Chapter 14: The Stable Girl
The happy, complete family stayed snuggled together in Regina's bed all night. At 7:00 am, Lucia's eyes flutter open. She feels a warm puff of air brushing over the top of her head, causing her to smile when she remembers whose arms she is still wrapped in. She tilts her head ever so slightly to see her father's face. When she finds that he is still asleep, she turns her head, careful not to awaken him, and finds that Daniel and her mother are still snuggled in slumber as well.
Being the only one awake, Lucia turns back to face her father and cuddles closer into his embrace as he tightens his arms around her. Laying there awake in bed, she allows her mind to wander. Reflecting back on the events in the stables the other day, Lucia realizes that Daniela has yet to see their town's stables. Figuring her parents would like sometime alone for the first time in decades, Lucia wants to wake up her sister and spend the morning with the horses together.
Not wanting to wake up her parents, Lucia decides this is a good time to use twinsense. She closes her eyes and focuses hard on connecting with her twin.
"Dani! Dani!"
"Lucia, what's the matter?" Daniela responds, somewhat concerned.
Lucia smiles to herself. "Wake up! Let's go!"
"Go? Go where?" Daniela asks.
"Get up and you'll see!" Lucia giggles in excitement.
000
Meanwhile, at Mary Margaret's apartment, David is making breakfast for his two favorite ladies.
"Good morning," he says to Mary Margaret as she walks into the kitchen. He puts his arms around her waist, pulling her close before their lips meet. She puts her arms around his neck and takes in the warmth of her husband that has been long missed.
"What are you making?" she asks, pulling away at the smell of pancakes and eggs cooking in the stove.
"Breakfast fit for a queen!" he declares. "I figured after your time back home, you could use one."
"Your probably right," she chuckles back.
When David let's go of her to tend to the golden pancake that needs to be flipped, Mary Margaret walks over to the side of the refrigerator to cross the date off the calendar. She takes a second look at the date and realizes that tomorrow marks an important occasion.
"Oh my gosh," she gasps.
"Mary Margaret, what is it?" David asks.
"Lucia and Daniela! Tomorrow is their birthday!"
000
As soon as the girls had left their spot in between their parents, Regina and Daniel instinctly move forward until they find themselves in each other's arms. Smiling at the sight, Daniela and Lucia tip toe out of the room, quietly closing the door behind them.
An hour later, Daniel's eyes slowly begin to blink open. A warm smile grows on his face when he remembers where he is and feels Regina's warmth tucked under his chin. He looks down at his gorgeous love, taking in the way the rising sunlight highlights her natural beauty. Realizing that she is still asleep, he kisses the top of her head and tightens his arms around her, falling back to sleep as Regina cuddles further into his embrace.
Later on that morning, Daniel's eyes flutter open once again. He immediately notices the lack of warmth radiating in his arms. Frowning, he sits up in bed, wondering where the girls have gone.
Figuring he should check the rest of the house before he gets too anxious, Daniel gets out of bed and makes his way down the stairs. Seeing that the living room was clear, he wonders over to where he was told the dining room is. Empty as well. His next room is the kitchen.
There he finds Regina, still in her silk pajama set, leaning over the counter as she looks at a cook book.
Sneaking up behind her, Daniel wraps his arms around her waist.
"Good morning," he murmurs in her ear before he kisses her temple.
Regina gasps at the sudden unexpected touch, but is quick to melt in her fiancé's arms. She turns around and places her hands on his chest as she leans up to greet his lips with hers.
"Good morning," she smiles.
"What are you doing?" Daniel asks, motioning to the book on the counter beside them with his hand.
"Trying to find a good cake recipe," Regina says, turning her attention back to the page.
Daniel looks confused. "Are you baking something?"
Regina turns back to her love, astounded with his confusion.
"You don't know what tomorrow is, do you?" Regina asks. The following silence confirms her suspicion. "March 16."
Daniel stares into his love's eyes, ashamed that he didn't even know what day today is.
"It's their birthday!" He exclaims.
"Their going to be 18," Regina nods.
"18!" Daniel shakes his head in awe. "Gosh, it seems like just yesterday they were born!" Daniel says.
"That's because for you, dear, it practically was!" Regina sadly chuckles.
"Do you remember the day they were born?" Daniel asks.
"How can I forget? It was the happiest, but also scariest, day of my life!" Regina says, rubbing her hands up and down Daniel's chest. "I wouldn't have been able to get through it without you. You were my rock and you still are," She looks up at him with tears in her eyes.
Daniel pulls her in, holding her close as she breaks down.
"I wanted to raise them, Daniel!" Regina exclaims, tears consistently flowing down her cheeks.
"Shh, shh, it's okay," Daniel says, rubbing circles on her back, trying to comfort Regina.
"I didn't get to raise my babies! They needed their mother and I wasn't there for them!" Regina sobs.
"We're here for them now, and that's all that matters," Daniel's murmurs into her hair, kissing the top of her head. "We are all together now. Let's celebrate their big day!" Daniel says, wiping her tears away with the pads of his thumb.
"Here," he says, handing her a piece of paper he found while looking for his family. "You might like this!"
"What is this?" Regina asks while unfolding the paper.
"Read it," Daniel smiles.
Dear Mama and Daddy,
Took Daniela to the stables
Love, Lucia
Regina looks up at Daniel in amazement.
"They're at the stables!" Regina exclaims as the feverish smile grows on her face.
"Come on, let's go see our girls," Daniel says.
000
At the stables, Lucia has been introducing Daniela to all the different horses.
"Wow! This one's nice," Daniela says as they enter the last stall.
After admiring over the horse, she begins to climb onto it with a confident kind of air.
Before she has enough time to stop her, Lucia exclaims, "Daniela! What are you doing?"
"I'm going for a swim!" She replies sarcastically. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Daniela says with a chuckle.
"Dani, you don't know how to ride," Lucia protests, worried about her sister's safety.
"Watch me!" Daniela defies as she signals the horse to go, leaving Lucia standing at the back exit of the stables watching in awe as her sister gallops far into the open fields.
"Hey, sweetheart," Lucia is pulled out of her trance when Regina comes up and wraps her arms around her daughter from behind and buries her face in her hair.
"Where's Daniela?" Regina asks, leaning forward a bit to rest her cheek against Lucia's temple.
"Well," Lucia pulls away, slightly, afraid that she'll worry her mother. "Um..."
"Regina!" Daniel hollers out from the field.
"What?" Regina says as she and Lucia head further out of the stables and into the field.
Regina's eyes widen in awe as her line of sight lines up with Daniel's. Daniela, her own daughter, is racing the horse through the hills with such poise and grace; it reminds her of when she was her age.
Daniel moves further out into the openness to get a better look at his daughter as he watches with pride and joy glistening in his eyes. His sparkling pale eyes widen in caution as he sees his daughter coming up on a hurdle with great speed. The caution shifts to such pride, once again, as she clears the first jump.
"Yes," he yells as she jumps over the first hurdle.
"Yes!" he says, fist flying through the air as she lands the second jump perfectly.
Daniela hears the cheering of her father and is suddenly pulled out of the clouds. She spots her father awaiting her in the beginning of the clearing, and her mother standing with her arm around her sister, not too far behind him.
"Daddy!" Daniela smiles as she hops off the horse.
"That was beautiful!" Daniel says, engulfing his daughter in a warm embrace.
"Thank you, Daddy!" Daniela giggles from her father's arms.
"Beautiful? I'd hardly call that beautiful!" Regina exclaims from behind. "It was breathtaking! I'm so proud of you," she says as she steals Daniela from her father's arms.
000
After a well made dinner that evening, the happy bunch decided to settle in for the night and watch a movie.
"What do you all want to watch?" Daniela asks her family from the shelf of DVDs Regina has stashed by the TV.
"Whatever you want, dear!" Regina replies from the middle of the couch were she has a place reserved for her daughter. Lucia happily curls up between her parents on Regina's other side.
"Okay! How about this one?" Daniela calls out, holding up a copy of Beaches.
"Pop it in!" Lucia declares.
Daniela presses play and turns around to meet her mother's warm smile. She plops onto the couch and is pulled in close to Regina. The happy mother leans down and presses a long kiss to the top of her head, resting her chin there for a few moments.
Halfway through the movie, a knock is heard from the door. Regina gently untangles herself from her girls' arms as she stands to get the door.
"We'll pause it for you, Mama," Daniela says, reaching for the remote.
"Don't worry about it, baby. I've seen this one," Regina replies, smiling warmly at her little family.
Opening the door, Regina fails to conceal her surprise at who is standing on her front porch.
"Snow," Regina says shockingly.
"I wanted to talk to you. Please, can I come in?" Mary Margaret almost pleads.
In the back of her head, Regina wants to slam the door in her face, but something is holding her back. The image of her loving family all cuddled up in her living room warms her heart and reminds her that she is trying to do, to be, better for her daughters.
"Come in," Regina says, opening the door a little wider and stepping aside to let her in.
"Where are the girls?" Mary Margaret asks, standing in the foyer of the large house, trying to make conversation.
"What did you come here for?" Regina asks, turning from the door to face the woman, not feeling the small talk.
"Tomorrow is the girls' birthday; what are you and Daniel planning?" Mary Margaret innocently asks.
"Nothing too big," Regina answers. "I don't want to overwhelm them."
"I was thinking that this their first birthday with their family, why don't they have a party?" Mary Margaret wonders.
"A party?" Regina says as she crosses her arms, growing curious as to why this woman cares so much about what she does with her children.
"They deserve to be celebrated, Regina," Mary Margaret meekly states.
Regina instantly feels great offense by Snow's comment. She's their mother! Not her!
"Do you know that I almost lost them?" Regina begins in a defensive tone.
"What?" Mary Margaret asks confused.
"When I was pregnant, I became quite ill. I was losing the baby. Do you have any idea what that feels like? To think that your child is going to die while still inside you, all because of something your body can't fight off?!" Regina's demeanor fell for a second at the painful memory, but it rose back up just as quick.
"Then your fiancé strikes a deal with Rumplestiltskin and saves them. I felt like I was being given a second chance to be happy."
A part of Regina doesn't want to tell all of this personal information to Snow, but she has to understand her point, know where she's coming from, know all the pain she's been through mostly because of her.
"And my second chance only intensified when Daniela was born, unexpectantly, after her sister. But you," Regina approached the speechless woman with a slow steady pace. "You opened your mouth and my mother took them, right in front of me! I spent years thinking they were dead, but instead my baby got bruises everyday. They never got to celebrate their birthday! So don't come into my home and tell me they deserve to be celebrated after what you put my family through! They deserve everything!" Regina whisper-shouts, not wanting to get her family's attention.
"I'm sorry, Regina. I truly am," Mary Margaret sincerely apologizes. "I want to start over. I want to get to know them and maybe, in time, we can heal our relationship," Mary Margaret pleads.
Regina isn't sure if she should trust the woman, but she thinks about her girls, she wants to change for them. She wants to be the mother they've always dreamed of.
"I'll have them at Granny's by 7 tomorrow," Regina says, escorting her guest on the very short walk to the door.
000
The next morning, Regina and Daniel are both propping their heads in their hands as they look over their daughters' heads at one another, knowing each other's thoughts. They couldn't wait for their precious girls to wake up and finally be able to celebrate their birthday.
Ever since they have all returned home, their sleeping arrangements haven't changed. Though it has been days since being united, mother, father, and twins all still sleep curled up against each other in Regina's queen size bed, and neither of them have ever been so comfortable. The only difference is that every night, the girls switch who they sleep by. This past night, Lucia slept next her mother and Daniela slept next to her father.
The proud parents were torn from their loving eye contact when Lucia begins stirring in her sleep. Their hearts leap as they watch their daughter's eyes flutter open.
"Good morning, Luci Lu," Regina murmurs as she softly brushes her fingers down the girl's cheek. Her heart warms when her daughter smiles sleepily and looks up at her.
"Happy birthday!" Both parents whisper in unison.
Lucia's pale eyes grow huge as she looks up at Regina in confusion. She turns her head to see the broad smile on her father's face and that answers her question. It really is their birthday! She hasn't celebrated it since her adoptive mother passed over, when she was five.
Realizing the perfect family moment she is experiencing, Lucia turns back to her mother and buries her face in her chest as Regina's arms tighten around her.
"Thank you!" She whispers back.
Right when Daniel didn't think his face could manage a bigger smile, he feels Daniela moving in his arms. Their voices had awakened her.
"What's going on?" Daniela asks, opening her eyes and meeting them with her father's.
"Sweetheart," Daniel murmurs as he pulls her in for a warm, protective hug and kisses the top of her head before he rests his chin there. "Happy Birthday!"
Daniela is shocked to hear those words. She knew she had a birthday, but never knew when it was.
"Today's my birthday?" Daniela asks, slightly pulling out of the hug after a moment to turn and face her sister. "Our birthday?"
"Of course it is!" Regina says, offering a loving reassuring smile, stunned that her daughter had said that.
"Happy Birthday, sis!" Lucia exclaims, planting a big kiss on her sister's cheek.
"You too!" Daniela chuckles.
"So what are we going to do today?" Lucia asks excitedly.
"Anything you want! It's your day!" Daniel declares with a chuckle.
After mentally consulting with her twin, Lucia declares excitedly, "Let's stay in our pajamas together all day!"
Regina smiles over to Daniel, touched that all their daughters want is to be with them. No requests, no special accommodations. Just to be with them.
"That's exactly what we will do!"
000
After staying in bed for nearly an hour just talking, the family decided to get up and eat something. Much effort and flour fights went into the meal, but it was finally made and enjoyed by the bunch.
Breakfast was followed by a movie, which had the family cuddled up on the couch as they were the night before. After the movie, the girls were taking turns getting their hair braided by Regina. She has so many hair styles she has collected from her past; they say there for hours captivated in each other's stories and Regina's braiding skills.
They enjoyed their day to just enjoy one another. Most families don't get to do that often, and this one has just been united!
000
Later that afternoon, Daniel and Regina finally manage to convince the girls into getting dressed and going out of the house for dinner. They decide to go to Granny's. Upon approaching the diner, Lucia and Daniela notice a large number of people occupying the restaurant.
"Mama, why are there so many people here tonight?" Lucia asks, wondering if something major happened in town that day. They have, after all, been tucked inside their own little world for the past 24 hours.
"Go in and see," Regina gently pushes her girls toward the door. She smiles over at Daniel and grabs his hand before following their daughters in.
When they hear the bell chime as the family walks in, the whole restaurant turns around and joyfully shouts, "Surprise!"
The beaming twins look around Granny's and see everyone in there; Snow, David, Emma, Henry, Granny, Ruby, Archie, Belle, Leroy and the boys, even a few people they have yet to meet. They are shocked and happy to see everyone here to celebrate their birthday.
Before either of them can even sum up the right words to say to express their gratitude, Ruby bounces out of the crowd and gathers her younger friend in her arms, squealing, "Happy Birthday!"
She then turns to Daniela who is unaware of what to do, and hugs her tightly as well.
"I'm so glad you guys made it!" She exclaims.
"Sorry we're late!" Regina chuckles.
"We'd like to make a toast," Daniel then grabs a glass and holds it out in front of him. "To our daughters. Lucia and Daniela, you are our pride and joys and we are so lucky to be your parents! We couldn't have asked for better daughters!" The girls share a loving smile with their father before he raises his glass, toasting, "Daniela and Lucia!"
The guests all do the same and repeat the proud father's cheers.
The girls stand and take in all the new found love that was being shot their way, love they didn't even know all these people had for them.
000
Throughout the night, the girls seem to be having different experiences at their party. They both went around together hugging and thanking all of their guests for coming. As the hours past, Lucia find herself talking with Ruby, Snow, Belle, and a new friend she had just met, Ashley. She tries to involve her twin in their conversations, but Daniela finds herself more comfortable sitting in a back booth alone, away from all the party commotion. She doesn't like this getting all this attention. She has never celebrated her birthday before, and she sees no point in going all out now. She decides to let the others enjoy the party and sit in the far booth, since she doesn't want to be a burden on the light mood.
Regina notices her daughter separate herself from her party and feels her heart break a little. Excusing herself from a conversation with Katherine and Archie, she goes over to her daughter and slides next to her in the booth.
"Daniela, are you alright, honey?" Regina asks, feeling concerned.
"I just never had this before," Daniela says with a helpless shrug.
"What, dear?" Regina asks, wrapping her arm around her daughter's shoulders, pulling her closer.
"A birthday," Daniela says.
"What do you mean? Did you not know when your birthday is?" Regina asks, hoping her question will not be answered as she dreads it will be.
"No, I never knew. The person who, um, she never told me."
Daniela's slip up does not go by unnoticed by her mother. This breaks Regina's heart. Her own daughter not knowing her own birthday is definitely not a good sign of a happy life. She hopes to God she wasn't abused like Lucia was.
"If you don't mind, I want to go home," Daniela says, begging her mother with her eyes.
"Okay, we can go home," Regina says, kissing Daniela's forehead before she stands up.
"Can you take just me?" Daniela asks from her seat in the booth. "I want Lucia enjoy her birthday."
"Okay, sweetheart," Regina replies softly, tucking a lock of hair behind her daughter' ear.
Daniela slips out the back door, not wanting to cause a scene as Regina goes back to the party and approaches Lucia and Snow.
"Hey," Mary Margaret smiles. "Where's Daniela?"
"I'm going to take her home, she's not feeling well," Regina says.
"Should I go, too?" Lucia asks, spotting her mother's fib.
"No, honey, you stay and have a good time with your father. Daniela needs me right now," Regina says before kissing the top of Lucia's head.
"Snow, thank you for doing this for them. It was lovely," Regina thanks.
"It's my pleasure! I hope she feels better!" Snow replies, happy to have gotten on the better side of Regina.
000
After mother and daughter have both changed out of their party clothes and cleaned themselves up, Regina pats the open spot next to her in bed, saying, "Daniela, sweetie, come here."
They both lay tucked under the covers, arms wrapped around each other and Daniela's head nestled safely under Regina's chin.
"I'm sorry you never got your birthday celebrated. You do deserve to be celebrated. You know that, right?" Regina asks.
"Yeah. Goodnight, Mama," Daniela says, snuggling further into her mother, hoping to end the conversation.
"Goodnight sweetheart," Regina murmured into her hair, feeling uneasy about her daughter's mood.
000
Later that night, before Lucia and Daniel return home, Daniela starts thrashing in her sleep. It immediately wakes Regina.
"Daniela, honey," Regina says.
"No! Please!" Daniela yells.
Regina cradles her daughter's head against her chest, hoping to end the fear, but Daniela continues trashing around, pleading, "Please don't!"
Regina then takes her hands and plays with her fingers. It almost immediately calms her down. Regina just holds her baby tight and kisses her head, murmuring words of comfort.
Daniela then jolts awake, suddenly sitting up in bed.
Regina does the same, smoothing her daughter's hair, saying, "It's okay, darling. I'm right here."
"Oh, Mama, please don't leave me!" Daniela cries.
"Sweetheart, I'm right here," Regina says, cupping her daughter's face with her hands.
"Please stay with me," Daniela begs, tearing running down her face.
"I'm not going anywhere, baby," Regina promises as she pulls her daughter back into her arms and continues to rock her.
Regina fears what kind of nightmare Daniela had to make her so scared of her leaving her.
000
A few hours later, Daniela is still up, though her mother thinks that she has fallen asleep. It was tempting to slip into slumber again, with Regina's arms around her and her melodious voice humming softly to comfort her, but she was too scared to even dare fall asleep again, so she just pretends.
Lifting her head up, Daniela sees that Lucia and Daniel have joined them on the bed. After making sure that Regina is asleep, Daniela sneaks out of her hold and tip toes out of the room. She grabs her satchel out of it's hiding spot behind the TV and teleports herself to the stables.
Making sure nobody is around, Daniela opens the satchel for the first time and looks to see what important object Cora had given her.
She reaches her hand in and pulls out a Queen of Hearts card.
"A card?" Daniela thinks to herself, frustrated, and she throws it on the ground.
Right when the card hits the ground, a cloud of purple smoke appears.
"Well! It took you long enough!" Cora exclaims.
New chapter coming soon, promise! Love you guys! Mwah! Xoxo