. There, in the middle of it all, was a familiar massive apple tree she'd never seen the likes of anywhere else. The trunk was thick and massive, with branches so long and heavy that poles had been arranged in many places for support.

The wind whistled through the canopy of leaves, and she realized that's where the whispering voice was coming from.

She had to focus to understand the words, and her breath caught when she realized the tree seemed to be humming low words of approval.

She swallowed hard, and for a moment she could swear she saw a face in the coarse bark of the tree. A blink made the face just seem like an odd trick of shadow and light, but she knew better.

"Come along Nita," a kind voice gently commanded behind her. She yanked her body around and tears welled in her eyes when she turned to find her mother attired in her familiar buckskin dress.

Nakoma gave her a tender smile and extended her hand in invitation. The moonlight added a luminescent glow to her bronze skin, and without thought Nita reached her own much smaller hand out to join her mother.

Regina jerked awake with a gasp, her own eyes filled with tears as the last fragments of the dream lingered.

Next to her Red reacted to Regina's movement by bolting from sleep, eyes wide and looking frazzled but alert with her hair sticking up in some places. "What is it? Is it the baby?"

The pregnant woman panted lightly, trying to catch her breath and calm down. It was the second day of the full moon of her final month of pregnancy, and Red had been on pins and needles waiting for her to go into labor.

"No," she said when her heart had finally slowed.

"Oh." Red visibly slumped back into the headboard, and Regina couldn't suppress a laugh at her disappointment. Adoration welled in her breast as she regarded her lover in the quiet of morning.

She wanted to wipe the dismay from Red's face. "I think today might be the day."

When her Red gave her a confused, but curious look, she took a deep breath before speaking again. "I had a dream," came the quiet admission. "About Nita."

Red's jaw worked for a moment. It had been months since they'd lost Nita, and though they were slowly healing, her presence was still sorely missed. "Will you tell me about it?"

Regina nodded and reached out a hand to tangle their fingers together as she began to reverently relay the vision she'd experienced while in dreamland.

Red frowned from her kneeling position as she examined the cherry oak piece of furniture. It seemed solid, but she had to be sure. Her tongue poked out in concentration as she alternately tugged at and ran her hands over the panels of wood.

"Red, the crib is totally fine! It's some of Marco's finest work!"

The lanky woman didn't budge from her place on the floor as she continued to examine the crib. "This is the same guy who lied to your face so his son could go through the portal with Emma - who ended up growing up alone for twenty-eight years, I might add."

Mary Margaret took a deep breath and leaned against the doorjamb of the open door. She reminded herself that her best friend was just being overprotective. She'd slipped upstairs at the first chance she could get. It was clear to her that her presence had begun to aggravate Regina a little too much.

As she observed her diligent friend, she sighed half-heartedly. "Knowing Regina, I doubt your daughter will sleep here much anyway."

That made Red pause as a smile started to grow on her face. "Our little girl is going to be so spoiled."

"Oh, definitely. Henry's been bothering his grandfather for more sword lessons so he can 'be prepared to fight for his sister's honor' as he puts it." Mary Margaret considered her next words carefully before speaking. "Seeing how he was with Nita, I know his little sister is going to be the apple of his eye."

The quiet stretched on, and just when Mary Margaret thought she'd said the wrong thing, Red stood up to share a melancholy smile with her. "There's no doubt about that."

"Is Emma still coming by in a bit?" the pixie haired woman was curious how her daughter was getting along with the Lucas-Mills these days. She knew Emma stopped by the house on Mifflin a lot, but it was rare that she got to see all three women at the same time.

The last time had been the dinner fiasco several months previously, and she couldn't help but wince as she remembered Belle's shock at discovering that Rumple had been swapping out his dagger with a fake one. A huge argument had followed, and Regina hadn't allowed another family gathering at her house since.

She was still rather upset about the curtains catching on fire, it seemed. Rumple really had no room to be upset about Belle ordering him to attend family dinner, and the fireballs had been a complete overreaction. Or maybe she was still upset about the tea set Charming had accidentally destroyed in his hurry to use the silver serving tray it rested on as a shield.

"Oh, yeah. She just had to drop Will off at the apartment," Red rubbed at her chin thoughtfully as she examined the cushion on the changing table.

Mary Margaret gave her a knowing look, "I never thought she'd let him move in so soon. Hook wasn't even allowed to spend the night."

The words made Red roll her eyes with an internal sigh. Emma and Will had formed a bond similar to that of brother and sister, and Emma loved him dearly. They'd all tried explaining that to Mary Margaret, and even pointed out that Will was technically married to his True Love, even if he had no idea how to return home to her.

In true Snow White fashion, Emma's mother had just grinned and said "Of course," with a little wink that had made Emma throw up her hands in exasperation and walk away.

Red was tempted to point out that Emma had recently been seen bumbling and blushing heavily around Tink, but she didn't think her best friend was ready for the information. She grinned to herself when she recalled Emma's awkward questions around the subject.

Her phone vibrating in her pocket pulled her from her thoughts, and her eyes widened when she read the text.

Mary Margaret was about to ask what was wrong, but Red fled the room before she could even open her mouth. She blinked at the now empty baby room, and turned to follow swiftly in her best friend's wake.

Regina frowned as Red came racing down the stairs as if her tail were on fire, and her internal word choice made her reflect darkly back to the family dinner she'd had to endure for her lover.

She was still mad that Emma had broken her antique gravy boat, and then had made things worse by trying to fix it with magic. A vein throbbed in her forehead when she recalled the way the broken pieces had transformed into a hideous looking pigeon that had flown away, ensuring that Regina couldn't even magically repair the family heirloom.

Emma had been banned from family dinners for two weeks because of that, and the rest of the extended family wasn't allowed to ever be all together again under her roof. She'd finally let the sheriff back when Henry had complained about too many frozen dinners and pop tarts being thrust his way.

Her attention was brought back to the present as Red arrived in front of her, glaucous eyes wide. "How long? Have you called Dr. Sweet? The sun hasn't set yet, is that bad?"

The questions were rapidly fired, and Regina sighed dramatically as she endured the barrage. "I told you to stay calm."

"What? I'm calm." Red dutifully ignored how high pitched her voice sounded and hid her shaking hands behind her back.

Regina mentally recited a stanza from one of her favorite poems to gather her patience, and as she looked back up at her anxious lover, she wondered if she should instead try reading from the Iliad. "Not that long, and yes I called Dr. Sweet. You read the same books I did, dear. You know that our daughter probably won't be here for at least several hours. So please do try to remain calm."

Red nodded her head jerkily. "Right, yeah. Calm. I can do calm." Her long legs ate up the length of the living room several times in a matter of seconds.

A throat cleared loudly, and Eugenia paused from helping baby Neal walk around the living room coffee table. "Red, maybe it's a good idea if you go for a run now."

"No, I'm not leaving Regina." Her hands rested on her hips in a defiant stance, her lips pursed as she glared at her grandmother.

"Red, I love you, but you need to go burn off some energy." Regina gave her a very pointed look that made Red slump her shoulders.

It took a valiant effort not to let her lower lip just out, but Red managed. "Alright, it wouldn't hurt to do a few sweeps of the forest to make sure we're not in for any surprises."

That last was said a little defiantly, and the pregnant woman could only let out a breath of frustration at her lover's overprotective nature.

Red had experienced a rather odd nightmare in which Robin Hood and his Merry Men showed up on the night Regina gave birth to take the baby, and despite all of Regina's best efforts, the lanky woman had been unable to let go of the irrational fear.

Emma and Will had even spoken to Robin on Red's behalf, and the leader of the thieves seemed content to wait to have the DNA test done once it was safe. Robin was fairly certain he wasn't the father. However after he'd nearly given Marian a heart attack with his initial declaration, his significant other had demanded the test "to be absolutely certain."

Despite the reassurances from the sheriff, Red's mind hadn't been eased in the least.

"Be careful," was all Regina managed to say.

The concern earned her a soft half-smile, and Red was gone a moment later.

Keys jingled at the door, and Regina closed her eyes and leaned her head back to rest against the chair back with a delighted expression when she heard the familiar heavy footsteps of her son. She ignored the second set as they diverted to another part of the house.

"Mom!" Henry greeted his mother exuberantly. "I've got everything ready to be set up outside. Both you and my little sister are going to be as comfortable as possible tonight!"

She extended her hand silently, pleased when he took it without question to curl up carefully at her side. He'd had another growth spurt, and she was certain he would be towering over her soon. She ignored the pain of another contraction as Henry adjusted a pillow at her lower back.

So far the pregnancy pains had nothing on what she'd endured during the course of her life, and though she was certain the actual birth would be incredibly painful, she felt calm.

She gave him a warm smile when he finished, and took his hand. "You're going to be a spectacular big brother."

He gave her a look full of mixed emotions; guilt and shame warred with tenderness and hope. Regina was certain he was thinking of Nita. His eyes cleared and he looked solemn. "I hope so."

Regina didn't respond verbally, instead pulling him in for a hug and kissing his furrowed brow. She could hear Mary Margaret and Emma speaking quietly in the other room, and she was glad for the peaceful moment with her son.

She let herself drift into a trance-like doze, an ability she'd gained out of a necessity for survival growing up. When she next let herself focus on the world around her, Dr. Sweet was towering over her with a large grin.

"Well hello Miss Mills, glad to see you taking it easy. I'd say you're faring better than Miss Lucas." As he spoke, his thumb pointed behind him. Regina could just see her lover pacing back and forth in the hallway, and she had to stifle a laugh.

"Hello Dr. Sweet," she gave him a genuine smile. The man had been rather congenial about her odd request for a very unique home birth, and hadn't even asked questions as to why she'd requested one. "Won't you sit down?"

Dr. Sweet returned her smile, and sat just adjacent to her on an overstuffed armchair.

She looked around and saw she was alone, and she didn't hear anyone else in the house either. "Would you like something to drink?"

The tall dark-skinned man laughed at the offer, and he looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. "You're quite the hostess, but that won't be necessary. I had dinner just before I came here, and I assure you I'll be fine for a long time to come. I would have waited a little longer, but Eugenia Lucas gave me a call and thought it might ease her granddaughter's mind if I stayed here a while."

Regina gave him a surprised look, internally wincing when another contraction struck. She waited for it to pass before speaking. "Forgive me, but I'm surprised you've been so easygoing about all of this."

She regarded him for a few beats before carefully forming her next words. "Most residents of this town aren't so...accommodating in lieu of the circumstances that originally brought them here."

Dr. Sweet's eyes were twinkling again. "Well, that might be because I don't share their animosity about the curse. I'm originally from this world, and actually pretty glad to be home."

The former queen's brows raised on her forehead, and Regina wondered when the man would stop catching her by surprise.

At her unspoken question, he decided to elaborate. "I'll just say that I've been a doctor a long time, and some friends and I got carried away in an adventure that left us stranded in your world. The memory issue was a little cumbersome, but we had good lives here." He shrugged as he finished speaking.

Her eyes caught sight of a necklace peeking through the v of his shirt, and she was certain that the crystal around his neck seemed to glow before it shifted back under the fabric and was hidden from view.

When she looked back up at his eyes, he gave her a wink. "Despite what your curse entailed, I can assure you there is magic in this world if you know where to look."

She let the words roll around in her head a few moments. "I-" she had to take a deep breath. "Those are definitely getting much closer together."

Red was suddenly striding over to her lover, her face painted with concern as she crouched next to the couch. "Is everything okay?"

Dr. Sweet stood, evaluating Regina's pursed lips for a moment. "It might be about time to get her set up outside."

Regina nodded once in agreement, and that was enough for Red. The lanky woman leaned forward and carefully put one arm under the back of Regina's knees, the other going to support her lover's back.

The lightly perspiring Regina gave her an appreciative smile, and quickly wrapped her arms around Red's neck.

With a swift kiss to Regina's forehead, Red finally stood. She cradled her precious cargo attentively and kept her strides even as she approached the side door to the backyard. Dr. Sweet scooted ahead of her once he saw the door, and she gave him a polite smile when he opened the door.

It only took a minute to reach the nest of pillows and blankets Henry, and probably Emma, had put together to maximize Regina's comfort.

The woman in question laughed lightly as she settled down, forgetting her discomfort for a moment at the lovely consideration.

Red grinned at her and held up a hand in a gesture for the reclining woman to wait. The tall woman stretched up and flicked on a few battery-powered lanterns that Regina hadn't noticed hanging from some of the lower branches of the Honeycrisp tree.

The additional light blended well with the moonlight, but still brightened the area considerably. She was certain Dr. Sweet would be happy for the additions.

As the large man settled down at Regina's feet, Red helpfully produced another lantern that would rest on the ground near the physician. He nodded his appreciation and began to fumble through the large bag he'd brought in preparation for their night.

"Sit with me Red," Regina instructed quietly.

She didn't have to wait long for her lover to comply, and she sighed as the warm body settled around her. The night wasn't really hot or cold, making Red's presence both comfortable and more than welcome.

As Dr. Sweet finished sterilizing and arranging things, he looked at the expectant couple. "Now it's all a matter of waiting. It's almost time, but not quite." The normally boisterous voice was softer than usual, the modulated tone a sign of respect for the peace that prevailed around them in the night.

Regina squeezed at Red's thigh carefully. "Where's Granny?"

Red reached into her pocket to check her phone for any messages, and was happy to see a message from Eugenia. "She's almost here, don't worry."

Though the old matriarch hadn't participated in or heard of the ritual before, she'd volunteered to assist on the night of the birthing. She was given the important task of collecting the ripened Fruit of Life just after their daughter's birth. Eugenia was more than proud to do something so important for what would probably be her only great-granddaughter.

The sound of footsteps approaching on the grass made Regina smile. "I hope she left her crossbow at home."

A grunt greeted her statement. "I left it on the patio table, that's good enough."

Eugenia adjusted the step ladder she was carrying as she approached the tree, one hand reaching out to squeeze at her granddaughter's shoulder as she passed the seated women. She eyed the tree with its single dangling fruit, and selected an even spot that would make the fruit collection easy and safe to set the ladder up at.

That done, she turned to face the trio under the tree. She sat on the topmost step of the ladder and settled in to wait.

Regina gritted her teeth, sweat dripping steadily from her face as she gripped tightly at Red's hand.

"Almost there Regina, the next one is all you need," Dr. Sweet encouraged confidently.

She panted and made a mental note to create a curse just for Dr. Sweet and his smiling face. As the next contraction hit, she pushed with all her might.

Red's eyes watered as her daughter's first cry hit the air, both from the beauty of the sound and the fractured bones in her hand. When her appendage was released from her lover's Child of the Moon strengthened grip, she shook it out to the side as it began to heal and she scooted closer to get the first glimpse of her daughter.

Above them, Granny's eyes were wide as she stared in awe at the fruit that had begun to glow. It flared at the baby's first cry, and Eugenia had to blink and scramble to remind herself she was supposed to be doing something.

Regina was flat on her back, resting and gathering her breath having just expelled the afterbirth. She looked up in time to see her lover cutting the tied off umbilical cord. She sat up again, the breath catching in her throat when Dr. Sweet finished his quick measurements and handed the swaddled form to Red.

Red scooted closer so she was sitting immediately next to Regina, and this time when her eyes grew moist it was purely because of the look on her mate's face as she took her first look at their daughter.

A sniffle sounded as Regina looked down at the surprisingly long figure of her child. With one look she knew that the baby would surely inherit her lover's height. Red scooted even closer, and Regina reached out a hand to brush softly at the tuft of dark hair covering the tiny head.

"Hello beautiful," she whispered tenderly as she admired the small, wrinkled face.

She delicately accepted the baby as Red scooted behind her again to offer support. Long arms wrapped around both woman and child a heartbeat later, and Regina leaned into the kiss Red pressed to her cheek.

"She's perfect," Red admitted even as the little girl began to fuss.

Regina glanced up when she noticed the movement of Granny's approach. Her parted in surprise as she admired the milky-white gleaming of the apple.

Granny nodded to Regina once and held the apple directly above the child's head. She produced a knife, which she then used to make a meticulous cut on one of the bottom nubs of the fruit's flesh.

Eugenia held the fruit angled up, careful to not let the silver-white juice drip down until it was directly over the baby's lips.

At the first drop of moisture, the newborn opened her mouth greedily. Regina accepted the apple to take over the feeding as her daughter hungrily sucked at the fruit.

The radiance that immediately began in the baby girl's skin had everyone's attention, and awe swept through both parents as the fruit began to dim.

Suddenly the babies eyes flared a soft golden-yellow, and Regina instinctively knew that the process was complete. She let her daughter suckle for a moment longer before pulling the now normal-looking apple away.

She couldn't quite discern the baby's eye color, but they looked too light to be her own brown. She smiled lovingly at the realization and glanced up at her lover. She was sweaty, exhausted, and completely overjoyed.

They stared at each other for a while, lost in the euphoria of the moment. Red sighed dreamily and nodded once, and they turned their attention back to their alert looking baby girl.

They'd had long discussions about what to name their daughter, and eventually come to an agreement. Regina would feel more comfortable calling their daughter by her middle name, but her first name would always make Regina think tenderly of a wonderful teenaged girl they had every reason to thank for their daughter's life.

Regina's voice was hushed and full of wonder as she addressed their daughter. "Welcome to the world Annita Selene Lucas-Mills."

"We're your mommies, and we're very happy to see you," Red added in an excited whisper.

Both women laughed as their daughter responded with a sleepy look and a big yawn. They were lost in their own little world as the rest of their family slowly made their way outside to share in the happy occasion.

Regina didn't even snap at Mary Margaret as she cooed at Selene, and the former queen considered that a personal triumph.

Red's eyes twinkled knowingly, and they shared a last secret smile before turning their attention to address the waiting group of people.

The moon remained steady and welcoming the remainder of the night, the glow of its light lingering long in the memories of those who'd assembled for the happy occasion.