Emma never really believed she would be a good Mother. Sure she had been capable of caring for Henry from the age of 10 but not in the way that Regina had. Emma had to work to be a good mother, following Regina's lead and sticking to her rules…that is once she got over herself and stopped doing everything the opposite way the mayor liked just to piss her off. For example Regina said no soft drinks. So Emma let Henry drink as much as he liked. She soon learned her lesson when she has been up all night with him while he complained of stomach ache and was wide awake at 1am.

Prior to Regina giving her fake memories she was sure being a mother again wasn't an option for her, yet here she was in the middle of the night sat on the sofa feeding her baby girl and nothing had ever felt more right.

Breastfeeding hadn't really been intentional but Regina had just assumed, her mother had just assumed and even the doctor just assumed she would and so in the end she decided to give it a go and so far everything was going great. She was reminded by her mother how lucky she was that Elizabeth latched so well and that her nipples hadn't bled. The tone in which Snow would remind her was full of bitterness and jealousy, but said with a smile worthy of Snow White.

"What adventure shall we have tomorrow Beth?" She asked the nursing child. The baby momentarily unlatched at the sound of her mother's voice before continuing to feed.

"You want to go see Uncle Neal?" Emma said playfully to the baby who ignored her wholeheartedly as she continued to suckle.

Emma sat with the baby for almost an hour. The baby drifting in and out of sleep and feeding on and off, but Emma didn't mind. She was wide awake and just happy to have some quiet time with her daughter. Once she was sure Elizabeth was asleep she carried the sleeping child to her room.

"I love you so very much baby girl. Whatever happens I will always protect you. I will always support you. I will always love you." Emma beamed as she placed the sleeping baby into her crib.

Emma and Regina sat snuggled on the sofa while Henry sat on the floor beside his sister's play mat, entertaining her with brightly coloured noisy toys.

Regina looked at Emma with a huge smile before looking down at her children together on the floor. Her heart swelled with pride as she watched the three people she loved the most with a heavy, happy heart.

Emma sensed Regina had been deep in thought and lent down to kiss her, capturing her lips in a soft lingering peck. "I love you." She whispered against the brunettes lips.

"And I love you." Regina responded with an enormous grin.

"And I think you're both discussing." Henry interrupted their moment with mock annoyance.

A squeal from the play mat made them all laugh in union.

"She agrees with me." He alleged with a proud smirk.

When the doorbell rang Henry picked his sister up from the floor and passed her to Emma before he went to answer the door.

He returned to his mothers a few moments later with a sad looking Belle in tow.

"Belle, is everything ok?" Regina's voice was softer than usual, she could see that something was clearly bothering the young woman who stood awkwardly in the door way.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." The soft voice said barely above a whisper.

Regina stood from the sofa and moved over to Belle taking her hand and leading her to the sofa opposite Emma and their daughter.

"Sit down dear." Regina instructed.

The librarian did as instructed before looking up to address Regina. "I'm sorry to bother you this late in the evening but I need your help."

"What's wrong?" Emma asked from across the room while cuddling her daughter in her arms.

"I'm really worried about Rumple. I haven't heard from him in three weeks. I know he can be moody and it's not unknown for him to up and leave but not for this long, not without telling me."

"Do you think something happened to him?" Regina questioned.

"I don't know, but I know something isn't right. I can just feel it."

"I tried calling him and I tried a locator spell, but neither produced anything." Regina admitted.

"Is there anything else you can try?" Belle questioned; desperation clear in her quivering voice.

"I don't know what else to do, I'm sorry. Did he say anything before he left?" the mayor enquired.

"He said nothing to me. Emma said he came to see you the night before. Did he say anything to you?"

"He didn't say anything about going away. He alluded to having information about Elizabeth and then just disappeared."

Belle was clearly distressed and Regina placed a hand on her shoulder to offer comfort. The younger woman smiled through her tears.

Feeling like a spare part Emma moved across the room to sit next to Belle the baby still in her arms.

Belle willed her tears to stop and forced a smile. "I'm sorry you must think I'm crazy crying because Rumbles likely just sulking somewhere."

"It's perfectly fine." Regina assured. Although she would never understand how Belle continued to stand by the man who betrayed her time and time again. She understood how it felt to worry about someone you love so would do whatever she could to help the librarian.

"She's getting big." Belle said with a genuine smile taking Elizabeth's small hand in her own.

"She really is. Would you like to hold her?" Emma asked the sad woman looking up to Regina for confirmation she was doing the right thing.

Regina smiled at Emma silently confirming that everything was good.

Belle accepted the child into her arms and looked at the babies big eyes that looked back at her with interest.

"Hello Elizabeth. It's nice to formally meet you." She managed to say before she started crying again. "I'm so sorry I just wish Rumple was here."

The poof of lilac smoke that appeared, vanished quickly revealing a pissed off looking Rumpelstiltskin. Everyone's eyes were big in surprise at the sudden appearance of the man.

"Is she like a genie or something?" Henry spoke breaking the silence.

"Regina?" Emma looked to the brunette for answers but the woman stood there with an open mouth unable to formulate an answer.

"Rumple" Belle said with a big smile, handing the baby to Emma before moving to the man stood in the middle of the room. She flung her arms around him. "Where have you been?"

"I've been on a trip beyond the town line." The man almost hissed in annoyance.

"Why would you do that?" Bell asked in confusion.

"It wasn't by choice." He said looking at the baby Emma was now holding protectively against her chest.

Regina knew the moment that he appeared just who was responsible for his disappearance, she just didn't know how. She suspected the why being a mixture of Elizabeth feeling threatened by him and her own behaviour and annoyance during his last visit.

"I think it's time for answers don't you?" He looked between the two mothers for a response.

They looked at one another and Regina moved to take Emma and her daughter into her arms. Henry joined them and Regina spoke.

"Tell us everything you know."

Sorry that this is shorter than usual, work is crazy at the minute. There are two more chapters left. I will try to update at the weekend but it may be midweek as I plan on doing some gif sets for swan queen week at the weekend.

Thank you as always for your likes and comments.

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