"What?" I snarled as I pulled open the door with such force it scared even me. I had been sitting in my office, trying to enjoy a book on the couch, when the sound of the doorbell echoed throughout the empty house. Henry was off spending time with his grandparents for the weekend, doing who-knowns-what, meaning I was the only person in the large, haunting mansion. This was the first day I had off in weeks, and it painted me, more than I was willing to admit, that I had to spend it alone. All the snarky retorts I had organized on my short walk from the couch to the door died in my throat when I opened the door to find a small blonde toddler sobbing on my front porch.
I instantly leaned down to the young girls level, feeling my mayoral mask slip off, "Sweetie?" I asked almost timidly, not sure who the child was, and why they had knocked on the former Evil Queen's door. 'She looks familiar,' I thought but quickly dismissed it to having walked past her on the street at some point. When I didn't receive a reply, I took a moment to look her over. She wasn't more than three years old, her clothes were sagging around her small frame – seemingly a few sizes too big for her – but what made my heart clench were the tears streaming silently down her face. I gently reached out a hand to touch the girl's shoulder, praying that she wouldn't flinch away.
Green eyes shot up from the ground when I touched her, I could feel her body tensing up under my hand. She sniffed, trying to stop the cries what were now wracking her body. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong, but was cut off when strong arms flew around my neck. "Shhhh," I whispered wrapping my arms around her body and picking her up, I couldn't help but notice how light she was. I took a step onto the porch, glancing around my yard to see if the young girl's parents were anywhere near. Coming up short, I stepped back into the mansion, shutting the door with my foot. I began to bounce back and forth as if by habit, trying my best to south the toddler.
I don't know how long I stood in the foyer waiting for the blonde girl in my arms to calm down enough for me to talk to her, it could have been hours for all I knew. I ran my hands through her hair, knowing it was something that had always soothed Henry when he was upset, and it wasn't long before I heard the girl's breathing start to even out. She still had her arms wrapped around my neck as if she was afraid for me to disappear. I carefully sat down on the landing stairs, peeling off my heels in the process.
"Sweetie?" I tried again, this time with a little more curiosity and pain in my tone. She sat up in my arms, bringing her hands to wipe her tears along her sweater sleeve; her green eyes met mine as she took a few deep breaths. "What's your name darling?" I asked, rubbing my hands up and down her back, not wanting to make her start crying again. 'Those tears were heart wrenching.'
"Emma," the toddler whispered between double breaths, she was trying not to make eye contact with me. She pulled at the shift around her body, trying to make it fit better. It was obvious she wasn't very comfortable in what she was wearing, and it made me curious as to who gave her the clothes, and with sans shoes no less.
I felt my own body tense as I wondered if it was just a coincidence that she had the same name as my savior. 'Wait, my savior?' I gradually pulled back the small hands coving the girl's face, taking in Emma's facial features. I barely was able to swallow my gasp, as I realized the piercing green eyes staring back at me were indeed the same ones I had challenged all those times. Before I could ask her anything else, there was a loud knock on the door. The tiny Emma went rigid in my arms, adrenaline running through her body, 'Who is she so afraid of?' I recognized the actions from what Henry used to do when he was her age. I placed her on the stair next to me and stood up to answer the urgent knock.
A small whimper wrenched through the toddler's body ad my hand reached the door knob, and without thinking I turned quickly around and made the short few steps back to her. I picked her up again, my brain not even recognizing it was the woman that had destroyed my life just a few short months ago. I was wrapping my arms tightly around her when the knock rang out gain, louder than before Emma's breathing picked up with every step we took towards the door, I opened it feeling the child's silent tears miss my tank top and land on my skin as she tucked her face into my neck.
"Regina, have you…" Snow trailed off as she saw the small bundle in my arms. I could practically feel the nerves and energy coming off in waves as she spoke up again, "Emma! There you are!" She made a move to grab for her daughter, but pulled back when a loud scream came from her (oldest?) child.
Unconsciously I started rocking her back and forth, glaring at the woman on my door step. I turned around and walked towards my living room, leaving the door open for Snow to follow if she wished. All I cared about was calming the abnormally young Emma. I felt her shift around in my arms for a few seconds before laying her had down on my shoulder again, arms wrapped around herself, snuggling as close as she could to me. I resisted the motherly urge to place a kiss on her forehead, knowing that Snow was now watching my every move.
After a few minutes of me pacing around the room, I sat down on the couth across from my former step daughter. I listened to Emma's soft breathing indicating that she had fallen asleep, before I spoke up softly. "How did this happen?" I can't imagine what sort of day this girl had already had.
Out of habit from when Henry was this age, I started rocking back and forth again, earning a weird-constipated look from Snow; luckily for me she decided not to comment on it, I didn't know how I was going to explain me coddling my former enemy anyways. Snow ripped her eyes away from her daughter, landing on the invisible spot of lint on her pants, picking at it absentmindedly. Clearing her throat before answering, I watched her wring her fingers together in desperation, "Charming and I woke up this morning to find her like this," she gestured towards Emma without looking up, "We took her to the Blue Fairy, and she said it had something to do with her magic shorting out or something." She shrugged her shoulders, telling me that she didn't honestly understand it herself.
I murmured something incoherent, barely reaching her ears in acknowledgement. "How long did the gnat say she was going to stay like this?" Emma started to stir in my arms, waking up from her short nap, too exhausted to sleep any longer.
"She doesn't know, Blue said it might be for a while," Snow mumbled, before straightening up and looking at me again, her eyes tried to harden as she changed the subject. "She cries every time anyone tries to pick her up, or feed her – even Henry." Emma groggily sat up and rubbed her eyes, one hand now gripping the strap of my tank top to make sure I didn't go anywhere. "The orphanage gave us a few clothes for her for the time being, but no one knows how long until she'll change back, we even took her to Gold." I watched as Snow's eyes roamed over her daughter's small frame, instant regret forming over her face. She lost her daughter once to the curse I had enacted, and now that she had a second chance, she couldn't keep the girl under control.
She made a sudden move to stand up and reach for Emma again, but I was quick to shoot that idea down. Shaking my head, she sat down and waited for what I was going to say. For a moment I pulled the all-mighty savior back into my chest, trying to get her to go back to sleep, buying myself more time before I answered. "She doesn't want to go with you," I stated, not really asking the question that had been gnawing at my brain. 'Why does she trust me and not you? What did you do to her?'
There was a loud sigh as the teacher whispered towards the ground, "I know, but I've already asked everyone in town if they'll take her. She doesn't seem to like Neal, and I can't take care of two small children at the same time." She seemed embarrassed at what she way admitting, her hand rubbing her cheeks before falling into her lap once again. "Charming wants us to keep her, but he's working two shifts at the Sheriff's station right now…" she trailed off, awkwardly looking at something outside the window behind me, trying to reassure herself of something.
"I'll take her." 'What?' Unsure of why I said that, I shook off the surprise quickly as I watched the other woman's head shoot up.
"Really?"
I nodded. "Yes, she seems perfectly calm with me," Emma sat up again, having not fallen asleep again. All eyes were on her as she pulled desperately at my tank, "What sweetheart?"
Emma just sat there for a moment, her hand still wrapped around my shirt as she looked over at Snow out of the corner of her eyes, trying to gauge if she was coming to pick her up. "Me stay?" Her eyes were wide and inquisitive as she deemed it safe enough to look back at me. I remember how Henry said she moved around a lot when she was younger, before eventually ending up in some orphanage – it made me want to vomit thinking about how some people were just able to throw away kids like they were yesterday's garbage.
I looked up to see Snow nod, hiding her face back in her hands before standing up to try and escape the situation. "I will bring her things over tomorrow," we both glanced at the clock on the wall, it was nearly 8.
"Wait, Snow!" I ordered as she turned to walk out the door, before speaking softly to Emma, "Wait here for a moment while I go talk to Snow, okay sweetheart?" I ran my fingers through her hair trying to see if she was going to cry again when I put her down. She didn't reply so I picked her up and placed her on the couch beside me. I gestured towards the hallway, waiting for Snow to close the door the living room before I spoke up again. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes." I could see the tears welling up in the other woman's eyes. She was trying to give up her child for the second time in her life, and I could only imagine what was going through her head at the moment. "I know David won't agree, but someone needs to watch her, someone she feels comfortable with. And I guess with you having magic, you are as good as anyone." Her voice was barely audible, and if I wasn't facing her, I wouldn't have heard her. Snow nodded again before turning to leave without saying another word.
I closed the door behind her and leaned my forehead against the cool wood. 'What did I just get myself into?' I sighed, trying to forge that there was toddler in my living room, who was supposed to be adult sized, and that she was probably wondering where I was. Taking a deep breath I shook off my worry and concern, my goal just being to take care of little Emma as best I could until Blue or Gold found a solution to change her back.
"Hello?" I head a shy voice ask from the living room doorway, a few feet from me. I turned to see small, bright green eyes staring back at me.
"Hey Emma," I whispered, almost in awe at how small the girl seemed to be. I walked slowly towards her, bending down to her height, "I'm Regina," I told her, professionally sticking out my hand for her to shake. Her eyes fell to my hand, but made no move to take it.
"Gina?" Emma repeated after a moment, trying out the name. I smiled at the nickname, wondering if she could say her 'R's. She rubbed her eyes again, trying to stay away while she stood on the wood floor, her feet most likely cold without any socks on.
I drew in a shaky breath, "Yep," I replied uncharacteristically. I waited a moment to watch her response. "Do you know who that woman was Emma?"
She nodded, "She said she's my mommy," her voice was so small, and her bottom lip started to pout, "but I don't have a mommy." It suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks, 'She doesn't remember anything.' Everything that had happed to her in the past 28 years was washed away. All she knows is the foster system. I searched my brain to remember when I had did my 'research' as to how many homes she had been in by the age of three. 'Five.'
"But she is," I said bringing myself back to the present. I took ahold of one of her hands.
"But I don't like her. She scary." Her emerald eyes glanced at the front door. "and the daddy yelled at me today…I don't know why…" 'Charming.' I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, knowing it was something he would do. 'You don't just yell at a child, especially when they don't know what it's for.' Emma let out a loud yawn, her own way of changing the subject I realized. She had moved around so often, according to her now older-than-her son, and it occurred to me that she didn't care that she was in yet, another home.
"Are you sleepy, honey?" I asked, my lips turning up into a smile as she slowly let out another quiet yawn. "Come on, let's get you into bed." She nodded, looking too much like Henry, before stepping forwards and wrapping her arms around my neck like before. I figured she could skip the bath for one night, after the long day she's had, but I made a mental reminder to get her clean the second I had the chance. I carried her up the stairs and into one of the many unused guest rooms, and placed her on the bed.
The dresser was on the opposite side of the wall, just below the blackout curtained windows, the rest of the walls bare. I caught Emma looking around the room as I 'shuffled' through the dresser drawer. "What pajamas do you want to wear?" I asked her, wanting her to feel comfortable with me here, and not at all threatened. I looked over my shoulder at her when she didn't answer, she shrugged when she caught my eyes. "You don't know?" Again, another shrug. "hmmm…" I muttered playfully as I turned back to the drawer. I made sure my hands were low enough for her not to see before I magicked up a pair of blue and green flannel matching pajamas.
She grinned from ear to ear when they came into view, making me smile back at her excitement. I guided her to the bathroom across the hall and helped her go to the bathroom before she tugged the clothing over her head, obviously in love with the small gesture. I made a mental reminder to magic up a few toys when she was asleep, and carried her small frame back to the hallway. "My room is right there, okay?" I pointed to the door next to her's and informed her to come and get me if she needed anything.
"Thank you," she whispered when I placed her on the oversized bed. The second her head hit the pillow, she was softly snoring. "You're nice," I thought I head her say, almost in a dream-like state when I closed the door. I put my back against the wood, 'What in the world just happened?'
I clambered into my own bedroom, nearly on autopilot, as I quickly changed and wiped off my make up before laying down. Images of normal sized Emma rushed through my brain; the day she arrived in Storybrooke, her sitting in the Sheriff's chair at work, and the multiple times I had seen her at Granny's. I always thought if she disappeared, it would be a welcome relief. But as I laid there, I found myself missing her – the longer I stared up at the ceiling, I could feeling something else bubbling up just below the surface. Something I hadn't felt since… "Daniel."