A/N: Here's the final chapter! Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed. I'm totally astonished by the number of comments I've gotten on this. I apologize for not responding to so many of you. It's been a rough couple of months for me, but this story was a great way to get my creativity flowing again.

I'm not sure what I'll be up to next, but I'm working slowly on a long Fairy Queen story ("A Second Chance") if anyone is so inclined.

Thanks again. I love you all. Even the angry ones ;)

"She said she's going to be here in five minutes," Henry said as he came back into the room and took the chair beside the bed.

"She said that the last time," Regina replied through gritted teeth. "I'm going to kill her."

Henry reached for her hand, offering his mother a smile. "She'll be here soon. The doctor said you still have a while, right?" He shrugged. "But she'd better get here, because I'm not staying when things get gross."

Regina mustered a smile in the lull between contractions. "You don't have to stay at all, Henry. Stephen's mom said you could sleep over. She can come and get you."

Henry shook his head. "You're scared and you need someone to talk to."

Regina's smile went watery. Henry had grown up so much in the past few months. He was happier here where the other children were normal and eagerly befriended him. He was excited about being a big brother and about finally having a real family with both his mothers.

Emma had changed too, and Regina was starting to think that maybe she had, too. After all, she hadn't immediately denied that she was scared. Instead, she just reached over and cupped Henry's cheek. "My little prince."

"I'm not little anymore," Henry protested.

"No, you're certainly not." He looked older, too, all dressed up for the little ceremony for the latest police academy graduates. They were supposed to be there right now, but Regina went into labor before they made it out the door.

"You shouldn't be scared," Henry reassured her. "You're a really good mom."

At that, Regina started to cry. Those words meant so much from the son who had so recently rejected her, who had hated her only a few months before. She sat up just enough to pull Henry into a hug, holding onto him hard as the next contraction hit.

"Hi." The greeting was breathless as Emma rushed into the room. "I'm here. I'm really sorry."

Henry immediately pulled back and stood up to give Emma the closest chair.

"I'm sorry we missed your graduation," Regina said, gratefully taking Emma's offered hands. Henry was certainly a comfort, but nothing made her feel as safe as Emma's presence.

Emma shrugged. "You had a fairly good excuse. I suppose I can forgive you." She leaned down to kiss Regina, lingering against her lips for a long time.

"Come get me when you're not being gross," Henry said before taking his backpack and heading out into the waiting room.

They both smiled into the kiss at that. "How are you doing, beautiful?" Emma asked.

"The contractions are spaced pretty far apart, but they really, really hurt."

Emma pressed a hand over Regina's heart, and Regina covered it with her own. "How about inside?"

The mix of emotions was indescribable, but Regina was sure that Emma could see that. "Ready to get this over with," she said, which earned a laugh from Emma. "Glad that you're here."

"Right here," Emma promised. "Always."

Naturally, Emma couldn't help but think about the day she'd had Henry. How frightened she'd been, how she'd refused to even look at the baby. How alone she was once they cut the cord connecting her to the only person in the world who'd ever needed her.

Regina didn't have to be alone. They'd finally talked Henry into going home with his friend, but Emma was there, as close as she could be. She didn't let go of Regina for a second, didn't stop whispering encouragement and pressing kisses to Regina's sweaty face.

But Regina was just as afraid as Emma had been at seventeen. Her eyes were closed tightly, and Emma recognized the gesture. When the blonde had given birth, she didn't dare look at the baby because she was afraid she'd fall in love. Regina closed her eyes because she was worried that she wouldn't.

So when the doctor approached with a squealing bundle, intending to hand it to Regina, Emma reached up instead. She settled the baby in her arms, and the crying began to fade away.

"Hi there," Emma whispered, adjusting the blanket to see their daughter better. "Hi, Nadia."

Regina opened her eyes at that and looked up at Emma. "How is she?"

"She's beautiful." And Emma meant it. Nadia had Regina's eyes, brown and complex and watching Emma closely. She had a dusting of dark hair, and her complexion was just a shade darker than Regina's. Emma could guess at who the father was, but she found she didn't care. "Regina, she's perfect."

Regina still looked hesitant, so Emma leaned over to kiss her reassuringly. "Does she look like…"

"She looks like you," Emma promised before looking back down at the baby. "Want to meet Mommy, Nadia?"

Regina sat up a bit, and Emma handed Nadia over and watched them. It was clear that Regina's nerves faded almost instantly. The brunette couldn't help thinking about what it was like when she held Henry for the first time. And then Nadia gurgled and a smile broke across Regina's face. "Hello, my little princess," she cooed, and Emma shifted to sit on the edge of the bed and put an arm around her.

"Perfect, right?"

"Yes." The tears that Regina had been holding back all day came flooding out. "You are, aren't you?"

That night, once Nadia was taken away and everything was cleaned up, Regina and Emma slept like they had back when Emma rescued Regina, curled together on a hospital bed. But this time, Regina couldn't stop smiling.