Hey readers! Well here is another chapter, sorry it has taken a few weeks but I have started training for a new job and it has taken all of my time! I hope you all enjoy it, I have the next few chapters planned out so stay tuned and please review.

Love Rouge xxx

Chapter 11

It had began like any other day for Tia in her new home. She had woken up in bed with her mommy's and had cuddles until they were all hungry, then they went downstairs for breakfast. She had toast with strawberry jam cut up into four small triangles and she had milk to drink. Henry then gave her a high five before leaving for school and she decided that she wanted to play with her blocks while watching cartoons. But a few hours later, Tia found out that today, was not going to be like any other day...

...

Regina could tell as soon as Emma walked back into the living room after answering her phone, that something was wrong. She kissed Tia gently on the head "stay here princess, Mommy is just going to talk with Mama for a minute" she explained as she stood up, took Emma's hand and gently lead her back out into the hall "what is it dear?" she asked with a gentle frown as she saw how worried Emma looked

"That was my dad, he said he needs me to go in for a few hours" she whispered sadly

"But...but you can't, what about Tia?" Regina replied in a whisper as she gripped Emma's hand harder than she meant to

"I know baby, I'm meant to be off for another week yet, and I know we were going to take that time to explain to Tia about work and the changes, but he said it was an emergency. I have to go. Ruby has called in sick so he is alone and he said he was trying to manage by himself, but there has been a robbery. Four suspects need arresting and processing. He also just got a call about potential suspicious activity in the forest. I'm the sheriff I have to go and help" she sighed sadly as she looked over at Tia who was happily playing.

They had asked Ruby to cover the desk at the station, to help with the filing and answering the phone while Emma took time off to help Tia settle in. But now it was just David and they seemed to be having an unusually busy afternoon for Storybrooke.

Regina sighed gently and cupped her wife's cheek, stroking against her warm skin with her thumb "It can't be helped dear, you're right, you have to help your father and the town...we'll be ok" she said trying to reassure Emma, knowing that she would worry while she was away from Tia "just...try to hurry back ok?" She asked with a pleading look in her eyes, more for Tia's sake than her own.

"Of course, I am hoping it will just take a couple of hours and I can come straight home, but I have to go now" she explained feeling guilty for having to go knowing that it was going to be a big change for Tia. The three of them had been together in the house for over three weeks now, they hadn't left the house for anything, only Henry had come and gone.

"This isn't as we had planned, but this is something that we had to do eventually" Regina said "we'll be ok" she repeated "go on, the quicker you leave the quicker you can come back"

Emma kissed her beautiful wife lovingly, this woman was her everything and she had to take a moment to cherish how lucky she was to have her, before quickly grabbing her coat and putting on her boots. Everything about this felt wrong, but she knew that Regina was right, it was a bridge they had to cross eventually and it was never going to feel like the right time. When she was ready she joined Regina and Tia back in the living room.

"Hey kid, Mama has to go out for a little while ok? I have to go to work but Mommy is going to be here with you and I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise" she gently explained as she stroked Tia's hair "so can Mama have a hug?" She asked the little girl.

Tia smiled and leant into her Mama for a cuddle, not really understanding what she was trying to tell her. She had to go out? Maybe she meant go outside in the garden? Tia liked the garden, maybe she could go too she thought. She toddled out of the room after Emma when she rose from her level. But Tia frowned gently as she saw her Mama go to the other door, the one that Henry went out of each morning.

Regina followed Tia out "we going to wave goodbye to Mama?" She asked

Emma opened the front door and looked back, smiled kindly and waved at her daughter "Won't be long, love you both" she said before disappearing through the door, closing it shut behind her.

Tia ran to the door and patted it gently with a frown "Mama?" She called quietly

"Mama has gone to work, she won't be long" Regina repeated trying to keep her voice light "lets play some more games and then when she comes back maybe we can watch a film"

Tia's lip started to quiver and she frowned confused as she patted the door over and over, when Emma didn't come back after a few minutes she really started to panic and soon she was in tears. "Mama!" She cried as she patted the door harder. Before long she was stomping her little feet and sobbing "Mama back!" She cried "Mama back!"

"Tia, it's ok" Regina said gently as she sat on the floor by Tia knowing that she couldn't reach out and hold her, even though she was desperate to, seeing her baby girl getting more and more upset "Mommy's here, shhhh, it's ok" she continued. Even though Tia had been tapping them less and less she knew that while Tia was upset, touching her without permission could be very damaging still.

Tia's crying got louder and louder, she sank down until she was lay on the floor on her back and started kicking her little legs, tantrum style calling out for Emma, her cheeks getting flustered. Regina knew that this was not a real tantrum or bad behaviour, this was emotion, panic and frustration at not understanding what was happening and wanting Emma to come back. She was feeling abandoned and she was scared, Regina knew that she had to allow Tia to express and explore these feelings for herself. She knew that this was something that Tia had to go through in order to understand that the mothers were not going to abandon her and never come back, but it was very hard for Regina to watch when she couldn't make it better. The brunette mother was just about to start singing her lullaby to see if that would help, as Tia's loud cries evolved into screams. Regina was suddenly forced to take a sharp intake of breath. Her hands flew to her temples and her eyes squeezed shut as an all too familiar pain took over her. The flashbacks came fast, full of reminders of the people she had lost, the pain she had felt, people who had hurt her and people she had hurt.

Ever since she had been abducted and tortured by Greg and Tamara, whenever Regina experienced feelings of stress, distress and pain this caused the painful flashbacks to start. They had found that sometimes high pitched or very loud noises also seemed to trigger them. Doctors had not been able to help her, it was an affect of the electric shocks that she would now have to live with and try to manage. Regina gritted her teeth as she reached out with one hand to take a tight hold of her necklace as she tried to breath deeply through the sharp, agonising pain ripping through her mind.

"Oww...owww…ahh...No" Regina winced as her mother's cruel, hateful face appeared in her mind, she was back on one of the nights that she had been caught trying to run away when she was younger, she was being punished with magic. Her mother had conjured up thick vines from under the earth and they lifted her high onto the air, wrapping around her tightly, squeezing her in a vice grip. Her eyes squeezed shut tighter as she felt her chest become restricted as she struggled to breathe through the flashback, the palm of her hand pushing harder against her temple as her back pushed into the wall behind her. The brunette shook her head and winced again as another wave of pain hit her and a new flashback replaced the old, followed by another, and another. When she saw Daniel's face as he was killed, a pained gasp tore from her throat. Emma could always make them stop by holding her close. Regina found it more difficult to tackle them alone, but she knew that Tia needed her right now, she needed to find the strength to push the pain away to be there for her baby girl. She mentally tried to bring it under control and suppress it, pushing it down inside of her. Her fists clenched as another wave of pain hit her.

She felt a small, warm hand tap against her cheek lightly and her eyes flew open, they were full of tears. Tia had stopped screaming, but was still clearly upset, her face was red and flushed, her eyes were sad with tears still falling and she was struggling to catch her breath as she snuggled into her mommy's chest listening to her heart beat and doing her best to cuddle her. Just like that Regina's flashbacks and the pain were successfully suppressed, hidden away for now, her need to hold and comfort Tia as she felt her child against her body needing reassurance was much much stronger. She lowered the hand at her temple and released her other hand from clutching at the necklace that her daddy had given to her.

"No...go...Mommy...pwease...no...go" she sniffled, gasping for breath in between each word as she clutched Regina tightly needing to feel comfort. Regina cuddled her close instantly.

"Mommy's not going anywhere baby girl, Mommy is staying right here with you" she explained again as she kept her voice light and gentle as she stroked through Tia's hair "shhhhh, it's ok, Mama will be back soon, i promise" she whispered.

"Magic kwiss?" The little girl asked cutely, looking up at the brunette with a pout as she sniffled. Regina gently stroked and then kissed her daughters cheek before rubbing her back lightly hoping that it would make it all better for her.

They stayed there together on the floor, cuddling until Tia had calmed down a bit more. Regina knew they must have been there ages but just how long she couldn't say. She sang her lullaby and dried her daughters tears over and over as they fell, she kissed her cheeks, giving her all the time and love that she had. She knew that Tia was missing her Mama. When Tia eventually stopped crying and let her pick her up and move away from the door, Regina took her little princess upstairs to hers and Emma's wardrobe. "Ahh here it is, look Tia, i'm sure Mama wouldn't mind you borrowing this until she comes home" Regina said as she offered Emma's favourite, grey beanie hat to Tia who was still clutching at her tightly.

Tia gently accepted the offering and stroked at the soft material before she gently rubbed the beanie against her cheek "Mama" she whispered gently as she yawned, exhausted after being upset for so long.

Regina read the signs and decided to take Tia to her bedroom for an early nap as she had completely tired herself out. She lay with her on her pink, princess bed, knowing that the little girl was feeling worried about Regina leaving too. Within a few minutes Tia was fast asleep, snuggled up with Regina and holding Emma's hat close.

...

Tia slept straight through dinner time and through her usual nap time. Eventually Regina felt the little girl start to wriggle gently in her arms and wake up.

"Good afternoon sleeping beauty" Regina whispered with a smile

Tia gave a small, shy smile and picked up Emma's beanie that was lying beside her. Suddenly remembering the events of earlier in the day, Tia's eyes widened "Mama?" She asked looking around

"Not yet sweetheart, but soon, she will be back soon" she promised with a kiss to the child's head.

Tia gave a small whine and rubbed the beanie against her cheek again.

"It's ok, you have her beanie until she comes back remember? That's her favourite, she would always come back for it" Regina whispered with a smile "You know what else she would always come back for?" The brunette whispered

Tia shook her head gently as she kept the beanie against her cheek giving her mommy her full attention.

"Us" Regina smiled kindly, "Me, you and Henry. She would always come back for us"

The little girl smiled gently, hoping that her Mommy was telling her the truth, but the moment was interrupted by a loud rumbling noise coming from her tummy

"Oh!" Regina smiled "i'm not surprised you're hungry sweetheart, shall we go and get some food?"

...

"Mom, I'm home" Henry called

"You're early dear" Regina noted, spying the clock to see that Henry wasn't usually home for another hour.

"Yeah" he said coming into the living room seeing Regina and Tia cuddled up on the couch with cartoons on "gran...I mean Mary Margaret took us to the beach down by the docks to research crustaceans for our sea life project this term. When we had finished she said it would be ok to make our way home instead of going back to school" he smiled

"You haven't brought any crustaceans home with you have you?" Regina asked with a knowing sigh as she raised her eyebrow

"No Mom" Henry said with an eye roll

"I'm just checking...after the homeless squirrel and the injured worms you brought home i have to check!" She smirked followed by a small shiver as she remembered having to fish the worms out of his pockets and chase the vicious squirrel out of the house with a broom.

Henry giggled at the memory too "Where's Mama?" He asked suddenly realising that she wasn't anywhere to be seen

"She got called into work a few hours ago" Regina explained gently "but she has text to say she is on her way"

The afternoon had been quiet, Tia was very clingy with Regina and would start to get upset again if she moved for any reason. She just wanted to be held by her Mommy so that she felt safe. Henry could see that Tia was not feeling like her usual self and guessed that it was because Emma wasn't here, he suddenly had an idea. "Oh, i brought you a present Tia!" He exclaimed as he fished into his pocket and walked over to her as she sat cuddled up under a blanket with Regina. Henry opened his hand and showed her a smooth, pale pink and white pebble in the palm of his hand.

Her little face lit up and she gently took the pebble "pwetty!" She smiled "for me?" she whispered.

"Yeah. Its a magic pebble, you keep it with you and it will give you courage when you're feeling scared, you know, like the lion in the wizard of oz" he smiled. They had all sat down and watched the film for one of their family nights, although they skipped the parts with the wicked witch of the west, to make sure that Tia wouldn't get scared. She had loved the lion and toto though. "I got it off a mermaid for you at the beach" he smiled

Regina smiled listening to Henry make up his own fairy tales for Tia, he really did love to make up stories, and he actually was very good at it.

"Awiel?!" Tia gasped cutely remembering the name of the little mermaid from when they had watched that film too.

"Yeah, flounder wasn't there today though, he was off playing with some sea horses" he said matter of factly. Tia nodded agreeing that that was a perfectly acceptable reason why the little fish wouldn't be available for a visit to the shore. Tia looked at her special magical pebble, she clutched it in her hands and closed her eyes tight.

"I'm home!" Emma called as she opened the front door.

Tia's eyes popped open again as she let out a gasp "Work'd!" She exclaimed as she shuffled off of Regina's knee holding the beanie in one hand and her magic pebble in the other and ran out to the hall. "Mama! Mama!" She cried with her arms open.

Emma scooped her up and twirled her around "Hey munchkin!" Emma giggled bringing her in for a cuddle "I missed you!...is that my beanie?" She smirked confused

"Yah!" Tia giggled and reached up to try to put it on Emma's head for her

Emma giggled again as her hat fell back off of her head as Tia couldn't reach to properly put it on for her "I don't need it now silly, I'm inside" she rubbed noses with Tia. She picked up the hat and carried the little girl into the living room with her. "Hey" she smiled at her family as she tussled Henry's hair before making her way over to the couch and kissed her beautiful wife's lips lovingly.

Regina couldn't stop a very gentle hum from escaping her lips as she felt Emma's lips meet hers "how was work dear?" She asked as their lips parted and Emma took a seat next to Regina and put Tia onto her knee. The little girl snuggling into Emma happily, glad to have her back.

"Exhausting, hours searching the woods for nothing, no sign of anything out of the ordinary" Emma sighed as she arched her back, stretching before cuddling Tia close again "and then got back to the station in time to help him with the last booking, mouthy guy, tried to make a run for it but we got him" she explained puffing out her chest proudly.

"Our hero sheriff swan, worth all the money i pay you after all" she smirked

"Too right" Emma grinned "so, how was things?" She asked as Henry took himself upstairs to get changed and to make a start on his project.

"It was...ok, difficult day for us. Tia was very upset after you went to work" she started to explain

"Aww no, you were kid?" She cooed gently looking down at her daughter

Tia nodded against her mama's chest "go way" she mumbled "sad"

"No not away, i went to work" Emma gently explained. The blonde sighed gently feeling guilty that she had been the reason her baby girl had been upset. She knew that it was time to try to explain "See, lots of people have to go to work. Lots of people do lots of different things but I catch bad guys...and girls. I lock bad people away so that they cant do more bad things" the blonde said as she gently stroked Tia's back trying to explain "i help people, and today i needed to work so that the town was safe for you, henry, mommy and the other people who live here".

"Hwelp pweople..." Tia repeated

"That's right baby girl...everyone needs help sometimes and thats what i do, i help them. And if i didn't go to help them, then bad things could happen to them, do you understand?" She asked gently

When she felt Tia nod against her chest gently a few minutes later after processing the information she continued. "But i came back didn't i? Just like i said i would. And you were so brave today, mommy and i are so proud of you kid" she smiled cuddling her daughter again "and it's ok that you were upset, I'm sure mommy was upset too" she spoke gently "it's ok to be upset remember?" She reassured her

"Mommy sad" Tia nodded gently.

Emma looked at her wife and gave her a worried look hearing Tia confess on her behalf. However, she could tell from Regina's gentle squeeze of her hand and that she was struggling to look her in the eyes, that she wasn't up for talking about it right now. She knew Regina better than anyone, and she also knew not to push her. "I gave her your hat to hold onto until you came back, because its soft and smells like you" Regina explained changing the subject back to Tia "It helped, and she was such a brave girl" she added.

"Well tell you what, when i am at work, you can hold onto my hat when you miss me and i'll take it back again when i come home, ok?" She smiled

"Kay" Tia nodded feeling more relaxed now that her Mama was home again and had kept her promise to come back. She understood a little more now that work meant to go and stop bad people. She knew who bad people were.

"And, you can be my big brave princess and look after Mommy for me too, you think you could do that for me?" She asked

Tia nodded again sitting up on the blonde's lap "me do, me do" she said patting her chest enthusiastically and scrambled from Emma's lap to Regina's and holding her hands to show protection.

"You could?! Oh thank you kid! That would be so helpful" Emma replied smiling with just as much enthusiasm as the two year old. "I wont be at work all the time but when i am, mommy will always be here with you ok? And when mommy works, i'll be here. You will never be alone...and we will always come back to you princess."

"Pwomise?" Tia asked looking back and forth between her two mommies

Regina and Emma smiled gently at each other before replying in unison "Promise!"