Hey guys! So here I have jumped four years. Regina is now eight years old and coping with something new in the family. I probably won't keep to her being eight years old for long, a couple of chapters probably and then I will probably skip onto her being about thirteen years old.
I have also had a little idea for a little later on in the story when Regina is about sixteen or so but I wanted to ask you guys, as my readers your opinions on a little something. Do you think Regina should gain her memories back of her life before or do you think she should stay blissfully unaware of them?
Just a little question for you to ponder and please let me know what you think whether it be in a review or in a pm just so I can perhaps gauge what most of you feel so I can decide which of the two ideas to go with :)
Anyway enjoy!
Four years later…
Not much had happened in the last four years, there had been drama but nothing major. Things had been pretty quiet. They all went about their usual things, working, going to school and spending time with one another. Regina was not eight years old and was now at school and in the same class as Robin and Rose. Rose and she were the best of friends completely inseparable half the time.
Over the time of Regina growing up a little the Charmings had decided to try for another baby. This was when Regina was seven and around a year later Mary-Margaret found herself pregnant and they were very excited to be having another baby. Regina had also seemed quite excited about it when they had told her. She was excited to try and help and do what she could for her little brother or sister.
So now the time had come, the baby had arrived and she was now sat in the car with Emma and Henry on the way to the hospital to meet her baby brother. Mary-Margaret had gone into labour late the night before so in a mad dash to the hospital they had dropped Regina at Emma's apartment.
Emma glanced up into the rear view mirror and frowned a little. She had noticed that Regina had been awfully quiet all morning and had not been her usual chatty self. She glanced back up as Regina just stared out of the window and fiddled with her fingers. "So you looking forward to meeting our new baby brother, Gina?"
Regina shrugged a little and said in a quiet voice "I guess so."
Emma and Henry then looked at each other with a frown on their faces. Emma parked the car and they all got out. She motioned for Henry to go ahead of them quietly telling him she wanted to talk to Regina. He nodded and he did so. Emma waited as Regina jumped out the car and she closed the door and locked it. Regina was just about to walk away when Emma placed a hand on her shoulder stopping her for a moment. "Hey kid what's up?" Emma asked crouching down a little.
Regina just shrugged her shoulders and bit her lip. "Nothing." She mumbled.
"Don't give me that. Something's up, what is it?" Emma asked. "Are you feeling okay?"
Regina nodded her head. "I'm fine."
Emma nodded and stood up and they began to walk over to the hospital. "So you're not ill…is everything okay at school? You and Rose haven't fallen out or anything? Or you and Robin?"
Regina shook her head. "No we're fine."
Emma nodded her head and shoved her hands in her pockets. There was only really one other thing it could be and she suspected all along it was the reason Regina wasn't herself. The new baby. "Is it the baby?" Emma asked. She then stopped and turned Regina to face her, her hands now resting on her shoulders. Regina just stared down at the floor, biting her lip. "Regina please tell me what's wrong…I don't like seeing you like this. You haven't asked me an annoying question or told me any of your clever facts all day. So come on, is it the baby?"
Regina sighed a little and continued to stare at the floor but she did nod her head. She fiddled with her fingers and could feel the rush of tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't want to feel like this. She didn't want to feel jealous of her little brother. She was excited to meet him. She really was but she was also scared. Scared that her mommy and daddy would like her new little brother better than they liked her.
Emma sighed and she stood up, still keeping a hand on Regina's shoulder she guided Regina over to the seats in reception and sat down in a part that not many people were sat in. She patted the seat beside her and Regina sat down but still did not look at her. "Regina you know you can tell me anything, I am always there for you and if I can I will make whatever it is better."
"I don't want to feel like this…" Regina started with a bit of a mumble.
"Like what?" Emma questioned.
"I'm scared…"
Emma frowned and she leaned forward taking Regina's small hand in hers. She then used her other hand to gently pull Regina's face up so that she was looking at her. She now could see the tears in Regina's eyes and some of the tear tracks on her cheeks and the scared look in her eyes. "What are you scared of Regina?"
"I'm scared that…" Regina closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. "I'm scared that mommy and daddy will like the new baby better than they like me."
"Oh Regina." Emma replied. "Listen to me okay?" Regina nodded her head. "That will never happen. Mom and dad will love you and I just as much as they love the new baby. Just because they have a new baby doesn't mean they will stop loving you as much."
"Really?" Regina asked.
"Of course. They will still love you just as much." Emma replied.
"So the new baby won't replace me?" Regina asked.
"No of course he won't." Emma said. "He is now just another part of our family and you know what your special job is as a big sister?"
"What?" Regina asked looking curious.
"You have to help me protect him and look after him when mom and dad aren't around." Emma said.
"Like you do to me?" Regina asked.
"Exactly. But now that you are a big sister you can help me out." Emma suggested.
"Okay." Regina said with a smile. "I think I can do that."
"I know you can." Emma said tucking a stray piece of hair behind Regina's ear.
"Thank you Emma." Regina said lunging forward and wrapping her arms around Emma. Emma wrapped her arms round Regina and held on to her tightly.
"No problem kid. Now will we go meet our little bro?" Emma asked. Regina nodded and they stood up and made their way to the maternity ward. They were just about to go in when Regina stopped. "You alright Regina?"
"Yes just need to go to the toilet first." Regina replied turning on her heel.
"Okay see you in here." Emma shouted after her and watched as Regina nodded. She then went into the room and smiled as Henry, Mary-Margaret and David all looked over at her. "Hey. How you feeling?" Emma asked as she walked over to them.
"Tired and a little sore but otherwise fine." Mary-Margaret replied and then frowned as she glanced behind Emma. "Where's Regina?"
"Oh she's just gone to the toilet." Emma said.
"What took you guys so long?" David asked.
"I actually need to talk to you about that." Emma said with a sigh. "Now I have talked to her but I think maybe you guys should talk to her too. She is feeling a bit…I don't know scared and I suppose a little jealous at the moment with the baby."
"She is? But she has been so excited." Mary-Margaret said.
"I know I don't know if maybe this just came on last night and maybe it just hit her but she was scared that you guys are going to love the baby more than you love her." Emma explained.
"Come to think of it this past week or so she has been much quieter than usual." David said.
"Oh gosh she has! Oh David how could we have missed this?"
"Hey it happens. That kid is great at hiding her feelings. But the important thing is we know now and we can sort it out. I have spoken to her and told her there is no way that you love the new baby more than you do her and that you will love both the same. Also given her the special job of protecting and helping to look after as the new big sister." Emma said.
"Thank you Emma." Mary-Margaret said and then looked to David. "But I think we will need to talk to her too."
"Of course we will. Perhaps since you are going to be staying in here tonight I could take Regina out to Grannies. We could have something to eat, spend the night together doing whatever she wants and I could talk to her. Make tonight about her." David suggested.
"That's a good idea." Mary-Margaret nodded.
"Okay she's coming back guys." Henry said.
They all stopped talking just as Regina walked into the room. Regina gave them all a small smile as she walked further into the room and over to them. David crouched down and he tucked a strand of Regina's hair behind her ear.
"Hey princess. You ready to meet your little brother?" David asked her. Regina nodded her head and David held out his arms to her. Regina stepped forward and David lifted her up, balancing her on his hip. Although she was eight years old she was still quite small and was as light as a feather.
Regina leaned over a little to look at the little baby that was bundled up in blankets in Mary-Margaret's arms. "What's his name?" Regina asked as she looked up at David and Mary-Margaret.
"Well we haven't fully decided on a name just yet and we want to wait and reveal his name to everyone." Mary-Margaret said.
"Reveal his name to everyone?" Emma asked with a frown on her face.
"Yea, it's a traditional thing from the Enchanted Forest. Usually in royal families the babies name is revealed during a naming ceremony. It's an important day." Mary-Margaret explained.
"Right…and this is what you guys are planning on doing? Even though you aren't in the Enchanted Forest any more…" Emma said.
"Yes." Mary-Margaret nodded. "That's are plan for now, not only that but we actually don't have a name for him yet. We haven't been able to agree on a name."
"So what do you think Regina?" David asked looking at her.
Regina just continued to stare down at the little baby. She still wasn't so sure about him. She still couldn't help but think perhaps her mommy and daddy were going to love this cute little baby more than her. Even if Emma had told her that wasn't going to happen. "He's cute…" Regina said giving David a small smile.
"He is isn't he." Mary-Margaret said looking down at the little baby boy in her arms.
"Are you coming home Mommy?" Regina asked looking up at Mary-Margaret.
"Oh not tonight sweetheart. Me and your little brother have to stay in here tonight."
"Why?" Regina asked.
"It's just so mommy can get some rest and the doctor can do some last minute checks on your little brother Regina. Nothing to worry about. But I was thinking, seen as how mommy and your brother are staying in here tonight why don't you and I go out to grannies for something to eat and then afterwards we can go home and do anything you want to…" David said moving Regina up on his hip so he could look at her.
Regina smiled a little more at that idea. She loved the idea of spending some time with her daddy. She was very much a daddy's girl. "Can we have ice cream?"
David laughed and he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Sure why not?" He said with a smile.
So once they had all left the hospital David and Regina said goodbye to Emma and Henry and then they were off to Grannies to go and get something to eat. All the way to Grannies Regina held onto David's hand but she didn't really chat as much as she usually did, David was having to do a lot more of the talking which really was not how things usually went.
They slipped into a booth as soon as they got to Grannies and ordered their food. As soon as David knew they would definitely be alone for a bit he decided to try and talk to Regina about Emma had brought up earlier at the hospital. "So Regina…Emma mentioned something earlier at the hospital…"
"I knew I shouldn't have said anything." Regina muttered and crossed her arms over her chest. "It doesn't matter okay? Whatever Emma told you it doesn't matter."
"Regina …" David said leaning over and placing his hand on top of Regina's. "Of course it matters. I don't like hearing that my little girl isn't happy about something. Now why don't you explain to me what is wrong."
"Didn't Emma tell you?" Regina asked raising an eyebrow and for a minute David saw a bit of the older Regina. He tried to hold back the smile.
"Yes she did but I want to hear it from you Regina." David replied.
Regina sighed and looked down at the table. "I'm just a little…I don't know…scared and I guess a little jealous." David nodded and Regina continued. "I'm scared that you and mommy might love my little brother more than me and I don't know…"
"Regina I promise you that mommy and I are not going to love your little brother more than you. We will love you both the same. Your our little girl Regina and nothing will change that." David said.
"You sure?" Regina asked looking up at David now.
"I am positive. More than positive in fact. Anyway didn't Emma tell you what your special job is now you are a big sister?" David said.
Regina nodded her head. "She said I need to help look after and protect our little brother like she does for me."
"Exactly and I bet you will be the best big sister ever."
"Even better than Emma right?" Regina said with a slight smirk that David couldn't help but laugh at. It was clear over the years that certain parts of the old Regina were going to stay with her and he liked it. The sassy comments and personality were just what made her, even at eight years old. He knew he would probably not quite like it as much as she became a teenager but right now she was quite funny with it.
"Well I'm sure you will be equally as good." David replied.
"Yea…okay dad." Regina said making David laugh again.
After their dinner and their ice cream David took Regina home and she decided she wanted to watch a movie. So David let her pick a movie while he got them some snacks (even if they had just had a meal and ice cream) and they both settled on the sofa, Regina cuddled into David's side and enjoyed the movie and the time they were spending together. David wasn't really sure if he had gotten through to Regina about everything but he hoped if he hadn't in time she would realise and see that he and Mary-Margaret loved her just as much as her new little brother.
The next day David and Regina went to go and get Mary-Margaret and the baby from the hospital. Regina had decided on the way to the hospital that she wanted to get her new little brother a teddy so they stopped at the shop before hand and Regina picked out a nice blue teddy that said 'I love you' on the tummy. When they got up to the room Mary-Margaret had been in Regina ran in and over to the bed holding up the teddy.
"Mommy I got this for our baby." She said happily.
Mary-Margaret looked up and smiled at Regina. She then looked at David and he put his thumbs up to her as an indicator he had spoken to Regina and things seemed okay now. Mary-Margaret then looked back down at Regina. "That looks like a lovely teddy sweetheart."
"Can I give it to my little brother?" Regina asked now looking over at David. David nodded his head and he lifted Regina up and sat her on the edge of the bed beside Mary-Margaret who was holding the baby. Regina leaned over and peered at the baby. "Look what I got you baby bro." Regina said holding up the teddy. "He looks like a Joshua." Regina said.
Mary-Margaret and David looked at one another and then looked down at the baby and they both smiled. They had gone through so many names, both hating what the other had said and both finding it so hard to pick the perfect name but now as they looked down at the baby they both felt something was right with the name that Regina had chosen.
"You know what Regina…" Mary-Margaret said and Regina looked up at her. "I think you might be right. I think he does look like a Joshua."
"Really?" Regina asked happily. "So is that his name? Is my little brother called Joshua?"
Mary-Margaret looked over at David and he nodded his head. She then looked back at Regina. "Yes Regina your little brother is called Joshua."
Regina smiled and then looked down at Joshua. "Can I hold him?" Regina asked.
"Yes of course." Mary-Margaret answered. She shuffled over a little in the bed to give Regina some more room. "Sit more on the bed." Regina shuffled over.
"Put your arms like this." David said showing Regina what to do with her arms and Regina done so. David then took Joshua from Mary-Margaret and then placed him in Regina's arms. Mary-Margaret moved her arm around Regina's shoulders and she and David both watched as Regina held her little brother.
"Hey Joshua, I'm your big sister. I wasn't so sure about you at first, but now I am. Don't worry I will look after you." Regina said quietly. Mary-Margaret and David both smiled as they heard Regina say that. Regina then looked up at Mary-Margaret. "Can I help look after him sometimes?"
"Sure you can. You can be chief diaper changer if you want." Mary-Margaret replied with a little laugh as Regina pulled a disgusted face.
"No thanks. I want the nice jobs." Regina said making David and Mary-Margaret laugh.
"Sorry kiddo but it doesn't quite work like that. You have to do the horrible jobs too." David said.
Regina shook her head. "No that is you and mommy's job. I'm the big sister. I get the good jobs. That's what Emma said."
"Oh really?" Mary-Margaret asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well maybe we should make Emma chief diaper changer."
"Yea!" Regina said excitedly with a smirk on her face making Mary-Margaret and David once again laugh.