well hello. sorry this one has been neglected. super busy summer! hopefully more time to write in the fall :) don't hate me too much for what is about to happen in the chapter after this...i've taken into account all of your opinions on the direction of the story, and i think with what i want to do, you'll all be satisfied in the end. let me know what you think! xxx

Granny smiled to herself as she walked into the dining hall, seeing the young Queen sitting atop her husband's lap. David had his hand pressed to the swell of Regina's stomach and they looked at each other in awe of their child moving. She was nearing eight months along now and heavily pregnant, though her frame was still petite and slender, all except for her bump. She made a beautiful mother to be and it had only seemed to make the couple closer, which Granny was grateful for.

"Morning Granny," David smiled when he glanced up, wrapping his arm around Regina tighter. Emma was already up and outside in the courtyard training and it had been a lazy, quiet Saturday morning for the people of the castle.

"It appears you have a visitor coming, Regina," Granny winked with a smile after spotting the familiar carriage approaching the castle on her way down the staircase.

Regina looked to David curiously, "Who?" she raised an eyebrow, excitement bubbling when he only grinned in return, "David, who is it?"

"Go see for yourself," He chuckled, helping her up from his lap before standing himself. He pressed a hand to her lower back as he followed her to the main foyer, allowing the guards to open the large front doors for them.

"Father!" Regina gasped with a bright smile, not having seen him for a couple of months since he returned to her childhood home.

"Hey, hey, careful," David smirked, wrapping an arm around her waist when she nearly jolted out the door for the carriage, slowing her down, "Remember what the midwife said, you're supposed to be taking it easy."

"I'm perfectly fine," She raised a challenging eyebrow up at him defiantly and all he could do was laugh as she peeled herself out of his embrace and went to greet her father. He loved that she'd become a spitfire and found her voice, no longer hiding her emotions from him.

The carriage rolled to a stop and the driver dismounted, coming around to open the door. She practically beamed when her father came into view as he stepped down, though her head tilted curiously when he gave her a half hearted smile and turned to extend his hand. Her heart stopped when familiar brown hair and eyes shown as her mother ducked out of the carriage and descended the steps with Henry's help. David closed the space between he and his Queen quickly, placing a supportive hand on her waist.

"He never asked to bring her," He murmured down Regina's ear, watching her carefully, "I can send them away this instant if you wish."

Her throat worked but no words came out for a moment, though she reached down to thread her fingers through his that rested on her side. He squeezed her to him gently, offering whatever comfort and support he could while still letting her make the decision. "It's okay, we'll see what she wants."

David nodded once, respecting her decision as he looked up sternly at Henry and Cora. Henry looked almost apologetic and he knew the weak man would not have been able to stop Cora once she decided she was joining him. Regina's mother approached them and David could see her taking in her daughter's changed appearance, his confusion bubbling when he saw the mist in the older woman's eyes. What was her angle, now?

"Henry," David reached out, shaking his father-in-law's hand firmly before looking to Cora as she and his wife stared at one another.

"Your majesties," Cora swallowed hard when she met his gaze, flickering between the both of them as she did a small curtsy.

"Why are you here, mother?" Regina cut to the chase, demanding her mother be honest. She had played her mother's games too many times in the past and she was not going to let her manipulate her as she once had. She was a woman now, with her own child to care for and a husband who she knew would always support her. She wasn't scared of Cora anymore.

"Believe it or not, I wanted to see you," Cora smiled a weak smile that could be mistaken for submissive or genuine, but neither David nor Regina were buying it yet. "Your father told me of your condition and I wanted to see it for myself…" Her eyes filled with adoration as she looked down at Regina's swollen stomach, "You're glowing, sweetheart."

Regina's chin tilted up, hardening herself against Cora's kindness, though it was especially hard to do given the way the pregnancy kept her emotions on the surface, "And I'm meant to believe and forgive you after everything? Have you forgotten the way you manipulated myself and my family the last time you were here?"

Cora ducked her head submissively, "I am aware that I have made unforgiveable mistakes, but I recently…well, I discovered what had been missing all of those years."

David held Regina against his side securely, staring Henry and Cora down. His protective nature was practically radiating off of him and Regina felt calm and collected feeding off of his energy. Henry chose to speak up then, an earnest expression on his face, "Your mother has her heart back in her chest again, Regina."

"What?" Regina frowned, glancing between the two of them. She was never aware that her mother did not have her heart in her chest. Questions bubbled within her and she merely watched her mother in confusion.

"If you would give me the chance, I would like to explain myself, Regina," Cora looked at her seriously, "I do not expect you to forgive me…but I would like to tell you my story if you'll allow me."

Regina glanced up at David then, the uncertainty clear in her eyes, "It is up to you, darling," He said quietly, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles over her side where he held her, "I'll support what you choose."

She took a deep breath before leveling gazes with her mother. It wasn't that she had dreams of she and Cora ever having the traditional mother and daughter relationship, but she was curious as to what she meant. Her mother did seem different, like it could be more than an act that was prompting her to come here. She decided to hear her out and gave a slow nod, "I will hear you out, but the first time you threaten or try to manipulate me or my family, you will be banished. Understood?"

"Understood."

"And so because of my love for him…I removed my heart. I became so used to living without it that until I realized what I had done to you, I did not know how severe the damage I had done was," Cora looked at Regina truthfully from their seats in the drawing room. David and Henry had left them alone, David reassuring her that if she needed him at all he'd be right there. So she'd listened to her mother as she explained her history, absorbing it in, putting together the pieces of why the woman who raised her was the way she was.

"But…Rumple…really?" Regina shook her head with a hard swallow, trying to understand.

"He understood me in a way no one had," She smiled weakly, "This past year…since you sent me away, it made me begin to think of the way I'd raised you. I was always so focused on giving you the life that I never achieved. I was so blinded by my ambition that I ignored what you wanted. And when I recently put my heart back in my chest…Everything I've done to you has haunted me."

"Why now? After everything you have done to me…all of the punishments, the torture," Regina steeled her emotion and stared firmly back at her mother. "Why put your heart back in now? Why come to me now?"

"I wanted to know…or rather feel what I'd done," Cora answered, eyes welling with tears, "I wanted to experience the guilt and the pain and the shame I should have with everything I'd done to you. I deserved it. And I am so sorry."

Regina watched her mother for a moment and sensed she was being genuine. There was no longer the dark glint of ulterior motives in her eyes, no dazzling smiles to cover her true motives. Just a worn, tired looking woman whose decisions in life were catching up with her. "You sold me to a stranger," She replied bluntly, remaining emotionless. The only way she could get through this conversation with the woman who had hurt her more than anyone was to keep her feelings separate from it. She had healed with the help of David and the love she had here, therefore she no longer needed nor wanted the woman's validation. But if her mother wanted her to even consider forgiveness, then she had to be honest with her.

"I abused you," Cora swallowed hard at the knot in her throat as her voice started to waiver, "I was cruel to you, physically and emotionally. I was much too hard on you. I denied you love in order to try to make you into the Queen I wanted you to be. But you," She smiled tearfully, "My sweet girl, have too much of your father's good heart, you took this horrible situation I thrust you into and you made it better. You found love and you made a difference in this kingdom. You made a life for yourself and remained good despite everything I did to you. And now you will become a mother, a wonderful mother."

"How do you know I will?" Regina's own emotions swelled in her throat, constricting her voice, "It's not as if I had the best example."

"Indeed, I was far, far from it," Cora looked down in shame, fidgeting with her hands in her lap, "But you're gentle and good. Everything I tried to take out of you remains. You will be the mother you always wanted. The mother I should have been to you…"

"But you always said…" She bit down on her bottom lip, nostrils flaring slightly in anger at herself for letting her emotions show. "You always said I could be so much more. That being myself was just a waste of time. That I could achieve greatness. What makes me suddenly enough for you to accept now? Because I am Queen? Because I am providing an heir to the throne that you can someday manipulate and control when you do away with me?"

Cora smiled weakly, shame evident in her features at the realization that this is what her own daughter would expect of her. It gave Regina a bit of satisfaction to see her mother squirm, to lay all of her sins out there and make her see herself for what she was. "I know that that's what I have made you believe of me and my intentions with my past actions. But if you will give me the chance, my daughter, I will prove to you that you are enough. That you've always been enough and it was my own blind foolishness and darkness that consumed me and made me think otherwise. I will prove myself to you if you will allow me the chance."

Regina watched her mother for a moment, studying her expression. She'd never seen her so pleading, so vulnerable. In fact, she couldn't recall a time that Cora had asked her permission for anything. "I will allow you this one chance. Do with it what you will."

Cora's breath hitched at her daughter's response, "I won't let you down."

"It would be less surprising than the alternative," Regina stood stoically from her seat, "I will have one of the maids prepare a chamber on the east wing for you and father. If you'll excuse me."

"I can hear you thinking," David whispered quietly as he watched Regina stare into the distance of their kingdom. He sat on the chaise lounge on the veranda of their bedchamber, one leg stretched along it and the other bent with his foot on the floor. Regina laid in between his legs, leaning against his chest with her head tucked under his chin. She'd been quiet since dinner with her parents that was awkward at best, but he hadn't pressed her. He knew sometimes she just needed time to think and process before he inquired.

"I am sorry," Regina replied, lifting her head slightly to press a kiss to his chest that was bared by the first few buttons of his shirt being undone before laying her head back down against it, staring off into the starlit sky.

"You don't need to apologize to me," He frowned slightly, running a hand over her hair and through her locks gently. His other hand rested on her bump, massaging slow circles over the child she carried, "What are you thinking of, my Queen?"

"Everything," She let out a breath, reaching down to place her hand over his and move it to the side of her stomach where the baby gently moved, "Can you feel it?" She smiled faintly, keeping her eyes on the night sky.

"I can," David smiled warmly, leaning down to press his lips to her hair in a gentle kiss, "I love you so much."

"Do you think I'll be a good mother?" She asked quietly, her question taking him by surprise.

He intertwined the fingers that lay over her bump, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, "There is no doubt in my mind that you will make the best mother I know. In fact, I see you with Emma, who is much older and not even your own, but you offer her the friendship and the guidance of a mother. I can only imagine what you will be like when we get to meet this child."

"Do you believe my mother has good intentions?" She asked quietly, her thumb toying with his own much larger one, feeling the roughness of the skin contrasting to her smooth one.

"Do you?" David went back to playing with her hair with his free hand, hearing her sigh in contentment, "You know her much better than I."

"Strangely…I do," She lifted her head slowly, propping her chin on his chest to look up at him, "Do you think me foolish for giving her a chance?"

"Not at all," He replied seriously, brushing his thumb over her temple gently, "I will take care of you."

"I can take care of myself," She reassured him, troubling her bottom lip with her teeth. He could tell she was teetering between emotions, being exhausted by the day and all that it held.

"I know," He smiled, fingers scratching her scalp slowly, "But you don't have to anymore."

"Whatcha staring at?" An inquiring voice startled Cora from her place in the courtyard, overlooking the mountains ahead. The green tint to the fog had intrigued her on her stroll around the castle grounds. The past few weeks here had been productive, yet her troubling dreams of Rumple with that same green fog did not cease, making her uneasy.

She turned then, seeing the young Princess dressed head to toe in armor, mud on her knees and hair a mess as she pulled off her helmet. Her eyes widened as the teenager dropped the helmet, letting it clang on the walkway before plopping down beside her. She certainly was a strange girl. "Does your father know you fight like a boy?"

"Mhm," Emma smiled smugly, leaning back against the bench, fully aware of Cora's instinct to be critical that the older woman was desperately trying to stifle, "He encourages it. Regina even bought me a set of armor. And Ruby is teaching me. She's better than the knighthood anyways," She rolled her eyes with a snort.

"Interesting…" Cora raised an eyebrow, finding the girl's wild nature a bit endearing. Given the chance, Regina would've been just like her at that age. All tomboy and no interest in dresses or frills. "And you prefer this sort of activity to going to tea or attending balls?"

"God, yes," Emma shook her head with wide eyes, making Cora chuckle at the girl's expression, "So…How long are you and Henry here for?"

"Regina has agreed to let us stay for the arrival of the baby," Cora couldn't help but smile at the mention of her grandchild, "I will stay for a few weeks afterwards if she needs help adjusting…"

"She's gonna be a great mom," Emma nodded once, glancing at her, "You're being a lot nicer to her this time around."

Cora raised an eyebrow at the gall of the girl, "I've been attempting to make some changes, yes."

"But you looked concerned when I came over here," Emma dug a little, feeling protective over her step-mother now, "Almost like you were thinking about something or planning something."

"Just what are you trying to insinuate, child?" She frowned, her quick temper catching up with her as she gave the girl an incredulous stare.

Emma, however, wasn't phased by the woman. She knew if she was really trying to change for Regina that she would not hurt her or entirely lose her temper, for she was trying to prove that she was different. Which made it all the more easier to interrogate her true intentions, "I'm just saying…I remember what you did last time you were here," She frowned, "But Regina is mine and my Dad's family now. We won't let that happen again."

"And it won't," Cora leveled her gaze with Emma's, "I am not here to hurt her, or anyone."

"Good," Emma stood, scooping up her helmet and picking up her sword, twirling it rather cockily, "Cause if you do, you'll have me to deal with."

Cora's mouth gaped as she watched the girl saunter back across the courtyard before a laugh bubbled up in her chest. As absurd as it was, she'd just been threatened by a teenage princess dressed in armor and she respected the fact that she was protective of Regina. In fact, she could quite like this step-granddaughter of hers.

"Henry," David approached his father in law, a slightly frown playing at his lips as he gave the older man a curt nod when he found him in the library, "I hope I'm not interrupting."

He'd been waiting for a moment to get Regina's father alone and discuss their arrival, not wanting to do so until she wasn't around. Her mother's arrival had unnerved her no matter the brave face she tried to keep. He wanted to support her, truly, but a part of him was very wary of just who he'd allowed into their home and given Regina's condition, his protective nature was in full force.

"Of course not," Henry smiled and looked up from the giant history book he studied. The man had been enthralled with the kingdom's library since the first time he visited and Regina had shown him. She was much like her father in that way, always curious and daydreaming or reading something.

"Regina went to rest, she told me to tell you she'd be downstairs after her nap," David chuckled and sat down at the library table across from Henry. He'd already made Ruby and a few of his trusted guards aware to keep an eye on Cora. The last that had been reported to him was her wandering the palace grounds and the eerie fog that laid in the horizon did not mix well for his suspicions.

"How did you manage that? She's always hated naps," The silver haired man chuckled fondly, "Since she was a little girl."

"Well, I convinced her that we'd do nothing exciting without her here and reminded her she needed to keep her strength for the baby," David smirked, leaving out the back massage that had his wife melting and purring by the end.

"You do have a way with her that no one else seems to," His wife's father smiled briefly at David when he glanced up from his books, "She's a head strong girl...even when Cora tried to take that out of her."

"Speaking of Cora," David let out a breath, drumming his fingers on the edge of the table as he looked down at it, "I wanted to talk with you about her."

"I do apologize for bringing her without warning," Henry frowned and looked down, "But she has indeed had a change of heart, as hard as it is to believe. I knew neither of you would give her a chance if I told you ahead of time..."

"And you think she deserves a chance after what she's done to your daughter?" David scoffed, anger shooting through him briefly before he tried to tamper it down. He'd seen first hand how Cora had manipulated Regina and he knew she'd abused her in the past. His protective nature made him want to ring the older woman's neck, but his young wife seemed a bit more receptive. And he told her he'd respect her decision, after all.

"Cora, no. But Regina has lived her whole life wanting her mother's approval and never receiving it. Cora is trying to change, and with her heart back in, I think she can help Regina heal," Henry said seriously, his expression flickering with guilt. Good, the old man deserved to feel shame for what he'd allowed his daughter to go through.

"I don't know if I believe Cora," David frowned and let out a breath, "And I definitely don't trust her. She'll have a close eye kept on her by everyone here. We won't let Regina be hurt again," He looked at Henry firmly.

"Thank you," Henry locked eyes with him, "You take care of my little girl in a way I never could. But Cora respects you, because she respects power. And I appreciate how closely you care for Regina."

"She deserves it and more," David glanced down at his wedding band as he clasped his hands on the table, "So please know that I intend to keep her safe. No matter what."