Captain Swan - Tangled Up In Blue

Twenty-Eight Candles

Emma wrapped herself in a pink robe, tying the belt around her before she picked up her pregnancy book and made her way to the kitchen. It was a Saturday morning and a couple of days before her next appointment with Dr. Jones. Today was her birthday, but in her eyes, she was just another day older than yesterday. Ever since she turned eighteen, she only ever celebrated this day with Neal and even then (especially then) it was nothing spectacular.

"Morning, Emma. Would you like some breakfast?" David asked her when she stepped into the kitchen. The smell of bacon filled the room as he whisked some eggs in a bowl while the bacon was cooking in a frying pan.

Emma put her hand on her growling belly. "I am pretty hungry," she admitted.

Mary Margaret came in to the kitchen and came up to kiss her husband on the cheek as Emma sat on a stool and opened her book. It contained some ideas for baby names and she thought she might as well try and decide on a name for her son before he's born.

Mary Margaret greeted her, pulling her from her thoughts. "Have you decided on a name yet?" she asked.

Emma shook her head. "No, not yet, but I still have plenty of time."

"Oh, what about something unique like Adicus or Gideon?"

"Don't let her pick out your baby's name," David chuckled as he shook his head and poured the egg mixture into a pan.

Mary Margaret swatted his shoulder with an offended look. "Those are great names."

"Whatever you say, dear," he said as he turned to wink at Emma.

"So, how are you feeling today, Emma?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Emma replied politely. She was tired of people asking her that. She was pregnant, not dying of cancer. Emma looked up from her book and saw the two set of eyes staring at her. "What?" she asked skittishly

Mary Margaret sighed as she approached the counter, resting her hands on the countertop. "We've just been worried about you, that's all. You've been staying in your room alot lately."

Emma sighed as she closed her book and set it down. "I just don't want to impose on you two anymore. You've done enough and I've been thinking of getting a place of my own," she admitted warily. She had been looking for an apartment in the classifieds for the past two weeks because she didn't want to be a burden on the Nolan family anymore.

Their faces fell as they exchanged looks. Mary Margaret's eyes came back to her as she spoke. "Emma, you're not an imposition. We like having you here."

"That's right," David chimed in as he came up and put his shoulder on his wife's shoulder. "In fact, we were thinking about buying you a crib to put in your room for the baby."

Just as Emma opened her mouth to argue, Mary Margaret put up her hand to stop her. "Before you say no, it will be your baby shower gift from us."

Emma shook her head. "Blankets and diapers and clothes are baby shower gifts, not cribs," she said adamantly.

"What if we paid for part of it then? You can even come with us to pick it out," David suggested as he went back to cooking.

Emma sighed in defeat. "Fine, but I'm finding a place of my own. I don't expect you two to have to be woken up by a crying baby in the middle of the night or have to help take care of him."

"If that's what you want to do, Emma, we won't stop you, but we really don't mind helping out with the baby. Right, David?" she asked him as David put a plate of food in front Emma.

"Not at all," he replied with a smile as he looked at Mary Margaret. "We could use the practice. We've been trying for one of our own."

"Thats a little too much information," Emma said with a small smirk. She was just glad the walls were not paper thin.