Chapter Text
What We Could Of Had.
Chapter 1/?
Pairing: SwanQueen (slow-burn) with flashbacks. Including other pairings along the way.
Warning: GP!Regina. Rated M on specific chapters.
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11 Years Ago - maternity ward.
“Come on Emma, you can do it...come on sweetheart...”
Emma let’s put a loud scream to the top of her lungs, sweats and tears trickling down her face, her blonde hair in a mess before slumbering back against the hospital bed, shaking her head furiously she heaved “I can’t...” The blonde cries as sweat mixed with tears drenched her whole body. “I can’t mama, I can’t...” the young woman’s body shook once more in tears as another pain rips through her body making her scream out in agony.
The brunette haired woman beside the girl leans forward and places a tender kiss on the girl’s sweaty blonde hair “Yes you can baby, you can.” She encourages her hand had long lost feelings by the gripe Emma had on it. “I know you can baby, just push Emma, push.”
With all the strengths she could master the young woman pushes with all her might, griping her poor mother’s hand even tighter and just as she was about to fall back in surrender a loud wailed pierces the whole room.
“It’s a girl!” The doctor cheers happily and Emma just about breathes in relief before another concentration hit. ‘That’s right, twins!’
“Get ready for baby number 2!” The doctor calls handling the wailing baby to a new by midwife who wrapped her in a warm soft blanket as the tired mother screams her lungs out once more to push the second baby out.
-GB-
“Ohhhhh, they are so precious!” Mary Margaret gushes staring down at the sleeping baby in her husband’s arms before looking down at the one she had cradled in hers.
“We are so proud of you Ems.” David says to his exhausted daughter. “You did good honey.” He smiles before looking toward his wife.
“You really did.” The pixie cut haired woman responds.
Looking back with everything that has happened Mary Margaret would not have guessed this is where they would have gotten but she is nothing if not thankful that she still has her family.
“Knock-knock-“ came a slow gentle tap before the door was slightly pushed open.
“Hi, hi...” a red haired girl around Emma’s age came into view with a small boy around 10 years old. Emma smiles seeing her best friend walking in, the blonde sits up against her bed.
“Hi Rubs...” she greets as her brother headed straight to his parents.
“Are the babies here? Can I see them!” He bounces toward his mother trying to take a peak at the pink bundle his mother was holding.
“Finn, easy...they are small so we have to be very gentle and careful.” She says deciding to sit down so he can see his niece.
“Sorry mom.” He grumbles apologetically.
“How you feeling blondie.” Ruby grins at her friend pulling up a chair to sit beside her bedside.
“Sore, everything hurts” Emma groans, despite how tired she sounded she was nothing if not content.
Ruby let’s put a chuckle “Well you did just pop out two human bodies out of your vagina.”
“Ruby!” Both David and Mary cried for the sake of their young son at the same time that Finn yelled “ew!” Which made the twins startled and let out small whimpers.
“Even their little cries sounds adorable.” Mary gushes standing up to bounce the fussy baby in her arms.
“Hey you guys, can I please take them...” Emma says, she has yet to carry her babies since giving birth. So Mary Margaret and David gently places the twins in Emma’s arms helping her to adjust both securely.
“Hi...” The blonde breaths finally able to see and hold them and the blonde was in a trance, if she wasn’t in love with them the first time she heard their heartbeat or felt their first kick then she was definitely a goner now staring down at their innocence blue eyes. The blonde doesn’t know which one will have her eyes and which one will have- she instantly stopped herself before she entered into a territory memory she doesn’t like to.
“Why don’t we all give you space with the twins while we grab a drink, I think these two guys will get popular with visitation pretty soon.” Mary Margaret announces, looking at her daughter she knew exactly what she was feeling, after all she knows the whole story from start to this moment.
“Aww but mom, I wanted to carry the twins...” complains Finn.
“Don’t worry buddy, you will get plenty of times to do that. Come on.” David says leading his son out the room.
“See you later Ems...” Ruby says before glancing down at her god-children once more “and auntie Ruby will see you gorgeousness later too.” She blew a kiss for each twin before following after David.
Mary stood and watched Emma stare at her children with adoration and the woman promised she wouldn’t cry but how can she not when her baby now has her own babies. Not wanting to get herself caught up she leans down and places a kiss to Emma’s head.
“I love you baby.” She whispers against blond strands before pulling away.
“I love you too mom.” The blonde looks up at her mom and smiles, grateful for having her. With one last smile Mary was gone and Emma was left alone staring down at her twins again.
“I promise I will be the best mom in the world to the best of my ability. I love you so much.” She then places a gentle kiss to both soft forehead as twin number 1 yawns. Emma laughs.
-Present-
“Where are they mom? Where are they?” Emma cries as her world seems to fall apart.
“Ems, I’m so sorry, this is all my fault.” Emma looks up at the deep masculine voice and really she couldn’t blame her brother but right now Emma wasn’t concern about anything or anybody except for her babies. “Emma-“ Finn starts however the blonde stands up from where she sat and walks away, yes she knew it wasn’t Finn’s fault however the twins were in his care and during his care they managed to disappeared so yes Emma was pissed at him.
Finn hopelessly turns to his mother as his daughter turned her back on him in silence. “Mom I didn’t-“ he starts only to be interrupted.
“I know honey but right now your sister isn’t in her right state of mind so why don’t you go give your father a call and see how the search for the twins is going, Okay?” Mary says as Finn nods before grabbing his car keys and leaving the apartment.
Mary Margaret sighs as the door shuts behind Finn before looking toward her daughter and walking to her, she finally found her standing by the sink and looking outside the dark sky, Mary walks toward her and places her hand on the blonde’s shoulder.
“Emma...” she spoke calmly and that was all it took as Emma turned around and broke down in her mother’s arms.
“Oh baby,” Mary spoke stroking her fingers through Emma’s hair. “We will find them, I promise.”
Emma continues to cry as her mother consoles her. Only if she didn’t agree to that stupid blind date and had stayed home with her kids, then she wouldn’t have to asked Finn in the last minutes to watch them and they wouldn’t have taken the opportunity to sneak off while their uncle was busy, it’s all her fault and if something happens to them Emma didn’t know how she would survive.
-CB-
“Last Stop!” The bus driver calls and two small body looks around the bus to see only themselves and the driver were left on the bus so they took they backpacks and walked to the driver.
“Excuse me sir, we’re looking for this address.” The girl says holding out a piece of paper to him.
The mid 40 year old man looked at the small girl in front of him before looking at the boy who stood behind her clenching to her shirt tightly.
“And where are your parents young lady...” He says however the girl remained lipped tight, after a moment of waiting to see if the girl or even the boy would crack the driver realised that was a lost cause so he spoke “Alright then, let me see.” She hands him the address. “Ah, Ok. So once you leave the bus, head straight until the street bends then take a left...cross the walk way, take a right keep heading straight and by the roundabout take another right keep heading straight you will see the houses, the neighbourhood is good. Very rich if I must say.” He grins.
“Okay, uh...thanks mister.” She says taking the paper back.
“Now wait just a minute, are you looking for someone?”
“Nope!” She responds making the ‘o’ pop “just asking, come on Mike.” She grabs the boy and they walks off the bus.
“Did you just call me Mike?” Her brother asks.
“Well I couldn’t very much call you by your name could I? Ma never uses her name when she’s working. Now come on, let’s go see mom!” She smiles widely and for once her twin smiled just as wide as her.
-AD-
Mary Margaret steps out a room, shutting the door quietly behind her thankful that Emma finally managed to fall asleep even if that consisted of her crying herself to said slumber. She sighed as she steps out into the living room, a picture of her grand babies and Emma grabbing her attention. Both children had wide smiles on their ice cream covered face and their mama was hugging them tightly. This was taken three years ago, the twins were only 7 years old, god how time flies.
The brunette places the frame back as she hears the opening of door followed by her husband, son and the town deputy.
“David...” she starts in a hopeful tone.
David shakes his head sadly at her words looking defeated, Mary Margaret turned to the other two men and by the look on they faces she already knew they didn’t find the twins .
She walked to her husband and borrows herself in his embrace. “What are we gonna do?” She questions.
“We have already contacted police stations outside the town, now we just need to get a recent picture of the twins so we can start more wide search. Hopefully by the morning we will get some good news” he says, Mary sighs sadness clouding her eyes.
-GR-
“Are you sure this is the house?” Asks the boy as both children finally found the address and were now stood staring at the big white oak door.
“Yup.” She went to ring the bell only to be stopped.
“What if it’s not!” He exclaims, seeming unsure all the sudden.
“Gabe! Chill! It is! I’m pretty good at finding things and Mr Gold’s intel is 100% accurate!” She says sounding proud of herself before she reached out for the bell again but got stopped again.
“Ma says we shouldn’t trust him.” Gabe says. His twin finally sighs before turning to him.
“Gabe, I know you’re scared but I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.” She says her big brown eyes shining with nothing but honesty. “And besides didn’t we wanted this for so long..”
“Yeah.” He breaths under his breath. “Do, do you think she will like us?” He questions looking down at his feet.
The little girl finally put aside her excitement and regarded her brother knowing how he finds it hard if someone didn’t like him “Of course she will, we’re adorable!” She grins making him giggle.
“Okay, I’m ready now...” he states taking a calming deep breath.
“Okay then...” she fixes herself looking the once more confident and sure of herself as usual, taking a deep breath like her brother just did she finally rang the door bell. They didn’t have to wait for long before the door was pulled open revealing a stunning red haired woman, beautifully dressed in a blue strapless dress, makeup done perfectly.
“Hi...” the twins breathes in unison, suddenly nerves settling in.
“Hello....” The red haired woman greets staring at the two small children in front of her. “Can I, Uh, help you? Are you lost?” Her eyes looked out into the night but found nothing.
“Um, n-no, we, uh.” Clearing her throat she tried again. “Are you Regina Mills?”
“Uh-“
“Babe, who is it?” Another voice spoke and before they curiosity could get the better of them another woman appeared this time a brunette, even more beautiful if that was possible just like the red haired she was also dressed to impressed however in red maxi strapless dress that hugged her in all the right places, her makeup perfectly done to match her look.
The red haired held the door out to give her a better view of the two children. “Hello...” she finally took notice of the two children standing in front of them.
“Are you Regina Mills?” Now the boy spoke as his sister was left gaping at the second woman.
“Um, yeah. And you are?”
The twins looked back at one and another before looking back at the woman.
“Hey, are you guys alright?” Regina asks as her partner gives her a look which the brunette shrugs at.
“I’m sorry, it just, uh, my name is Ava, and this is my brother Gabe and I think you’re our mom...”
-DH-
Back with Emma, the blonde had awaken up not long after her dad and brother showed up with no news of the twins, Emma didn’t know how she had more tears to shed because since her brother called her with the news of the twins being missing she has done nothing but cry and cry and right now sat in her old bedroom at her parents’ home in the door while flicking through her photo album of the twins Emma found herself once more shedding tears.
During this late night her children were alone probably scared out of their minds! Emma didn’t know what made the twins run away as she made it a point to be open with them no matter what and them to her, her children always tells her everything good or bad so the fact that they ran away for god knows what had Emma in bits and pieces because that’s what Emma is seeing this as, they ran away not someone took them because that’s a thought she never wants.
-AB-
“Whoa, wait, hey, you can’t just drop that sort of bomb and then what” Regina says following after her “kids” who seems to not even pay her attention as they were busy looking around the house.
Okay, let’s rewind! this is insane she didn’t have a child and definitely not two! “Hey!” Regina yells frustrated as it seems the two little people who just rocked her world seemed to be more interested in her many collections than explaining what the hell was going on.
“Can you stop that and answer my question!”
“Which one?” Ava asks taking off her backpack, and flopping down the expensive looking couch making herself feel at home while Gabe just stared at their new found mom.
“How about all of it! From the beginning, who are you and who’s your mother?”
“Regina What is going on!”
“April please! I am as clueless as you are and-“
“We told you, you’re our mom!”
“Kid you need to stop saying that, I’m nobody’s mom and I-“
“So you don’t know a Emma Nolan?”
“Emma” the brunette finally came to a stop at the name. It seems like centuries since she heard that last or even said it.
“Emma is your mom?”
“How’s that possible?” She questions because this still didn’t explain anything.
“I don’t know how these things happens but all we know is she’s our mom and so are you.”
That couldn’t have been possible because her and Emma were a long time memory, memories which Regina doesn’t like thinking about and these kids looked old enough to say- “Oh my god.” She finally breathed as realisation was starting to kick in.
“Regina-“ the red haired by the name of April tries again looking annoyed at both the situation and Regina’s sudden demeanour.
“April please!" She repeats as her internal wheels started turning.
“How’s this, How’s this possible, no it’s not , it’s just...she wasn’t-“ she finally stopped mumbling to herself like a mad woman and turned to the twins “how old are you two?”
“We’re 10.” Gabe finally spoke his voice sounding so small as if he barely spoke at all.
“10? Then that means...”
-SG-
Emma had finally given up on the trip through memory lane and decided to put her bounty hunter abilities to use, I mean finding people is literally what she does, she has lost count of how many clients she had helped so finding her own kids should be easy. So she set out to start from the source...their bedroom. Emma went through everything little thing that may just be a clue and so far she came up with a website on bus time destination, New York! Freaking New York! Oh she really hope those Little Bits did not take themselves all the way to New York and for what!
Just as Emma was contemplating what could possibly make the twins go to New York, Emma’s phone started ringing and without looking at the caller ID she hurriedly picks up.
“Hello” She says sounding almost out of breath.
“Hello Emma...” came the voice that Emma never thought she would ever hear again and although it has been years since she last heard it, it still sounded the same.
“Gi-Regina...How-“ Emma was almost breathless.
“When were you going to tell me...” came the seething voice of one Regina Mills and Emma should know the brunette was pissed, after many years passed Emma still can tell when Regina was pissed.
“Tell you what?”
“That I have children!” And just like that Emma knee exactly how Regina had gotten her number and why her children had looked for buses to New York.
“How and why didn’t you tell me-“
“Do you have them.” Emma knew she had a lot to answer but right now she needed to know if they were safe first.
“Answer my question Emma.” And of course Regina isn’t gonna make it easier on her and honestly Emma was losing her patience after all the bad thoughts that circled her mind the moment she learned the twins disappeared she really didn’t need this.
“I am not entitled to answer your question now do you have my children!”
“Your children? Don’t you mean ours? And they sought me out something you didn’t want them to do nor you ever wanted to do so please tell me what the hell Emma!” Regina finally yells and Emma can feel and understands the brunette’s frustrations.
“Are they Okay” she asks seeming to calm down finally.
“Oh no, I’m the one asking questions here so tell me Emma why! Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant why did you hide my children from me.”
The blonde groans inwardly but was Regina being unreasonable? No. But Emma wasn’t about to take it either. “I am not entitled to answer your question so you give me back my children!” She responds with the same tone as the brunette which was a bad move because now Regina just sounds livid!
“You’re not entitled to answer my questions? Bullshit! I have every damn right to know about the existence of my children.” The brunette yells and Emma almost pulled the phone away from her ears.
“My children!” She seethe Because yes they are Emma’s children, she gave birth to them, she sang and read them to sleep, she soothed their injuries, she chase away the invisible monsters under the bed and dealt with idiotic bullies however on the other hand she really didn’t give Regina the chance to do none of that, did she?.
“I have everything right to know about the existence of my children, every right! And you kept that from me! Why!”
Emma really didn’t want to fight “Please just, give me back my children.”
“Ugh!” Cane Regina’s frustrated reply through the receiver.
“You know what? You have had them for 10 years, don’t you think it’s my turn now...” she adds and Emma forgot about being reasonable.
“Screw you! you give me back my children!” She yells seeing red, it was as if Regina told her she was seeking for full custody. ‘This wasn’t happening’ she didn’t know how long it took the twins to find the brunette but if Regina decided to keep them Emma didn’t know how long it would take her to track her down.
“Well screw you too sweetheart!” And just like that the call ended.
“H-hello? Hello? No, no, Regina! Urgh!” The blonde yells in frustrations throwing her phone against the wall as the device smashes into pieces as she scrambles to the floor and sobs loudly, not wanting to believe how she just screwed that up.
-With Regina-
The brunette fumes staring down at the phone in her head, she knew she really should call Emma back just to calm her down that Gabe and Ava were fine but really she was too angry at her so she will just let her suffer a little, right now she had two adorable 10 year olds she needed to get to know. With that thoughts in mind the brunette tries to compose herself before joining her kids and April.
TBC...
Okay I will try not to take this story to long about 5/6 chapters hopefully however I can’t promise frequent updates so don’t hold it against it.
Until next time....