It felt like it took forever to get from the car to the front door. The wheelchair wouldn't have made it up the steps so Emma helped Regina while Henry struggled to hold it and open the door for them.
"I'll tell Granny we're home." Emma promised, setting Regina in the wheelchair at the bottom of the stairs.
"Why don't I make you a drink." Henry offered, heading into the kitchen and leaving Regina alone.
She sat at the bottom of the stairs, listening out for any conversation Emma and Granny might be having, but there was only silence. Eventually, Granny walked down the stairs carrying the baby. She took a moment to look Regina in the eye before handing her over.
"Thank you for watching her." Regina eventually spoke, her heartbeat slowing as she looked down at her daughter.
She expected questions, comments, something. Granny just nodded.
"You need a babysitter again, I'm just down the road."
Regina raised an eyebrow. Granny gave her a small smile and a nod before heading for the front door. Emma appeared at the top of the stairs, carrying several items.
"I'll have to get Henry to help carry the cot down here. I've got nappies and a couple of other things. You'll have to let me know what else you need." She explained, watching her step as she descended.
At the bottom of the stairs, Emma looked towards Regina. Watching her hold the baby reminded her of what Regina had said at the hospital. Had she really been running away when she left her here? There hadn't been much time to think, with Henry wanting to go with Regina.
"I hope you're not going to restart your questioning again." Regina told her, noting the thoughtful look on Emma's face.
"No." Emma began carrying the items into the nearest room. "I believe you."
"Good."
Regina felt a small spark of guilt as she held her daughter close.
Emma and Henry visited every day. Regina seemed to be perfectly capable of looking after the both of them, but Henry had insisted. He'd programmed Emma's cell phone number into the speed dial of all Regina's phones, just in case.
By the end of the first week, Regina was desperate to get out of the house, but she was unable to get into the garden in her wheelchair. Henry brought over a sheet of wood he'd asked Marco to cut specially, which would fit over the steps and provide a ramp for her. She still needed Emma to push her back up into the house, though with the baby in a special sling her hands were free.
Whale visited telling her she should attend physiotherapy. Regina promised to try some of the exercises from home. She wouldn't accept his help at first, but he told her she would need someone with her, just in case. So he visited after his hospital shift, telling her he owed her for lying about trying to help Daniel – but that this made them even.
Within a month, she was preparing to leave the wheelchair behind. Her magic still hadn't returned but her leg was almost healed. She could walk around the house with the help of a stick if she moved slowly.
"How long are you going to keep up the pretence, dearie?"
"Get out, Gold." Regina didn't turn around as she tucked the tiny pink blanket around her sleeping child.
"What if she starts to look like Emma? You don't think people will wonder…"
It didn't surprise her that he knew. She knew her memory spell wasn't strong enough to affect him, but assumed that if he hadn't seen her at the date night he wouldn't know who the other parent of her child was.
"If you don't stay away from my child I will…"
"What?" Gold grinned as Regina faced him. "You're powerless at the moment, aren't you?"
"How do you… Is this your doing?"
"Now why would I bother myself…"
"I don't know why you do any of the things you do."
"Have you named her yet? Myself, I think Cora might suit…"
"No."
"Maybe Emma will have some suggestions."
"Are you going to tell her?"
"And spoil all the fun? I want to watch you tell her." He edged a little closer to the crib, trying to get a better look.
"That will never happen." Regina stood in his way, though he didn't back down.
"You can never be too sure, that word is a funny one."
"What do you know?"
"Many things." He smiled and turned to walk away. "So many things."
"Tell me."
"First I want something from you."
"What?"
"Her name. I know you've chosen one. So like Snow White. You call her that in secret, but never tell anyone."
"If you know so much, then why don't you know it already?"
"I need to hear you say it."
Without her powers, Regina had no hope of defending herself. They both knew it. Still, she wasn't going to give in that easily. She made him make a promise to never harm her family, including Henry, and to never help her daughter find the darkness he had shown her.
He agreed.
When Emma brought her lunch, Regina asked her to stay a while. Her conversation with Gold left her to think things through. She didn't want Emma to find out the truth where Gold, or anyone else, could witness it. Her leg was feeling better, she was almost off the medication and every time she looked into her daughters eyes she was reminded of the Sheriff.
"Her name is Valentina." Regina told her, starting with something simple. "Tina for short."
"Why that name?" Emma asked, feeling her heart flutter in her chest.
"Because…" Regina took a deep breath, scared of the truth. "She was conceived on Valentines Day."
"I knew it!" Emma sank into the chair, her voice dropping to a whisper as she repeated: "I knew it."
"Emma…"
"All this time and…"
"Do you have any idea how hard this is for me?"
"For you?"
Regina stood up from the wheelchair, finding her balance before carrying Valentina over to Emma. She held out their daughter.
"Gold knows. He came to see me and told me I should tell you."
"So that's why you're telling me?"
Emma stared at the tiny face and tiny hands. She wanted to hold her and at the same time was afraid. The moment she held her, it would all be real.
Regina didn't pull away. She knew she had to give Emma time, but hoped that holding the baby would show her that she was trying.
"I don't trust you." Regina confessed. "All I can think is that you'll take her from me, the way you took Henry."
There were tears in her eyes as she spoke. Emma saw them and reached out for Valentina. Regina settled her in Emma's arms.
"Tina sounds a little too much like Regina. She's my daughter too. If you want to name her Valentina, that's fine, but can we call her Lettie for short?"
"Lettie?"
Emma gave Regina a chance to consider it. "And we have to tell Henry."
"No."
"He needs to know the truth."
"That we produced a child together? How do you think that conversation will go? And will this need to tell the truth extend to the rest of Storybrooke?" Regina's hands itched to reclaim her child.
"One thing at a time." Emma told her. "I'm going to want to spend time with her. I shared Henry with you…"
"Did not!"
"I'm her mother…"
"You can visit."
"What about taking her outside?"
"She doesn't leave this house without me."
"What are you so worried about? I can protect her."
Regina reached for Lettie. Emma relinquished her hold, marvelling at how her arms ached after such a short time. She watched Regina lay the baby down in her crib and realised what it meant to her.
"Thank you for telling me the truth. Is it just because Gold knows?"
"Partly. Though I made him promise not to tempt her with dark magic, I don't trust him."
"So she'll have magic too?"
"It's not guaranteed, but yes it's possible."
"How are your legs?"
"I can walk if I move slowly. You won't need to bring me anything else, I'm going to get it delivered now that I can put it all away and start making proper meals again."
"I still want to come around every day. To see Lettie."
Regina looked over at the crib as she began to cry. "Then you can start helping with her now. She either wants to be held or needs to have her nappy changed."
Emma pulled a face. "I've never changed a nappy."
"Then you will start now. If you want to spend time with her you need to learn how to take care of a baby."
Emma picked up Lettie, taking a cautious sniff as she had seen Regina do before. Just her luck.
"We're telling Henry tonight."
"Nappies and the changing mat are by the crib."
Emma knelt down and opened the large bag Regina had pointed to. "What is all this stuff?"
Regina rolled her eyes. "I'll show you."