*** I do not own OUaT nor any of the characters. ***

IN THE BEGINNING

"This is going to hurt."

Maleficent gritted her teeth. Despite Cruella's sociopathic tendencies and her love of pain, Mal knew that she meant well. Ursula had been a true friend to Mal. And for whatever reason she and the sociopath Cruella were together. So she had accepted her as part of her new extended family.

"I know that!" Mal panted in between breaths. She glared up at Cruella where she sat straddled behind Mal helping to hold her up all while wishing that she could smack the grin right off of her face. But this pregnancy had taken almost everything out of her. She wasn't even sure that she would be able to get through this. And yet she held on. Because soon she knew she'd have her daughter in her arms.

She wanted to hate Regina for this position she'd put her in. It had never occurred to her that she would create life with another woman. A human one at that. And yet they had. And for that alone she would forever be indebted to a woman whom she'd loved so completely that the fates smiled down upon them and gave them the gift of life.

And yet her happiness would be taken from her. Everyday the young beautiful sweetness that had been what she associated with Regina from the beginning faded away more and more as the days passed. The two had limited amounts of time together as it was with Leopold being her lover's husband.

Regina grew more and more distant from the injustices she and her body suffered at his cruel hands. He had taken to occasionally locking her up to 'punish' her for such outrageous offenses as being seen speaking to another person. Male or female didn't matter to him. If she spoke to a female then she was suspected of spreading rumors and gossip about them throughout the kingdom. And if she spoke to a male then obviously she was having an illicit affair with them.

Day by day the beautiful girl that had first bashfully made her way into Mal's life began to fade away. Only to be replaced with a woman hellbent on revenge for the cruelties she'd suffered throughout her life. She had eventually pushed even Mal away in her pursuit of what she felt was justice. Now her only focus was on casting this Dark Curse.

Mal understood. And didn't begrudge her anger. She only wished for her daughter's sake that she could've been raised by two loving parents.

When they had met Mal was the one who was broken. Her own personal grudge match with Briar Rose had taken a toll on the dragon. And that was saying something since she had been around to see with her own two eyes the dawn of man.

Regina had pushed and prodded until she'd forced her to stop the pity party that she had allowed herself to wallow in. And eventually her persistence had paid off. Mal had regained her spark. And as her inner fire grew so did the love that she held for her human.

That spark had now grown into their beautiful daughter. Who right now felt as if she were ripping Mal apart from the inside out.

"Now push!" Ursula cried out as she began to see the baby's head crown.

Tears and sweat were mixing down Maleficent's face, neck and body. As an immortal being, time was of no consequence to her. It never had been. She had seen the very first man come into being. And she would be there long after the last one walked the face of this earth. But this pregnancy and now this labor had taken a great toll on the all powerful being.

Mal was a dragon. And a fighter. She had seen many a battle. And she'd had her fair share of scars. But this – this was the proof that she and Regina had a love that transcended time. For their child, she could endure anything.

She put all of her remaining stores of energy into a cry that came from deep within her soul. To those hearing it, they'd say it didn't even sound human. Mal gave her final push before collapsing back onto Cruella's chest.

She threw her head back panting and crying tears of joy as she heard her daughter's cry rip through the air. She sounded just like her Mother.

Ursula made sure the baby's mouth and nose were clear. Then she began to towel her off with some of the cloths that they had grabbed as they'd prepared for her coming. She wrapped her in a few blankets as the child continued to cry and scream at her abrupt entrance in this cold new world she'd found herself in. She scratched her chin as the child began to quiet before walking her over to her Mum. "Here you go Mama," she gently placed the baby upon her chest being careful to make sure that Cruella had a tight hold on both of them before moving to take care of the afterbirth.

Mal's tears and sweat continued to pour from her as she took in the blurry picture of her baby, "Hi there my little dragling," she managed to weakly lift a hand and stroke the baby's fingers.

She was still not strong enough to hold her. But dragon's senses are stronger than humans many times over. She had already memorized her scent. And as her baby flailed her limbs around she'd caught a peek of those enormous chocolate eyes that had melted away all of the coldness she'd been left inside after her bitter defeat.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Ursula asked as she began to dispose of the mess that was the result of a new life breaking forth into this world.

"Lilliana," Mal whispered as she continued to stare completely mesmerized by her daughter. "Lilliana Mills."

Cruella gave a lazy shrug, "It's as good as any I suppose." She scooted her way from behind Maleficent after making sure that she had a good hold on the baby. After washing herself up in the basin, she then walked over to the window and began to light a pipe.

Ursula was busy using her tentacles to get Mal's bed changed as she had more water brought in for a bath. She smiled as she walked closer to her best friend. She crossed her arms over her chest, "Are you finally going to tell her Mother about her?" she asked quietly. She had her eyes glued to the baby in Mal's arms while she surreptitiously glanced at her through her lashes.

Mal's face at first registered her shock. She tightened her hold on her baby as she gave that decision more thought.

Regina had never known that she had been pregnant. Mal herself had barely realized it until her belly and sickness grew to a point where it couldn't be denied. Not because she hadn't wanted her child. She'd loved her from the moment that she'd realized what was happening. She was after all the child she had created with a woman she was deeply in love with.

But Regina's darkness which had at first only been a mere shadow of pain in her lover's eyes had begun to consume her. Regina had even threatened Mal's most prized possession when she'd tried to talk her out of her vengeance seeking. Had Mal not quickly jumped in front of the unicorn that she had procured to gift to their child then she knew Regina would have surely killed it. And killing a unicorn was as great a sin that ever was.

That's when Mal knew that the woman she loved had completely crossed over into a dark realm. And though she would've been prepared at any time to walk beside her; this time was different. This time her daughter had to come first.

She had heard the rumors that the newly dubbed 'Evil Queen' had taken over her love. And as sweet and humble as Regina had been before the darkness, she had now become just as cold and cruel.

Mal squeezed her eyes shut and began to nod before she opened them again. She looked down into her daughter's eyes again, "she deserves to know."

"But not now. Not until I've regained my strength," she looked back at her best friend.

Ursula nodded and continued to smile. Once the servants had cleared the room, she lifted mother and child with her tentacles and walked them over to bath. She gently placed them in the heated water.

If dragons could purr then the look on Maleficent's face meant that she was now. Ursula stooped beside the tub and began to help wash them both off.

The baby shivered then settled down as she realized she was back inside a warm wetness that reminded her of what had been her home over the past few months. She began to smack her lips together as she moved her head around seeking her dinner.

Mal obliged her daughter and helped guide her nipple into her mouth. Then she sat back grinning as her baby suckled hungrily.

She had never thought she'd become a Mother. Dragons were a rare creature. Some had even begun to call them myths. That only made her chuckle to herself. And a dragon that bred was almost completely unheard of. And to do so with a human - well there had been very few cases of such a thing in all of history. But this - she wouldn't trade for the world.

Ursula continued washing them both off. Then she lifted them again with her tentacles before using some of the others to dry them both off. She helped Mal dress and then get into the bed while she diapered the new little one. She laid her next to her Mother who instantly turned onto her side to wrap her arms around her daughter as her eyes began to become heavy.

She placed a kiss upon her daughter's forehead, "Soon Lilliana. But not today," she murmured sleepily as she felt sleep pull her in. Soon it was fade to black.