Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters.
Chapter One
A small hand reached up to grab Regina's face, pawing at her chin like a kitten. She touched the small fingers, cherishing them, her large hand cupping over the child's small one.
Regina's eyes were locked on her newborn's. It was impossible to describe the connection that passed between their eyes like a two-way umbilical cord, feeding them both each other's comfort.
And though Regina looked repeatedly from large innocent eye to large innocent eye, she knew, that there would never be enough time to fully understand them, or to fill those eyes with the knowledge and comfort that only a mother could.
The blue fairy, shuffled and rose from her spot on the floor, causing Regina to look up, breaking the eye contact with her baby. The blue fairy fluttered before her, and the coldness of the cave came back to Regina, seemingly slamming against her skin.
"My work here is done," The blue fairy said. "I have mended you so that you will not die, and I have successfully delivered your child." She smiled in satisfaction at herself, and gestured at Regina's baby with her wand.
"Thank you," Regina said, careful to only make brief eye contact with the blue fairy, before lowering her gaze back to her child. Seeing the baby allowed her to smile, which she hoped passed for gratitude. The blue fairy had successfully delivered her child, but she had also intentionally done nothing to ease her pain, (a fairy in a hospital would have). The blue fairy thought the pain was only fair punishment for what Regina had done. Regina thought what was happening was enough punishment without the added physical pain, she had never liked the blue fairy anyway, always flying around on her self-righteous glittering wings...
Daniel, who hadn't just spent the last eleven hours pushing what felt like a giant boulder through a needle sized hole, was perfectly able to express his sincere gratitude with a smile and a wave and an enthusiastic: "Thank you!"
If Regina's eyes weren't so tired she probably would have rolled them.
With a final flourish of her small body, the blue fairy whizzed away into the mid-January snow falling around their cave.
Regina became aware of Daniel's hands on her shoulders. "It's time."
Regina couldn't suppress the instinctive resentment that rose inside of her toward anyone that attempted to cut short her time with her child.
"Can you stand?" He asked.
Regina looked down at the baby, and rearranged the blanket that was wrapped around her so that it covered her small exposed shoulder.
"Help me too," she said. Regina was fiercely independent to the point where someone holding the door for her could annoy her, but the baby had left her body feeling aching and empty and vulnerable. So she allowed Daniel to help her to her feet.
Outside of the cave, the snow fell heavily, touching her baby's face. Regina was reluctant to wrap the cloak around herself and the baby, and hide her precious face from view, but the falling snow gave her no other option. She needed to keep her baby as warm as possible.
She climbed inside the awaiting carriage, but Daniel stayed outside to drive the horses. The horses were his, but the carriage was courtesy of the blue fairy, it would also disappear in less than four hours, the blue fairy's idea of assurance that they wouldn't back out of their deal and decide to run away instead.
Regina just thought it made the whole situation more stressful. She wasn't going to run away, there was no where to run too, and no means of survival once she got there. Cora could find her anywhere, that she was certain of, the only way to keep herself and the child safe was to hide her. If Cora found out about her baby, Regina wasn't sure who she would murder first, her or the child. Currently her mother was away for the year, her and her father were vacationing in Wonderland, but when she got back, the child needed to be gone, and so did the extra pounds she put on from the pregnancy, though she knew she could lose those quickly, she had been careful not to gain too many.
The snow could make it hard to travel though, and it might take them more than four hours to get to the castle. Plus there was the fact that she would have to ride back, and she was in no condition to ride.
Regina tried not to think about all this though. As Daniel got the horses to go, she gazed into her baby's face and stroked her small forehead. That too, fit into her hand.
They got to the castle just in time, but the guards were reluctant to let them inside. Daniel helped her out of the carriage, and it disappeared behind them. Finally, someone came with a note to the guards, (signed by the king) ordering them that they were to be allowed inside. The man also offered to take their two horses to the stables, which Daniel agreed to gratefully.
Regina couldn't help herself from looking up and around at the riches surrounding the interior of the castle. They filled her with envy for more reason than one, for their beauty also stole away some of her last glances toward her child. She would be safe here though, well cared for and treated for, like Daniel was constantly reminding her.
The king and queen met them in a long rectangular room. Daniel bowed, Regina gave a small bow as well. The king and queen were unable to have children of their own. They had put out a notice, seven months ago, that they were looking for someone to be a surrogate mother to their child. Regina, who had recently found out she was pregnant with her and Daniel's child, had come to the castle and offered her services. They had liked her, and agreed that she was both pretty and smart, and that a child from her would be fit to become their own.
"I have one request," Regina found herself saying now, before she handed them the child.
Daniel looked at her in shock mixed with outrage. To ask anything of them at all when they were in this position, was dangerous, it could compromise their deal.
"She shall be named Snow, Snow White. For the snow was falling around the cave where she was born."
The queen looked to her husband in protest, but he only nodded , taking the child from Regina's arms. "As you say," he said, with a trace of a grin, impressed, or perhaps amused, at her strength.
Twelve years later
Regina pulled away from Daniel's hands, not wanting to kiss him again. "I can't believe you forgot."
"Its been a long time Regina, it's not like I would ever forget about her, its just the specific day, and all..."
Regina gave him a look which shut him up, her brown eyes burning.
She began to untie her horse from the tree.
"Come on don't do that," Daniel said. He hated having their make out sessions on the hill be cut short. "It was just a small, mental slip! I just momentarily forgot!"
"Right," Regina mounted her horse, kicking him a bit harder than necessary. She was grateful for her extra speed though, when she saw something flying down the other side of the hill, screaming for help. The cries were wailing, like that of a desperate baby, and they cut Regina to her core.
She only had to squeeze her legs to bring her horse's canter into a full blown gallop.
A small child was hanging onto a horse who was out of control running down the hill. She was about to lose her grip, when Regina caught up to her and lifted her onto her own horse. She stopped her horse and the child fell down, tumbling into the long grass. Regina dismounted and helped the child up quickly, only then meeting her eyes.
Regina was struck by a sudden sense of familiarity.
"It's okay dear, you're safe," Regina said, the girl's wide eyes still looked terrified.
"You saved my life," the girl said panting.
"Are you alright?" Regina asked, still taken it back by the way the girl's gaze made her feel...like she knew her from somewhere.
"Yes...but I'll never ride again."
"Nonsense, the only way to overcome fear is to face it. To get back on that horse as soon as possible."
"Thank you...?"
"Regina."
"I'm Snow, Snow White," the child said. Then she flung her arms around Regina.
Regina felt immediate warmth as the child wrapped her arms around her, but she also felt shock. She found herself looking over her shoulder anxiously, like her mother might be watching. She realized she was being silly though, her mother wouldn't know who Snow was even if she was watching.
"You mean, you're the princess?" Regina asked after Snow pulled away.
"Yes," Snow said happily.
"Oh...well, that's, that's nice," she couldn't believe it, she was meeting her daughter, she had just saved her life.
