Another Charming Life

Chapter 2

"...You What?!" Regina has to put her coffee down before she either spills it or throws it.

"I said I haven't told him yet."

The Mayor pinches the bridge of her nose, it was too early in the morning for this bullshit. "You know, I find myself wondering whether there are synapses in your brain misfiring that make you choose these stupid choices or if you willing do them knowing they're stupid!"

Sitting opposite of Regina in the booth at Granny's, Snow pulls her cardigan closed around her again. It had been almost two weeks since she had found out and she was already fighting some her garments. Her belly was softer and there was a hint of a bump especially when she sat or after she ate. "I know I said I would tell him, I just haven't found the right time."

"Then what's your plan? Tell him between contractions on the way to the hospital? Or maybe even when the child has it's first birthday?... because that would be a nice surprise." She rolls her eyes painfully hard as she takes a big gulp from her cup. Regina kept waiting and waiting that night at the Charming's... waiting to for Snow to spill her secret because lord knows that girl would explode if asked to keep something to herself for more than twenty-four hours. But by some unrequested miracle she had held this in. "He needs to know before he figures it out himself. I mean... have you even told Emma?"

"No." She slowly shakes her head as her fingers make themselves busy with the rim of her own cup. "I'm not sure how she's going to handle it. Things were a little rocky between us when Neal came along."

"Yes, well suddenly getting your memories of your family back and finding your mother, who's also the same age as you, very pregnant can be a little daunting."

"I'm actually a few months younger."

"Oh then that makes things even better, doesn't it." That terribly fake smile of hers falls hard, frustration doesn't even begin to cover whats happening at their table. Regina crosses her legs as she carefully watches her company. If she didn't know any better, she'd say the woman looked sad. With a calmer hand, the Mayor picks up her cup again and leans both elbows forward as the aroma of coffee linger beneath her nose before she takes a slow sip. She and Snow didn't always immediately understand each other when tension or emotions ran high; it always took one or both of them to slow things down and take a second look which is exactly what Regina was having to do now. "Let's try again." Her hands fall in front of her as she waits on the younger woman to finally make eye contact. "What's really going on?"

Those hazel eyes want to look anywhere else because if she looks at Regina any long she may just break down right there in the diner. Damn the hormones. "I'm worried."

"About what?"

For the first time she looks a little hesitant to talk. "What if something happens? What if..." She shakes her head as if she's wishing those weren't her own thoughts, her arms wrapping around herself. "We tried for so long, Regina... we didn't get so much as a scare. What if this isn't meant to happen? What if I tell him and then everything just... just goes to shit?" Her voice lowers and trails off as she looks away.

Ah... so that's what was holding her back. Regina slides her cup away to the side as her arms reaches out, both laying on top of the trembling pair that now found themselves in front of her on the table. "Look at me, Snow." In that instant it's like looking at Henry when he was little and upset. "David needs to know. You don't have to tell Emma or Ruby or whoever else, but he needs to know. If..." A pained expression crosses her face. She doesn't want Snow to give into these terrible thoughts, an expecting mother's worst nightmares, but she needed to be realistic and honest. "...if something does happen, it's going to hurt more if you don't say something now." Her hands squeeze the two she's holding. "...but I truly don't believe anything of that nature will happen because you're you, pure goodness personified.... have a little hope, Mrs. Nolan." With those words, Snow smiles. A genuine, teary eyed smile that cause the same reaction in Regina.