Turn for the Worst

Chapter 46

David runs for his car, grabbing his jacket on the way out.

"Who's with you?"

"Regina and Henry," the teacher pants.

"I'll meet you at the hospital," David says, before hanging up.

"Gold!" David hollers as he runs past the offices. "My wife's having the baby!"

The lieutenant doesn't say anything further as he's already out the door.

His heartbeat is in overdrive; he was going to be a father! It was scary and exciting at the same time. He begins sweating, fumbling with his car keys, trying to start the car up. He cannot think clearly as he backs out of the parking lot. In the back of his mind, he thinks about Emma and how she was going to miss this and she was one of the godmothers. Of all times for the baby to come, he wishes it was when his friend was safe and sound. He begins tearing up slightly, weaving through afternoon traffic, wanting to be in a police car so he could get to the hospital faster.

...

"Just take some deep breaths, Mary," Regina says as she also weaves through traffic.

Mary Margret is breathing heavily in the front seat, sweat beading on her brow.

She was in the middle of cooking some dinner for the full apartment when a sharp feeling of pain went through her like a bolt of lightning and her water broke.

"Regina!" she'd screamed. The teacher clung to the counter for support. Regina had been in another room helping Killian get used to his crutches when she heard the scream. Henry was just coming home from school when he saw Mary Margret in agonizing pain, trying to hold herself up.

"What's wrong?" Regina asked, coming into the room.

"M-My water broke, the baby's coming."

"Okay, remain calm," Regina said. "Did David have a bag or anything ready for when you went into labour,"

The teacher shook her head.

"Henry!" Regina ordered. "Find some clothes and put them in a duffle bag!"

Henry dropped his backpack and raced into Emma's room. He found one of the suitcases David and Mary Margret had been using. He shoved some comfortable clothing into it. Killian was watching, feeling rather helpless. He had just gotten out of the hospital the week prior; his concussion had just started to fade; his ribs and wrist were still wrapped in gauze and his leg in a cast. He knew he couldn't do anything to help them, he'd just slow everyone down, so he watched as Henry tore through the room packing into a duffle bag. At the last minute, he noticed a picture of Emma and Henry on the nightstand. It would be more of a symbolic gesture, but Emma deserved to be there for the birth.

"Oy, Henry!" he called out as the teen was about to leave the room.

"Here," he said, tossing the photo. Henry barely caught it.

The teen looked confused for a moment, but shoved it into the bag and then bolted down the hall of the apartment to his room. He went for his closet. He remembered seeing in a TV show that women who give birth like having a stuffed animal or something soft with them. Why that was he couldn't say, but he dug through a mountain of clothes and found a box of his old stuffed animals.

"Henry!" Regina's voice called out. "Let's go, hurry!"

"Just a sec!' was his response.

He found a stuffed lamb with a red ribbon around its neck; one that he thinks Ruby or Lacey gave to him when he turned four. He shoved it into the bag and races to join them. Regina was supporting Mary Margret as they hobbled out the door. The teen locked the apartment and followed the two women down to the BMW.