Chapter 8

Henry Sr. sat with Emma as she huffed and puffed and screamed, trying to get the baby out. She went into labor shortly after they wheeled Regina away into surgery. After being evaluated, Henry was allowed to sit with Emma as she went through labor. He tried to keep her relaxed by telling her stories of when Regina was born, but when the last bits of labor came around, he sat silently, patting her face down with a cool damp cloth. Finally, after what felt like forever, baby Henry let out his first cries. He was cleaned up and given to his mother.

"He's beautiful." Henry Sr. commented. "He looks a bit like me." He said, running a hand over his bald head. Emma laughed at that.

"Regina should be here." Emma commented as she looked down at the baby in her arms.

"She's just gotten out of surgery. She'll be out of it for another hour or so. I'll see if she could be taken into this room, too." Henry went to talk to a nurse about the room arrangements, leaving Emma with a squirming baby.

"Congratulations, Miss Swan," Mr. Gold entered the room as soon as Henry left.

"You're not taking him." Emma said, holding baby Henry closer. "I'm keeping him."

"I am aware of that. Regina was most passionate in her attempt to allow you to keep your child. We made a deal and as I have last heard, she met that deal in time. But in return for your broken deal, you owe me. And I expect to be able to see my grandson on occasion." Gold said. And with that, he left the room. A nurse came in and took Henry to be weighed and measured. Emma took that moment to rest. She closed her eyes and it seemed as if only a minute passed, but sunlight was streaming in through the window and the television was turned on to the news, where a reporter was standing right outside what looked like the hospital they were in and talking of a dangerous terrorist being detained. A throat was cleared and Emma turned to the left and saw Regina in a bed beside her.

"Regina?" Emma said, suddenly awake and aware of everything that happened the night before.

"Hello, my love." Regina smiled. "How is the baby? Was he healthy?"

"He's perfect." Emma answered. "I'm guessing the surgery went well?"

"Yes. Santiago only hit my spleen. Nothing vital was injured." Regina answered. "Oh, and your friends came by earlier. They left some gifts." Regina motioned to the table by the window. It was covered with flowers and stuffed animals. Emma smiled at the sight.

"I'm going to have to go back. Once the doctor releases me, I have to go back home to do some damage control." Regina added. Emma looked scared and worried.

"You said you would stay." Emma said. "I can't raise Henry without you."

"It will only be for a few days. Less than a week. I've asked your friend, Mary Margaret to stay with you while I'm gone. I'm going to step down and allow La Isla del Encanto to choose their own leaders."

"Then you'll come home?" Emma asked.

"Yes. Then I'll come home to you and Henry and my father."

Emma was released later that day, but Emma was hesitant to leave Regina's side. Henry Sr. promised her he would stay with Regina and assured Emma it was alright to go. Little Henry was wrapped in a little blue blanket and packed safely in his carseat. Emma began to wonder if a beat up yellow bug was really a good idea to drive around with a baby on board, but she was really attached to her hunk of junk. She drove home to her apartment, where Ruby, Ashley, and Mary Margaret were waiting. They all fawned over little Henry, then M&M cooked them all lunch. They sat around the table, with Henry wrapped in Emma's arms.

Regina was released from the hospital five days later, and stayed in the apartment for another eight before she felt well enough to travel. After seeing her off, Emma was a nervous wreck. Mary Margaret had to constantly remind Emma that everything was alright.

It was lunch when Ruby came running in, telling everyone to turn on the news. There, on the screen, was a live feed of Regina giving a speech to her people. Luckily for them, it had just started.

Regina was nervous, but put on her "Queen Face" and stood before the podium. Her people were all watching her. Her people, who turned against her, even though she only ever wanted the best for them. She stood tall and straight and began to speak.

"Thank you all for coming today. First of all, I want to address the reason we are here today. Santiago wanted not to help you, but to help himself. I admit, I knew nothing of politics. I was only ever taught a queen must be poised, graceful, beautiful. I was only ever taught the king was to deal with politics, while I sat there beside him, looking pretty. When my husband was killed by Santiago's men, I tried my best to do what was right for you, but with the way past generations of royals had set things up, I was unable to. And Santiago took advantage of that.

"But when I was taking shelter in America, I found a freedom I never had. I didn't have people telling me I couldn't do something. I took a job and was immediately accepted. No one told me I couldn't do something because I was a woman. No one assigned me a role where I just stood there looking pretty. Women there still had it hard, but as long as you worked hard, you could achieve anything.

"So here I am today, granting all of you that same freedom. I will step down and break the archaic tradition of kings and queens ruling, and allow you to vote for who you feel will best protect you. But all I ask in return is that your leader keep La Isla del Encanto beautiful. Keep the waters clear and sparkling, keep the flowers blooming and the fruit sweet, keep the birds singing and the forests flourishing."

Emma smiled at the passion that leaked out into Regina's voice near the end of her speech.

"There is another matter I wish to discuss. In the King's personal vault, he had forty-seven million gold coins. I want to give thirty percent to rebuild the buildings destroyed by Santiago, thirty percent to build more schools and public buildings, and thirty percent to you, my people, to ensure you and your families have clothes and food and necessities. The last ten percent, I want to give to a lovely young woman I met in America. When I met her, she was pregnant and barely making enough money to pay rent. Despite her painful past, she welcomed me to the town and quickly became my best friend. I learned to cook and we bonded over food. When we were together, she didn't see a queen. She saw the real me. Now, her son has just been born and he is the absolute light of our lives. I want to give him a good home where we could live happily as a family."

Emma's eyes were watering by now. Regina, both Henrys... they were her family. She lived her whole life believing that was something she would forever be without, but now... Regina announced to the whole world that they were family.

"I wish you all a prosperous future, my beautiful La Isla del Encanto." Regina wrapped up her speech. She had a few things to set up and pack, plus there were people she had to speak to about setting up elections and people she wanted to suggest they run for the leadership position. All in all, it was a busy week, and when it was all over, she took the first flight she could back home.

It was late when she stepped through the door of the tiny apartment. Regina took a deep breath, happy to finally be home. Emma laid asleep on the couch next to Henry Sr. Baby Henry laid fussing in his bassinet, which was sitting beside the couch. Regina dropped everything and went to his side.

"Don't cry, mi amor. Mommy's here." Henry instantly settled down and enjoyed the comfort of his other mother.

"Regina?" A sleepy Emma called out.

"I'm here." Regina whispered. She and Emma shared a kiss and Emma held Regina close, with baby Henry between them.

"I missed you." Emma said softly.

"I missed you more." Regina said. "Go upstairs and put Henry to bed. I'll meet you in a minute. I want to get my father more comfortable." Emma took Henry into her arms and went up the stairs. Regina woke her father long enough to hug him and get him covered with a blanket. Then, she tip-toed upstairs and found Emma in bed, sprawled out and sleeping like a log. Regina smiled at the sight and crawled into bed beside her. She buried her face into Emma's hair and thanked the heavens she was finally at home.

Epilogue

"Regina! This is a 'reasonably-sized house'?! It's a freaking mansion!"

"Well, it's not like Storybrooke has much options. The mayor signed it over to me once he transferred to Portland. He felt Storybrooke's new mayor deserved a home worthy of her title." Regina explained. The money finally transferred from La Isla del Encanto, giving them all the money they needed to move out of the cramped apartments and into their new home. David, Leroy, and many of Emma's other friends were helping them move their things into the mansion. Regina was able to buy all new furniture and decor and Emma and Henry were helping unpack. The curious little boy was already crawling all over the place and Emma and Regina had to keep a sharp eye on him.

"Emma, can you just imagine it? We have a room with our own bathroom, Henry gets his own room, my father has his, there's a study for me and we can make a room into a gym for you... Henry will grow up here playing in the yard and I can start a garden, and we can sit out there in the summer with a glass of lemonade..." Regina was grinning. All the possibilities for their future... It filled her with a happiness she'd never felt before.

"Somebody lose something?" David asked as he walked toward them, holding Henry.

"Henry! How'd you get so far? I thought you were right here!" Emma took the squirming baby. Once he found he could move on his own, it seemed he wanted no one holding him anymore.

"Ven aquí, mi pequeño nieto guapo." Henry Sr. said to baby Henry. He took the baby in his arms and sat outside with the boy. Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's waist and held her close.

"I got a call to attend an opening ceremony for Mills University." Regina said.

"They finally got it built?" Emma asked.

"Yes. And I would like you two to come." Regina added.

"As your hot date?" Emma teased.

"Absolutely. We fly over next Friday, first class."

"You are going to spoil me, woman." Emma kissed her cheek.

"I want to spoil you."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."