Authors note: Seeing that I hate ending stories on an uneven number (yes, I'm weird like that) the second half of this chapter is going to make a little time jump. Only a epilogue left, hope you enjoy ;)
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Aiden had eventually fallen asleep after her feeding, her little head resting against the fabric of the old pair of pajamas Regina was wearing. Regina and Daniel were still staring in awe at the little human in the brunette's arms. She resembled her mother in many ways, with her dark hair, tanned skin and chocolate brown eyes. But her nose and the shape of her eyes were all Daniel.
"I still can't believe we made her." Daniel said softly as his thumb slowly touched the soft skin of Aiden's cheek. It felt like velvet.
"Well, you didn't do that much, dear." Regina teased softly as she looked up at the door. Cora had steps out and went to wake the rest of the family. Everyone was anxious to meet little Aiden.
"That's right, you get all the credit, sweetheart." Daniel chuckled as he kissed the cooling skin of Regina's cheek. "I love you so much."
"I love you too." Regina smiled as she moved her head and pulled Daniel in for a passionate kiss.
"It looks like we're interrupting something."
Regina and Daniel quickly pulled apart when they heard Emma's voice. The blonde was standing in the door opening with behind her a very uncomfortable looking Henry, one grinning and one blushing Charming and a new grandmother that was glowing with pride.
"Oh no, you're not interrupting, dear." Regina grinned.
"Is that her?" Emma almost squealed and rushed over to Regina's bedside. "Can I hold her?" She asked, already holding out her hands.
Regina nodded. "Just be careful not to wake her, she's sleep-" Regina chuckled as she looked down and Aiden's brown eyes snapped open. She looked around the room curiously, taking in all the people she'd never seen before. "Well, she's not sleeping anymore." Regina smiled as she handed the little girl to Emma, who sat down on the chair next to Regina's bed with a giant smile on her face.
"She's beautiful, Regina." Snow said as she looked at the little baby in Emma's arms.
"Thank you Snow." Regina said with a genuine smile and then shifted her gaze to her preteen son, who was still standing in the doorway with an uncomfortable look on his face.
"Henry?" Regina said softly and watched how the brunete's eyes snapped up immediately. "Do you want to hold her?" A smile broke out on Henry's face as he nodded eagerly. Regina patted the empty space on the bed next to her legs and Henry quickly walked towards her and carefully sat down on the white sheets. Emma stood up from the chair and handed the baby over to her son.
He supported the head just like his mother told him to and stared at his little sister. "She looks like you a lot, mom." He smiled as he softly brushed the dark hair on the girl's head.
"She does, doesn't she?" Regina said, her expression full of love as she watched her son and daughter together. She just knew Henry was going to be a good brother.
"Now it's grandma's turn again." Cora grinned once everyone had had a chance to hold the little girl. "Hello there, little princess." She cooed and softly rocked the baby in her arms. She couldn't help but feel regret as she held this baby, her granddaughter. Because she realized that she had never done this with her daughter when she had been a baby.
The older woman looked up with wet eyes. "I love you, Regina." She said with a watery smile. "And I'm so proud of you."
And that was all it took for Regina's hormones to go into overdrive as she felt tears leak down her cheeks. "Thank you mother."
...
Aiden was shaking her head, refusing to wear the pink hat Regina was holding out. Regin sighed. Today was the day they were both going to be released from the hospital and she was really looking forward to dropping her still aching body down onto her own bed. But for that to happen she really needed to get Aiden to wear the hat because it was a cold day for April.
"Aiden, honey." Regina said softly. "You really need to wear this hat because otherwise we can't go home."
Aiden's brown eyes stared up at her mother's face as if she could understand what Regina was saying. Her little legs were flying out off the Maxi-Cosi. Regina chuckled softly as Aiden finally stopped moving her head and Regina was able to put the pink hat on.
She turned around when she heard the door open and saw Daniel standing in the doorway. "Are you ready, darling?" He asked and he couldn't help but feel intense happiness as he looked at them.
Regina nodded. "Yes we are." She smiled and lifted the Maxi-Cosi.
Daniel grabbed the black duffle bag and hung it over his shoulder. "Then I guess it's time to go home." He smiled and opened the door.
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"Welcome home!" Henry grinned as he opened the front door before Daniel even had a chance to touch the doorknob.
"Thank you, sweetheart." Regina smiled as she stepped past her son and into the foyer. Cora was standing by the stairs, a bright and loving smile on her face as she eyed the baby in the Maxi-Cosi.
"Glad to be back home, dear?" Cora asked and bent down to rub Aiden's little foot, which caused the baby to let out a giggle of joy.
"Oh you can't imagine." Regina sighed as dropped her purse down on the stairs and put the Maxi-Cosi down on the floor. "I need a comfortable bed again."
"Time for that later, darling." Cora grinned. "First, let's have some tea. That way I can hold my granddaughter again."
Regina chuckled and nodded. "Great idea, mother."
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~ Three months later. ~
Cora quickly rolled the stroller inside of Town Hall, for the umpteenth time that week might she add. Three month old Aiden cried as she sucked on her thumb, signaling her grandmother she was hungry. Regina had returned to work in the beginning of last week, so now Cora was babysitting from nine till two seeing that Regina wasn't working whole days right now.
She ignored the secretary, though it wasn't necessary because the woman had long since given up on trying to stop her from entering her daughter's office.
"Regina, it's time again." Cora sighed.
Regina looked up from her paperwork and sighed too as she pulled the black rimmed glasses from her nose and dropped them on top of the budget report. "Again? But I left her some in the fridge." She almost whined and stood up to her daughter.
"I'm sorry darling, but she won't drink that." Cora said as she eyed her exhausted looking daughter. Regina was pale and her hair had lost it's usual gloss.
The younger brunette bend down over the stroller and picked up her distressed daughter. "Why won't you drink that, baby girl?" She softly cooed and Aiden's watery brown eyes stared up at her.
Aiden had been refusing to drink from a bottle ever since Regin had returned to work. So now Cora had been forced to stop by every time Aiden was hungry, which was most of the time. Though Regina missed her daughter immensely when she was at work, this just wouldn't do. The last time she had been forced to interrupt a meeting because she needed to feed her daughter.
"Maybe we should stop by the hospital or something." Cora offered as she watched her her daughter sit down on the couch with Aiden on her lap.
"I already stopped by Saturday." Regina sighed as she started unbuttoning her maroon blouse. "They said that some babies just refuse to drink from the bottle at first and that we shouldn't stop trying." She huffed sarcastically and opened the front claps of her bra.
Aiden latched on immediatly and started to suck with a vigor as she finally got the milk she wanted. "Calm down, honey." Regina softly murmerd and lovingly brushed her dark hair.
"They are so helpful, aren't they." Cora snapped, slightly annoyed as she grabbed the purple cloth from the diaper bag and she sat down on the couch next to her daughter.
"Thank you." Regina smiled as she grabbed the cloth Cora was handing her. She wiped some of the spilled milk from Aiden's cheek and then put it down next to her.
"Are you sure you don't want to come home, dear?" Cora asked softly. "You look exhausted."
"That's because I am." Regina mumbled as she leaned back against the couch. "She's been keeping me and Daniel up all night."
"How come I never hear that?"
"Because I put a sound barrier up around both your room and Henry's."
Cora furrowed her brow. "Why?"
"Because that way at least you and Henry can get a proper night rest." Regina sighed.
"I understand Henry, but why me dear? You know I want to help." Cora smiled as she softly brushed her daughter's thigh. "You do know that, don't you Regina?"
Regina's eyes watered as she looked up at her mother. "I do, thank you mother."
Cora softly kissed her daughter's temple. "So why don't you come home with me, and then you can put down that sound barrier. I meant it when I said I wanted to help in every possible way and if that means getting up in the middle of the night, then so be it."
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