This is the final chapter I'm afraid but hopefully it'll be a good one. And thanx once again to Jess my beautiful beta!

~~~Christmas Day 2021~~~

Emma woke on Christmas morning to babbling coming from the baby monitor. Looking at the alarm clock she saw the red lights read 6:03, sighing softly she gently removed her arm from around Regina's waist and got out of bed to go and see who was babbling this time. Pushing open the door to the nursery she found Darcy stood up clinging to the bars of her cot, watching her sister sleep. "Good morning my little one." Emma whispered, bending down to pick up the tiny brunette from her cot. "What's wrong munchkin?" She asked swinging Darcy onto her hip.

"Hungry." Was the response she got, along with a pout.

"Well breakfast won't be for a while I'm afraid but how about some milk? And then we can go and wake up Mommy" Darcy nodded eagerly before she curled her fist into Emma's hair and pressed her face into her neck.

10 minutes later Emma placed her daughter beside her wife, Darcy immediately wriggled her way under Regina's arm, her hair tickling Regina's nose making it scrunch up. Emma giggled as she took a picture. "Mommy look Darcy's come to say Hi." Emma said as her wife slowly opened her eyes.

"Good morning Darcy, Happy Christmas." Regina murmured pressing a kiss to the top of Darcy's head. "Where's your sister?"

"She's still asleep. I'll bring her in when she wakes up. And the stockings that Santa filled up." With this last sentence Darcy's face lit up. Last year she was too young to understand what Christmas was, let alone who Santa was, but this year Henry and Emma had been telling her and her sister all about the magic of Christmas.

"He's been?" Darcy asked excitedly jumping up and down on the bed, only calming down slightly when Regina pulled her onto her lap and smoothed her hair.

"Yes my dear, but you can only open up your presents when your brother and sister are awake." Darcy pouted yet again at this, horrified at the idea that she had to wait.

Her sister could obviously tell that Darcy was waiting to open her stocking because there came more babbling from the baby monitor.

"I'll get her." Emma said getting up from the bed and kissing Regina's forehead. "And I'll wake up Henry while I'm at it."

Emma walked into Henry's room first, figuring he'd take longer to get up than her daughter, but was surprised to find the bed empty. Confused she walked back down the hall to the nursery to collect her other daughter. Pushing open the door she found Henry with his sister on his hip. "Morning Ma, Happy Christmas. I heard Hayley babbling so I came in here to see if she needed anything. But I think she just wants her mama."

At the mention of her mama, Hayley looked around and reached out to Emma.

"Morning kid. Good morning Hayhay." Emma cooed at the small blonde as she transferred her from Henry's hip to her own. "Happy Christmas to you both. Henry can you bring the girl's stockings through please" she added as she walked back towards the master bedroom Hayley chatting happily about Christmas.

"Hayhay." Darcy shouted when she saw her sister, jumping up and down and making Regina wince.

"Darcy calm down dear, Hayley's here now." Regina said reaching out and pulling Hayley down to join her sister on the bed just as Henry walked into the room.

"Henwy" Darcy added upon seeing her big brother enter the room with their stockings. "Pwesents!" she screamed as she saw the bulging stockings in his hands.

"Yes Darcy, presents. But you have to be a good girl and calm down a bit. Or else Santa will take your presents away." Emma said, sitting down on the side of the bed and pulling Darcy onto her lap. Darcy gasped at this and promptly quietened down.

The next 20 minutes were spent with the twins and Henry tearing into their stockings and squeals of joy from the twins (mostly Darcy) as they unwrapped new clothes. Emma and Regina had decided to save the toys for under the tree. Once all the presents had been opened and the twins extracted from their paper piles, the paper was put into the bin and the girls were deciding which of their new clothes they should wear today. Henry headed back into his room to get dressed before he made a start on breakfast while Emma and Regina picked up one twin each and their new clothes and moved into the nursery to get them ready.

"What do you want to wear today Hayhay?" Emma asked as she laid out Hayley's new clothes on the floor, the couple had decided to avoid putting the girls into matching outfits, as cute as it was they didn't want to give them an identity crisis, even if they were only 20 months old.

"Emma can you please stop calling her hayhay? I let Darcy get away with it because she's still struggling with words bless her, but you, you know how to say her name. We named her Hayley for a reason." Regina frowned, turning to face her wife.

Regina looked down at the bundle cradled in her arms. She had gone into labour late on the 6th April, 2 weeks early, and had given birth on the 7th, two girls both healthy born at 4:23 and 4:32pm. It was now about half 5 and Emma and Regina wanted to wait before inviting in the family as they wanted to introduce their daughters by name and not 'baby girl 1' and 'baby girl 2'. "I like Hayley. In Norse it means 'hero'. Hayley Faith Swan-Mills. What do you think?" Regina asked, looking sleepily at Emma who was squashed onto the bed beside her holding 'baby girl 2'.

"Sounds perfect. Hello there Hayley." Emma cooed as she pondered the name of 'baby girl 2'; "Darcy. She looks like a Darcy, don't you think?" A hum of approval from her wife was all Emma needed. "Well then, welcome to the world Darcy Hope Swan-Mills."

"Emma babe you do know that in some languages Darcy means 'Dark one?"

"Yes, but it's perfect. We've got both a saviour and an… anti-saviour! They'll be connected forever, just like their moms ." Emma said placing a kiss to Regina's forehead. "I'll go and get my parents. Mom is probably pacing frantically wanting to see her granddaughters." She added, shifting Darcy in her arms as she stood up and placed her back in her cot.

Out in the waiting room Emma found Henry, her Mom, her Dad, Neal and Amelia. Hugging Henry first, Emma looked at the rest of her family and grinned; "So, who wants to meet the girls?" Mary Margaret squealed and hugged her daughter. "They're sleeping at the moment so please contain yourself. I know it's hard because they're adorable but try." She added as she pushed open the door letting the family inside.

"Awww, Regina they're beautiful. You two did well." Mary Margaret whispered picking up Darcy from her cot. "Have you got names yet?"

Emma nodded at Regina as she picked up Amelia to see her nieces "Well you've got Darcy Hope Swan-Mills there and here is Hayley Faith Swan-Mills." Regina replied nodding at each girl in turn as she introduced them.

"Good names Mom." Henry said, cooing over Darcy and grinning as the baby automatically grasped a finger in her tiny hand. "Can I hold her?" Regina nodded and told Henry to be careful as she handed over her daughter. David moved around the bed to see Hayley, lifting Neal up beside Regina so he could get a better look.

There was another half an hour of cooing and shuffling of babies before Darcy started to stir.

"Ok guys I think it's time to go. Darcy is obviously hungry and then I think Regina deserves a well-earned sleep." David announced as he handed Darcy over to Regina and placed a kiss to the top of her head. "We'll come back tomorrow though." He added as he hugged Emma and escorted his children out of the room, closely followed by Henry and, reluctantly, his wife.

Darcy had chosen to wear black and white spotty leggings and a red jumper with mistletoe embroidered onto the front, while Hayley opted for a purple dress with a white cardigan. "I'll take the girls downstairs and then I'll be back up, I have a little present for you before breakfast." Emma said pecking Regina on the cheek as she walked out the room with one daughter balanced on either hip, leaving a confused wife in her wake.

Emma returned a couple minutes later and pulled a small parcel out of her bedside table and held it out to Regina. "Why do I have to open this now? Can't I wait till after lunch?" Regina questioned, still confused.

"I want you to open this just us." Emma replied, a smile playing about her lips.

Regina's brow furrowed as she took the present Emma offered her, undid the bow and pulled off the lid, gasping once she saw what was inside. "Is this?"

"Yes it is." Emma beamed as Regina pulled out the positive pregnancy test from inside the box.

"How long have you known?"

"About 2 weeks. It was torture keeping this from you, but I couldn't pass up this opportunity. I'm about 12 weeks preg-" Emma couldn't finish her sentence due to the brunette that was now attached to her lips with fingers running through her hair.

"Babe as much as I am enjoying this, I would like to point out that I am starving and I would quite like some breakfast before our children demolish it all." Emma breathed as she pulled away from the kiss.

"Do you want to tell everyone else today? Or wait?" Regina asked as Emma got up off the bed to get dressed.

"How about we do the same as when I proposed to you? If they figure it out, they figure it out. If not we'll tell them in our own time?"

"Sounds perfect." Regina replied as she got up to hug her wife, placing a kiss to Emma's neck. "God I love you."

"I love you too. Now hurry up and get dressed or all the food will be gone."

10 minutes later Regina and Emma walked into the kitchen to join their children. Regina wore a scarlet knee length dress and furry ankle boots. Emma was dressed in black jeans and a baggy midnight blue jumper. "Relinquish the pancakes kids. Mama's hungry." Henry rolled his eyes as Emma took a bite out of one of the mini pancakes on Darcy's plate.

"Mama no. That's mine."

"Emma, I think you can manage to wait 5 minutes for your own pancake. Stop stealing from your children." Regina muttered as she poured a glass of milk for the twins. "And please don't stick your tongue out at me, if the girls pick it up I will kill you." She added as she heard the giggling girls behind her.

"Yes mommy." Emma replied with her mouth full of her own pancake, cutting off a piece she offered it to the brunette who gladly accepted it while she waited for her own pancake to cook.

Mary Margaret and David showed up with the kids at about half past 10. Neal burst in through the door and went straight to hug Henry, bypassing both Emma and Regina. "Wow, baby bro that hurts me." Emma said, clutching her heart in faux agony.

"Emma I'm 8, do you really have to call me your baby bro?" Neal responded sticking his tongue out to show he wasn't serious before leaping into his sister's open arms.

"You had me scared for a moment there. You will always be my baby bro." Emma said picking up Neal despite his kicking legs

"Emma dear please be careful." Regina winced as Neal's feet came awfully close to kicking Emma in the stomach. Regina shifted Hayley on her hip as Darcy danced around David's feet wanting to be picked up. "Come on in guys don't let all the heat out." She added ushering everyone into the lounge. Once Emma had sat down, Regina deposited Hayley into her lap and asked who wanted coffee.

"Not for me babe." Mary Margaret's brow furrowed at her daughters refusal of coffee, she never turned down coffee, but she was distracted from questioning her by Darcy climbing up her leg for a cuddle. Neal didn't want to sit around 'being boring and just talking' so Henry rooted around in the games cupboard and produced a game of 'hungry hungry hippos'. Henry, Neal, Amelia and Darcy and Hayley (with the help of Emma) sat playing while the responsible ones drank coffee before migrating into the kitchen to cook lunch.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy. " Regina ran into the lounge to see why Hayley was squealing. If Hayley was squealing something had to be wrong. However she simply found Emma flat on her back, her feet in the air with Hayley balanced on them, wriggling at the tickling sensation. "Look I'm flying Mommy."

"I can see that honey, just be careful okay" Regina directed this last part at Emma, before snapping a picture and moving back into the kitchen to show Mary Margaret what her daughter was up to.

"Oh Regina it's so good to see a smile like that on Hayley's face. She's always so quiet." Mary Margaret said smiling over the screen of Regina's Phone.

"I think Darcy does the talking for them both. Sometimes I do worry if she's being overshadowed but I don't know how to approach it." Regina confessed as she turned the screen for David to see.

"Don't worry Regina. If Hayley or Darcy ever have any problems they will come to you. You and Emma both love them so much, I have no doubt about it." David replied as he put the potatoes in the oven.

They had reached a lull in the cooking as the only things left to do were the vegetables, but they didn't need to be in the pan for another 20 minutes, to pass the time the three of them moved into the lounge to join the kids only to be bombarded by the girls dancing around their feet asking if they could open presents yet. Emma giggled as she tried, and failed, to restrain Henry and Neal from joining it too.

"It's going to be at least half an hour till lunch. Then we can open the presents. Do you think you can wait that long?" Regina's sentence was met with cries of 'noooooo' from all children apart from Hayley, causing Regina to smile at her blonde daughter. "Well I'm afraid you're just going to have to." She added as she picked up Hayley. "But if you want something to do, I've hidden 10 magic paper butterflies in this house, if you can find all of them, there will be chocolate pudding available for dessert, the other option is vanilla ice cream." Regina watched as the children's eyes lit up at the mention of chocolate pudding, before Neal, Amelia and Henry scattered heading in different directions and Darcy ran to Emma clambering to be picked up so she could help.

"Mommy can I stay with you? I don't mind vanilla ice-cream." Hayley asked as her hand wrapped around Regina's hair.

"Sure you can darling. Why don't you and Nana read some of your book, while Grandpa and I do the vegetables?" at this Hayley's face fell slightly until Regina added "Or you can come help us all in the kitchen." Hayley nodded enthusiastically making Regina smile until there was a thud from upstairs.

"I'll go." David sighed, leaving the lounge to go and see which youngster made the noise. Five minutes later he returned with a slightly shocked Amelia who had been looking for the butterflies in the airing cupboard only to have some towels fall from the shelf when she opened the door.

"I found 2 of the butterflies." Amelia whispered holding out her hand to show Regina and Mary Margaret.

"Well done baby. Now why don't you stay down here and help us with lunch? Hayley is helping too." Mary Margaret offered, pulling her from David's arms and into her own.

The 5 of them remained in the kitchen finishing cooking lunch until everything was ready to be dished up. Mary Margaret went off in search of the rest of the family while Regina and David plated up the food. There was a thundering of feet on the stairs as Henry and Neal ran into the dining room to sit down, closely followed by Emma and Mary Margaret who had Darcy on her hip. Emma walked into the kitchen to pick up Hayley and took Amelia by the hand to take their seats in the dining room. The food was then brought in and David, Regina and Mary Margaret set about cutting up the meals for the twins and Amelia, while Emma helped herself to more vegetables. "Emma dear you do know those are vegetables on your plate?" Mary Margaret questioned, watching the broccoli pile up on her daughters plate.

"Yes, I just fancied being a bit healthier." Regina rolled her eyes at Emma's feeble excuse, but before Mary Margaret could respond her attention was pulled away by Darcy, who wanted her roast potatoes cutting up.

The rest of lunch passed uneventfully and at the end all the plates were clear of food, leaving Emma and Henry to carry them into the kitchen. When they returned, the children presented the paper butterflies they had all found. Along with the 2 that Amelia had found, Neal and Henry had 3 each and Darcy had found the last 2. "Chocolaaaate" Darcy squealed as Regina and Emma moved back into the kitchen to plate up the chocolate pudding.

"Babe have we got any pickles?" Emma asked rifling through the cupboards.

"Emma why on earth do you want pickles?"

"I've got a craving for them, I think they'll go well with chocolate pudding."

Regina rolled her eyes as she responded; "Cupboard next to the fridge, top shelf."

Emma pulled out the jar and dropped a couple pickles onto a slice of chocolate pudding. Mary Margaret was about to question the addition of pickles but once again she was distracted by Darcy who had decided that having the pudding smeared around her mouth was a better use for it than eating it.

When all the bowls were clean Emma collected them together and carried them into the kitchen to start washing up. "Henry, Neal can you help Emma with the washing up please and then it's time for presents." Regina directed this last part at the girls left sat at the table who started clapping excitedly making Regina's face beam.

It only took 20 minutes for the trio to wash up all of the pots and pans and put them all away, allowing all 3 to rush into the lounge to start dishing out the presents. Emma pulled Hayley onto her lap, with both of their presents collecting in a pile at her feet, a similar pile forming at Regina's feet for Darcy. Mary Margaret sat on one of the chairs with Amelia kicking excitedly, David sat by her feet, leaving Henry on the other chair with Neal in front of the fire place.

As the piles of presents grew so did the smiles on the children's faces until all the presents had been dished out, then the unwrapping began. Darcy lunged forward, almost tumbling off Regina's lap as she reached for a present to unwrap, her sister on the other hand was quite happy for Emma to pick which present to unwrap. Neal and Henry seemed to be having a race to see who could open all of their presents first, a game which Neal won but only because he wasn't looking at what he had just opened before tearing into the next parcel. David was almost lost underneath the pile of paper that had housed Amelia's presents, Regina snapping a picture before Mary Margaret brushed away the worst of it. The array of toys now strewn across the living room included a grey bear (Hayley's); a white bear (Darcy's); a snow palace (Amelia's); and a new wooden sword to replace the one Neal had broken a few weeks ago, there was also countless pieces of Lego from Neal's latest Avengers set that Henry was trying to collect in fear of one of the girls accidentally swallowing it. Hayley and Darcy also got a play house for their nursery complete with a miniature kitchen that Hayley was dying to open so she could make tea for everyone. "Tell you what HayHay why don't you come and help me do tea in the big kitchen? Then we can set yours up tomorrow. How does that sound?" Emma offered, receiving an excited nod from the toddler in her lap.

David followed his daughter and granddaughter into the kitchen to help with tea. He collected 4 wine glasses from the cupboard and had filled 2 of them before Emma saw what he was doing. "None for me Dad."

"Because you're pregnant? Or are you going to try and tell me you're being healthy." David smirked, putting down the bottle after filling the 3rd glass. Emma looked over at Hayley sat at the breakfast bar who was pulling out biscuits from the packet to put on a plate, she was oblivious to the conversation going on.

"How did you-?" Emma questioned before David cut her off

"For starters you skipped out on coffee this morning, you had extra vegetables at lunch when you barely eat them normally, you had pickles with pudding and your cheeks are glowing more than usual at Christmas and now you're refusing wine."

"I've only told Regina. Even Henry doesn't know yet. We weren't sure when to break the news."

"Oh Emma I'm so happy for you! Don't worry your secret is safe with me, it's not my news to tell." David congratulated her as he hugged his daughter. The pair stayed like this for some time until the whistling kettle distracted them.

"Mama, tea time." Hayley stated helpfully, pointing at the kettle.

"That's right Hayhay, Dad can you get the mugs out for Henry and I, I'm going to heat up some milk for the girls and do you want to ask Neal what he wants." Emma said as she pulled some sippy cups out of the cupboard. David took the tray of wine and biscuits into the lounge and came back saying that Neal wanted a hot chocolate. Emma poured the tea and added some sausage rolls to another tray that was carried into the lounge before mixing up some hot chocolate for her brother and dividing the rest of the milk into the three sippy cups. Handing one of the cups to Hayley she picked up her daughter and carried the other cups into the lounge.

"Okay kids, whose turn is it to pick the film?" Emma asked sitting down beside her wife, having distributed the cups to the three toddlers. Amelia's hand shot up, causing Darcy and Neal to direct their film suggestions at her. Hayley sat quietly on Emma's lap, drinking her milk and watching the others argue. Much to the dismay of Neal (who wanted to watch Iron Man for the umpteenth time) and Darcy (who insisted that she needed to watch Beauty and the Beast for the 29th time that month) Amelia chose to watch the live action remake of Cinderella, much to the joy of Hayley. Emma leaned back against Regina, whose lap was now vacant as Darcy had gone to sit with Henry after losing the battle of the films, her arms coming to rest around the blonde, between her stomach and the toddler. Throughout the film Regina alternated between taking sips of wine, eating biscuits and stroking Emma's stomach absentmindedly. Mary Margaret saw Regina stroking Emma's stomach out of the corner of her eye but before she could question it Amelia decided that she wanted to play with her snow palace and wanted her mother's help to set it up.

Halfway through the next film (Beauty and the Beast) Hayley and Darcy were getting a little restless, Darcy had been up since 6 and it was now fast approaching 8 in the evening, having gone all day without a nap even Darcy had to run out of energy eventually. All the toys were packed up and moved into either the nursery or the hallway to be put into cars and a sleepy Amelia was passed between Emma, Regina and Henry to say goodnight before David carried her to the car, Neal following close behind leaving Mary Margaret to say goodnight to everyone else. She carefully kissed each of the sleepy twins before hugging Henry.

"Are you two still coming to ours for New Years?" She asked as she hugged Regina and then Emma.

"As long as Henry is good to babysit. Otherwise we might have to bring some sleepy toddlers with us." Regina laughed as Emma replied grinning idiotically.

"I'm fine to babysit, you two can go and have some fun." Henry declared as he bent down to pick up Hayley, who was sat at their feet sleepily holding her new bear she had dubbed 'Dusty', swinging her up and onto his hip and bouncing her gently. Mary Margaret kissed Hayley again and followed her husband.

"Alright Hayhay I think its bed time." Emma cooed at the sleepy toddler, pulling her away from Henry's hip and onto her own, letting her grab a handful of hair as she held a loose grip on Dusty. Regina moved into the lounge to pick up Darcy who had already fallen asleep on the sofa and followed Emma up the stairs to the nursery leaving Henry to start washing up.

"Dad knows I'm pregnant." Emma whispered as she changed Hayley into her pyjamas and then placed her in her cot.

"Did you tell him?" Regina asked, doing the same with Darcy.

"No he just figured it out, but he won't tell Mom. So we just have to decide when to tell her, and the kids."

"How about for your mom we say if she hasn't figured it out by the time you're 5 months we tell her, and for the kids, how about New Year's Day?" Regina offered wrapping her arms around Emma's waist as the two of them watched the girls sleeping. Emma hummed her approval as she swayed with her wife. "Come on I bet you're still hungry, let's see what leftovers Henry hasn't frozen yet." Regina murmured pulling Emma from the room so they didn't disturb the girls.

~~~New Year's Day 2022~~~

It was half past 11 in the morning by the time Henry joined the rest of his family in the lounge. Emma, Regina, Darcy and Hayley were sprawled across the sofa with cartoons playing on the tv. "There's the sleepy one. Thank you for watching the girls last night." Regina smiled softly at her son as he plonked himself down on the chair next to the tree. "And now that everyone is awake we have an announcement." Regina added looking gleefully at Emma.

"In a few months you're going to have a new brother or sister." Emma beamed patting her stomach.

Henry jumped impressively high for someone who had just woken up and moved to hug Emma. Darcy and Hayley clapped excitedly, not fully understanding what was going on but understanding it was happy.

"Can I have a puppy instead?" Darcy asked once Henry had finished his congratulating.

"No baby I'm afraid not right now, maybe next time." Emma chuckled picking up the youngest and bouncing her on her knee. "I'm starving, is it lunch time yet?" Emma asked turning her attention to Regina.

"We haven't got anything in, I can run to the store and get something, I need to restock the vitamins anyway, someone ate them all." She responded looking pointedly at her wife. "What would you like my dear?"

Once Regina had a list compiled, she kissed Emma, the twins and Henry goodbye and promised not to be long as she shut the door behind her. At the store she picked up a basket and wandered through the aisles purposefully, not wanting to be apart from her family for too long. When she had finished in the vitamins aisle she turned the corner sharply to pick up a heat pack and collided with Mary Margaret, causing her basket to fall and vitamin bottles to spill out.

"Oh God I'm so sorry I didn't- oh hello Regina, sorry I wasn't looking where I was going" Mary Margaret gushed as she bent down to help Regina put the bottles back in the basket.

"No it was my fault, Emma sent me out to get a few things and I was in a rush to get back and wasn't paying attention." Regina apologised as she picked up her basket and dropped a heat pack into it. Mary Margaret looked at the label on the last bottle before dropping it into the basket.

"Really? Emma asked you to pick up folic acid and vitamin D tablets?" Mary Margaret questioned.

"Well she's already eaten all of the ones in the medicine cabinet so I thought it best to restock."

"Yes I've noticed her recent health kick. Charming even says she's laying off the coffee, only one cup a day now and even that's decaf, she's mostly drinking tea. She still has BLT's for lunch but with more L and T. Well I'm glad she's finally eating a bit more healthily, thank you for showing her the light Regina. I'll let you get back to your shopping." With that Mary Margaret hugged her daughter-in-law and moved down the aisle to pick up plasters (no doubt Neal had used all theirs up again). Regina chuckled under her breath and shook her head in disbelief, unable to fathom how oblivious Mary Margaret was.

"I'm back." Regina announced as she opened the door and picked up the bags lying at her feet. Henry emerged from the lounge and took one of the bags from his Mom's arms and followed her into the kitchen to help unpack. "Where's Emma?" the brunette asked as she stuck the heat pack in the microwave and set it spinning.

"She's having a little nap on the coach with the girls, they got a bit excited when they saw that 'Frozen' was on TV and it wore them out, barely managed to get through the first half an hour before they zonked out. It was adorable." Henry chuckled as Regina peeked into the living room and saw the blonde sprawled out with Darcy asleep on her chest and Hayley tucked under her arm, curled into her side. "Don't worry I already took a few pictures." Henry added as Regina reached for her phone. "Mom, do Grandma and Gramps know Emma's pregnant?"

"Well David does but Mary Margaret doesn't" Regina continued to explain at Henry's confused look. "David figured it out at Christmas when Emma didn't have coffee, had extra vegetables and had pickles with her pudding. It's not like we're being completely secretive about it though, I bumped into Mary Margaret at the store with a basket full of vitamins and vegetables but she didn't think anything of it. I suppose she is very busy running after Amelia and Neal all day, so I can see how she wouldn't put two and two together but if she still hasn't cottoned on in a few weeks we'll tell her ourselves."

"You might have to bribe the girls to keep your secret then. Hayley is really excited, Darcy is still adamant she wants a puppy but she'll come round." Henry laughed.

~~~ 19th February 2022~~~

Regina pushed open the door to the master bedroom with two cups of tea in her hand to see Emma looking annoyed as she flicked through the clothes in the wardrobe. "Nothing fits me anymore." Emma sniffed as she collapsed on the bed and stared at her stomach.

"Well dear you are pregnant. Why don't you try some of my maternity stuff for today and we can go out and buy you some more clothes later." Regina suggested, sitting down beside her wife and handing her a cup of tea as she sat up. "We can also buy some furniture and clothes for the little one here." She added placing a hand over the small bump under Emma's baggy shirt. The couple had decided not to find out the sex of their new baby to avoid the fighting over names they'd had for the months leading up to the twin's birth. Regina had done a replication spell on the mural in the twin's room and copied it over to the spare room which was patiently awaiting furniture to become a second nursery.

Emma nodded at this plan and stood up to go through the trunk of Regina's pregnancy clothes, pulling out a pair of black trousers and a deep red keyhole top and throwing her comfy grey cardigan on over the top. Once the pair were dressed they walked into the nursery to find the twins sat chatting to each other from the confines of their cots. "Mamma" Darcy squealed at the same time Hayley squealed "Mommy." Emma moved to pick up Darcy while Regina picked up Hayley. "What do you want to wear today Darcy?" Emma asked the mini brunette while stood in front of the open drawer of her clothes. Darcy pointed at her dark blue jeans and a black jumper with 'Princess' in script on the front. Hayley also chose to wear her dark blue jeans but opted to wear a plain white jumper with it. "How would you two like to go and play at Ashley's today? Mommy and I have some shopping to do and Henry is helping Auntie Belle." The twins looked at each other to see what the other thought of this plan before nodding excitedly. Ashley had started a day care centre a couple of years ago that all the children in Storybrooke adored, so it was no surprise that the twins were so excited to go.

After the twins had been dropped at Ashley's Emma and Regina headed to the small arcade of shops on Main Street. Walking into the first one they headed straight to the Maternity section to see what Emma liked, pulling a few items off the rails the couple headed to the changing rooms. "Emma, Regina." The couple turned to find Mary Margaret and David walking towards them, a handful of clothes in Mary Margaret's arms.

"Mom, Dad, hiya." Emma said hugging her parents, who also moved to hug Regina. "What are you two doing here?" She added.

"I accidentally washed your mother's favourite top with her favourite cardigan and, well, let's just say they've both seen better days. So I said I'd treat her to some new clothes, as well as replace the top and cardigan." David responded sheepishly nodding to the clothes in his wife's arms. "Why don't you all go into the changing room and I'll wait out here." He added spotting a bench by the changing room door.

Emma was reluctantly pushed towards the changing rooms by her wife and bundled into a cubicle. "Try on the jeans and the stripy top." Regina said through the curtain. A few minutes later Emma emerged in said jeans and stripy top, looking slightly happier than when she went in.

"The jeans are a bit tight, maybe we should get the next size up." Emma noted. "What do you think Mom?" She asked as Mary Margaret came out of the cubicle next to her.

"They do look a bit tight, and I don't mean to be harsh but I have noticed you've been getting larger. Are you sure that health kick you're on is working?"

Emma stifled a smile as she looked at Regina who nodded. "It's not a health kick exactly." Emma lifted up her shirt to reveal her small bump. "I'm pregnant."

Mary Margaret's jaw dropped; "What? Oh my god I'm so happy for you two." Mary Margaret pulled them both into a hug, Emma chuckling softly. "Charming, Charming get in here." David's head popped around the wall. "Emma's pregnant"

"Yes I know." He chuckled as he saw his wife's confused expression.

"What do you mean you know? When did they tell you? Why didn't you tell me?"

"They didn't tell me, I figured it out, Emma was acting weird at Christmas and it wasn't my news to give."

"You've known for 2 months? He's known for 2 months?!" Mary Margaret's voice grew shriller as she turned to look at Emma and Regina.

"To be fair Mom, we haven't exactly been subtle." And at that point Mary Margaret thought about all the odd things that had happened in the past 2 months and sighed.

"Okay now I feel stupid. When are you due? Do you know what you're having yet?"

"I'm due middle of June and no we wanted it to be a surprise." Emma smiled holding her stomach, Regina's arm around her shoulder. "I think we should get the next size up in jeans, just to be safe." Regina nodded and went back out to the store to get the next size up, coming back with a couple extra pairs and some more tops.

"I don't want to rush you dear but I'd quite like to pick up the girls by 2 and we still need to get some furniture and clothes for the little one." Regina whispered as she handed Emma the other clothes. The blonde nodded and went back into her cubical to change.

"We'll let you two get on then. You still coming round for lunch tomorrow?"

A 'yes' floated over the curtain in time with Regina's nodding as Mary Margaret went back into her cubicle to change and then followed David to pay. Emma's own pile of clothes consisted of 3 new pairs of jeans, 4 tops and an extra-large jumper Emma insisted she needed for 'extra cuddle power'.

Down the street in the furniture store, Emma was busy cooing over a wooden cot with a horse and carriage carved into the sides while Regina was looking at new beds for the twins, knowing that they would soon be too big for their own cots. Regina wandered over to join her wife, smiling as she knew Emma had found the cot she wanted, "Do you want the matching set?" she asked, nodding to the changing table and set of drawers that also had a horse and carriage carved into it. Emma smiled sheepishly and nodded, placing her chin on Regina's shoulder.

"You can pick out the bedding." She mumbled.

"Oh how very kind of you my dear. Come on I know the perfect set." The brunette replied, pulling Emma over to where the bedding was. As soon as Emma saw the blanket set she knew Regina had made the right choice.

The next stop on the shopping trip took them to the baby clothing store. The pair filled their basket with a few extra onesies including one that said 'worlds cutest alarm clock'; a giraffe onesie; and one covered in little stars, a super cute hoodie with a bear face on the hood, and a few tops and jeans. Also picking up a pair of dungarees each for the twins and two hoodies.

Emma collapsed on the couch in the lounge, shopping bags splayed out at her feet. Darcy and Hayley had been midway through a nap when Emma and Regina had collected them so they were currently sound asleep in their car seats. Regina sat down beside her wife and pulled Emma's feet into her lap, massaging her toes as Emma sank deeper into the couch cushions.

"I'd say that was a pretty successful trip." She spoke softly and grinned at her wife's hum of agreement. "I'll call David tomorrow and have him build the furniture again, maybe this time I can have a go." Emma snorted and ducked as Regina made to hit her leg. "Oi, I can build things. I built Henry's entire nursery by myself." Emma's raised an eyebrow in disbelief but before she could question Regina's claim, her lips were softly covered by the brunette's. Pulling away, Regina pecked her wife's cheek and stood. "I'll go get the twins and make a start on dinner."

~~~ 26th May 2022~~~

Emma shot up when a sharp pain hit her abdomen. "Babe. Babe wake up. I think I'm going into labour." Emma shook her wife awake in a panic.

"You're not due for another 3 weeks are you sure it's not just Braxton hicks?" Regina said sleepily, rubbing Emma's back.

"I've been through labour before and Henry was early too, but what if it's too soon? What if they're not ready?" Emma was panicking now causing Regina to sit up sharply, moving in front of her wife to look her in the eye.

"Emma look at me. It's going to be okay. We'll go to the hospital and they'll let us know if we need to panic but I don't think we do. Come on put on some clothes, I'll get your bag and let Henry know." Emma nodded and walked over to the closet to pull out her baggy jogging bottoms and an old shirt, while Regina went down the hall to alert Henry.

"Henry, Henry wake up. Emma's in labour. We need you to keep an eye on the twins till they wake up and then take them to Mary Margaret and David's." Henry rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"The baby's coming?" Regina nodded. "Well then go. Don't worry about the girls. We'll come and see you when the baby's here." Regina kissed the top of Henry's head and went back to the master bedroom to find Emma sat on the edge of the bed fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"Hey it's going to be okay." Regina stilled her wife's hands and brought them up to her lips kissing them softly. "I'm going to throw some clothes on and then we'll go to the hospital. Do you want to call your parents?" Nodding again Emma picked up her phone and dialled David's number, explaining that she was in labour and that Henry would come round with the twins when they woke up. By the time she finished Regina had taken her bag down to the car and returned to help her down the stairs.

Dr Whale confirmed that Emma was in fact in labour, eliciting mumbled worries from the blonde. Dr Whale assured Emma that she was healthy and did an ultrasound to show that the baby was healthy too. "Baby is obviously keen to join the world." He added as he left the room, leaving Regina and Emma alone.

"See Emma I told you everything would be fine." Regina said kissing Emma's forehead. "Do you want some more ice chips?"

Emma groaned as another contraction hit "Oh god yes. Hopefully this labour won't be too long if this kid is eager to join us."

Sure enough by half past 3 Emma was holding their little girl. Regina grabbed Emma's bag and pulled out the blanket they had chosen all those months ago. A dark midnight blue, the large woollen blanket was embroided with stars and plants of various colours. Along one side, 'You are my Universe' was written in silver thread. She carefully wrapped their daughter in the blanket and kissed Emma softly.

Regina stepped out to call David and let him know that everyone could come and visit now. Stepping quietly back into the room she sat next to Emma on the bed, putting her arm around her shoulders and resting her hand against her daughter's head. "Have you thought of a name yet?"

"I like Alexis." Emma whispered

"If we call her Alexis, you're just going to end up calling her 'Lexi' aren't you?" Regina smirked.

"She looks like an Alexis, and Lexi is cute, just like her, but I can't decide on a middle name." Emma mused.

"How about Phoebe?" Emma thought for a minute and then shook her head; "Jemma?" Emma shook her head again, Regina took a moment to think before she said; "Evie?"

"Alexis Evie Swan-Mills. Yes, it's perfect. Welcome to our family Lexi." Emma chuckled as Regina rolled her eyes. "I love you." Emma turned her head to face Regina.

"I know dear, I love you too." Regina replied, placing a soft kiss to Emma's lips. "Your parents and the kids are on their way, try and get some sleep before they get here. I'll wake you when they arrive." Regina picked up Alexis from Emma's arms, kissed her forehead and placed her back in the cot. Half an hour later Regina gently shook Emma awake, "Babe everyone's here, do you want to see them? Or do you want to go back to sleep?"

"No they can come in, but they need to be quiet, Alexis is sleeping." Emma said sitting up and picking Alexis up.

Regina opened the door and Darcy came running in, closely followed by Henry holding onto Hayley's hand and Mary Margaret, David, Neal and Amelia. "Mommy." Darcy squealed running over to Regina.

"Sshh baby, your sister is sleeping." Regina said picking up Darcy to show her the sleeping bundle in Emma's arms.

"How are you Emma?" Mary Margaret asked, going round to the other side of Emma's bed. "She's beautiful, congratulations."

"Thanks Mom and I'm a bit tired but so happy."

"I want to see." Hayley mumbled from the foot of the bed, prompting Mary Margaret to pick her up. "She's tiny."

"You were once that small too." Regina smiled "you both were."

"Does she have a name yet? Or are you two still discussing that?" David chuckled at Henry's question as he moved to stand behind his wife.

"You tell them." Emma said looking between Regina and Alexis.

"Everyone, we would like you to meet Alexis Evie Swan-Mills."

"Can I hold her?" Henry asked, Emma nodded and Henry cradled his arms ready for his sister. "Hey there Lexi, I'm your brother. If anyone gives you any trouble I'll stop them."

"See, Lexi is cute." Emma laughed turning to see Regina's brow furrowed.

Another 10 minutes of 'pass the baby' and Emma had yawned 3 times in as many minutes. "Okay I think it's time you get some sleep." Regina observed. "You've been up since 2 and haven't had any sleep." Everyone hugged Emma and left quietly with promises of coming to visit when she was discharged, leaving Regina holding Alexis as she sat on the edge of Emma's bed. "Sleep. We'll be here when you wake up. We'll always be here."

Thank you to everyone who has read and left reviews I've hoped you enjoyed this (rather delayed) Christmas fic :P