hellooo people, alas I own nothing

Warning: major feels.

Avery woke to a baby stirring and crying on her chest. She opened her eyes and looked down and saw brown eyes staring up at her. He was about to start crying, Avery knew it. She had learned so much in the past few weeks, but most importantly she learned to speak infant.

"Aww... you're hungry aren't you little bug?" she smiled at him and got up. She warmed up breast milk and fed the little baby boy. She hummed as her tea pot heated up. There was a knock at her door. "Ooh… who could that be, hmmm?" she giggled as she placed a mat over her shoulder and burped the boy. It was her father, even after 18 years, she still had to remind herself that he was cursed. "Hello Dad." She said to him.

"Hello Avery…. This must be the little man I have heard so much about."

"Yes sir. This is James Gold, James… this is your Grandfather." She held the little guy out for her father to hold. He shied away.

"Actually, I am here to talk to you about him." He smiled.

"Oh?" Avery said, growing tense.

"Yes… our mayor has come to me and expressed the need that a child is right for her-"

"Wonderful, maybe you two should get started on that then. Her clock is ticking." Aver smirked.

"Funny enough, that was my first impression as well. I turned our mayor down, but she expressed disgust that she needed a lawyer. Now I am to assume that you did not have a lawyer in your adoption proceedings."

"Of course not." Avery chuckled. "There is no reason why I needed one, I am your daughter after all."

"As I am reminded," he smiled. "But business… our mayor does not want to wait the two years on a waiting list. I won't sugar coat with you Averianna.,, she wants that baby." Avery immediately clung the baby to her chest and shrunk away as if he was trying to rip the babe from her arms that moment.

"No…"

"Avery, you know the mayor and I know what to get what we want. I think it would be easier to just relinquish custody." He father said. "it doesn't have to be this moment, but you have 7 days before I work my magic." He said to her.

"No… I won't let you or that bitch take my baby."

"Averianna…

"Get out." She pointed to the door, seething.

"You just lost your 7 days dearie." Her father said.

"Out." She said, trying not to shout with the baby in her arms. He left, and she immediately called the only person she knew could help calm her down.

"Hello?"

"A… Archie." She choked out.

"Avery… what happened. Is James alright?" he asked.

"He's fine… but please come… they're trying to take him away from me." she cried.

"I'll be right there." And true to his word, he came through the door to find Avery cradling the baby. Tears streaming down her face. "Avery… hey, calm down. It'll be okay." He put an arm around her and a soft hand on the baby's head. "Who is trying to take him from you?" he asked her.

"Regina… and my father." She sniffled, the infant opened his eyes for a minute and gurgled.

"How can they do that now Avery? Calm down." He said smiling at her,

"You don't know my dad. He will… he will do anything when it can profit him." She cried.

"You're right…" Archie said, he stared down at the baby and looked worried. "Run." He said.

"What?" Avery asked.

"Take him… take him and run. Do it tonight, while he is still hours, I will cover for you as long as possible." All Avery could think of was the Enchanted Forest. Her father was branded a coward for running. Her mother ran…. So did her brother. "Avery."

"No…" Avery said definitively. "No… I am going to fight for my son." She looked down at the baby.

Two days later, Avery received a call that set her world on fire.

"Hello Miss Gold, its Mr. Werner from the adoption agency. I am sorry to hear that the baby boy didn't work out for you, but I wanted to let you know we received the paperwork from your lawyer. Also, thank you for providing him with a new home."

"Excuse me?"

"Yes. We received the documents from your lawyers, all notarized. It's alright, being a parent isn't for everyone."

"I did not relinquish my son." She said angrily.

"I am sorry Miss Gold, but legally you did. You need to speak with a lawyer, but we will hold off processing the paperwork until the matter is cleared up if you wish." He said politely, Avery took a deep breath. It wasn't the fault her father was a back stabbing snake.

"If you would be so kind Mr. Werner, thank you." She said as politely as she could. He agreed and hung up. She put the baby into his car seat and drove to his father's shop, the sheriff was there already. Avery didn't care, she walked in, carrying the baby, but she was fuming.

"You backstabbing loathsome son of a bitch." She said to her father.

"Time is here Averianna."

"You can't do this."

"I can… and did… I am the family attorney, and I have paperwork with your signature that says I can make decisions for you. And I did." He said calmly to her.

"I will fight you for it."

"By the time you find a lawyer and put together a case, which you will lose, your paperwork hold will be more than up." He picked up the phone and called the agency, pushing through the paperwork, all Avery could do is stand there and cry. He then walked from behind the glass case and went to take the baby from her.

"No… no you can't!" she held him closer.

"Sharif." He said to Graham, he took her shoulder softly.

"I'm sorry…" the Irishman said. "But you need to let the baby go." Avery sobbed as her father took her baby from her.
"You're supposed to be my father… how can you do this to me?!" she sobbed, her knees felt weak, and the sheriff held her up.

"Sheriff, if you please get my daughter out of my shop. I don't need a sobbing woman in here." Graham helped her out of the shop, telling her empty condolences and lies that the baby will be cared for. She got in her car and drove to her home. She went inside and instantly started breaking anything and everything, continuing to sob. She went into the nursery and fell to her knees, placing her hands on the crib make especially for the baby. She heard her door open and footsteps walking towards her. She remained still, still crying. A hand was placed on her shoulder, the cologne said it was Archie.

"You would right… I should have ran. I should have ran and never looked back." She sobbed quietly.

"Hush Avery… everything will be alright." He leaned next to her, rubbing her back. "She re named him Henry."

"It was her father's name." Avery said.

"Oh." He said to her.

"I should take his bear, blankie, and bottle over to her." Avery said.

"Why would you help her?" he asked softly.

"Because… the baby can't sleep without them. Me not at least trying to give them to her will only hurt him. He probably feels so scared, in a new place without me." Avery began crying again.

"I'll take you. I don't think you should drive." He said. She packed the baby's favorite things and Archie drove her over. "I'll go up with you."
"No… I need to do this alone. Just… don't drive away." She looked at him, knowing her eyes were still puffy and nose still red. She knew she looked a mess but did nothing to correct it. As she walked up the steps, she heard a baby crying… more like screaming. Give her hell kid. Is all Avery could think. She rang the doorbell and Regina answered, holding the screaming infant.

"You? What did you do before giving him to Gold? He hasn't stopped screaming." Regina glared.

"I did nothing. He just needs these." Avery handed over the bag of his things, and put the bear in the infant hands, he nuzzled it and immediately stopped crying. "He can't sleep without that or his blankie." She pulled that out too, it had little blue elephants on it.

"Good to know… thank you." Regina said.

"Just know, I love that boy. But even more importantly, I am sure you were told that it was a closed adoption, meaning that you will never know anything about his birth mom."

"Of course I know, why would I care anyway?" Regina snapped.

"Because, yes I love that boy, but I chose him for another reason. I know his mother's past, and I found it inspiring. Even though I never got to meet the young woman." Avery said.

"And it was so inspiring, you are on my porch telling me." Regina said.

"Yes. His mother was found, in the forest, not far from here. Here meaning Storybrooke. Eighteen years ago." Avery said,

"What?" Regina snapped. The corner of Avery's mouth twitched up slightly.

"Oops, I've said too much." Avery said, laying her hand on the baby's head, a went back to the car.

"Avery. You are wonderful person. And you will be a good mother." Archie said, taking her hand kissing it.

Ahhhhh the feels...*sniffles* poor Avery!

But that is how it happens... in my version..

P.s. I am no lawyer, so I don't know, nor do I care if this situation could really happen, stranger things arise in Storybrooke.