Hi everyone! Well, it's been 5 years! I am so sorry to everyone who was left waiting for an update on this story, i had a busy time at university and then i basically lost all faith in myself and my ability to carry on writing. The longer it went on the harder it was to start again. Hopefully this is a good start to making it up to you all...if anyone is even still following this story! Please review and let me know what you think...so sorry again

love Rouge xx

Chapter 5

The alarm on Regina's phone started going off promptly at 8am the next morning, Regina reached over to the nightstand and turned the alarm off before wriggling gently as she sat up in bed and yawned with a stretch. Emma whined gently beside her, still lay down in the bed and quickly rolled over towards Regina, nuzzled into her thigh and threw her arm across the brunettes lap

"Too earlyyy" Emma whined, "come back down under the duvet for cuddles" she mumbled sleepily.

Regina smirked down at her wife and gently stroked her soft, blonde hair knowing that she was still half asleep and hadn't yet remembered what exciting event was happening today. "Come on Emma time to get up dear, we don't want to be late picking Tia up now do we?"

A few seconds later Emma jumped awake, sitting up next to Regina wiping the sleep from her eyes "No! We definitely don't!" she grinned having now remembered, and she jumped out of bed, grabbing her clothes that Regina had made her lay out ready on the back of a chair the night before. Regina didn't want her clumsy wife to start rummaging around in her case again, she had already organised it twice last night after seeing Emma's sorry excuse for packing.

Emma looked over at Regina in bed as she started to get dressed and saw that her brunette wife was gently giggling at her. "What?" Emma asked

"I just don't think I have ever seen you jump out of bed so fast before dear" she smiled, now joining her wife in getting up, she made her way into the bathroom to have a quick shower.

Emma smiled too "I'm just excited!, this is the day we have been waiting for since we signed the papers over six months ago!" She was practically jumping up and down like a child.

"I know" Regina called from the bathroom happily, "Just a few more hours and we will all be heading home"

Once the mothers were ready and had managed to have a few bites of their breakfast, both feeling that nerves were taking over their appetites, they made the journey to the orphanage once again. They held hands as they climbed up the staircase together and were greeted by Moira at the reception.

"Good morning" she smiled, "How are we feeling?" She asked

"Nervous, but excited" Regina answered honestly, "we just want Tia to be safe and happy"

"As do we all, shall we go and have a chat in my office? Jackie is seeing to Tia and gathering the last of her things, she will let me know when she is ready"

Both women followed Moira into her office and they all took a seat.

"So" Moira started, picking up Tia's file and reading from it "Since you both have been spending time with Tia over the last week we have seen lots of positive progress, Tia has started to feel safe with you both and trusting of you, you have been welcomed in by her, she has also improved her speech, shyness and happiness around you both" she turned the page and continued, "You have been taught how to help her when she has a panic and you know her triggers, men, loud noises, those sorts of things so…..we really believe that we have found the right home for her" she smiled. "You have installed the baby blinds on the back windows of your car I expect?" She questioned. She was referring to black out blinds that you can stick to the car windows so that no light comes in so that children can sleep in a car, of course this was more of a precaution so that Tia couldn't see any men out of the car window and get into a panic as they drove. Jackie had made the suggestion to them a few days ago.

"Yes we went and got some immediately, it really was a good idea, I think they will be really helpful until we are able to make more progress with her fears" Regina replied

"Good" Moira continued "Jackie will be visiting you all every few days for the first couple of weeks, just to make sure everything is going well, and so Tia doesn't feel abandoned by her, since she has spent every day with her since she arrived her a few months ago. Is that ok?" She asked

"Yes of course, we know how safe she feels with Jackie, of course it's only right she comes to check Tia is ok" Regina replied still holding Emma's hand.

"We are very familiar with the adoption process and procedures, and we will welcome the help she can give us" Emma smiled gently, "she knows Tia more than us right now, and she has looked after her very well. We know there is still a lot of hurdles to get over, but we are ready for the challenge".

"I think you both need to give yourselves more credit for the progress you have made with Tia too" Moira smiled and the mothers turned and smiled at each other gently.

"Thank you" Regina replied for both of them as Moira's phone started to ring.

"Excuse me a moment" she apologised and answered the phone "Yes?...yes….ok we are on our way" she hung up the phone and smiled once again at the mothers "Tia's ready".

They all made their way along the corridor to Tia's room and went in quietly after knocking. Jackie was stood holding Tia at her hip with a small suitcase at her feet. Tia was holding Rosie her dolly whilst sucking her thumb and snuggled into Jackie's chest, Regina and Emma could tell that the little girl was feeling unsure about all the changes that were to come today.

"Hey mommies" Jackie smiled trying to encourage Tia to start using the word, "Tia look, you're mommies are here to take you to your new home. Isn't that exciting?". Jackie spoke quietly as she stroked Tia's cheek gently showing the timid child the picture of her new house in the picture book Emma and Regina had made for her to remind her what it looked like. "She is a little nervous I think now that the day has actually arrived, but she will be ok, we have talked about whats happening a lot, she understands" Jackie added reassuringly.

"Hey Tia" Emma greeted her quietly, "Ready to go?" She reached her hand out gently to Tia to see if the little girl would tap her to give her permission to take her from Jackie, but she didn't, she blushed shyly and buried her face into jackie's chest more.

"Is this all of her things?" Regina gestured to the small suitcase "Is there not anything else?"

"No, no this is all of the clothes and toys that we have given her here through donations, as you can imagine, she didn't bring much with her, apart from Rosie" Moira answered and Regina gave Emma a sad look.

"Well then we had better get Rosie ready in the car hadn't we Tia?" Emma asked gently, hoping that the technique of taking the focus off of Tia would help. Luckily it paid off and Tia gave a little nod against Jackie's chest. "Yeah that's right, time to go good girl Rosie, Jackie can carry you and Tia down to the car ok?" She was rewarded with another nod and a small smile from the toddler.

Regina and Emma thanked Moira for everything, Emma took the toddlers suitcase and they both followed Jackie downstairs as she carried Tia to the car. Regina opened the back door of the bug for Jackie as Emma put the suitcase with their's in the boot. The young woman gave Tia a squeeze and a gentle peck on the cheek as she put her into the carseat and strapped her in. "Ok, here is Rosie all strapped in too, and here is your picture book to look through at your beautiful new house and family" she said as Jackie gave her the book. "I'll see you in two days ok? Have fun" She smiled but Regina could see she was becoming teary and quickly squeezed Jackie's hand. The young girl nodded a thank you to Regina and squeezed her hand back before closing the car door gently as to not scare Tia.

Both women hugged Jackie goodbye and thanked her for all of her help and support before getting into the car, checked the blinds on both back windows for Tia, strapping themselves in and starting the car. "Lets go home" Emma grinned and she drove off.

The drive home went smoothly, Regina put Tia's disney cd on for her to listen to so that she felt safe and Regina watched in the mirror as the toddler hugged Rosie, flicking through her picture book every now and again quietly. After every few miles Regina would turn around in her seat and smile warmly at Tia and gently reassure her that they would be home soon, she would be able to meet her big brother and that everything was going to be ok. About an hour into the drive, Tia fell asleep.

"Well, at least we know one way of getting her to sleep if she ever refuses" Emma whispered as she smiled glancing in her mirror as she drove.

"She must be feeling calm if she has fallen asleep, surely?" Regina questioned in a hushed tone "That must mean that we are doing ok so far".

Emma took Regina's hand gently and squeezed it "We are doing fine baby, the real test for today is what happens when we get home and to see if she feels safe enough to start talking and being herself with us again"

Regina nodded and gently let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding

"We are doing fine, we can do this baby, together" Emma repeated to reassure her wife once again which earned her a kiss on the cheek from Regina.

They arrived back in Storybrooke around 3pm, Tia was now awake after her doze and Emma pulled into their drive way. Regina got out and opened the door on Tia's side, "Here we are Tia, your new home, it's the same one from your book, see? This is where we live" She spoke softly, watching as Tia looked up at the mansion with her mouth opened slightly, shocked at how big it was when it was right in front of her. "Shall we go inside?" Regina asked as she gently offered Tia her hand so that she could give her permission to unstrap her from the carseat and lift her out, but Tia just looked up at her with her big blue eyes, watching to see what Regina would do.

Emma got out and opened the boot, taking out the suitcases.

"Tia?" Regina asked gently again, when there was no reply from the little girl Regina went around to the boot too and looked at Emma with a worried look on her face.

"Don't worry baby, she is a clever girl, she is testing us like she did back at the orphanage. She wants to see if we will still wait to be touched or if now that we are away from Jackie and Moira, if we will get annoyed and hurt her like that other piece of trash did" Emma whispered "It's all about trust" she knew all of the tricks, tests and tactics that hurt kids used, heck she probably invented most of them herself. She grabbed the bags, closed the boot, winked at Regina and walked with her slowly past the side of the car where Tia was sitting. "Just let us know when you feel ready to come in Tia and we will come and get you" Emma said gently as she took a few more steps with Regina towards the house.

A few moment later there was a little whine from Tia as she wriggled slightly in her carseat, reaching out to the mothers "owt" she said.

Both women smiled brightly and Regina went over to Tia, she tapped Regina's hand twice and the brunette gently unbuckled the carseat and lifted her little girl up onto her hip. "Good girl Tia" she said giving her a cuddle and kissed her head. The toddler snuggled into her new mother's touch feeling safe and they all went inside the mansion.

Regina walked slowly through the hall with Tia as Emma put the suitcases upstairs. Tia looked around, her eyes wide and her mouth open cutely, taking in all the new sights. "I know it seems really big Tia, but you'll get used to it, some rooms we hardly ever use" she spoke gently taking this moment to kiss Tia's head gently again as she enjoyed having her new daughter close.

"Nwew…home?" Tia asked quietly. She already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear Regina tell her again to make her feel more secure.

"That's right sweetheart" Regina replied as she took her upstairs "and this, is Tia and Rosie's new room" she said as she walked into a large room that had pink walls decorated with a fairy tale princess scene, a pink bed in the corner with white drapes hanging around it, a little table and chair set where she could play, wardrobes and chest of drawers where all of her clothes would go, there was a rocking chair by the window and a few cuddly toys set out on the bed that had been picked out by Henry and Emma's parents. It really was a room fit for a little princess.

Even though Tia had seen the pictures in her book, seeing the room for the first time up close made her feel very excited, she let out a little gasp seeing the new toys and pointed to them. Regina gently put her down feeling her wriggling. "Go ahead sweetheart, they are yours" she smiled. Tia dropped down to her knees gently and crawled over to her new bed, she patted the bed and each of the cuddly toys before placing Rosie down next to her and hugging each toy close. Regina felt Emma's arms slide around her waist from behind and cuddle her close.

"How are we getting on?" She asked as she put her chin down against Regina's shoulder.

"Very well dear" she smiled "she is very excited about her new room"

"And look Tia" Emma exclaimed as she gently moved away from Regina and opened Tia's little suitcase, she took out the little stereo that she had used in the orphanage and placed it on the little table next to her bed, "this is where your music can go so that you can listen when you are a bit scared, or when you want me to be tigger again for you"she giggled.

Tia smiled at the memory and nodded her head giggling too "Fwunny"

"That was funny, you're right!" Emma giggled again "oh look, you and Rosie have some new friends! Let's see who do we have here?" The blonde mother picked up Rosie and knelt down by the bed with Tia, "we have a mr panda bear, a miss horsie and a baby ducky" she smiled using Rosie to point out each one to Tia and she made Rosie give each one a hug too. "Pleased to meet you all, welcome to the family".

Tia watched the play Emma was putting on for her, smiling happily as her toys came to life. Emma and Regina shared a look between them of pure happiness before Emma continued the game.

"Rosie, why don't you hop onto miss horsie for a ride" Emma said as she made the doll do just that before lifting both toys as she stood up and started to gallop around the room holding Rosie on top of miss horsie causing Tia to start giggling again as she watched in amazement. "Look out mommy!" Emma said a bit louder than she had been talking before hoping that Tia would be too distracted and having too much fun to notice, she turned with a playful grin and headed straight for Regina who was forced to quickly duck out of the way with a gasp. Tia's cute giggles turned into the precious sound of her cute, infectious laughter once again with a little squeal of delight. Emma smirked at Regina and enjoyed the sounds that she was responsible for.

All of a sudden, the sound of the front door opening and closing could be heard in the distance, "Mom?...Mama?" Henry called out gently, having been reminded by his grandmother that he wasn't allowed to be too loud because of Tia. "I'm home, grandma dropped me off?" he said going into the livingroom. The laughter upstairs came to a natural holt as Emma stopped the game.

"Henry!" Regina smiled brightly at her wife.