Hi everyone! So this is a new story and i have had this idea for ages so i hope you enjoy it! Please review and tell me what you would like to happen and i may write it. Also there is mention of violence in this chapter but i plan on making it a happier story.

Set after Neverland, swan queen are married sorry for any mistakes, mention of violence

Chapter 1

"Are you sure you are ok dear?" Regina asked for the sixth time that morning.

"Yes baby, i'm fine" Emma replied once again as she got into Regina's car with her after saying goodbye to Henry. Regina's goodbye with him was a bit more emotional as she didn't want to be away from him for the few days ahead of them which is why the brunette currently had a smudge of mascara underneath her right eye. "Stop worrying about me, there are plenty of other things to worry about today," Emma reached over and gently wiped the mascara away from under Regina's eye before they drove off.

"Ahh i knew it! You are worried dear"

"Of course i am, this is a massive deal Regina...aren't you worried?" Emma glanced over at her wife who was driving through the town towards the town line.

"Terrified" the brunette admitted after a few seconds, as she gave her wife a small smile "but it will all be ok, we have been approved, and have been waiting for so long...today its finally happening for us!"

"I know and i am excited for us...but so many things can go wrong...what if she doesn't like us? What if she doesn't want us? What if she is too troubled for us to handle? What if we haven't really been approved and there was a mistake with the paperwork?" All the thoughts and worries in Emma's head were spilling out of her mouth all at once.

"Emma stop" Regina said gently placing her hand on Emma's, "She will love us because we are going to take her away from there...she wont be too much for us, she is only 2 years old and yes we have been told that she has had a lot of trauma in her short life but we can handle her because we will be there for her. We have been approved to adopt and this little girl needs us ok?" Regina was telling herself as well as emma as she was feeling incredibly nervous herself.

"Yeah..yeah..ok" Emma said taking a deep breath and squeezing Regina's hand gently to calm herself down. "You're right i'm sure it will be ok"

Regina took her hand back as they crossed the town line. They were both nervous about driving all the way to Boston to meet their new daughter, especially as this time it was going to be more complex than when Regina adopted Henry.

Regina and Emma had both known for some time before applying to adopt that they both wanted to extend their family. If they had their own way then they both would have wanted a child together of course however, because of the biology of the situation they had started exploring their other options. They decided against surrogacy because if they were to get pregnant Regina really really wanted to be the one to carry the baby, as she felt that she had missed out on the experience. They also didn't want to try IVF because of the risks involved including the risk of losing the baby and expense was also a negative aspect. So adoption was their only option and once they had discussed it, and applied, everything felt real and things started to fall into place.

They had been approved to adopt and had chosen this specific children's home because Emma had remembered passing it all the time when she lived in Boston, and it meant something to her to adopt a child from there. They had contacted the home through their adoption agency, and after looking over their file and a little over 6 months of waiting the home had called saying a little 2 year old girl needed a home and that they thought they would be a great match. They also said that Regina and Emma were to leave for Boston the next day. They were also informed that their new little girl was not good with new people so, in order to make her feel comfortable around Emma and Regina they were required to stay in Boston for a few days, which was why Regina's goodbye to Henry was emotional. Once their new little girl was more relaxed around them they could start the process of taking her home and getting her settled.

Boston was only a four hour drive from Storybrooke but it didn't take Emma long to get bored. Around the hour and a quarter mark Emma hit breaking point "Reginaaa...I'm borrrred" Emma exclaimed in a whining, childish manner that Regina was only too used to.

"Emma dear we haven't been driving for that long, we still have a long way to go, why don't you try to sleep and i will wake you when we are nearly there?" She suggested knowing Emma could fall asleep just about anywhere.

"No, i'm too nervous about everything to sleep" Emma mumbled looking out of her window, her childishness amusing Regina a lot.

"Ok well...why don't we play a game and if you are a good girl you can have a snack" Regina was enjoying teasing emma immensely and wanted to cheer her wife up to try and help with her nervousness.

"You really have snacks?" Emma asked quickly which caused Regina to laugh

"I was joking dear...you really think I would come on a road trip with you, or Henry for that matter, with snacks after last time?" She smirked

"Hey that wasn't my fault and you know it!" The blonde was quick to defend herself

"Oh really? Who snatched the Cheetos off of who dear?" Regina smirked

"Henry was hogging them!" She huffed "Wasn't my fault the bag ripped!" Regina laughed again at her wife and rolled her eyes

"It took me a month to get all of the Cheetos and the smell out of my car dear!"

"So...you really don't have any snacks for me?" Emma asked stroking the top of Regina's arm lovingly and doing her best puppy dog eyes and sad face. Regina rolled her eyes once again before leaning over and popping open the glove compartment to reveal a packet of Emma's favourite snack...sweet popcorn!

Emma gasped and grabbed for the bag quickly "Oh my god! Thank you baby" Emma smiled as she instantly started to feel a bit better as she worked fast to open the popcorn.

"I don't want a mess dear!" The brunette warned and the blonde quickly nodded with a mouth full of food.

"You are such a child dear" Regina giggled "but i love you and you are going to be a wonderful mother to our little girl, just like you are with Henry" she smiled.

Emma smiled, she was always happy to hear how her relationship with Henry was getting on. It was true she loved the kid so much and they were really close now after a lot of video game and pizza bonding which she knew secretly Regina loved too. Emma kissed her wife's cheek "You will be too baby, i love you too"

A few hours later after Regina finally gave in and played a game of eye spy with Emma where the blonde used every one of her turns to "spy" Regina in a more detailed, sexual way each time, they had arrived in Boston at their hotel and had settled in.

Regina had started unpacking straight away wanting everything of hers to be organised and neat but Emma just left her suitcase on the bed and went to explore their big hotel room that Regina had got for them. Emma thought living in the mansion back in Storybrooke was strange at first but she had settled in being with Regina and Henry everyday. However, now being back in her old neighbourhood but staying in this big hotel room instead of her tiny, little, old flat was very strange to Emma.

She remembered the damp, cold walls of her old flat but now saw clean, white walls, she remembered thin, threadbare blankets and now saw soft, cosy sheets and she remembered the hunger and emptiness she felt now swapped for a full fridge and a full heart. She really had come a long way, she had everything she always wanted with Regina at home in Storybrooke and now they were getting a new addition and she was so excited that their new baby was going to be just that...a baby! She would be able to look after a small child like she couldn't do with Henry.

She had her anxieties like any normal person who were pursuing adoption would have, but she really couldn't wait. She also couldn't wait to see Regina around the new little girl, she thought Regina around Henry was cute so Regina with a new baby must be adorable. As Emma was in the middle of her daydreams about memories and her beautiful wife she felt familiar arms wrap around her waist.

"It's time to go dear" Regina quietly spoke into Emma's ear cuddling her blonde close from behind. "We said we would be there at four".

Emma nodded in reply, "You really think everything will be ok? You think she will like us?" Her nerves growing again fast and Regina turned her around into her and cuddled her.

"Everything will be fine dear, she will be even more scared than we are so we just need to be ourselves" although Regina sounded convincing Emma could feel her shaking gently and cuddled her back

"You're right" Emma replied wanting to boost both of their confidences "come on lets go and meet our new daughter" and with that both women smiled at each other, held each others hand and left the hotel room.

They both had underestimated their nerves as they grew closer to the building, they stood, glued to the spot staring at the old, grubby building and the many windows. Behind which one held their daughter? In what conditions had she been living? What secrets was she hiding? What had she been through? The answer to all their questions was behind the rusty, old door but neither woman budged.

Emma clung to the bag containing a gift for the child in her arms, she didn't like being back around that part of town, it made her feel very uncomfortable even with Regina by her side. Regina could feel her heart pounding in her chest just as it had done the day she met Henry for the first time, she was so worried to meet him but excited at the same time. She took a deep breath and opened the large, wooden door and walked inside with Emma.

Once they were signed in they were asked to take a seat in the waiting area. Regina sat perfectly still, composed whereas Emma felt better pacing up and down. They were soon joined by a brunette women who was average build and in her early forties.

"Mrs and Mrs Swan-Mills i presume?" She greeted them with her hand outstretched.

"Yes that is correct" Regina replied, standing and shaking her hand "I am Regina and this is my wife Emma" Emma complied by shaking her hand too and nodding a hello.

"My name is Moira, we spoke on the phone? I run this establishment"

"Yes of course, pleased to meet you, we were very happy to receive your call" Regina replied while Emma just stood next to Regina a little shy to contribute to the conversation.

"Well your application was very impressive, there was no reason to delay this meeting and like i said on the phone we do believe you both are a match for one of our children. Please follow me to my office." Moira said and turned, showing both women up a flight of stairs and down a long, colourful corridor which was plastered with children's small faces with names below them, to her office. "Please take a seat" she said as they entered.

When both women were sitting Moira took her seat too "well, i wont keep you in suspense for too long i just wanted to ask you a few questions following your application"

"Go ahead" Regina replied with a small nod

"Well, it must get really busy being the mayor and sheriff of a town? How do you plan on raising her?"

"I have an office at home i can work from and Emma's deputy and receptionist take care of the paperwork so Emma is only called out when there is a problem in town, but at least one of us will be at home with her. Emma's parents will help out too" regina replied "I managed to raise a child by myself before with the same job so with two of us it will be even better"

"Good, good" Moira said making notes "and how old is your other child?"

"Henry is 12" Regina replied "he is very excited to be getting a little sister isn't he dear?"

"yeah, he helped decorate the spare room when we got approved to adopt" Emma said quietly "We are all excited"

"I'm sure you are" Moira smiled "do either of you have any problems with a social worker calling in to see how she is doing every few weeks until she is settled properly? Just because of Tia's situation"

"No we have no problem with that" Regina replied "Whatever is best for her"

"Do either of you have any questions for me?" Moira asked looking up at the two wives

"Whats her name?" Regina asked

"Tia" Moira replied "Her name is Tia" straight away both Emma and Regina smiled

"Pretty" Emma said smiling

"Tia...it means princess" Regina smiled "how lovely"

"So what's wrong with her?" Emma asked bluntly making Regina give her a slightly horrified look. "No i mean, what has she been through? Why is she here? Does she have any problems?"

"Well" Moira began "i warn you its not a pretty story"

"It never is here" Emma replied and Regina took her hand squeezing it gently

"Tia was not a planned pregnancy, her mother was a decent person, was training to be a nurse, but her father was...not a nice person. It seems that Tia's father was very violent towards her mother, when Tia was born, unfortunately due to a series of previous injuries to her frail body, Tia's mother couldn't take childbirth and passed away"

"Oh how awful" Regina commented quietly

"Tia's father took her home and, from what we can see from her medical records, was violent towards her too" Emma's grip tightened on Regina's hand and Moira continued "as you can understand older men terrify her, we have had to separate her from the male helpers and visitors here its that bad but she is ok with children so your son should be ok as long as he is gentle towards her"

"He will be" Regina assured her

"She has a few strange behaviours, she will tap people that she comes into contact with, we believe it is to make sure they are really there which we have found is typical of young children who have been in an abusive situation who have lost parents...she is vey shy and quiet but we hope in time that will change. She also, again understandably, has nightmares but we believe with a good home she can be very happy, she just needs a little time to adjust to you both"

Regina and Emma were both very upset to hear of what Tia has endured. They already felt like she was theirs after waiting so long to adopt a child together and to hear that someone had hurt her was just heart breaking.

"I hope this hasn't changed your situation? I can assure you her father is in jail and doesn't know where she is" Moira questioned.

Although Regina was quick to open her mouth to reply, it was Emma who spoke "No, if anything it has made us more determined to get her home with us, away from here"

"Well then, would you like to meet her?"

Both mothers waited outside a room as instructed. Regina was reading through information and progress charts on Tia and every now and again would read bits out to Emma. "She can walk but prefers to be carried or to crawl...doesn't like loud noises...some good speech but not always understandable..."

They could hear little sounds and whispers in the room before them that they could only assume held Tia inside and from the sounds of it another woman.

"Even the kid plays quietly" Emma thinks

Eventually the door opens to reveal Moira "you can come in now, please don't look so worried, she just needs time to get used to you" she opens the door to show a woman kneeling down with two dolls in her hands and there, sitting on the floor was a beautiful little girl. She was small for a two year old, and had beautiful blonde curls and when she caught sight of the two women she showed her big, blue, beautiful eyes.

Regina and Emma felt their hearts melt, how could anyone hurt this, or any child? As soon as Tia caught sight of them she quickly crawled over and hid behind the other woman, an obvious fear in her eyes.

"Hey, pleased to meet you" the other woman said, she was young, early twenties with a very kind face and red hair. "I'm Jackie, you must be Regina and Emma? Im Tia's helper here"

"Pleased to meet you" Regina smiled gently and Emma nodded

"Look Tia" jackie scooped the little girl from behind her and sat her on her knee "Regina and Emma have came to see you, remember we talked about them coming? And how they are going to be your new mommies? I bet if you ask nicely they will play with you" Jackie spoke very softly and Regina and Emma took note.

Tia buried her head into Jackie's shoulder shyly sucking her thumb.

"Remember how we talked about how they came from far away to see you? Aren't you going to say hello?

Emma gently knelt down like Jackie "Hi Tia" she tried to speak as softly as she could "I'm Emma and i have a present for you, see?" She held out the little bag in front of her and sure enough Tia eventually looked around. Emma smiled gently at her "you want it? Go on you can take it" Emma slid the bag closer to Tia. Regina stayed quiet watching.

Tia looked at Jackie to make sure it was safe and once she got a nod she slid off jackie's knee and looked in the bag.

"Its a book, see?" Emma said gently as Tia pulled it out

"Oh you love books don't you Tia?" Jackie said with a smile and Tia looked up at Emma sucking her thumb.

"This book is special" regina spoke softly and kneeled down next to emma "its a book about you and us" Tia looked at her a little unsure about her movement and then at the book.

"See Tia, thats Emma and Regina" Jackie said pointing at the front cover "and there is you" Tia looked at the pictures as Jackie pointed them out.

"Maybe you and Jackie could read it tonight?" Regina suggested "its yours to keep".

"Yeah course we can, look what does it say here can you read it? It says we will always protect you."