Break The Cycle

Chapter 53:

Emma POV:

Killian was running around like a maniac. Not that I had ever packed for the hospital, but I knew what I needed, or what I wished I had. Comfy clothes (those damn gowns were horrible), something to occupy my time during labor, phone and chargers, clothes for the baby, shampoo, a brush, my toothbrush. Basic needs really. But Killian was freaking out wanting to pack the entire house.

"Emma, are you sure you won't need that?" He said as I put away a huge pillow he wanted to bring.

"No, if I want more pillows I just ask." I explained to him.

"Okay, I just want you comfortable." He assured me.

"I know, and it's sweet." I grabbed one of his hands in mine. "But I've got this."

I packed a little food and water for him. I knew he wouldn't want to leave my side once we were in the hospital, including to go get himself food.

So that was that. I had a bag packed for the hospital, the baby's room was together, and his car seat was ready to go. We had all the essentials (Mary Margaret and Ruby insisted on throwing a baby shower, now we were loaded down with more diapers, wipes, and clothes than we could dream of), and Liam could come at any time.

I could feel the nesting kick in. I cleaned everything time and time again. I didn't get this with Henry, instead I battled depression and confusion because I wanted to keep him so badly, but I didn't think I could raise him on my own. So I took bliss in all of this. Giving birth was hell, but this time it would end happily.

Killian POV:

I knew Emma said she was ready, but I wasn't. I was panicking. This tiny human being would come home with us within the next month. Henry was easy to parent, he was pretty independent. But this little human would rely on us for everything. He would be so fragile, and yet so strong in his ways of communicating. I'd already seen it in Emmett, the boy knew how to get his mother's attention.

I watched my wife like a hawk, waiting for her to drop everything and hunch over in pain or have her water break, like in the movies. She said it's not like that. With Henry, she started feeling contractions and told the officers, who rushed her to her doctor, who confirmed she was in early labor. Apparently it normally started slow and progressed.

And just like she said, one afternoon, Henry and Frank were playing in the yard, Emma and I watching from the kitchen, when she sat up and made a face, like she was thinking hard.

"Are you okay, love?" I asked, on edge immediately.

"Don't freak out like last time Killian." She held a finger out to me to caution me to remain calm. A few days ago, she had a few contractions, but they ended as quickly as they came. I had begun grabbing everything we needed to go to the hospital.

"Is it like last time?" I calmly asked.

"A little more uncomfortable." She placed both hands on her stomach. "I'm definitely contracting, I'm just not sure if they're real or not."

Over the next half hour, she timed them. They were close enough together to have us all prepared, she called Regina, who would be keeping Henry and Frank, set up the cats to be on their own for a few days, and I placed the bag in the car.

Another half an hour passed, and they were a little closer together and slightly more uncomfortable. She called the hospital, and the woman on the phone advised her to come in and that the doctor would be contacted.

By the time we were halfway there, she was wincing a little when a contraction hit.

"We're nearly there." I grabbed her hand so she could squeeze when she needed to.