STORYBROOKE, Maine

Rebekah really didn't want to go to the diner -- and not just because she was on semi-good terms with Regina and knew that going to the diner to meet with Emma and Mary-Margaret would surely piss her off – but because it was Valentine's Day and she had been ignoring Ruby's texts about if she had plans or not.

Ruby asked if Rebekah was still sneaking around with the mystery man who she had yet to name. She had asked if it was Jefferson, seeing as Rebekah confessed to her that she had been staying with him after Graham died. But she was quick to shut that down and tell Ruby some story about meeting a guy in town afterwards and realized that her infatuation with Jefferson had just been a passing fancy. That was when she had been trying to hide her relationship with Jefferson to keep Regina from ever finding out about them.

She couldn't help but wish Regina had found out earlier to save Rebekah from the constant ache in her chest whenever she thought about Jefferson and his betrayal.

But despite everything she still found herself missing him. When she'd get into bed at night, Rebekah would find herself waiting to feel the comfort of his arms wrapping around her middle and pulling her closer to him. But then she'd remember where she was and why she was staying with Regina and what Jefferson had done. Rebekah tried to push away her feelings for Jefferson but they were still there.

How pathetic was that?

It also didn't help that she was extra hormonal lately. Dr. Porter said that she was on her thirteenth week and that her hormones would start to die down – but Rebekah was a blubbering mess. Poor Mr. Gold and the crew he hired for the house suffered the worst of Rebekah's outbursts. Thankfully, since Mr. Gold was aware of her situation, he never reprimanded her for her actions.

One thing other than her hormones had changed significantly was her stomach. Or, the bump. After her appointment with Dr. Porter, her belly seemed to grow more each day. There was no hiding the bump right now.

Regina had gone and bought Rebekah some clothes when she woke up one morning to realize that she could not button her jeans any longer and that her shirts were far too tight. Regina had told Rebekah she would wait a while before she told anyone about the pregnancy and had run off to the store to buy Rebekah a few loose-fitting shirts along with pants a size up.

Today, to meet Emma and Mary-Margaret at the diner, Rebekah had put on a pair of leggings and a large sweatshirt, glad that she could use the cold weather as an excuse for why she was wearing such a large 'STORYBROOKE HIGH' sweatshirt.

Rebekah walked into the diner and saw Mary-Margaret and Emma sitting at a small table.

"Bex!" Emma waved Rebekah over and Mary-Margaret looked over her shoulder and smiled at her friend. They pulled up a chair for Rebekah to sit in and the brunette began to steal French fries off of Mary-Margaret's plate.

"Seriously?" She laughed.

"I'm hungry." Rebekah shrugged.

"Sooo," Emma drew out the word, stealing a French fry as well. "How's life been going, Rebekah?"

She quirked her brow at the blonde, knowing what she was actually wanting to ask.

"I already told her that Henry is fine." Mary-Margaret said as Rebekah tried to swipe another fry only to have her hand swatted.

"I just...I need to make sure that Regina isn't," Emma stopped and looked at Rebekah and frowned. "-Sorry, I know the two of you are working on your relationship, but I don't trust her with Henry." Emma sighed. "I'm just glad that you moved into her house so I know that Henry is actually cared for."

That made Rebekah frown.

Henry had been...quiet. He only ever spoke up when that topic of the baby came up and she'd watch his eyes grow wide with excitement as he told Rebekah about the things he had read online about pregnancy (thank god for parental control on the internet otherwise Henry might have found some stuff he probably wished he didn't).

According to Henry, this week, Rebekah's baby was the size of a plum and that it could open and close its fingers, as well as curl its toes.

Rebekah found herself wishing that she could tell Emma how excited Henry was about the baby. But that would mean she would have to tell her about the baby. Keeping her pregnancy secret was annoying. But Regina constantly reminded Rebekah that she was not out of the clear for a miscarriage and that if she told anyone she was pregnant, she'd have to come up with a story about who the father was.

"Henry is doing fine."

"He misses her," Mary-Margaret stressed, clearly trying to hint to Rebekah to tell Emma what she wanted to hear.

"Of course, he misses you, Emma! He adores you!" Rebekah assured Emma.

"Yeah, Emma, he misses you, a lot. Trust me, I'm with him like, six hours a day," Mary-Margaret added.

"Six hours?" Rebekah looked over her shoulder and saw Ashley standing at the counter, handing over her crying baby to Granny. She smiled happily. Rebekah hadn't seen Ashley since after the accident. "Do you take newborns? 'Cause I'd love six hours off."

"Ashley!" Mary-Margaret said, looking over her shoulder as well. "I didn't even recognize you!"

"Oh. Baby on the outside?" Ashley grabbed a chair and brought it over to their little table. She gave Rebekah a quick side hug and, what Rebekah believed to be some type of carrier for the baby, practically smacked her in the face when Ashley pulled away and took a seat next to her.

"How's it going?" Emma asked Ashley.

"It uh," Ashley breathed in heavily. "I mean, the baby's great. But, uh, we really haven't had time to do the whole getting married thing. So...that's been rough," she admitted. "And Sean's been working double shifts at the Cannery."

Ashley felt alone.

Rebekah was alone.

Rebekah frowned and looked down at her own stomach. When she saw that her hand was resting on the bump she quickly moved it under her leg to keep herself from moving it back.

"Well," Mary-Margaret said, "he has to work." Rebekah looked at her friend and saw that her attention seemed to be elsewhere and that's why she sounded less than interested in what Ashley was saying. Mary-Margaret was looking at the booth right across from where their table was. A booth that David Nolan sat at alone reading Mary-Margaret's favorite book.

Rebekah looked at Mary-Margaret with a raised brow but her focus was still on David.

"One Valentines Day?" Ashley said, her tone a little bitter. "Yeah. He couldn't get out of it."

"I'm sorry, that sucks." Emma frowned.

"It doesn't have to," Ruby said as she walked over to the table. The three women looked to Ruby. "Come out with me!" She suggested with a grin. "Let's have a girl's night!" Ruby smirked at Ashley. "We can all go! Mary-Margaret, Emma too if you leave the badge at home." She then turned to Rebekah and grinned. "Rebekah, as well. Unless...you all have other plans?"

Emma saved Rebekah from having to speak. "I'm not really in the party mood," the blonde told Ruby but then turned her attention to Mary-Margaret. "But you guys can all go and have fun!"

Mary-Margaret made a face at Emma and gave the table a little pound. Emma smirked and shrugged innocently and Ruby skipped off happily.

Rebekah was just as annoyed. When Ruby made her mind up, there was no changing it; and Emma had thrown Rebekah, Mary-Margaret, and Ashley under the bus (but Rebekah didn't think that Ashley really minded).

Emma's phone vibrated and when she picked it up, she frowned in confusion.

"What's that?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"It's the station," Emma said. "Something's up." She got up and headed out of the diner.

Rebekah blinked in surprise at the abrupt exit but turned her focus back to Ashley and Mary-Margaret. "I'm really tired, guys. I am not up for 'girls night' with Ruby," She told them.

"If I'm going, you're going," Mary-Margaret declared.

Rebekah groaned and threw her head back.

"How have you been, Rebekah?" Ashley asked.

Pregnant, moody, heartbroken.

"I'm good," Rebekah lied. Ashley narrowed her eyes at Rebekah suspiciously causing the brunette to shrink a little in her chair. "Enough about me," she said, changing the subject. "How's Alexandra?"

"Good," Ashley said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. It made Rebekah worry.

"Is it hard being a mom?" she asked, voice shaking a little. Rebekah was quick to clear her throat and take a sip of Mary-Margaret's untouched cup of water hoping that her two friends would think her voice shook simply from a dry throat.

"At times...but she's worth it," Ashley said with a genuine smile as Granny walked over to the table with Alexandra in her arms. The young mother held out her arms to grab the infant from Granny causing Rebekah to sit up a bit.

It had been so long since she had held a baby – not since Henry.

Rebekah was hesitant to even ask, but she found herself asking anyway. "Do you mind?" She motioned to Alexandra and held her arms open.

"Oh, I don't mind. Trust me!" Ashley chuckled and moved a bit to gently place the baby girl in Rebekah's arms.

It felt familiar. Of course, she remembered what it was like holding Henry when he was this small but...there was something else. When she looked down at Alexandra she didn't see the blue eyes of her parents. Instead, she saw a dark mixture of blue and green with bits of gold flakes that eventually settled into a hazel color. Rebekah heard the cooing of a baby that wasn't Alexandra and felt her lower lip tremble as tears began to emerge.

"Rebekah?" Mary-Margaret said softly as her hand reached out to gently grab Rebekah's arm. "Are you okay?"

Perhaps she was dreaming of the eyes of the child she was carrying, but somehow, she knew deep in her gut that she was seeing someone else's eyes and it left her feeling incredibly distraught. Rebekah felt like there was a piece of her missing in that moment and no matter how hard she tried to fight off the tears, they continued to fall.

"Hey, hey." Mary-Margaret moved out of her seat a bit to lean in closer to Rebekah. "What's going on?"

Rebekah shook her head, biting down on her lower lip to try and stop the tears. What was she supposed to say? That she was super hormonal because she was pregnant and for some reason looking in Alexandra's eyes somehow triggered her emotions and now she felt like there was an even bigger ache in her heart that she couldn't even begin to describe.

"I'm fine." Rebekah forced a smile and moved forward a bit to hand Alexandra back to Ashley. "I was just thinking about when Henry was this small," she lied. Mary-Margaret and Ashley didn't seem to buy the lie either. She wiped away her tears and composed herself. Rebekah knew that she needed to come up with something better than nostalgia. "I guess almost being twenty-eight, single, and PMSing on Valentine's Day is a bad combo." Rebekah shrugged and forced chuckle.

But Mary-Margaret frowned at her words. "You're not alone," she assured Rebekah.

"I know," Rebekah smiled through her tears. "It's just PMS, I promise."

"Wow," Ruby walked over to their table with a milkshake in her hand. "PMSing and alone on Valentine's day. That sucks." She leaned forward and handed Rebekah the chocolate shake (that she had never ordered but was grateful for).

"Ruby!" Mary-Margaret hissed, eyes going wide in a warning. "She is not alone."

"Obviously!" Ruby rolled her eyes and then brought her focus back to Rebekah. "I'm just saying – it's even more reason for you to come out with us and get sloppy drunk."

Drunk? How the hell was she going to get out of drinking tonight?

Rebekah simply forced another smile and began to drink her milkshake, hoping that with her mouth occupied Ruby wouldn't pester her anymore about drinking.

She had thought she had been pretty suave about it. But when Rebekah looked over at Ashley after finishing the entire milkshake in less than five minutes, the young mother had her head tilted while looking at Rebekah, almost as if she were studying her. But Ashley never said anything – not even when Rebekah ordered nearly every item on the lunch menu.

Tone it down! She mentally hissed at herself.

"Who doesn't like to eat their feelings when they're feeling low?" Rebekah tried to joke.

Or when you're thirteen weeks pregnant and your baby daddy had only used you to get back at your older sister who happened to be the ex-girlfriend he was still in love with, Rebekah thought bitterly.

Eventually, Mary-Margaret left and Rebekah noticed that not too long after she left, David Nolan packed up his stuff and left the diner as well.

Rebekah had a feeling she had missed a couple things while isolating herself from the town.

_________________________________

ENCHANTED FOREST

One year.

That's all Rebekah had left with her husband and daughter.

She still hadn't told Jefferson; she didn't intend to. If he found out he would want to run and Grace would lose her Papa and Rebekah would have to watch the love of her life die. She refused to let that happen.

"Bex?" Jefferson called from the kitchen as Rebekah braided their daughter's hair.

"Living room!" she hollered back.

Jefferson walked in carrying a cup of tea for his wife and gave her a loving smile when he watched her do Grace's hair. "I don't know how you manage to get her to sit still." He chuckled as he set down her cup of tea on the little table next to Rebekah.

"Easy," Rebekah smirked, tilting her head up when Jefferson leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. She relished in the moment, the feeling of his lips against hers. And when he pulled away Rebekah had to repress the aching feeling in her chest when she was reminded that she only had so many kisses left with her husband before Regina came to take her away. Rebekah licked at her lips and turned her attention back to Grace. "I bribe her."

Jefferson laughed at her words and Grace giggled as well. "Mama said that if I sit still while she braids my hair, we'd all have a tea party together at lunch," Grace told her father.

"Oh, did she now?" Jefferson looked to Rebekah and smirked.

Rebekah shrugged. "It worked."

When she was done with the braid and Grace began to spin around the room to show her parents the way the braid whipped around, Rebekah felt yet another ache in her chest. She inhaled deeply and looked over at Jefferson. "You should do her hair tomorrow."

He looked over at her with an amused grin. "You know I'm terrible at doing her hair, Bex," Jefferson reminded her.

Rebekah shrugged and tried to hide her heartbreak with a warm smile. "Even more reason for you to learn." She then motioned for their daughter to come back over to them. "Gracie-girl, Papa is going to do your hair tomorrow."

Grace pouted. "He pulls too hard."

Rebekah chuckled and cupped her daughter's cheeks in her hand. "I'll teach him how to do it gently." Grace continued to frown and Rebekah scrunched her nose at her daughter and smiled. "Lemon cakes with tea this afternoon if you let Papa do your hair in the morning."

Grace grinned and nodded her head happily before leaning forward and nudged her nose against Rebekah's over and over until they were both laughing.

When Grace ran out of the living room and upstairs, Rebekah took in a shaky breath as she watched her daughter slowly disappear.

"Bex..."

Rebekah looked over at Jefferson and saw the furrow of his brow and worried look in his eyes. "I can't believe how fast she's growing."

That seemed to ease Jefferson's worries a little. He moved over to where Rebekah sat and pulled her close to him once he was sitting down on the little couch. "I was terrified the day she was born," Jefferson confessed, causing Rebekah to tilt her head up to look at him. Of course, you were, she smirked. He chuckled at her expression and nodded his head. "Didn't hide it so well, did I?"

Rebekah chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, bringing his hand to her mouth to press a soft kiss against the top of his hand. "It's the effort that counts, my love," she teased.

He laughed and moved her even closer to him. Jefferson grew very quiet and the two of them sat in silence. "I thought I was going to lose you," he confessed. "I had never seen that much blood come out of a person without them dying and...I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you that day."

Rebekah felt bile rise in her throat that she forced herself to swallow. "You would have been fine," she said in a whisper, pressing another kiss to the back of his hand.

He shook his head, disagreeing with her. "I don't think I would have been."

"You'd have to." Rebekah sat up and looked at him. "You'd have to go on for Grace."

Jefferson frowned at her words. He moved his hand to push back the hair that had fallen in her face from sitting up so abruptly. "Hey," Jefferson said in a whisper. "We don't have to worry about that, okay? You lived and we have a beautiful little girl. Everything worked out just fine," he assured her.

Rebekah needed to hear him say that he would go on for Grace if he ever lost her. She needed to know it was true and that he meant it. "If we have another baby," Rebekah said and watched as a smile formed on Jefferson's lips. "We already lost one. Who's to say another would survive – or that I would survive the pregnancy or birth?"

Jefferson shook his head and sat up. "We won't have another child," he told her. "We don't need another. I have you and Grace, that's all I need."

"But if it were to happen."

"Bex – we're not having another child if those are the risks!" Jefferson interrupted her. "I won't lose you!"

Rebekah bit down on the inside of her cheek to try and fight back her tears. "We have no idea what the future holds for us, Jefferson," she said softly, hand moving up to caress his cheek. "Perhaps we don't have any more children, perhaps we have twenty!" Rebekah forced herself to smile. Jefferson's mouth pressed in a thin line and his brows began to furrow again. She knew he was getting frustrated with her. Rebekah sighed, rubbing her thumb against his cheek. He wouldn't meet her eyes so Rebekah moved forward and pressed her lips softly against Jefferson's, hand still pressed against his cheek as she waited for him to return the kiss.

He did, eventually. And when Rebekah pulled away from him she saw the worried look in his eyes again. "Do you want another child?" he asked her.

She swallowed hard. "Someday." It was the truth. Rebekah did want more kids with Jefferson in the future, but now her fate was sealed and she only had one more year left with the love of her life. "I just," Rebekah lowered her head and looked down at her hands.

"What?" He grabbed her hands and she smiled at the way hers fit so perfectly into his.

"I do want another child with you, Jefferson," Rebekah said again as she looked back up at him. "But there are risks and you're telling me that you didn't think you could have gone on if you had lost me. Jefferson, we have Grace. We can't say things like that. And if something were to happen to me...would you abandon our children? Would you leave Grace and any future children if you lost me?"

"Of course not!" Jefferson said fiercely. "I would never abandon Grace or any other child we might have together."

"Even if you lost me?"

Jefferson sighed and shook his head. "Rebekah, why are we talking about this? You said it yourself; we have no idea what the future hold for us."

Rebekah frowned, holding onto his hands tightly. "Because I need to hear it," she spoke honestly. Jefferson looked at her suspiciously and Rebekah was quick to stop him from speaking. "I can't have another child with you if I have doubts that you wouldn't run if something happened to me. Grace needs you, Jefferson."

"I will never abandon, Grace," Jefferson swore to her. "Even if anything were to happen to you. She is you and she is me and I would never leave her."

Rebekah smiled softly at Jefferson and let go of his hand. She grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him closer to meet her in a kiss. He did and Rebekah felt her heart pounding a mile a minute.

Jefferson smiled against her lips and mumbled. "Should we go upstairs and practice making another baby?" he suggested and Rebekah felt his lips form in a smirk.

Rebekah laughed and pushed him away. "I said someday."

Jefferson let out a little whine and pulled Rebekah to him. "Come on, Bex, you can't kiss me like that and expect me to not want to take you upstairs."

Rebekah grinned and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before squirming out of his hold. "You can have me all to yourself tonight," she promised him. "But we owe Grace a tea party in a few hours and I know how sleepy you get after sex." Rebekah patted his chest as she got up off the couch.

Jefferson laughed loudly. "You know me well." He smirked. "I guess it's a good thing I married you."

Rebekah placed her hands on her hips and raised her brow at his words. "You're lucky that I agreed to marry you," she corrected him, smirking as well. Jefferson laughed again and Grace came running down the stairs with a few dolls and stole his attention away.

With a smile on her face and an ache in her chest, Rebekah watched as her husband and daughter played dolls together and captured the moment in her head to re-live after Regina took her.

She'd hold on and cherish these moments because without them, Rebekah didn't think she would survive being Regina's prisoner again.

_________________________________

STORYBROOKE, Maine

"You're going to a bar?!" Regina said in disgust when Rebekah walked into her home office. "No way – that's out of the question. You're pregnant!"

"Yeah, I'm aware," Rebekah replied. "But I'm not allowed to tell anyone I'm pregnant, remember?" She raised her brows at Regina and pressed her hands on her hips.

Regina rolled her eyes. "I only want what's best for you, Rebekah. You know how nosey the town can be. Do you really want everyone to be in your business, asking a million question, questions like who the father is?"

Rebekah threw her head back and groaned. "I don't want to talk about this, Regina."

"I spoke with Dr. Whale," Regina said causing Rebekah to look back at her. She began to panic a little. Was the baby okay? Surely Dr. Porter would have called her if anything was wrong, right? "He understands your situation and...said he is willing to let people believe he is the father of your child."

Rebekah gaped at Regina. "Please tell me you're joking?" she said when Regina didn't falter.

"He's handsome. You two have chemistry. It wouldn't be so hard to believe."

"Regina!" Rebekah groaned. "No!"

"Well, you're still refusing to say that the child was Graham's so we're not left with very many options!" Regina said in irritation.

Rebekah let out a harsh laugh. "You are insane if you think I'm going to tell people in town that Graham is the father!" She raised her voice. "That is so disrespectful to his memory!"

"How so?"

"Well, for starters – the town was aware of your little arrangement, and unlike Jefferson, Graham would never sleep with the both of us!" she spat out bitterly. "And it would also be a slap in the face to Emma!"

Regina scoffed at that and rolled her eyes. "What does it matter?"

"I know that you refuse to admit it, but he had feelings for Emma! And if you cared about him at all, you wouldn't be asking me to tell people that not only was he stepping out on you, but that while he had blatant feelings for Emma, he was rolling around in my bed. That's not right and it's not who he was!"

Regina looked at Rebekah for a long moment before she sighed. "Fine," she agreed. "But that only leaves you with one option," Regina reminded her. "Dr. Whale."

"Or I say that I hooked up with some random guy at a bar and was too drunk to remember who he was," Rebekah suggested.

Regina narrowed her eyes at Rebekah. "That's not an option."

"It's not your decision," Rebekah countered. "When the time comes that the town finds out – be it tomorrow or when the baby is born -- I will choose who I say the father is. I am not going to debate you on this anymore," she said with a glare.

Regina squared her jaw and shook her head. "You are so ridiculously stubborn. Now I know where Henry gets it."

Rebekah had to huff out a laugh at that. "And where do you think I learned stubbornness from?"

Regina gave her a very obvious fake smile. Rebekah gave her one back just as fake which only caused Regina to sigh. "I won't press the...father issue anymore but if you do go out, do not let it slip that you're pregnant and...don't drink. It stunts the baby's growth."

That made Rebekah raise her brows in surprise. She smiled. "Have you been reading my pregnancy books?"

Regina rolled her eyes dramatically. "Everyone knows the risks of drinking while pregnant, Rebekah."

Rebekah grinned. "Okay," she said sarcastically before she began to walk backwards towards the door. "I want those books back after you're done reading them. I'm only on the first two chapters," Rebekah said as she walked out the door.

Regina didn't argue with Rebekah and say she hadn't taken the What to Expect When You're Expecting books that she had bought for Rebekah, she only remained silent.

And for some reason, Rebekah felt as though that was her sister surrendering defeat and Rebekah had won the battle.

It made her feel good.

_________________________________

ENCHANTED FOREST

Six months.

Rebekah watched with a smile on her face as Grace showed off the braids Jefferson had done while spinning around the room.

"Who knew you'd end up being such a pro." Rebekah teased her husband. "If only you had learned your skill earlier in life, you wouldn't have had to become a portal jumper."

Jefferson smirked and walked over to Rebekah. "But then I wouldn't have met you," he said as he moved his arms to wrap around Rebekah's middle, pulling her closer to him as they moved in a sway. She smiled up at him and moved her arms to loop around his neck.

"How devastating," she teased.

Jefferson playfully narrowed his eyes at Rebekah and moved forward to kiss her only to have Grace make a noise of disgust. It was her latest thing. To make grossed out noises whenever her parents were being too affectionate. They both laughed when Jefferson kissed her anyway and Grace pretended to gag.

Her husband pulled away and ran to Grace causing the little girl to squeal and run away from her father. Rebekah smiled sadly as she watched the two people she loved most in the world run wild around the house. Just as Jefferson caught up to her, Grace dodged being swooped up by him and ran outside, the sound of their laughter echoing from outside.

Rebekah looked around her home once they were gone. She loved this home. It was the home that Jefferson had gotten her as a gift and had protected with magic so Regina would never find them. It was a home he believed would keep their family safe forever. It was a home where he believed that they could grow old together and would never have to run again. If only he knew back then that it wouldn't matter where they ran...the second he jumped through the portal into her prison of a room, Jefferson had been sentenced to die.

They would have to leave their home. Jefferson and Grace. They would need to run and never stop. Rebekah quickly wiped away a tear and walked out of the living room into the kitchen and began to gather things to make a treat for Grace and Jefferson.

Focusing on little things took her mind off of the fact that she only had six months left with them, so if making homemade pumpkin pie helped ease the ache in her chest slightly, she'd do it. Rebekah would make pumpkin pie every day for the next six months if it meant not feeling that dull pain in her heart.

The only problem she had was that she didn't exactly have a pumpkin lying around the house.

"Jefferson!" she called out for her husband. "Grace!" she shouted next.

They both came into the house shortly after Rebekah had yelled their names, huffing from running around and smiling ear to ear. Jefferson ruffled Grace's hair and walked over to Rebekah, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Will you do me a favor and go find us a pumpkin?" Rebekah smiled sweetly.

"A pumpkin?" he said back with an amused grin.

"Mm-hm." Rebekah grinned.

He leaned down and kissed her on the lips before pulling away. "Let's go find a pumpkin, Grace," Jefferson told his daughter.

"Wait!" Rebekah stopped him. Grace and Jefferson both looked at Rebekah with curious eyes. "I was hoping Gracie would help me make the pie crust from scratch."

Grace hopped up and down in excitement. "Really?" She grinned.

"If Papa doesn't mind me stealing your help." Rebekah smiled at her daughter.

Grace looked up at her father and began to tug on his arm. "Papa, please can I make the pie with Mama?"

Jefferson laughed. "Of course." He kissed Grace on the top of her head and smiled at Rebekah before their daughter ran to her and quickly put on the apron Rebekah had made especially for Grace. "I'll be back soon," he promised.

"No getting distracted, Jefferson," she teased him.

With a laugh, Jefferson left their home and Rebekah and Grace began to work on making the homemade pie crust.

"Who taught you how to make this, Mama?" Grace asked her mother.

Rebekah frowned. She had learned to make pies from the cooks in the castle when she was little. She and Snow White would visit the kitchen staff whenever they knew they were making sweets in hopes that they'd let them get a taste before it was served later that night. "Your Auntie Snow taught me," Rebekah told Grace. It wasn't exactly a lie.

"How'd she learn?" Grace asked next.

Whenever Snow White and Prince Charming came to visit, they dressed as regular commoners. Rebekah didn't want Grace to know that they were part of the royal family because then she'd have to explain to her daughter just how they were related. Rebekah did not want Grace to ever know that her true aunt was the Evil Queen and that Snow White was their family because Regina had married her father and then had him killed. How was she supposed to explain all that horror to such an innocent little girl? "Her mother," Rebekah decided to say.

Grace nodded her head, seeming satisfied with Rebekah's answer, and began to hum as they stirred the flower together with butter and a bit of salt.

"Do you have one?" Grace asked after a moment.

"Hm?" Rebekah replied as she added water to the mix.

"A mama."

Rebekah bit down on her lip to try and think of what to say to Grace. "I did," she decided on. "But she isn't around anymore."

Grace made a noise. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," Rebekah lied. "The last time I saw her I was only a little bit older than you." That was the truth.

"What about a papa?" Grace looked up at Rebekah. "Do you have one too?"

She nodded her head, trying to hold back tears. "I do."

"Do you think someday I can meet your papa?"

Rebekah pressed her hand against Grace's and smiled down at her daughter. "I would love that," she said honestly.

"Has my papa ever met your mama and papa?"

"No, he hasn't," Rebekah told her daughter, wiping away some flour on her cheek that Rebekah had gotten on her from her hand. She managed to distract her daughter by tasking her with grabbing a few spices she kept in a small closet, telling her which one she needed by the color of their caps.

It had worked. Because when Grace returned she was busy talking about the spices and trying to pronounce the word cinnamon correctly. Jefferson returned and Rebekah had him slice the pumpkin and remove the seeds and together, the little family made homemade pumpkin pie from scratch. Rebekah made sure to teach them each step, making them repeat it back to her verbatim until it was etched in their heads forever.

Because Rebekah wanted them to still be able to have homemade pumpkin pie while she was gone. In six months when Regina came to take her away, Rebekah wanted to know that her husband and daughter would still know how to make their favorite treat without her.

Jefferson had already mastered doing Grace's hair and Rebekah had even taught him how to make the stew he loved so much. They'd be fine without her.

They had to be.

_________________________________

STORYBROOKE, Maine

It was Valentine's Day.

Jefferson had seen it on the calendar near the nursing station when two large male nurses escorted him to the community room. How long had he been in this place? Over a week. God, he was losing track of the days. The only reason he knew it was Valentine's Day was that the date had been circled with hundreds of hearts and the nurse's station was decorated for the occasion. If it was Valentine's Day, that meant that it had to have been at least ten days since Regina had him committed.

The community room was decorated with paper hearts and pink streamers and it made Jefferson roll his eyes. No one in the room looked like they were celebrating; they were too drugged to even notice anything around them.

It was his third time being able to go to the community room after he started to willingly take his meds. But he managed to hide the pills far enough down his mouth that when they checked to see if he swallowed them, it looked as though he did. Jefferson had to play the part though. He had to walk around like the living dead and barely speak. He needed them to think that the treatment was working so that when he planned his escape, they wouldn't see it coming.

One of the nurses shoved Jefferson forward and over to an empty table. "Sit," he ordered him, pulling out the chair and then pushing down on Jefferson shoulder to get him to sit.

He didn't put up a fight even though he wanted nothing more than to do just that.

"Good evening, Jefferson."

Jefferson tried not to tense at the sound of the voice.

Regina.

If he made the slightest movement she'd know he was faking taking the drugs. So, he stared blankly ahead of him at the table in the corner of the room next to a girl with raggedy brown hair huddled up in the windowsill. Regina moved out from behind him and stood in front of the woman.

"Leave us," Regina ordered the nurses. He heard the sound of feet shuffling against the ground and knew exactly when he was alone with Regina when she began to smirk at him. But he didn't look her in the eyes, her face was a blur while he focused on the wall behind her. "I hear you're being much more compliant," Regina said to Jefferson. "I assume that has to do with the little gift my sister left you."

The picture of their baby.

He had it hidden away in his room.

"It was generous for her to give you the sonogram seeing as she believes you were simply using her to get back at me," Regina said, watching Jefferson closely. "Boy, after I told her about our past, she was absolutely heartbroken. I don't think I've ever heard her cry so hard...wait." He could see in his peripheral that she was smirking. "I think I do recall a time she has cried that hard."

His hands were balled into a fist under the table and his nails dug deep into his palms.

"Those years she spent locked away in the tower just begging for you to come rescue her."

He dug his nails deeper, penetrating his skin and causing blood to spill.

"Oh, please! Jefferson! Please bring me home!" Regina mocked Rebekah. "Save me!"

He continued to focus on the wall behind Regina as he felt blood wet his fingers.

And then Regina began to give him a wicked smile. "I never told you how I found you two – how I was able to take Rebekah." He bit down on his tongue hard as Regina laughed. "Do you happen to remember a time where you fell sick?"

Yes.

"And how was Rebekah able to cure you?"

He felt his mouth go dry.

"I bet she told you that it was Rumpelstiltskin." Regina chuckled. "But it wasn't. It was me. All I had to do was reverse a spell I cast a very long time ago," she explained. "I know that you were aware of what happened to any man who entered Rebekah's room – that they would die instantly. You had thought you were safe because of Rumpelstiltskin's magic but it only delayed your death."

No. No, no, no, no. Jefferson dug his nails into his skin deeper, trying not to blow this whole thing.

"Rebekah and I made a deal. I reversed the spell and saved your life and then two years later she would leave with me willingly."

Dammit, Rebekah!

Blood began to dribble down onto his pants from his fist.

Regina looked over her shoulder at where Jefferson was looking.

She laughed. "She's pretty, isn't she?" Regina looked back at Jefferson. But he continued to look at the wall, not the young woman. "Rumpelstiltskin sure did like her."

No matter how badly he wanted to look over at the woman to see her face and figure out just who she was, Jefferson kept his eyes on the wall.

"Perhaps the two of you will become friends," Regina said as she sat up. "I'm sure the company here has been dull for Ms. French for the last twenty-eight years."

French. Why did that sound so familiar to him?

"I'll send Rebekah and the baby your regards." She stood up. "Did you know that your child is the size of a lime right now, Jefferson?" Regina asked him. "So. Very. Vulnerable."

That nearly caused him to jump out of his chair and lunge at Regina.

But he kept his composure.

He needed to get out. Jefferson needed to get out now. He couldn't let Regina anywhere near his and Rebekah's baby. He needed to grab her and they needed to run. When it was safe and the savior broke the curse, they'd come back for Grace and find a way back to the Enchanted Forest far, far away from Regina.

But for now, he needed to get Rebekah out of Storybrooke. He wouldn't let Regina ruin their baby's life the way she had ruined Grace's by taking away her mother and father.

He wouldn't allow it.

_________________________________

STORYBROOKE, Maine

"Mmm!" Ashley hummed happily as she knocked back another shot with Ruby. Rebekah watched in amusement as she sipped on what she told everybody was a vodka and Sprite. But really it was only Sprite. "Woo!" Ashley said with a wince after swallowing.

"Pace yourself, Ashley," Mary-Margaret said after taking a sip from her martini.

"I am!" Ashley said innocently. "This is the first night out since I've had the baby. I am making up for lost time!" She grabbed another shot and threw that one back as well.

Rebekah and Mary-Margaret exchanged looks before Rebekah turned her attention on Ruby who seemed to have her eye on her latest prey.

"Ooh, Ash, check out those guys!" Ruby slung her arm around Ashley's shoulder.

Ashley chuckled a little. "Honey, I'm still with Sean."

"You're not married." Ruby dropped her arm. "And he's not here."

"He's working," Ashley stressed to Ruby.

"He's always working," Ruby said back.

"Ruby," Rebekah said with wide eyes and shook her head.

"What? He is." She shrugged as she got up and grabbed her drink. She then grabbed Rebekah by the arm and pulled her up as well. "You're coming with me," she stated and before Rebekah could protest, Ruby looked back at Ashley. "Have fun moping!"

"Ruby, no!" Rebekah whined as Ruby dragged her through the crowd of people to get to Billy and the tall man who was standing next to him. But it was too late. They stood in front of Billy and his friend who wore a checkered sweater under a blazer. Douche, Rebekah thought. But she weirdly heard it in Jefferson's voice.

"Billy," Ruby smirked. "You remember Rebekah, right?"

He chuckled and nodded his head. "Yeah, you ditched my boy Eric and ran off with some mystery dude."

Rebekah looked at Ruby and glared. "Seriously?"

"I didn't say anything!" Ruby swore.

Billy laughed. "I didn't know you ditched him for another guy. I just said that to mess with you. But, I mean, clearly, I was right."

Rebekah narrowed her eyes at him as she smiled. "You're awful."

"I didn't ditch Eric!" Billy raised his hands up.

"Look, I feel bad about bailing on Eric. Don't make me feel any worse!" Rebekah laughed. "It was a very, very big mistake."

Leaving with Jefferson that night was a mistake.

But, if she hadn't left with Jefferson that night, she might have never gotten pregnant. And that wasn't something Rebekah wanted.

Ruby looked over at Rebekah with a quirked brow. "Mistake?" she said in surprise. Rebekah knew why she was surprised – because for the last couple of months, Rebekah had been contagiously happy and Ruby had been begging her to tell her who was making her so happy. "So...you really are single."

"Yup." Rebekah sipped at her Sprite.

Ruby frowned. "I'm sorry, Rebekah."

She shrugged in response.

"Hey!" Billy shouted to the bartender. "Four shots of tequila!" he ordered.

"Wait," Rebekah tried to stop Billy. "I am limiting myself to one drink tonight, Billy."

"Tough!" Billy said back as the shots were being poured. "If you're at this bar tonight and you're single, you're getting drunk." He shouted loud enough for the room to erupt into clapping and yelling in agreement.

The shots were poured and Billy was handing Rebekah hers. She frowned at the liquor and then looked back up at Billy.

"Drink up," he told her.

Rebekah began to panic and was near tears (damn, hormones) when someone grabbed the drink away from her. When she looked at who it was, Ashley was standing next to her and swallowing the tequila.

"You're not single!" Ruby complained.

"Yes, I know that." Ashley handed the shot back to Billy as she looked to Ruby. "But Rebekah promised to be my designated driver tonight, and I will not have you corrupting her."

They all booed and Ashley pulled Rebekah away from the group of friends. "Oh my God, thank you so much!" Rebekah laughed as they went back to the table. She noticed when they got there that Mary-Margaret was no longer at the table. "Where's Mary-Margaret?" Rebekah asked.

"Ladies room," Ashley answered as they sat down. "Now, Rebekah." She looked at the brunette. "How far along are you?"

Rebekah nearly fell out of the chair from moving so quickly upon hearing what Ashley had asked. "I, I'm not, w-what, why would you even ask?" She began to stammer.

"For starters," Ashley took away Rebekah's drink and took a long swig of it. "This is not vodka and Sprite, this is just Sprite," she said. "Second, when you held my baby you started crying." She continued on to list. "And third – you ate so much food yesterday, so either you're training to be a competitive food eater or you are pregnant." She whispered the last three words.

Rebekah bit down on her lip but didn't deny it.

"Oh my God! You are!" Ashley said with a grin.

"Shh!" Rebekah stole her drink back from Ashley.

"Does anyone know besides me?"

She groaned and looked around to make sure that nobody was listening. "Aside from doctors; just you, Regina, and Henry," Rebekah said. "Oh, and Paige."

Ashley looked at Rebekah in confusion. "Is that your doctor's name?"

"No, Paige Grace. She goes to school with Henry."

Ashley started to laugh. "Why?"

Rebekah glared, not liking her tone. "I don't know!" She huffed. "I just told her – I'm hormonal, okay?!"

Ashley began to chuckle and Rebekah had a feeling that it had more to do with the alcohol than it did with why she had told Paige she was pregnant.

"Who's the father?" Ashley questioned her next.

Rebekah opened her mouth but quickly closed it. "He's nobody," she finally said. "Just some guy I met and had a short fling with."

And then Ashley began to frown.

"You okay?" Rebekah asked.

She shook her head. "Sean," she simply said.

Rebekah smiled sadly at Ashley and got up from their table. "I'm going to go see if the bar sells any appetizers so we can eat our feelings," she said causing Ashley to smile a little.

"See if they have any soft pretzels?" she suggested and Rebekah chuckled while nodding her head, telling Ashley that she would ask.

They didn't.

But they had regular pretzels and peanuts.

And both of those did not sound appetizing to Rebekah and at the moment, her stomach was growling so loud that she was sure people could hear it over the music. She wanted to go out and get some food and she planned on bringing Ashley with her.

But when she got back to the table, Ashley was no longer sitting alone. In fact, she wasn't sitting at all. Ashley was standing while looking down at Sean as he got on one knee and asked her to marry him. Mary-Margaret and Ruby were at the table as well, watching it all take place.

Ashley was speechless and when Rebekah got close enough to hear, she heard Sean say, "I uh, I only have a twenty-minute break so...anytime now." He chuckled.

The blonde nodded her head quickly as she laughed. "Yes!" she managed to get out and then held out her hand for Sean to put the ring on.

Rebekah watched as the two embraced with tears in her eyes and an ache in her chest.

Ashley had thought she was all alone in this, but she wasn't.

Rebekah was.

She walked away and headed to where she had stored away her coat and purse and got the hell out of that bar. Rebekah would explain to Mary-Margaret and Ruby why she had to leave later but...she just wanted to get out. She felt like she was being suffocated and if she stayed in that bar any longer, Rebekah might scream.

Because when she saw Sean down on one knee holding a ring out to Ashley, she saw herself in Ashley's shoes, and Jefferson down on his knee. And she felt such happiness that she could hardly breathe.

But then she remembered. She remembered that Jefferson had never cared about her, that his main goal was to hurt Regina. But the person he hurt most in the end was Rebekah. And now she had to raise their baby on her own.

God, she wanted so badly to hate Jefferson.

But she couldn't find it in her to.

Her life would be so much easier if she could.

_________________________________

ENCHANTED FOREST

Two weeks.

And Rebekah contemplated running with her family. But she watched the way Grace's eyes lit up while in her papa's arms and the way he shined so brightly as he watched her laugh. Rebekah couldn't do that to them. If they ran, Jefferson would die and it wouldn't just be Rebekah losing him. Grace would, too.

Jefferson could survive without Rebekah, she knew that now.

But Rebekah didn't think he would be able to survive without Grace.

They would be fine.

And they would be safe.

And for the next fourteen days, Rebekah intended to show them as much love as she could possibly give so that when she was gone, they'd know just how important they were to her, and how happy they made her.

But more importantly, just how very much she loved them both and she prayed that they would hold onto that until she found a way, someday, somehow, to get back to them.