Title: Cravings
Fandom: Once Upon a Time
Pairings: Swan Queen
Rating: K+
Spoilers: No.
Summary: "And this pregnancy isn't that different from Addy's." Red told her absentmindedly, waving a good night to her Granny who was just now leaving the diner. Emma's head flung into the air and narrowed eyes stared at Red.
Author's Note: A prompt from Tumblr: Pregnant!Regina is so cute. Holy crap! You are killing me with the cuteness.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, but goddamn I want to.
/
"Hey Emma, what brings you here so late?" Red asked from behind the counter at Granny's diner, glancing at the clock that read ten thirty. Emma was glad that even though everyone (that they knew of) had their memories back, Granny Lucas and Ruby-now-Red decided to keep the small food place open. Emma glared lightly at her now red cloaked friend. "Right, Regina again?"
Emma groaned exasperatedly. "I don't get it!" She dropped into one of the stools at the counter. "When she was pregnant with Addy, she wasn't like this at all! Yeah, sure the occasional ice cream run, but this? She hates burgers and fries and milk shakes!" Red sympathetically pat her hand and wrote down the pregnant woman's now usual order.
"Just remember Emma, all pregnancies are different."
"I know, but-"
"And you must remember being pregnant with Henry?" Red raised her dark eyebrows. Emma rested her head on the cool counter with a soft sigh.
"Yeah…" She said reluctantly.
"And this pregnancy isn't that different from Addy's." Red told her absentmindedly, waving a good night to her Granny who was just now leaving the diner. Emma's head flung into the air and narrowed eyes stared at Red.
"What do you mean?" Emma watched as realization of what she just hit Red. The woman paled for a moment before shaking herself.
"I don't think I should tell." Red told her guiltily, averting her eyes to find someone, anyone, in the diner who needed her. It was a useless effort because only Emma, Red, and the cook in the back were in the diner at all.
"Red, if it's something about my wife or my daughter, I think that I should know."
"And I get that. It's just that Regina made me swear not to tell you. It was a while ago, but I don't want to be the one that goes back on my word to her."
"This is my family, Red." Emma told her, giving the red clad woman a look that screamed that she was concerned and worried and slightly suspicious.
Red sighed and Emma grinned triumphantly. "Fine, but, don't tell her I told?" At the blonde's nod, Red continued. "When Regina was pregnant with Addy, she came here at night because of some odd craving or another."
"How often?"
"At least once a week." Red answered with a wince.
"But, I don't remember her getting that many cravings. When I asked her about her lack of them, she said she must be one of those women who didn't get them." Emma tilted her head, hurt flitting across her features. Red put her hand on Emma's shoulder. "Why wouldn't she tell me?"
"There was a lot on everyone's plate at the time." The former waitress tried to explain. "I think she didn't want to bother you."
The blonde stared at Red once more. "What did she tell you?"
"Emma-"
"Red."
"…Remember when she was pregnant and you thought she cheated on you and you left to stay with Snow and James?" Red asked.
"I try not to think about it. It was a bad month." Emma turned her gaze to her hands that rested on the white counter.
"But do you remember?" Red pressed.
"Yes."
"Then you must remember how upset Regina was and how mad Henry was at her and how Snow slapped her for breaking your heart and trust and how nearly the entire town turned on her, again." Red reminded the blonde before, watching the strong woman's shoulders sink a little lower with every new memory she tried so hard to forget.
"She literally had to get on her knees on the sidewalk to have you even talk to her." Red said, feeling protective of the dark haired woman. "I never understood how a proud woman like that could grovel on such a desperate level, but that's what she was. Desperate."
"Are you trying to make me feel like shit?" Emma snapped with a low growl.
"No, I'm trying to get you to think about how she was feeling. She was terrified of losing you and Henry. And, even as small as it was, she didn't want to push you away by having you make midnight runs to get her whatever weird food she needed at the time."
Emma didn't say anything, allowing the words to sink into her. A ding from the back kitchen. Red looked up and saw a take-out bag sitting in the glassless window. She retrieved it and placed the bag in front of Emma. The blonde took it without a word and left, letting the information she learned that night hit her.
/
She stepped into the manor. She knew Regina would be in the dining room waiting for her and made a beeline there. Sure enough, the very pregnant Mayor of Storybrooke sat on one of the surprisingly comfortable wooden chairs. Her face lit up at seeing the bag in Emma's hand and she reached for it, almost like a child.
Emma made her way around the table and, standing next to Regina, dropped the food on the wood with a thump. Before Regina could grab the food, Emma ducked down, grabbing hold of her wife's face and pressed their lips together, stealing Regina's breath. Pulling from the passionate kiss, Emma kept her face close to Regina's, while rubbing a gentle thumb over a tanned cheek. "Thank you." The blonde whispered, kissing her again, though more tender this time.
"For what?" A breathless Regina asked. "Kissing you?"
"For asking me to get you food."
Regina narrowed her eyes and leaned away from Emma. "I thought you hated it. You were complaining when you left."
Emma shook her head and kissed Regina again, trying to blink away the tears that suddenly gathered in her eyes. "Not anymore. Ask me whenever you want something."
The End