Sorry for taking so long; currently moving, cat had been sick and getting ready for classes this week so my life is a bit hectic right now. I will still be updating frequently so not to worry :)


A Fresh Start

The law firm of Mills, Greene &Hart gave an air of both elegance and professionalism.

The lobby contained an obscene amount of security, leading Belle not only to hand over her cell phone and license before signing in but to her annoyance go through a metal detector. She felt better seeing the guard had sympathize with her as he took Bailey while she given the clearance to head towards the elevator leading to the top floor in the downtown Manhattan building. She found the receptionist, a blonde woman in a designer suit typing up on her computer giving Belle a condescending look when she headed into the reception area.

"Do you have an appointment, Miss?" she stated in a low Brooklyn accent staring at the stroller.

A nervous Belle hands the over the business card with Milah's now disconnected number towards the receptionist looking bored at her. "No I don't, I am trying to find a Regina Mills. I was referred to her by Milah Gold."

Unconcerned, the receptionist begins typing up her notes asking for Belle's name and the reason for her visit followed by picking up the intercom phone. "Ms. Mills, there is a Ms. Belle French here told she was referred to you by a client…yes ma'am I understand, but the girl insists on speaking to you." Belle internally scoffed taking quick glances at the clock. "Please take a seat, Ms. Mills will see you shortly."

Belle complied placing the stroller on neutral. She glanced around the room finding it to be more of a hotel lobby than an office; lilies displayed on elaborately decorated vases, in the back of the room lay a beautiful fountain holding a large heart torn in the middle where on the centerpiece, water began to seep out.

"The fountain was my mother's idea; it does give the room a bit of flair. Don't you think?" Belle turned to see another woman dressed in a dark grey pantsuit and violet blouse tossing her short hair to the side to reveal a charming smile behind her blood red lipstick.

"Yes it does." Belle quickly mentioned attempting not to stutter.

"I'm Regina Mills; you are my next appointment I presume?" she asked shaking Belle's hand.

"Uh-yes, sorry about that, you see I got this letter—"

"Miss French, its better if we talk in my office, sometimes walls can hear." Raising her eyebrow, Belle got the message following Regina into her office hearing her request for a tea set to be prepared. While the lobby and reception area were welcoming, Regina's office became another story. The office had been decorated in black and white prints scattering the furniture with a chrome finish. In the middle of the room, lay an apple orchard containing fresh red apples ready to be picked.

Belle took a seat on the chair across from Regina who looked presented great power as she lounged in her large throne towering over the petite blonde. As she began checking on Bailey who was still asleep, Regina poured the tea handing it to a cup leaving the lawyer collecting her notes.

"So Ms. French, my secretary says you were referred to me by Milah Gold. I am curious as to how you know her, I mean no offense but you don't strike me as someone who would associates with Milah."

She took a deep breath, "I work as a waitress at a restaurant in the Village called Granny's. Milah use to frequent there until about maybe two months ago, then last month she left me this letter saying I need to speak to you since it contains…" she turned towards the stroller then back at Regina, "well I think you need to read it."

Regina took the letter and reading it, keeping her expression leaving Belle to look around in room to calm her nerves. "Ms. I'm not following this very well, it would be best if you start over from the beginning."

Belle complied explaining what had occurred with Milah and the night Bailey arrived including notes from Whale along with the birth certificate. She noticed Regina nodding her head in several instances always writing done as much as Belle had been telling her to the point where Regina had stopped her a few times in order to repeat a few points. After Belle finished explaining, Regina placed her pen on the table then looked at her with the wide grin taking another sip of her tea.

"A very interesting story Ms. French, a thought just crossed my mind which might work out in your favour but I would like to get a better assessment of you so I am correct in my judgment." Before Regina could begin, Bailey began crying where the lawyer directed Belle to a bathroom across from the office where she headed off to sooth the screaming infant. She returned a few minutes later apologizing to Regina as she placed the child back onto the stroller.

"Ms. French I need you to be honest with me, how much do you love this child?"

Belle was taken aback by this question immediately answering it. "I love him as though I have spent the nine months waiting for him to arrive. Bailey is my son; I have fed him, clothed him, changed his diapers, bathe him and spent nights making sure he is sleeping soundly even though I haven't slept well in over a month."

Regina placed her cup back gathering a folder. "I see, so far there can be a strong case on kidnapping…."

Belle got up from the desk, furiously pounding her fists onto. "Kidnapping?! No, No, No, I didn't kidnap anyone. I woke up in the middle of the night with a baby being left on my doorstep like some overnight package I ordered from Amazon."

"As I said, Ms. French, you can admit to kidnapping when his father finds out because he will since secrets such as these won't stay secret for long an legally he has a claim to him and he won't believe this fantastic story of yours.

"I didn't kidnap him." An idea came to her head, "how about I contact the father and solve this whole matter."

"Why are you here Miss French?" heading closer Belle, Regina then noticed she was not the naive little girl she thought. The Bookworm has teeth.

Calm down Belle, everything is going to be okay….you just need to not lose your temper again and hope the bitch of a lawyer won't try to eat you alive….

"I wanted to adopt him; I was told by Milah in that letter I gave you that you would be able to help me. Now are you going to help me or not?" raising her eyebrow back at Regina giving her a smirk.

Regina then gave Belle another smirk, "As it happens, I can. I do have some contact with several agencies and they sponsor you, consider this a pro bono case if we get the paperwork ready and sent toit judge let's say by 5:00 tonight?"

Belle agreed taking nearly an hour to fill out the paperwork. Each form consisted of Belle's living situation, personal details, blood work and ability to provide all of which Regina either explained carefully or would help her stretch the questions.

Although it did leave Belle to wonder about the future, how could she provide for Bailey? She may need to take a semester off and get longer hours at Granny's just to buy essentials but her scholarship only extended to being a full-time student and risking her visa. At the same time, Belle did not feel comfortable with Bailey going into the foster system. Staying with her, Bailey would have a home and a supportive family structure whether it would be in New York of if Belle was forced to move back to Melbourne. The pros and cons of the situation continued to weigh in on Belle until she realized that she was down to the last form which required both hers and Regina's signature.

"Wait, before I sign this, I need to know for certain if Bailey is going to be safe in my care. All of this is legal right?"

"Miss French, I will personally make sure you and Bailey are never going to worry about any difficulties in a court of law. As soon as you fill this last form, my secretary will rapidly send this to Judge Spencer's office who takes every circumstance into consideration. The both of you have nothing to fear."

"Yes ma'am" without hesitation, Belle signed the last form along with Regina. She gave Belle a caring smile followed by handing her a box of tissues as Belle nearly began to start crying. "So what happens now?"

"As I said I will be sending these to Judge Spencer's office and you would probably be visited by social services within the month and there is a three month period were you will get the notice. I don't normally say these things prematurely but consider the adoption as good as legal."

Belle began to feel giddy at the possibility of being his official mother. "Thank you, but I still don't understand as to why you are so accepting of this? Wouldn't it be your job to decide what is best for the child? I am not exactly in the best financial position to take care of him."

Regina then gathered a photo from her desk handing it to Belle containing a little boy who looked similar to Regina wearing a yellow and white soccer jersey "That's Henry; he's five years old now and obsessed with comic books and thinking everyone around him is a fairy-tale character. He was not even a week old when my husband had passed away. I spent the next three years trying to support myself through law school with different jobs while making sure Henry was always well provided for. I can see you truly care for the infant where sometimes a little bit of help is needed in order for those to be given their best chance."

Belle was speechless hearing Regina's story as she gathered a new respect for her; she shook the lawyer's hand thanking her for all the help. She and Bailey left the building humming random tunes thrilled to have finished earlier than expected. The moment of peace became interrupted as Belle nearly slipped onto some ice where to her luck caught before she and the stroller fell.

"Are you alright dearie?" said her rescuer in an accent Belle placed from Scotland but she was not the best person when it came to regional dialects. She stood up seeing him to be older, well-dressed, sporting a cane with nice long hair that surprisingly worked well with the suit reminding her of a nobleman from a Victorian novel. Getting a better look at him, Belle began to ponder what kind of conditioner he used.

"Yes I think so, thank you sir." Without thinking Belle immediately curtsied leaving the gentleman to smile back at her as she started to feel awkward over the incident. "Sometimes I forget the streets are not exactly easy to walk on."

"I'm sure you will be careful next time. May I call a cab for you?"

"Oh no that isn't necessary the walk isn't far…."

"I insist, you also have another person to think about"

She thought what he meant for a second when he pointed back to the stroller that it caused Belle to mentally hit herself. "Yes sorry, having a blonde moment, although I'm not really a blonde and will probably get rid of this do once my roots start to grow out and I'm probably talking too much again…." She now wished she had fallen to die from the embarrassment. "Okay sure, would like to get home before Bailey wakes up, thank you very much." She nervously chuckled seeing the man looked bored by her comments.

"My pleasure" the gentleman hailed a cab which arrived in quick speed. He gave the cab driver $500 to drive Belle wherever she needed to go which caused her to smile as she got the stroller turned into a car seat followed by giving the addressed to the apartment.

"Thanks again" she waved back to the gentleman as the cab drove off leaving Belle back in her peace of mind. She already realized there was a lot she needed to tell everyone and many preparations to get ready for as the judge's notice would not arrive until a week but at this point Belle just wanted to let the world go by her.

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Gold could not wait a moment longer, he barged into Regina's office before her secretary had a chance to stop him or warn her boss opening the door with such force that Regina accidently caused her heels to nearly fall out.

"Hello Seumas, this is a pleasant surprise." Smiling back at him knowing he would not be easily charmed by her.

"What the hell is this?" he threw a large manila folder leading some of the papers to scatter throughout the desk. Regina knew the contents of the forms but she took pleasure seeing her former mentor become agitated.

"Why Seumas, surely you would know what a settlement account looks like? I doubt criminal law would have caused you to forget so easily simple contract disputes." Regina's feign innocence were always something Gold use to laugh at seeing how she would easily use it to get her way, but now he wanted nothing better than to wipe that smirk off her face.

"The judge found no claims in Milah's allegations of abuse therefore she is not entitled to anything, meaning this subpoena is just as invalid as any defence you decided to cook up. Give it up Regina; I won the case because you let your obsession to win blind you from thinking rationally."

She handed the forms back to him not caring if they were disorganized. "Oh please Seumas, you only won because you had that sleazy PI of yours go too far in gather evidence. Milah did make a fool out of you but she did deserve some compensation after putting up with you for a decade."

He desperately wanted throw his cane onto the glass, but that would have given Regina a cause validate the subpoena and give an extension to his therapy sessions. "You know I can show this to any judge in all the five boroughs and it will be thrown out."

"Fine," she said gritting through her teeth, "but I do have another proposition and this one can make all our lives easier. I want you to give Milah a check for half a million dollars a year for the next decade."

Now Gold began to look insulted "You must be joking…"

"Come on, we both know you can afford it. You said so yourself, Milah deserved nothing and this amount will make a dent on her monthly shoe expenses and she won't be able to complain as you are being generous after she spent months trying to drag your name down the mud. Just take the offer, or I will keep sending you summons until Henry is in college."

"Fine, send me the invoice and expect a check from my bank within the next two days." Throwing out the papers onto the trash, Gold couldn't bear to look at Regina another instance as she her smirk turned into a grin.

"You know, Milah confided a lot to me during the proceedings. She said the only good thing to have come out of the marriage was that she never had your child. "I couldn't help but think that was an odd statement to say since children would have given Milah a strong case in getting your money."

That comment stopped Gold on his tracks as he headed to the door. Seeing Milah in that courtroom during the last months of the proceedings, mocking him with Jones' child left him wanting to vomit whenever he was alone. Had it been a year earlier, Gold would have been thrilled to hear of Milah's pregnancy even trying to working something out with her for the sake of the child but occasionally glancing at his ex-wife caressing the small bump left him wondering all that could have been. When he first saw her with the bump, he knew the child was not his because the last time they were together had been nearly two months before she dated Jones, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the infant knowing the future it would being raised by Milah. Looking back at it, Gold was glad Milah was now aboard never to be near him again "She knew I would have fought through hell and back to get custody where she would still be placed in the same position as now but without the half a million blackmail as no one would truly believe she was a good mother. If that is all….: He needed to leave quickly before Regina placed him in another situation that would leave him emotionally exhausted.

"Right….well I will be expecting the notice. Have a good day Seumas and please get some sleep. I know you don't believe me, but I do worry about you sometimes." Gold left slamming the door not wanting to think any more about the unpleasantness the past year have brought regarding his accident and now divorce. He looked into his watch seeing as he still had some time to head back to the firm before his next client, he notice the park was close by where an extra detour would not have hurt his timing.

Regina looked on her window finding Mr. Gold heading towards the opposite direction from his firm. From her view, he looked defeated even frail where she felt disgusted in losing to him but quickly brushed it off laughing at the ironies of life. Even though Regina considered herself a champion for female clients, she was not an idiot to believe every sob story her clients told her. All that mattered to her was whether the jury and judges would believe them and let the opposing team know she cannot be underestimated. When Milah told Regina about her pregnancy, Regina had assumed Milah was going to abort it until she told her that baby was her insurance policy in ridding of Gold.

An unnecessary DNA test according to Milah along with a doctor's confirmation showed Milah was expected her husband's child where she discussed with Regina her plans to accused Gold of domestic abuse then place him in a corner where he would be forced to give into her demands along with child support. Regina approved of the defence as Gold was known among the New York society for having a volatile temper, plus it also meant a career boost for her in taking down one of the cities' most powerful attorneys. Taking Milah's word, she even suggested her client display several injuries and witnesses in order to make the case stronger where she was surprised to find out Jones had some use other than being occasional eye candy. Another suggestion became to even shave off the pregnancy by at least a month with heavier clothing in order to being the process of Gold becoming agitated where the DNA test will lead him to pay whatever sum that was requested. The case was perfect and would been the most scandalous event of the year if it weren't for Gold's underhanded tactics by hiring the obnoxiously charming PI Robin Locksley to give out all the evidence of not only Milah's affair but also of her supposed injuries, whereabouts and hospital records. Regina could not have understand why Miah was so stupid, perhaps it had been an ego or believing she could get away with it but the case instantly went into Gold's favour and Regina was proven to be incompetent. At the end, Regina pleaded with Milah to present the pregnancy to the judge allowing her to receive a sum but Milah became more obsessed in hurting her ex as she confided in the lawyer about her husband's desire to be a father along with details that made Regina immediately regretted taking on this woman as a client as Gold helped her out after she lost Daniel much to the dismay of her mother.

In divorcing Gold before the child was born, no one could prove he is the father unless a paternity test was done but Gold was so sure Jones was the father that he would never conducted it. Regina had been waiting for nearly a month to hear from Belle the minute Milah suggested the naïve server would be of some use. The girl seemed fairly normal based on her background check, she has never been discipline; lying to Belle made little sense to Regina as she constantly reminded Milah there was no guarantee Gold would not have found out and still take custody. Whatever she told that girl might have worked as Regina remembered the look on Belle's face at the mention of the baby being returned to his father might have caused the girl to take next flight back to Australia.

Regina looked at the forms making sure it was all in correct order. It appeared Belle read them carefully taking to look and gave information she was sure was close to the truth where the judge could consider her to a fit parent. The story Belle told her had sounded as though it was something Milah would which left Regina even more disgusted thinking the child would have died from exposure. She placed them all into the manila folders calling her secretary to send the forms along with a letter to Judge Spencer explaining the situation and reminding him that he had owe Regina a favour in the past.

She then called the clerk's office to cease any forms directing to Mr. Gold and requested the invoice sent to his office with the demanded amount.

That baby is better off with the blonde chit than his bastard father and cunt of a mother. Although it is hilarious to think about how Gold unknowingly paying child support….

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Overtime the household went back to maintaining a routine where it became easier for Belle to ask Ruby and Ariel for help whenever she in classes or work. Within two weeks after visiting Regina, the social worker who Regina suggested inspecting the apartment as the nursery had now been ready to use with the newest addition became a box of stuff animals placed close to the door. Other than stating the apartment was a little cluttered for several items, the social worker had been impressed the state of the apartment and of Belle's behaviour sending Regina a glowing recommendation. There was always the worry Belle had about the authorities or even the father coming into her door and demanding she needs to give back the child. Another fear had been Regina would call back to tell her something either went wrong or the child needed to be sent back.

Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went as Belle and Bailey mainly stayed with Ruby for the holidays as she brought Dr. Whale for her date who Belle was surprise to find out was not as lecherous as he came presented himself, he even spent some time interacting with Bailey were the girl needed to do a double check to conform what they were actually witnessing, another shocker Belle discovered about the doctor had been seeing him spent the entire Thanksgiving celebration trying to win over Granny where it left the girls amused as the matriarch would not take anyone's nonsense while giving subtle comments to Ruby. The rest of the holidays included the circle of friends getting together on New Year's Eve with the Nolans insisting on celebrating Belle's birthday with a summer theme BBQ which left Ruby and Ariel laughing for hours seeing David become ecstatic in using his new indoor grill six months ahead of schedule as he wore his Captain America apron.

As the months went by, Bailey grew to be a colicky baby. Belle moved a sleeping bag into the nursery in order to care for the child during the late night crying where some days, she had trouble in remembering her limits, but Bailey's crying demand began to become an exact for Belle as every three hours it was either being fed, changed or helped in put to sleep. Knowing the status of the baby was in limbo, Belle neglected to mention Bailey to whenever she would skype with her father but she also knew it there would not have been the reasonable explanations to give where overtime she began planning the proper in time before she would fly back home. By the time it was February, Belle counted down the days until she received the news. For the start of the semester, she did take Bailey to the day-care facilities which gave her some time to breathe for a few hours in terms of listening to lectures without being reprimanded.

One afternoon, Belle came home to find no one was home but there had been tea on the coffeepot where she placed the baby to his room taking a pot then relaxing on the couch. While Bailey was sound asleep, Ruby had gone out and Belle was left to study until Ariel came inside with the mail in hand handing an envelope to Belle from the law firm.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Ariel asked.

Making a gulping sound, Belle carefully tore up the envelope with contained a large form as well as two smaller envelopes that Belle began to read over the unsealed one with Ariel hovering over her head.

Miss French

I am happy to announce the paperwork went through regarding Bailey's adoption. I am providing you with a copy as the original form is at clerk's office along with another copy at my own office. In another letter, there will be a check from the biological mother in which you will be receiving this amount for the child's expenses every year for the next decade where I trust by then you will be sufficient enough to support him on your own.

I wish you the best with little Bailey,

Regina Mills

Both the girls began jumping up and down nearly yelling until their screams caused Bailey to wake up. Belle agreed to go check in on him while Ariel went to call Mary Margaret and Ruby to inform them of the good news. Belle grabbed the baby from his crib soothing him as she sat on the chair rocking him back and forth.

"You're my son now Bae, and it turns out we don't have freak out about what is going to happen in the future. Don't worry, I will make sure you go to the best schools and have whatever you want." She soon realized the baby was asleep placing him back on the crib.

"I love you sweetie and I promise that to always take care of you."

Belle kissed Bailey in the forehead once more, heading back into the living room ready to conduct her chores with Ariel this time with a positive attitude.


Next Chapter: A Mad Birthday