This collection of one shots is forever set in an alternate universe, but if you haven't watched the finale yet, I wouldn't read it.
This was a prompt submitted to me by an anonyms user on Tumblr, after last night's episode, they wanted to see SQ interact with a grandchild. I think I took this in a slightly different way than you expected, but given what Henry and his siblings have been through, I just think it'd make sense for him to make this choice. I've been getting requests for forever to write about them more adult, so I've decided to finally break and do with Henry only. He and August are in their late 20s here.
Regina and Emma probably shouldn't have been so caught off guard when Henry and August sat them down, explaining their intentions to adopt an older child. They knew the boys were looking to start a family and just as Regina and Emma, they had limited options. They had considered adopting an infant, but the waitlists were years long. Yet, there were older children, waiting for forever homes.
Henry knew he was lucky that Emma had brought him home that night, there was a possibility he could've grown up in the system. He also thought of Roland, who only joined the family because his biological parents died. If not for Emma and Regina, he may have ended up in foster care as well. Babies were almost always guaranteed a family, but for these older kids, the chances weren't as great. He and August had discussed it, they knew it wouldn't be easy, but they wanted to do it.
Emma and Regina couldn't be more proud, but also a little touched that they had had such an impact on him. Sometimes, they forgot how grateful Henry was. To them, he didn't need to be. From the moment they each held him, they knew he was meant to be theirs. They would make the same choice time and time again. He was their little squish-that would never change.
Henry and August had gone to a children's home and fallen in love with a little girl by the name of Lucy. She was 8-years-old and bubbly, sweet. The minute they entered the home, she had tried to show them around to all the other kids. The poor thing had been in the home for so long, she had given up, but wanted the other kids to have a chance. Her personality reminded Henry a lot of Penelope and that's just how he knew. The little girl with dark hair and matching eyes stole their hearts. Paperwork had to be filled out, but in a matter of weeks, they were bringing Lucy home and Henry was texting his mama to let her know the good news.
"Regina!" Emma yelled through the house as she walked in the door. "Regina! Come here quick! Penelope, you too!"
Her wife and teenage daughter ran into the room, looking completely confused. Emma was beaming and holding up her phone.
"You called us out here," Regina said, a hand over her heart. "To show us some meme?"
"I told you Mama, they're not that funny," Penelope complained.
Emma rolled her eyes. "No, look! Henry and August finished the paperwork, they got to bring Lucy home today!"
Regina and Penelope instantly gathered around the phone, peering at the screen. The little girl was standing next to August with a shy smile.
"Look at her hair," Regina whispered softly. "It's so long."
"She's so cute!" Penelope squealed. "I can't believe I'm finally an aunt!"
"I can't believe we're grandmas," Emma said, nudging Regina's ribs, but both had tears of joy in their eyes. Their little squish had a squish of his own now, it would seem.
"I can't wait to meet her," Regina said, wrapping an arm around Emma's waist.
"They want to get her settled, but they're going to bring her by next week. I already called Roland, we'll make a day of it."
Lucy sat on her bed, swinging her legs a bit. Her room was still a lot to take in, she couldn't believe how prepared they had been for her. The walls were periwinkle and the bedding matched. August had gotten her so many toys and Henry had filled the shelves with books. She had never had anyone to care about her so much. Ever since her birth parents died, she had been stuck in the children's home. Now today, she was due to meet Henry's parents and siblings. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. Her new fathers seemed to really like her, but what if her dad's family didn't? Would they send her back?
There was a sudden knock at her door. "Come in!" She called. It opened and Henry walked in, smiling. It was still so hard to believe that he had a little girl. He already loved her so much.
"Hey kiddo," he said. "Are you ready to go?"
Lucy bit her lip. "What if they don't like me?
Henry walked closer to him and lowered himself onto the bed. "Why would you think that?"
Lucy shrugged. "I dunno."
"My moms are going to love you, they were beyond excited when I told them that we were taking you into our home," he said. "Roland and Penelope are going to love you too."
"I've never had so much family before," she mumbled.
Henry lifted her chin and kissed her forehead. "Well get used to it. I promise, Papa and I will be there the whole time."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
August appeared in the doorway, also smiling. "Ready to go?"
Henry glanced back at his daughter. "What do you think, Luce?" She hesitantly nodded.
"Uh huh."
It didn't take them long to get to the mansion on Mifflin Street. Henry silently thanked Emma for not letting Regina hang a banner or anything. He knew they were just excited, but didn't want to overwhelm Lucy. They got out of the car and he used his key to get in.
"Anyone home?"
All at once, as if they had been waiting their whole lives for it, his mothers and siblings emerged from the kitchen. Emma and Regina each took turns hugging August and Henry, out of habit before turning to their granddaughter. Regina's hand flew over her mouth and tears pooled her eyes. A big smile went across Emma's face. Lucy looked from them to Roland and Penelope, who also had massive grins on their faces.
"Lucy, these are my moms," Henry said. "Emma and Regina. Mom, Mama, this is me and August's new daughter, Lucy."
"It is so nice to meet you," Emma said.
"You're just so precious," Regina whispered.
Lucy smiled a bit, shifting in her spot. "Um, thank you." She paused for a minute. "What am I supposed to call you two?"
The two women burst into laughter, along with everyone else. Emma knelt down to Lucy's eye level. "You can call us whatever you'd like, kid," she said. "If you want to call us Grandma and Nana, we'd love that. Emma and Regina is good too, though."
"Okay," Lucy nodded, her smile growing. Henry put a hand on her shoulder and lead her over to his siblings.
"This is my younger brother, Roland and my baby sister, Penelope," he said.
"Hi!" Penelope said excitedly. "I am so happy you're a girl!"
Roland rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Please ignore Penny, most of us do."
Lucy giggled. "You're really pretty," she told her new aunt. "I like your hair." She pointed to the blonde hair that was put in French braids.
"Oh, thanks. I can do it for you…if you want…and if August and Henry will let me."
August and Henry nodded. "If Lucy wants to, sure."
Lucy considered it for a moment and then nodded. "Okay."
After Penelope braided Lucy's hair to look just like hers, she let Emma give her a tour of the house. She gave her lots of Jolly Ranchers, which just so happened to be her favorite type of candy. Emma grinned, glad to have something in common with her. August had gone out back with Penelope and Roland, so Henry settled down at the table with Regina.
"How's it going?" She asked.
"It's…weird. Not in a bad way, though. I just, I wasn't sure what to expect. She's taken to us so quickly."
Regina smiled. "I remember the first time Emma put you in my arms. You had my heart and there was no going back." Henry smiled in return and squeezed her hand.
"August is so great with her, he plays out back with her almost every day and I read to her at night. I guess I'm just…what if I screw up?"
"Oh, you will."
Henry made a face. "Well thanks, Mom."
Regina laughed and patted his cheek. "Oh, I'm sorry, but it's the truth. No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. In the end, you'll make up for them."
"What if I have to punish her and she gets mad at me?"
"Are you still mad about all the times I grounded you?"
"No, you were just being a mom."
"Lucy will get over it too. Just don't stress about it," she said. "And if you have to, lean on August. I don't know how I would've gotten through your first year without your mama. She was my lifeline."
Henry nodded. "Thanks, Mom."
"Anytime, Squish."
He made a face. "Squish, really? I'm a father now, myself."
"But you'll always be my squish," she told him, kissing his forehead.
When Lucy was done with the house tour, Regina taught her how to make her famous apple turnovers. It was something that none of her kids seemed to want to do anymore and Emma couldn't bake to save her life, so it was nice to have someone to pass it down to. Lucy giggled the entire time, nearly dropping the apples a couple of times and her folding wasn't that great, but Regina praised her nonetheless.
The family spent the afternoon together, eating dinner and then the turnovers. Lucy was having the time of her life, especially when Roland let her touch his guitar and promised if she wanted, she could learn how to play it. As the night was winding down, Lucy was getting tired and curled up in Regina's side as her nana read her a story. Emma watched from the doorway, a smile on her face. She didn't realize her son-in-law was beside her until he spoke.
"Thank you for being so good with her."
Emma looked up at him (how unfair was it that all her sons were taller than her now?). "She's a part of this family, once you're in, you're good for life."
August chuckled and looked at his daughter for another minute, before meeting Emma's eye. "Henry's been so great. I know he was nervous, I was too."
"You two are going to do great, you already are. I saw the pictures Henry took, she's already in love with you guys."
"We love her right back," August was quiet for a minute. "Thank you, by the way."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
"Raising Henry the way you did, if it weren't for you and Regina, he wouldn't be the man he is, the father he is. Everything he is, it's because you two adopted him. You taught him how to be an amazing guy."
Emma blinked the tears that were forming in her eyes over the unexpected compliment. She batted away the few that fell anyway.
"Damn it August, what have I told you about giving me sappy speeches that are going to make me cry?" She accused.
August laughed. "Sorry, Mama."
"Come here." She wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed his cheek. When Henry married him, she had gained another son and now she had a beautiful granddaughter.
As always, prompts are accepted! Feel free to follow me on Tumblr. I have a main account (just-an-outlaw) where I post random fandoms and then a fanfiction account (justanoutlawfanfiction) where I accept prompts and answer questions about my series.
