When they found out that they were adding another member to their brood, Regina Mills-Swan and Emma Swan-Mills were shocked, to say the least. The news arose in the midst of a crises; Regina had been in a horrific car accident. Somehow, their youngest daughter had survived the trauma, which only gave Regina more strength and courage. After their initial surprise, baby number five was on her way, and the mothers vowed to always protect her, just like their other children.

Faith Grace Swan-Mills came into the world on June sixth, 2022. Although she was the youngest of five kids, she received the same amount of love from her parents that her older siblings did- Regina and Emma made sure of it. In Faith's eyes, contrary to what everyone else believed, she wasn't the fragile baby. If she had to describe herself, the nine year-old would choose "observant" as the perfect adjective. She noticed things about her family that the other members didn't. And, she had the advantage of always being protected, either by Regina, Emma, or by her older brothers and sisters. Unlike other families, Faith was never blamed for missing items around the house or broken picture frames. If anything, she could get away with the most meticulously planned crimes and never get caught.

The older Faith got, the more it was clear she was truly Emma and Regina's daughter. Like the other children, she had a distinct feature from both of her mothers. In Faith's case, she had long, golden curls with streaks of brown here and there, and enchanting, chestnut eyes that hypnotized anyone she met. It wasn't often you'd see that combination, unless you were part of this family. Her smile was all Regina; bright, white teeth and thin lips. But, her chin— now that was Emma's, the small dimple right in the middle.

Although she understood that she led a lucky life, the one thing Faith wanted more than anything was to have her powers just like the rest of the family. Emma, Regina, Dani, and the twins could all use magic, except for her. Her 10th birthday was still another year away, which meant the spell used to bind her magic was still in tact. Day after day, she witnessed Dakota using her powers to clean her room or August using his to conjure food, even though Regina had given them all a lecture on the proper uses of magic. Dani, on the other hand, was considerably more mindful around her youngest sister; she was attuned to reading her siblings, and it was clear Faith was envious of the others. It was almost impossible to ignore the finesse the majority of her family possessed in the practice of the fantastical sport. Of course, she knew she wasn't the only one; Henry was also powerless, though he'd long accepted his individuality.

In her nine years, Faith had watched her family survive the unimaginable. The circumstances of her arrival into the dysfunctional clan had often served as her bedtime story. When the words "miracle baby" slipped through Regina's lips and her husky voice relaxed the girl, Faith was mesmerized. All of the Swan-Mills children had come into existence in their own diverse ways, but the discovery of Faith had the most adventuresome tale.

"You fought hard enough for the both of us," Regina whispered in her daughter's ear one night. Faith buried herself under heavy blankets, the light on her bed stand turned off. The tired child's eyes were already closed at this point, as they always were. And, as she entered the world her mind created, Regina marveled at her daughter's peaceful state. Soon, Faith was asleep, just like every other night. There was no way of knowing this would be the last "normal" evening for her.

"And baby makes seven," Regina mused as she glided through the door. While she untied her violet bathrobe, Emma sat on their bed with one leg over the other and rubbed apple cinnamon lotion through her fingers. As she aged, she noticed the veins in her hands becoming more prominent- a part of growing older she still had trouble adjusting to. The only things that remained constant were her emerald eyes and her flowing, blonde curls.

"Another day in the Swam-Mills household," Emma sighed, her gaze remained on her graceful wife. After 17 years as a couple, Regina's timeless beauty never ceased to amaze the Savior. She was totally, whole-heartedly in love.

"Mills-Swan," Regina corrected slyly as she slid under the comforter balletically, never fumbling once. The brunette shimmied down through the cotton sheets until her head rested comfortably on Emma's chest, until she could hear her partner's strong heart beat. The overhead light was on its dim setting, and it was almost as though there was as sunset right in their room. Before she was completely asleep, Regina tapped Emma's arm softly. "Don't forget, dear, Maya and Henry have their second ultrasound tomorrow to find out the sex. They're coming for dinner afterwards."

"You think I'd forget about our first grandkid already?" the retired sheriff teased. Emma tilted Regina's head up with her index finger, their lips locked passionately. As she stared down at her regal lover, Emma smirked to herself. "You're definitely gonna be the hottest grandmother in town, Gina. No doubt about it."

Regina elbowed her pretentious wife and exhaled heavily, the gears already switched in her mind. "Emma, do the kids… do you think they're happy?"

"What?"

"Our children, does everything seem all right with them?" Regina couldn't quite place a finger on it, but she had this weird feeling. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.

Emma shrugged distractedly, the brunette still in her arms. "I dunno. You mean today?"

"More in general," Regina elaborated.

Ms. Swan drew circles on Madam Mayor's shoulder as she contemplated the question. "It's been a crazy year for all of us. I wouldn't blame them for being quiet or anything."

"No, it's not that. They're not quiet, per se. It's more… Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm just overreacting," Regina waved off carelessly, though now, she was awake.

Emma could feel the sudden tension in Regina's neck and knew there was something bothering her. Swiftly, she sat up taller, still with Regina safely in her hold. "If you think something's up, Gina, then I trust you. You always good instincts." The former Queen blinked slowly, now wishing she hadn't said anything. As concerned as she was, she was also exhausted. With her dark, brown hair pulled behind her ears, Regina propped herself against the cushions behind her, her satin nightclothes reflected the lamplight. Emma's eyes followed the small scar above Regina's lip as if it were the focal point of the room; it was clear the prim woman was holding back. "Gina?"

Having no energy to assemble a viable comeback, Regina simply shook her head and kissed Emma once more. "It's nothing, dear. I suppose it's just been a busy week. I'm sure everything is fine." Emma watched her movements hyper vigilantly, but Regina ignored the blonde and laid her head on her pillow.

While her wife was content to drop the subject, Emma was suddenly riddled with anxiety. "Gina, wait. Gina?" She prodded the brunette's shoulder, but it was too late. Regina was sound asleep. With one hand, Emma reached for the remote and turned the light off completely. She tucked tucked herself under the blanket and draped an arm over her comatose partner. "Good night," she whispered. And then, she too was unconscious. Just like that, the Swan-Mills household entered dreamworld.

A/N - Hello, dearies! I know it's been a couple of weeks since my last posting, but I'm back! My CC classes have been keeping me pretty busy. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up the pace again soon. In the meantime, enjoy the first chapter of this new story! There's more to come :-)