Regina's body ached all over but she didn't dare complain, or even let the pain show. She was curled up under the covers, trying her best to seem asleep till her husband's footsteps disappear from the room, and preferably the house. It was almost dawn by the time she had finally managed to fall asleep after what he did. It wasn't the first time that he practically raped her, but it was the worst. It was brutal, and painful; almost as if he was punishing her for something that she doesn't even know she did. She was sure bruises were starting to form and that she was going to be limping for a few days, not that anyone will care or even notice.

She had been thinking about the events of the previous day, about what Stella said. She had tried to convince her to leave him, to press charges, or even go to the hospital to get checked out. But as loud as Stella's voice was in her head, her mother's was louder. Telling her not to do anything that would jeopardize the image of the mayor and give anybody any ammunition to use against her, and throw her out of office. Her job and image came first; never mind everything else.

She finally heard his footsteps leaving the room, and descending the stairs. She opened her bloodshot eyes, and stared blankly at the wall. She was trying to remember the last time she felt happy, the last time she felt at peace. When did everything go to hell? When did Travis become like this? Why did he become like this? Why did she marry him to begin with?

Those were all questions that she couldn't find answers to, no matter how hard she tried. Her reverie was cut short by a familiar growl, and Travis's angry voice. She turned around in bed in time to see Pandora jumping on to it.

The grey husky's eyes were warm and Regina couldn't help but reach out and pet her, earning herself a nuzzle in the neck. To her surprise, the grey husky put each of her limbs on one of Regina's side, effectively trapping Regina within them, as if she is trying to let her know that she will protect her. She could swear that she saw remorse and sympathy in the husky's eyes, but shook her head in disbelief. How would a dog know what she went through? Let alone one who lived across the street.

She didn't know what it was about this dog that comforted her, or made her feel safe, but she didn't care. She longed to have someone care about her the way this dog apparently does, but knew that it was futile.

Her bliss was short lived, when Travis stormed into the room, only to freeze in his tracks when the husky's calm features changed into ones of anger. He could swear that he saw the dare in her eyes as she growled at him to come any closer. He really didn't like this dog, or its owner; and he didn't like that he had to tip toe because of them.

"Ruth is downstairs waiting to take this thing" he hissed, and the only response he got was the angry bark. He glared at the husky, who didn't back down, only glared back and growled even harder. He let out a frustrated groan of his own, as he backed away and stomped down the stairs and out of the house.

Regina smiled gratefully at the husky, who licked her cheek in response, "thank you" she whispered, as she rubbed the fur around her neck.

"Come on, let's get you back to Ruth" she remarked, as she got out of the covers, earning herself a moan of objection in response.

"Wait, why is Ruth the one who is waiting? Where's Stella?" she asked the husky, who once again moaned sadly.

Regina only furrowed her brows in confusion, as she pulled her robe around her and walked down the stairs with Pandora trailing behind.

"Ruth, sorry to keep you waiting" she apologized, as she pulled the slightly ajar door open all the way.

"Oh no, it's fine. Sorry about how she burst in like that, I don't what's gotten into her" Ruth said, and Regina immediately knew something was up. Ruth was usually a very cheerful woman, and right now she was anything but. She had a haunted look in her eyes, and a devastated expression; her voice was thick with more emotions than Regina could identify.

"Ruth, what is going on?" Regina asked, and Ruth averted her gaze, and looked at Pandora sadly, and Regina instantly knew something happened to Stella.

Inexplicable fear gripped Regina's heart, she had no idea why she was having such a reaction to the idea of Stella getting hurt, but she was.

"Ruth, where's Stella?" she asked, her voice a bit more commanding and forceful.

"The hospital" her voice was barely an audible whisper, and if Regina hadn't been looking at her, she would've thought she imagined the response.

Her heart sank, and her chest tightened, "What?" she breathed, "Why?"

"She was attacked on the board walk last night" Ruth replied, and Regina's breath hitched.

"I…I…is she okay?" she stuttered.

"She will be; her heart wasn't beating when they found her, and she was freezing cold. It took them over an hour to warm her up, before they even tried to revive her" Regina's face was paling more and more with each word Ruth said. She didn't know why she was having such a reaction to Stella's injury; after all she had barely known the brunette, but her heart was twisting. There was this nagging feeling at the back of her head, but she couldn't quite place it. She thought Ruth had told her the worse of it, but man was she mistaken.

"They got her back, but it was too late for the baby" Ruth finally managed to blurt out. She didn't know why she was telling Regina all of this, but she figured she'll find out eventually. Nothing stays hidden in Storybrooke for long, and she is the mayor.

Regina's hand shot out, looking for something to support her weight. Her legs appeared to betray her, and nearly buckled beneath her at what Ruth had said.

'Too late for the baby' kept bouncing around in her skull over and over again, as she stared at Ruth gob-smacked; she knew that the pain of losing a child was unbearable, or so she heard.


FTL-27 Years Ago.

Regina sat in the rocking chair, staring blankly at the wall in front of her. She had been in the room for god knows how long, sitting in the chair with the dress in her lap. The crib stood a few feet ahead, empty, deserted, creaking as the wind rocked it around its rusty hinges. The room was gloomy and dreary; even the mobile refused to jingle as it moved.

The room that was once filled with the gurgling and cries of an infant; filled with warmth, love and joy; filled with promises of a new life; was now only filled with the distant echoes of the laugh of a joyful mother, and her soft singing voice.

She had no idea how long she sat in that chair, rocking back and forth as she pictured her little girl. Today should have been a joyful day; her baby's first birthday. And instead of it being a day of celebration, with the music sounding in every corner of the kingdom; it was a day filled with despair and gloom.

The chair that once rocked her baby to sleep was creaking sorrowfully under her weight as she moved back and forth. She finally got sick of the sound, and got up. She took slow, unsteady, brisk steps towards the crib and gripped the sides of the empty crib as she looked inside.

She was still hoping that this would all turn out to be a cruel nightmare, and her baby's face would great her; only for that hope to shatter when all she found was the empty mattress.

This was not what she had envisioned for the day; her happily bouncy baby would be in a beautiful champagne silk dress; royals from the kingdoms nearby coming in to celebrate the happy occasion; colorful flags hung around the kingdom as the music played nonstop.

The voices of the other queens and royal women echoed in her head as they gasped when she told them she won't hire a wet nurse for the baby ; telling her that she will soon regret it once the baby is born, and waking her up every two hours. She remembers their surprise when she told them that she hadn't regretted it at the ball in Stella's honor six weeks after the birth. And she was truthful; she didn't regret it, on the contrary, she very much enjoyed it.

She enjoyed waking up in the middle of the night to feed her hungry child, and she enjoyed the feeling of her daughter as she sucked on her breast. It never failed to fill her with peace; and joy as she looked at the little girl's face. The giddy feeling she would get when her tiny fingers wrapped around her larger index.

That is all she had left now; distant memories of what she had and the broken dreams of what should've been.


Leopold's heart broke when he walked into the now deserted nursery after Regina didn't leave it for hours; she was curled up on the couch, hugging the dress to her chest, tear tracks clearly visible beneath her red, puffy eyes. He knew this day would be hard on her; and he had hoped that he would be able to tell her that they found the baby before then, and it broke his heart that he was letting her down.

He had watched as she withered away every day, little by little. The former warm and vibrant woman was slowly disappearing before his eyes, and he knew she would soon disappear unless he can bring the baby back.

He too was losing his spirit every time Claude told him the search came up empty; and he didn't know how much more resolve he had in him. She may not have been his by blood, but he was the one who felt her kick inside of Regina; heard her cry when she was born, and cradled her. He loved her from the moment he first saw her, and her disappearance ate away at him. He promised Regina that he will protect her child, their child and he failed. He didn't want to fail again in finding her.

He knew it was probably even worse for Regina; she was the one who was pregnant for nine months, felt her every move and kick, waited not-so-patiently for her arrival, and fought her mother tooth and nail so the baby wouldn't get a wet nurse and a nanny. Leopold understood why she was like this; she told him she had dreamed of being a mother since she was a little girl, and barely being involved in her daughter's life was not how she pictured it. She wanted to be a mother to her daughter, not a queen to the princess.

He had sided with her, and told Cora that Johanna will suffice. He also knew Regina's hidden reason for not wanting to part from her daughter too much; she was her last connection to Daniel. And the mere thought of losing Snow; his daughter and last connection to Eva quickly had him understanding what Regina felt.

And therefore, he had always let her do things her way when it came to her daughter; and when it came to mourning her loss.


Storybrooke-Present.

Stella sat on the window sill, hugging her knees to her chest, and resting her chin on top of them as she stared blankly out the window. It had been two weeks since her attack, and she haven't left the house since, hardly ever leaving the room. She buried herself in work, and the curse. She avoided seeing or even talking to people, because she hated the sympathetic looks she saw in their eyes. Their words were meant to comfort her, and to a certain extent they did, but they mostly fell on deaf ears. She understood what happened to her perfectly, and she was going to pull herself back up just like she did time and time again before.

The attacker hadn't been caught, and she knew he probably won't be. When Joseph had asked if she knew who did it, she said no, even though she did. She was sure that it was Travis, but she had no proof, or at least not one that doesn't involve magic.

That day she didn't feel like working, and therefore had shut off her cellphone and rescheduled all of her phone conferences. She decided to focus on the curse instead, maybe that way she will be able to give Travis what he deserves once the curse breaks.

She had run into Mr. Gold on her way out of the hospital, and for the first time since she arrived in Storybrooke, she actually spoke to him. She knew who he was immediately, but she wasn't sure if he knew her. He didn't seem like he remembered anything, but she remembered all that knew about him, he is a master of deception.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a knock on the door, and was genuinely surprised to see her mother standing in the doorway.

"Madame Mayor" she greeted, her voice showing the amount of surprise she felt.

Regina didn't know why she felt a pang at the title, but she pushed it down for now. She had been standing in the doorway for a few minutes watching Stella, and it broke her heart to see her like this. Said heart shattered when the girl turned and Regina saw how she was trying to hide her emotions and put up her walls.

"Ruth just left" Stella now said, when Regina didn't say anything.

"I'm not here for Ruth" Regina said softly, and Stella turned towards the window once more, as she closed her eyes.

Stella didn't know how to react; her mother as standing a few feet away from her, and even though she desperately needed her, she couldn't have her. She turned her head away and tried to compose herself, but a tear escaped her closed lids, when a gentle hand was placed on her knees. She opened her eyes, and saw the warm brown ones of her mother, who was now sitting opposite her on the window sill.

Regina didn't know what had gotten into her, but she acted on instincts and reached over to wipe the tear. She nearly sobbed herself when she felt how Stella leaned into her touch ever so slightly.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, and Stella shrugged.

"I'm alright" she replied.

"No you're not, you were attacked, and you lost your child" she spoke gently, and Stella was finding it very difficult to maintain her resolve, "It's okay to fall down every once in a while"

Stella only offered her a small smile in return.

"Did you know?" she asked.

"Yeah, I suspected it before I came here, but the home pregnancy test came back negative. But then a week after I got here, the morning sickness was becoming too much to ignore, so I went to Whale and he tested me" Stella was never the one to open up like this to someone, but this wasn't just anybody; this was her mother. And even though she may not know her, the fact that she is here talking to her, and trying to comfort her proved that on some level Regina did care for her.

"Does the father know?" she wondered and Stella snorted.

"We weren't serious and he said he didn't want any kids, and basically had me choosing between him and a child"

"And since I don't see him anywhere, I am assuming you chose the baby?"

"Wouldn't you? I always wanted a child, but maybe it was for the best"

"Best how?"

"Well, how was I gonna explain where the father is? And I grew up in foster care, what kind of a mother would I have been? Not to mention the fact that I work crazy hours, and sometimes have to travel on a few hours' notice" Stella ranted.

Regina now took a hold of her hands, "listen to me; you would have made a great mother. You loved this baby even before you were sure it existed, and you are mourning its loss right now"

That was the last straw for Stella, the tears pooled into her eyes and the next thing she knew Regina had her arms wrapped around her, and her head was buried in her mother's chest.

She hadn't cried, not even shed a single tear since the attack. But here, now, in the warm and comfort provided by her mother's arms, the dams broke and so did she. The tears and sobs were hard to stop now, and the tighter Regina's arms got around her, the harder her cries seemed to get.

She was crying for the baby that she lost; the mother she missed more than anything, and was trying desperately to save; and finally because for the first time in 20 years, she finally had a glimpse of her mother's warmth and love again.


Ruth walked into the house later that evening, and immediately headed for the stairs to check on Stella. Once she reached the second floor, she could hear a low, soft humming coming from Stella's room. It got louder and louder the closer she got, and when she finally reached the open door, her heart melted at the sight.

Stella was fast asleep on the bed with her her head buried in a propped-up-on-one-elbow Regina's chest with one arm around her waist, who was stroking her hair gently as she hummed.

"I see you got her to sleep" Ruth whispered, and Regina jerked slightly at the unexpected sound.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" she apologized.

"That's alright, and yes. Has she been getting any sleep lately?" she wondered, and Ruth shook her head sadly.

"Hardly, and never this peaceful" she replied.

"Well, I better get going" Regina remarked, as she moved to get up. Stella's arm immediately tightened around her waist, snuggling more into her as she whimpered softly.

Regina froze for a few seconds till Stella settled again, and tried again, only to get the same response. She didn't know why but her heart swelled every time Stella snuggled more into her. She finally looked up helplessly at Ruth, who only smiled reassuringly at her.

"You are more than welcome to stay for the night" was all she said before she left the room, and closed the door gently behind her.

Regina slid under the covers and rested her head onto the pillow, her hand still stroking Stella's hair. The silver light of the moon was reflecting beautifully off the brunette's olive skin, and Regina for the first time appreciated how exhausted the girl looked, and not just from the events of the night before. She now moved her hand so that her thumb was repeatedly stroking the hairline right above her ear, as she leaned forward and feathered a kiss to her forehead, "sweet dreams" she whispered.