Disclaimer in Chapter 1
Chapter 3
Neal watches from the window of the guest house as the social workers leave.
"Neal, do you want something to eat?" Ingrid asks him.
"No thanks," he answers. He sighs. Ingrid moves and sits on the window seat beside him.
"What is it? Neal please talk to me?" Ingrid asks.
"I am afraid that they will take me from Emma," Neal says as he swallows hard keeping those tears at bay.
"Why would they do that?" Ingrid says.
"I don't know," Neal says, "they will have their own baby and now my sister maybe it will just be too much."
"Do you really think your sister will allow that to happen?" Ingrid asks. Neal just shrugs.
"Neal, I know that she is biologically your sister, but she has raised you just as a mother. Everything she does for you is the same as what a parent would do for their child. And now you have Regina who is doing that too. Neal you aren't just a chore for them or something they have to do, you are their family," Ingrid says rubbing the young boy's cheek.
"She's right," a voice says from the door of the sitting room. Emma and Regina are both standing there.
"Neal you are my brother, but you are my family. It was always you and me for a while, but now we are finding more people to share our love with. We are making our family bigger so that there is more love around us," Emma says. Neal starts to cry, and Emma moves to him and takes her brother into a hug.
"I love you buddy. Always," Emma says as she places a kiss on her brother's temple. Regina gives a watery smile at the pair.
"We are going to the hospital to see the baby. Would you two likes to come?" Emma asks.
"Yes please," Neal says. Ingrid nods too. They all get ready to leave.
They reach the hospital quickly and as they head to the door Emma reaches for Regina's hand. Regina is delighted as it had been her that has started most reactions the past 24 hours. She was afraid Emma was going into a shell and thinking of doing all of this on her own. The fact that Emma reached for Regina's hand she was hoping meant Emma knew that it wasn't her against the world anymore. That the day they got married and even before that they were now a team.
They meet Anna and Eric in the entrance hall of the hospital. Neal hides behind Emma as if they might snatch him from his sister there and then. The pair of social workers bring them to the paediatrics floor of the hospital and then to the neo natal area. They make enquiries for the doctor they had been dealing with.
"Hello, I am Dr. Zelena West," a flame haired doctor says offering her hand to Emma and then Regina.
"Hi, I am Emma Swan- Mills and this is my wife Regina Swan -Mills. This is my mother Ingrid and my brother Neal," Emma makes the introductions.
"Well Emma I have been taking care of your sister. Now I am afraid I can only allow two of you in to see her at a time. She is quiet the fighter. Just before you go in there. She is small but she is fine. She is healthy apart from her size. She was 5lbs 1 ounce when she was born. There are also a lot of machines around her, again these are a precaution. She is doing great," Zelena tries to ensure the family.
"Shall we?" Zelena says indicating the door out of the waiting room they were in. Emma nods and takes Regina's hand again. Regina follows her wife out of the room and down the hall after the doctor. Anna and Eric hang back allowing them time.
"Here she is," Zelena says as she indicates a tiny baby in an incubator.
"Wow," Emma says looking at her tiny sister, "she's beautiful." Emma looks in with wonderment at her sister. She is so tiny. Regina looks at the beautiful baby and she feels her heart fill further to think that they will raise this little girl too. Her hand moves to her own bump giving it a little rub. Emma looks at her wife to see how she is doing.
"She's beautiful Emma," Regina says as she presses a kiss to her wife's hands that she is still holding.
"Can I hold her?" Emma asks.
"Of course. Just let us get you some gowns for now. Her immune system is a little low," Dr. West says as she busies herself getting some gowns for the pair.
"Thanks," Emma says as she takes the gown and puts it on and then helps Regina into hers. Zelena moves over to the incubator and opens it. She slowly and carefully picks up the baby and turns to hand her to Emma. Emma carefully takes her tiny sister in her arms.
"Hey there little one," Emma says as she looks upon the serene face of her younger sister. She is beautiful. Tears well in the corners of Emma's eyes. Regina moves over beside her wife looking at the adorable baby that Regina fell in love with yesterday when she saw the pictures. Emma just takes in her little sister for a moment. Zelena watches the pair and the baby smiling. She was hoping this little one would have a happy ending. She is the sweetest little baby. Zelena has a real soft spot for the little girl.
Regina is cooing at the little girl. The thought pops into her head that they need to give her a name.
"What do you think we should call her?" Regina asks. Emma looks at her wife.
"I think I thought of one when I saw her, but not sure if you would like it," Emma says shyly.
"Let me decide that," Regina says with a smile.
"Isabelle or Izzy for short," Emma says. Regina smiles she loves it.
"I love it. Hi there Isabelle Swan," Regina says.
"Isabelle Swan-Mills," Emma states.
"What?" Regina says as her head snaps to her wife.
"Shit sorry Regina if I over stepped. I just thought with you asking about us taking full parental rights that you would want to be her parent too," Emma says blushing now that she had clearly read the decisions wrong.
"No Emma I…I just didn't expect that," Regina responds.
"I would love to be Izzy's other mom," Regina says, "so we are thinking of full on adoption here?"
"Yes, I have been thinking about it a lot. I want to adopt her and be here parents. I don't want my mom coming back. Looking at the fear in Neal today sealed it for me. He is always afraid that he will be taken. I don't want that for her. And even if we can I want her to sign her rights to Neal away too," Emma says strongly.
"You have been doing a lot of thinking," Regina says with a smile as she cups her wife's cheek.
"Yea sorry, I have been doing all of this planning without talking to you," Emma says.
"Well we are talking now, and I am with you all the way my love," Regina responds, "now give me a hold of this precious little one here." Regina takes Izzy into her arms. She coos at the little baby.
Emma's heart swelled at the sight. She had been waiting to see Regina with a baby in her arms. While it was not happening, the way they thought as in it should be there baby Regina is cooing over Emma is overwhelmed with love for her wife.
"You are a beautiful little one, aren't you?" Regina says to Izzy. Emma leans over her wife's shoulder.
"Hey Izzy, how would you like to come home with us when you are ready?" Emma asks and as if she understands her older sister Izzy smiles in her sleep. This causes both Emma and Regina to laugh. They spend a bit more time with her before Regina pops out to allow Neal or Ingrid in. Neal arrives first as Emma continues to talk to the baby.
"Hey," Neal says looking at his two sisters. Emma looks up and smiles at her brother.
"Izzy, I would like you to meet your brother Neal," Emma says to the little bundle wrapped in her arms. Neal moves over looking down at the tiny girl.
"She's so tiny," Neal says.
"Ya she's a little small but she is strong," Emma says showing Neal the grip Izzy has on her hand. Neal laughs. He touches the cheek of his younger sister.
"Pretty isn't she?" Emma asks.
"Ya, she is," Neal says looking at the tiny face of his little sister. Emma smiles at Neal.
"We are going to be ok Neal. I promise," Emma says looking at her little brother.
"I know Emma," Neal says believing his sister. The siblings spend a bit more time together before Dr. West arrives back and says that Izzy needs some rest. They place her back in the incubator and get ready to leave. Ingrid sneaks in for a look at the new addition to her family before they leave. Before they leave Emma and Regina move into a private room to speak with Anna and Eric.
"We have decided that we want Mary Margaret to sign away her parental rights," Emma says.
"Ok we will see what we can do. If she doesn't it may mean going to court to get a judge to order it," Eric says.
Emma nods her understanding and Regina squeezes her hand.
"If that's what it takes. Also, can I ask about getting her to sign over her rights to Neal?" Emma asks.
"Am, we can look into that for you too," Eric says, "may I ask why?"
"Every time you guys send someone to our house my brother thinks he will be taken from me. He lives in fear that he will have to go and live with her or with another family. I don't want him dealing with that anymore," Emma says. Regina smiles and nods at her wife.
"Ok we will ask the questions for you. We will be in touch soon. You can come and see Izzy I believe you have called her as often as you like. We will try and get paperwork in order. As far as we are concerned, we are temporarily granting you full custody of Izzy. It is just temporary until we get everything official and with the parental rights question hanging over it," Anna says.
"Thank you so much for everything. Sorry if I have been short with you at times," Emma says.
"It's no problem Mrs. Swan Mills. You are going through a lot at the moment. We understand," Anna says with a smile.
They leave the room and go find Ingrid and Neal.
"Hey you two, lets head home," Emma says and the family leave the hospital together.