The Tie That Binds

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Emma," and it's as gentle as an angel's whisper in the dark, but she still groans her protest and buries her face in the fluffy pillow below. "Emma," a little more stern this time yet as sweet as lemonade on a hot summer's day. "It's time to wake up, our appointment is in an hour."

Her lips curl all on their own from the acknowledgment of "our" appointment. She's no longer alone in life, she has a partner that will stick by her and most importantly, she doesn't have to do this pregnancy or birth by herself like she anticipated when she first found out about her baby.

"Em-"

"Regina, I'm exhausted," she groans, smushing her face further into her pillow.

Of course Regina knows all this already. Emma is positive she kept the poor woman up all night as well with her obsessive tossing and turning because every time she laid on her side for more than five minutes her hip would go numb and she would have to flip. And it's too much pressure when she lays on her back and it's obvious she cannot sleep on her stomach, so that continued until she became so agitated that she needed to get up and pace the bedroom for a half hour. Regina spoke so calmly to her, finally convincing her to come back to bed by promises of back rubs which she did not fail to deliver. Those hands were heavenly, exactly the right pressure against her tender lower back for over an hour until Emma finally passed out at five o'clock in the morning from pure exhaustion.

"I know but it's the eight month checkup," Regina sweetly says behind her ear and she briefly wonders when this uptight woman found all this patience for her when she knows she irritates the hell out of the mayor on a daily basis.

"Why do we schedule them so early?" She grumpily complains but then there are a set of plump, pillowy lips pressing directly behind her ear and settling the anxious energy vibrating through her body like the aftershocks from a beaten cymbal.

"It's one in the afternoon, dear," and Emma can just hear the smile in her lover's tone, mocking her. She produces a pathetic whimpering noise, shoving her face deeper into the cozy pillow, somehow convincing Regina that she needs another back rub. "Maybe it's time you think about taking maternity leave," she sweetly suggests, not to offend her while delicate fingers press further into those tight muscles.

"I don't think that's going to help. I just sit there anyways, I'm not doing much of anything," she huffs before a long and deep groan of pleasure escapes her bitter mouth.

Regina gifts her with a wet, opened-mouth kiss to the back of her neck while her magical fingers work out all the kinks in her back. "Maybe some of my magic will wake you up," Regina seductively husks and if Emma wasn't so damn exhausted and aching all over, she would definitely be flipping this woman onto her back and taking her in all kinds of naughty positions.

"Maybe," she flippantly moans as those digits really dig in deep, adding the most glorious pressure to a tight knot. "I feel dead."

Regina chuckles softly, no longer in fear of Emma or Autumn's life when she is in control with a simple touch of magic. Slowly, those slender fingers glide from Emma's back, travel around the curve of her hip to caress a protruding baby.

Emma instantly feels the soothing warmth seeping into her skin, generating a deep sigh of relief. Her body tingles, persuading her lips to stretch far into her cheeks from the love and glee transporting from Regina. She inhales deeply, finding a mix of lavender, salty beach and a smoky fire and she swoons.

"I've never really got a whiff of magic before."

Regina presses a kiss to Emma's shoulder, inspiring her to crane her neck and meet those wholesome chestnut eyes crackling with unconditional love.