Chapter Text
“Daniel, come look at this.” Regina called down to her husband from the kitchen.
Daniel and Regina have been married for about a two years, but were dating for three before tying the knot. After the wedding Regina’s parents Cora and Henry gifted them their old mansion in Storybrooke, Maine.
Regina loved the mansion, it was her childhood home, so many memories were within these walls; and Regina couldn’t wait to start making some of her own with Daniel.
Regina has slowly been modernizing and re-designing the mansion to fit their minimalist and modern, but with a touch of rustic, design tastes.
Regina was always showing Daniel design magazines hoping for inspiration on how to decorate the many rooms of the mansion.
Daniel came bouncing up the stairs smiling at just hearing Regina’s voice, “Yes darling?”
Regina chuckled, “I promise. This is the last one for today. Then you can go back to playing that incept video game.”
Daniel sat down next to Regina on the kitchen island, “Alright what designs have you seen now?”
Regina flipped a few pages back and showed him a few couches and chairs, a dresser and a chaise lounge. Daniel lifted a brow at the dresser, “That thing is from the 70’s. No thanks. I like the couches and chairs they look comfortable. And where are we putting that lounge?”
Regina smiled, “The couches are for the study. I want a comfortable place to read and just sit in front of the fire place. The lounge will go in our room, under the window.”
Daniel nodded, “Ok, I could like it. Although I still think a massage chair by the window would be just as good.”
Regina rolled her eyes, “Not happening.”
Daniel chuckled, “Fine, I’ll get one to put in the game room.”
Regina flipped to another page, “Moving on.. I like this dining room table. And the chandelier.”
Daniel looked at the table and chandelier, “It’s ok. But I think I like this one here more.”
Regina looked at it, it wasn’t her favorite but it was a similar shape, “We’ll keep looking until we find something we both like.”
Daniel nodded, “I can live with that. Anyway it keeps your mother from coming over too much just so she can tell me how I’ve been the Sheriff’s deputy for soo long.”
Regina swatted Daniel’s shoulder, “You know mother means well, in her own way.”
Regina’s relationship with her mother was strained at best but it’s come a long way since her childhood. After her father’s heart attack, Cora seemed to re-evaluate her priorities. Making nice with her daughters was step one.Zelena, Regina’s sister, has embraced her mothers apologies while Regina still keeps her mother at arms length at times.
Daniel chuckled, “And the last page?”
Regina paused, “I um.. I had an idea for one of the guest bedrooms.”
Daniel nodded, “Whiskey lounge, great idea.”
Regina rolled her eyes, “Not exactly.”
Regina opened the page and showed Daniel. The page showed a nursery one side for a little boy and one for a little girl. Regina then flipped to the next page and it showed another layout with children’s beds and furniture.
Daniel looked at Regina, “Regina are you.. um.. are you pregnant?”
Regina shook her head, “No, but I think I would like to be. And I know what the doctor’s said about fertility but we could try and if it doesn’t work we can adopt. I… I want to raise a family with you.”
Daniel looked at the bedroom sets again and shook his head, “I’m sorry. No.”
Regina was shocked, “Daniel?”
Daniel shook his head again, “Regina I’m sorry but no. I can’t.”
Regina’s eyes watered and she stood from the island and went upstairs.
Regina sat in the empty spare room and looked around, her minds eye seeing the room with a crib and changing table, a rocking chair. Toys and books. She could see a little bedroom set with a little one playing on the floor. She could see the nightlights and the little shoes on the ground. She could see it all.
Regina grabbed her phone and sat on the floor.
The phone rang and rang.
“Hey Reggie. How’s it going?”
Regina couldn’t say a word just a choked sob.
The voice grew serious, “Regina? Regina, are you ok?”
Regina wept, “Kat, he said no. He said no.”
Kathryn Midas knew exactly what her best friend was talking about.
****
Regina had told Kat about her desire to become a mother, how she wanted to raise a family with Daniel. But the more she thought and planned the more her dreams seemed to shatter.
Six months after the wedding Regina confided in her best friend that she may never be able to have children biologically due to a surgery needed in her youth.
Regina and Daniel were re-told this information 3 months ago by a doctor, after Regina had inquired about her changes of getting pregnant, ‘low.. possible but very low’ were his words.
Regina was upset while Daniel consoled his wife, letting her know he loved her.
****
Kat sighed on the phone, “Oh Regina, maybe he just needs more time.?”
Regina continued to cry on the floor looking around the empty room, “I just, he wouldn’t even consider the idea of adopting. He just said no.”
Kat listened to Regina and let her vent her heartbreak. Regina’s tears dried and her sniffles faded. Regina then stood and looked around the empty room one more time before she went to her room and closed the door.
Regina washed her face and recomposed herself before laying in bed and looking out the window.
Regina was just about to fall asleep when the doorbell rang. Regina sat up and sighed when the bell rang again.
As she was making her way downstairs she could hear Daniel in the basement, his hiding spot when they had an argument.
Regina got to the door first and pulled it open.
Standing in front of her was a medium height brunette with kind brown eyes and medium length hair. The woman smiled, “Hi I’m Alice, Alice Jones. I’m umm. I’m looking for Daniel. Colter. Is he here?”
Regina blinked, “I’m sorry who are you, and what do you need with my husband?”
Alice gulped, “Umm, I’m Alice, Alice Jones. I umm, I’m a old friend of Daniel’s. We grew up together. I’ve been looking for him and it was heard that he was living here. I might be mistaken, I’m sorry. I’ll leave.”
Regina called out, “Wait I’m sorry, yes, he lives here. Please come in. I’ll go get him.”
Regina led this Alice woman into the house and so the kitchen, “Can I get you anything. Water, juice, wine?”
Alice shook her head, “No, thank you though!”
Regina nodded, “I’ll be just a moment.”
Regina then headed downstairs, “Daniel, there is someone here to see you.”
Daniel lifted a brow, “Who?”
Regina sighed, “I don’t know. Said her name was Alice and that she’s an old friend of yours. Just come up and see her.”
Regina and Daniel both went up the stairs and saw Alice sitting at the island counter.
Daniel’s spine went stiff, “Alice…”
Alice smiled, “Daniel, it’s good to see you!” Alice then gave him a quick and friendly hug while Daniel awkwardly patted her back.
Daniel smiled tensely, “You too. But what are you doing here?”
Regina stood to the side and watched the tense and awkward interaction.
Alice’s smile dropped, “Daniel, it’s Emma.”
Daniel’s eyes went cold, “Emma’s not my problem.”
Alice’s voice went hard, “Daniel! She’s your..” But Daniel cut her off, “Don’t!” Daniel then looked at Regina and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Regina looked back and forth confused. Alice shook her head, “Your wife doesn’t know does she. She doesn’t know about Emma?”
Daniel sighed, “No. She doesn’t. And she doesn’t need to find out from you!”
Alice scoffed, “You’re damn right, she should have found out from you ages ago. How could you!?”
Regina cut in before anything else could be said, “She, is right here. What is this about? Who is Emma?”
Alice looked at Daniel, “Well?! You going to tell her?”
Regina looked at Daniel scared of the answer, “Who is Emma?”
Daniel shook his head, “She’s no one.”
Alice bit her lip and scoffed before looking at Regina, “Emma’s his daughter.”