Dark Swans are Not Storks

Chapter 1

"Henry, hurry up! Your mother and I want pictures with you before you pick up Violet!" Emma yelled from the bottom step of the Mayor's Mansion.

"He is probably spraying another layer of that dreadful cologne your pirate gave him for Christmas." Regina said as she rolled her eyes.

Emma laughed, Regina was probably right, ever since Henry had turned eighteen all he did was worry about how he looked and smelled. But now his body spraying routine was threatening to make him late for his senior prom, and Emma would be damned if they didn't get at least a few dozen pictures of him before he left to pick up his date.

"Henry!" Emma shouted one last time. Emma heard his bedroom door close and soon a tall and handsome young man bounded down the stairs. His mothers beamed at him as he reached the bottom step. They both hugged him, and held their breath as they knew how much cologne he was bound to be wearing.

"Oh Henry you look so dashing!" Regina exclaimed as she examined her son from head to toe.

"Yeah kid, you look very handsome!" Emma said as she clicked her camera. Regina stood aside and let Emma get a few shots of their son. Henry stood still and smiled, but after the fortieth click his smile faltered.

"Okay, but now just one with Regina and then one with me. Okay?" Emma asked.

"Sure Mom, but we gotta hurry, I have to get Violet soon." Henry whined. Regina scooted in and Emma took the picture. She let Regina approve of it before moving on and letting Regina take one of her and Henry.

"I wish we had a third person here to get one of the three of us." Emma said as she took back her camera and looked at the picture of her and Henry that Regina had just taken.

"Really Miss. Swan, I think you are forgetting something." Regina said as she cocked her eyebrow up to the ceiling.

"What? And are we really back to 'Miss Swan' again?" Emma asked. "I thought we were past that."

"Magic, Emma. We can use magic to take the picture." Regina said as she rolled her eyes even harder. Over the past few years they had become friends of sorts, but the blonde often found ways of pushing her buttons.

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting when it comes to little stuff." Emma said as she threw the camera in the air and caught it with her magic. The camera hung in the air until it found the perfect height for the picture. The two woman stood on either side of their son and put an arm around him. Henry in turn put one arm behind each of his mothers. The three all smiled up at the magically floating camera.

"Okay, love you both but I gotta run!" Henry said as he grabbed his car keys and headed out the door.

"Okay, you are staying at Conner's house tonight right?" Regina asked.

"Yeah Mom." Henry said as he stuck his head back in to answer his mother.

"I will call his mother later to check that you made it there after the dance. Don't stay out too late!" Regina called after him.

"Bye kid! Don't forget to use protection!" Emma said as she laughed at her own joke.

"Emma! Must you be so crass all the time?" Regina asked as she looked disgusted at the thought of her little boy doing any typical after prom activities.

"Oh come on Regina, he and Violate have most likely already done it. I mean how many times have we almost walked in on them in the middle of…'it'?" Emma asked.

"Ugh, I just don't like thinking about my little boy growing up." Regina said as she walked into the kitchen and began cleaning the already clean counter. Emma followed her and hopped up on the opposite counter.

"Well maybe you should adopt another kid? You're young, and a great mom. Any kid would be lucky to have you as a parent." Emma said sincerely.

"Thanks, but I think I am done with that phase of life. I am sure I will just get used to him needing me less and less. I will be fine. What about you?" Regina asked. She threw the rag she was cleaning with into the sink and turned to look at Emma.

"What about me?" Emma asked.

"I mean, are you and the 'Handless Wonder' planning on expanding your family anytime soon? You have been living together in that house for the last two years, and Henry spends most nights here now. So you two have plenty of space to add on." Regina said.

"No, I don't think I am ready. Hook is fine with Henry, but neither of us has ever had a newborn. I just don't want to rock the boat." Emma said.

"How about we talk about something else?" Regina suggested.

"Want to grab some dinner at Granny's?" Emma asked.

"That sounds lovey, let me grab my coat and we can walk." Regina said.

The air was brisk as evening fell on the late spring night. The whole spring had been colder than usual, but it was nice, like getting another fall. Emma closed her eyes for a moment as they walked and let a breeze roll over her. She didn't know, but Regina was watching her as she did this. When Emma opened her eyes again Regina had already looked away. They reached Granny's Diner and welcomed the warmth that greeted them as they entered.

"Just you two tonight?" Ruby asked as she led them to a booth at the back.

"Yep, Henry has his Prom tonight. So we are on our own." Emma said as she sat across from Regina.

"Where's Hook?" Ruby asked.

"The docks, ship upkeep is apparently a full-time job. That or he is getting drunk with his crew again." Emma said as she picked up a menu and began looking at the items. Regina watched her with a pained look on her face.

"I will have the kale salad please, Ruby." Regina said as she handed the menu back.

"Grilled Cheese with fries, and can you bring us two hot chocolates?" Emma asked.

"No problem ladies!" Ruby said as she dashed away with their orders.

After dinner Emma and Regina walked back to the mansion, where Emma left her car.

"Thanks for dinner Regina. That hot cocoa always hits the spot." Emma said as they passed the clock tower.

"Any time Miss. Swan." Regina said jokingly, knowing Emma hates being called by her last name. Emma looked at her and mocked being wounded by the use of her last name. Regina surprised her by laughing out loud, not a mocking laugh or a vengeful laugh, but a real laugh that spread to her eyes.

At that exact moment a light above them grew brighter and brighter. It was coming from the center of the clock tower, and in the now dark sky it was all they could see. They looked up and watched as the clock face turned into a giant green vortex. The next thing they knew a figure in all black jumped through the vortex and landed on the street below, tucking and rolling as they hit the ground. Emma pushed Regina backward and drew her gun at the intruder. Regina followed suit and created a fireball in her hand, ready to throw it at the stranger.

The vortex jumper stood facing away from them. Emma noticed it was a woman, whose white hair was pulled back in a tight bun. She was wearing a black, skintight suit, and was holding something in her arms.

"Turn around and drop whatever you have on the ground. Drop it now!" Emma shouted.

"I would, but I can't." The stranger said, but the voice was familiar. When she turned around Emma and Regina's jaws dropped. It was Emma. Well, what Emma looked like when she had the darkness in her, and in her arms was a baby.

"Emma?" Regina asked to the stranger.

"Yes, it's me. I came to ask for your help." The Dark One said.

Back at Regina's house, Emma and Regina paced around the living room while the dark Emma sat on the couch and rocked the baby in her arms.

"Let's start with the basics, where did you come from? And whose baby is that?" Regina asked.

"I came from a parallel universe. In your universe you were able to remove the darkness from your Emma, in mine they could not. As for the child, he is a friend's baby, and I must keep him safe. There are those out there in my world who want to kill him. I just need some time to get things in order so he will be safe. I was wondering if I could hide him here for a few days. Maybe weeks?" Dark Emma asked.

"The Dark One has no friends, but I remember Rumple kidnapping many children in his time." Regina said as she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the Dark Swan, clearly not trusting her.

"Regina this is still in some part me, maybe she is telling the truth. Either way, she is leaving the baby with us. We will keep it safe."

"Christian. His name is Christian. He is not an 'it'." Dark Emma corrected her less evil self. Regina narrowed her eyes further at the woman.

"So you just jumped universes to drop this child off with us, and we are to believe that it is in the child's best interests? I may not be evil anymore but I am not a fool. I'm guessing someone wanted a baby, and made a deal with you. So then you stole this child and want to wait until you can get rid of the people looking for him. Then you will come back and collect the child once the dust has settled. Am I close?" Regina asked looking to Emma to back her up. Emma looked horrified at this thought, but then remembered that Rumple had done exactly that multiple times while he was the Dark One. Emma nodded her agreement and narrowed her eyes at the stranger as well.

"You are correct, there was in fact a deal. However, the deal was made with the mother. I promised to ensure the child will survive and be returned to her. Then, once I make good on my end I will get what I want."

"And what exactly is it you will get out of this deal?" Regina asked.

"That is none of your concern Regina. Now are you going to help me or am I going to have to find another universe to put this child?" The dark Emma asked.

"Regina…please." Emma said, giving a pleading look to the mayor. Regina stared at Emma for a moment before rolling her eyes.

"Fine, but only on two conditions. First, you have to bring the child's mother with you when you come back for him. We are not giving him back to you, we will only hand him to her. Got it?" Regina asked pointedly. Emma grinned and nodded, but the dark Emma simply stared daggers at her.

"Fine. What is your second stipulation?" The Dark Emma asked.

"Once this is all finished you are never to come here again." Regina said as leaned in closer to the evil woman.

Dark Emma stood up suddenly and handed the baby to Regina, who looked shocked by the sudden appearance of an infant in her arms. The Dark Swan looked into Regina's eyes as she disappeared in a swirl of black smoke. Regina looked over to the remaining Emma with shocked eyes, and Emma mirrored her expression. It had suddenly dawned on them what they had just agreed to. They now had an infant to care for…Together.