Regina Mills glanced at David, Killian, and Henry as they paced through the entranceway in her hospital room. Emma, who was sitting in a chair beside Regina, was the first to speak to the three of them. "Hey. I've been looking for you."

All of a sudden, Rumplestiltskin appeared with a newborn baby in his arms. He made his way toward Emma. "Belle and I have kept this baby for hours. I'm getting tired of this nuisance! What am I suppose to do with this?" Emma stared at the baby with caring eyes as she got up from the chair and headed toward Rumple. She said nothing as Rumple continued. "Well, you had the baby. Let me return it." It now started crying loudly as he plopped the child roughly into Emma's arms. She rocked it gently as she gazed at the baby in her hands, shushing the crying child. The baby girl was very small, enough to be only weeks old.

"It's a newborn. It must be only a month or two old." David stated as he leaned to get a good look at the infant.

Killian had a look of confusion as he stared at Emma and the baby. He didn't know what to think when he saw Emma comforting it. The bond between Emma and the child seemed close, too close. It was almost as if she could be her mother. "Swan, whose baby is that?" He questioned her.

Tears formed in Emma's eyes as she looked at him. Then, she turned to Regina who stared back seeing the look of worry on Emma's face. Regina finally spoke. "Give me my child, Emma." Regina smiled in gladness as her friend handed the baby to her.

"You can't be serious, love." Killian said.

"I am. She's my daughter." Regina told them as she sat up in the bed, and reached out to hold the newborn.

David spoke. "How? How were you able to carry a child in your state? It's impossible. You were dying, Regina! If Jefferson hurt your body this badly, you would have a miscarriage." Regina didn't respond.

"I have a baby sister? She's beautiful, mom." Henry replied as he walked over to the baby, looking at it in the eyes. He had noticed it didn't seem like Regina's though. The eyes resembled more like his biological mother.

Regina kissed the baby on the forehead and then cuddled it. "Yes, Henry, she is."

Henry wrapped a shoulder around Regina, and put his head on her shoulder. "I'm here for you, mom. I know this is hard."

"Thanks, Henry." Regina softly spoke as she glanced back at Emma.

"We all are here for you." David replied. "I couldn't imagine having a baby in that house. In that state- in that condition." He then strayed from his words, asking. "What's her name?"

This time Emma spoke. "Hope, her name is Hope."

Emma cleared her throat and spoke again. "May Regina and I be left alone? I need to discuss something with her."

"Of course, love." Rumplestiltskin, Killian and David ushered Henry out of the door with them as they pondered about the baby.

As the men walked out and the door closed, Emma sighed. "Thanks, Regina."

"Emma, you know this is only going to lead toward more division. We can't keep this act up long."

"I know, just give me some time." Emma told her as Regina gave the baby for Emma to rock.

"I'm already starting to regret lying about this."

"Hello, dearies." Rumplestiltskin now came barging in the door to the room as the two gasped in fright.

The two sighed in relief as Rumple told them, "I'm not going to hurt you two, dearies. I'm just wanting to ask you some questions. It's none of my business but I sensed something not right the moment I saw Emma with the baby. Whose the baby's mother really?" He looked down to see the baby now in Emma's arms, holding it tightly.

"Why don't you believe us? Rumple, this is my child!" Regina now had a heated temper.

"No, it's not. I know that back in the enchanted forest, you drank an infertility potion. Hope can't be your baby. That would be impossible."

Regina asked. "How do you know that? I never told anyone about-"

"I'm the dark one. I know everything. Besides it has the eyes of the Savior. That's your child." He lifted his fingers to point at Emma Swan. "So why did the two of you cover it up?"

"Isn't it obvious? Hook! I'm afraid if Killian ever finds out, he would be heartbroken. I can't risk it." Emma explained and then lastly responded. "I don't think it's his child."

"To the looks of it he would be understanding." Rumple sighed. "To the looks of it, it wasn't your fault." Tears formed in Emma's eyes as she felt a lump in her throat. "What happened, dearies?"

"Does it matter? We don't want to talk about it, Gold. It's too painful to even think about it." Emma told him.

"Remember dearies, I was held captive by Zelena years ago. It was humiliating."

"This is different, Gold." Regina spoke up.

"How?"

"Because it just was." Emma started getting ill tempered as well.

"You look weak even when you are healed. You look broken, Regina. I've never seen you like this."

"That's because I am broken, Gold. Mary Margaret and I both are. Jefferson treated Emma well." She glanced at her and then stared back at Rumple. "Mary Margaret and I were treated terribly. I used to be strong and powerful like you but he made me weak every day. Everyday he made me feel like I was nothing, not a queen, mayor or mother. He made feel like I was less than human. He made me feel like a helpless and defenseless person, like a slave or peasant trying to break free. He made it seem like no one would want me. He made me believe there was no hope. He made us all feel like we had no hope."

"That's why you named her Hope, didn't you?"

Emma shook her head, yes, as tears trickled down her cheeks.

"The least you can tell me is why he kidnapped the three of you?"

"I murdered his daughter or at least my other half murdered her. He wanted me to suffer for the pain I caused him. I'm actually the cause of all this." Regina told him.

"What did he do to you and Mary Margaret?"

"It was horrid, Rumple. Every moment in that house was a living nightmare. He tortured Mary Margaret and I. Mary Margaret got physically tortured almost to death. It's a miracle she's even alive. I got tortured in every way a person can be, emotionally, sexually, physically. He wanted me to suffer because I killed his daughter which I don't blame him. I'm sure if Henry died by someone's actions I would do anything to enact pain on the person who killed him."

Rumplestiltskin replied back, generally feeling a small sense of guilt. "I'm sorry, Regina. I truly am. I stopped Charming and Killian from going into my shop to find anything to help you. I thought that it would be better if the three of you remained unfound."

Regina only sat still, staring back at her mentor as a single tear dripped down her cheek. "Just get out, Rumple. Just leave us alone."

Mr.Gold turned slowly and left closing the door behind him. He never thought he would have cared about Mary Margaret or Emma, or even Regina but something inside him actually made him feel guilt and pity. Knowing he prevented the town from finding them was beginning to weigh on his conscious.

~

Day 30:

Regina now laid on the floor helpless. She felt so weak from not having enough to eat or drink for over a month now. Her body was gradually giving up on her. Her whole body ached from the pain. She often wondered if the next time the Mad Hatter came in, he would shoot her dead with no mercy. After all, that's what the Evil Queen did to his daughter, showed her no mercy. So why would he show me any?

She heard the door open and Jefferson's footsteps coming closer. "Regina." She laid shivering on the cold concrete floor as he placed food and water on the ground next to her. "You have to at least drink water or you'll die."

"Isn't that the point?" She asked with a slurred slow voice.

"I want you to suffer, not die. Let me rephrase. I want the Evil Queen to suffer for what she did. I couldn't find her so my second option was you." He now leaned her up against the wall, and then she started eating the food in front of her.

After she finished a bit, she drank some water and then finally asked him in a soft voice. "Can I see them before I die?" She stared into his eyes. This time with no hate, no anger, just nothing.

"Plead and you will."

"When?"

"You can see both of them tomorrow if you prove to me how much you want to."

"I do want to, please." She replied in a broken voice.

"Beg right now."

Those words made tears form. "I am, please." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sat still.

"Look at me!"

She turned her head slowly towards him and locked eyes. "Please." Her voice now sounded as if she was an innocent child. "I'll be good."

Suddenly, she found herself back in a place she was all too familiar with. She was with her mother back years prior when Cora used magic to control her.

'Don't you walk away from me!' Cora exclaimed as she lifted her teenage daughter in the air and tied her up.

'Please. I'll be good.'

This isn't me. I shouldn't be this weak anymore.

"Okay." He told her as he sighed. "Tomorrow you can see them." He then let her chains go free and practically carried her to the bathroom. For the first time, he stayed with her in the bathroom to help her shower and change. At first she thought he would take advantage of the vulnerable state she was in but to her surprise he didn't. After he helped her in the shower, he gave her a short black dress to wear which was nothing like the normal clothes he gave her.

She changed and as they walked out of the bathroom she heard him say something mockingly. "I do like a woman who dresses for the occasion."

She rolled her eyes as made her way weakly back to the chains again but he ushered her upstairs. "What's going on?" She asked.

"You've been here for a month and you never slept in a bed. All you've been on has been this dirty concrete floor. I think you deserve a bed tonight." He told her. The two now stood side by side, walking toward the stairs. As they went up the steps, Regina kept tripping and falling because of the weakness in her legs until he took her and carried her up to the top main floor. They stood at the top of the stairs as they both caught their breath.

Eventually, he led her to his bedroom. As they came into the room, and Jefferson shut the door, Regina collapsed on his bed, on her back, gasping for breath. It felt like she walked miles to get there but in reality it was only yards away. The only person that would see me weak and vulnerable is him because now it's too late. He knows I'm not as strong as everyone thinks I am. He knows I am weak.

She took one last breath until she used the rest of her strength to pull the soft covers over her fragile body. Jefferson then closed the door, turned the lights off, and slipped into the bed beside her.

She knew she was so weak she could barely even move. All she cared about now was feeling the softness of the mattress and sheets. It felt like she was in heaven compared to the ground she had laid on the last month.

Her mind wondered over to Mary Margaret and Emma. They finally get to see each other tomorrow after a month of separation. She was so happy to finally see someone. Even if it were for a moment, she would give anything to spend a time with Emma and Snow, her two best friends. She knew though, that they would have pity on her and she didn't want that. I don't deserve pity. I don't deserve anything but death for what I've done.

Her mind now wondered to the man beside her in the bed. She questioned if he was going to make a move toward her but he never did. She hated the man for hurting and starving her but she strangely understood him. If someone were to murder Henry, I would have done the same thing.

Memories came flooding back to her from their past when Jefferson and her were speaking in her office.

'And what makes you think I won't kill you after everything you've done?'

'Because you don't have it in you.'

I had never been so wrong in my life.