(A/N: Wow! So this got a lot more reviews than I thought. I'm used to my OUAT fics getting maybe two reviews a chapter, but it seems people really like this. I decided it's going to be a small series and I already have a few more chapters in mind. The next chapter is going to focus on Regina, Emma, and Henry. Also, the time line will be jumping everywhere. Daniel can be a few months in one chapter and then he may be a year or two in the next.

Note about shipping: I'm not sure what ships will be in this. I'm a neutral shipper so I honestly like OQ, CS, ST, and Swen a lot (but I have a deep love for OQ and CS). I might just leave shipping out except for Snowing and let people interpret what they wish. Or I might have Emma be living with Killian AND Henry and Robin and Roland stay with Regina at times. I don't know, either way it won't be a focus if there is shipping. This fic is about family. And yes, Rumple and Belle will be coming in shortly.)

When Snow and Charming finally find a quaint little house for their family Daniel is five months old. Regina stays secluded in her mansion and declines the invitation to the house warming for reasons she doesn't know.

It's been a while, she realizes, that she's even seen her extended family. It aches being away from her son and godson the most, but she feels the old darkness and fear of being alone creep to the surface and knows she has to stay away. Of course, her ever stubborn and hard headed step daughter won't let that happen.

"I never answered your phone calls," she snaps to the woman who just smiles back at her on her porch. "Can't you take a hint?"

It angers her further when the younger woman just smiles mischievously and almost mockingly. She never would have had the audacity to a year ago. "I just thought maybe you left your phone off the hook by accident again."

Regina gives an ugly scowl. "Snow, go have your party. I'm happy you and your husband finally found your little dream home...but leave me out of the merriment." She turns away. "I have a lot of reports to go through." The younger woman's smile doesn't fall.

"And I have plenty of house cleaning to do and boxes to unpack but that isn't stopping me from being over here." Regina clenches her fists. "We haven't seen you in so long, Regina. Henry and Daniel miss you." Regina's glare fades and Snow smirks because she knows she's won.

Regina freezes and curses the younger woman for her foul play. Dirty little brat! "Daniel is only five months old and his top priority is what book of his he can chew to bits next. He doesn't miss me. If Henry wants to see me Henry can come over here."

She turns to leave, but is beyond shocked as Snow suddenly loops her arm into hers and practically bungees her backwards. Regaining her footing Regina just stares at the woman, too shocked to yell or threaten her. Snow still looks as playful as a five year old and she doesn't let go.

"Snow White..." Regina splutters, but is too stunned to say anything else. Snow starts to drag her off the porch. "Let go of me this instant!"

"I will," Snow tells her as she pulls her along towards the house. Thankfully they don't have far to walk but Regina still scowls at how she's being dragged along like a child through Storybrooke. "We're almost there!"

Regina gives up fighting and just inwardly plots on the many things she can sneak into Snow's food when she isn't looking as they finally reach the small home her stepdaughter has purchased. She wrinkles her nose up in distaste at how cheesy and fifties the house looks (with birds on the windowsill to boot—how apt) as they swing open the picket fence.

Regina gives a mocking snort. "Where's the deer, raccoons, and bunnies doing the yard work and the house cleaning?"

Unfortunately, Snow remains amused and doesn't get the least bit offended. She doesn't even scowl and that annoys Regina further. Even with their repaired relationship it's still so easy to get under her skin but it seems today Snow's cheer can't be shattered.

"They usually are, but I gave them the day off."

Regina's dark scowl fades the moment she steps into the house and around the cardboard boxes she sees a small fuzzy haired boy sucking on a rubber ring in the middle of a play mat. His bright blue eyes that always melt her heart gaze up at her and she smiles warmly.

"Mom!" She's practically barrelled into the couch as her son runs to her and throws his arms around her waist. She hugs him close, as if only now realizing how much she's missed him. "Hi sweetheart." She kisses his forehead and he smiles.

"It's been so long since we've seen you. Thought you moved out of town or something," Henry laughs.

"Not without my little prince." She ruffles his hair and hugs him again. She can hear the loud shouting babbles from the play mat and looks over to see baby Daniel waving his arms in the air and drumming his chubby legs in excitement.

"Hello darling," Regina croons as her heart melts and her arms reach out to scoop up the baby. He gurgles and giggles and bops her nose with the rubber ring as she kisses his cheek softly. Snow and Charming just smile from where they're unpacking some kitchen utensils. Somehow no one loves that baby more than Regina.

"How has he been?" Regina asks as she bounces the baby up and down gently in her arms. "Teething I see. Is he sleeping well? Is he finally trying new baby foods?" She looks almost bashful for a moment. "Have you tried the outfit I bought on him yet?"

"We did," Charming laughs, "Just the other day. And you would have seen it if you actually came around more." He raises an eyebrow at her and the soft expression fades as she tries to harden herself once more. "I was busy."

"So was I," Emma snorts as she comes down the stairs, still in pajamas. "Leroy was out cold outside of the rabbit hole earlier—second time this week. I had to go down there at three in the morning. And I've still managed to spend time with everyone." She raises an eyebrow playfully but Regina just glares.

"I don't have to put up with you," the brunette snorts, occupying herself with playing with Daniel, who's trying to grab at her earrings.

"You do, actually," the blonde teases back with the most devious of looks. "Since you're going to be here for brunch. And we haven't seen each other in a while so I need to get everything out of my system." Regina opens her mouth to retort but before she does Snow comes between them and turns to Emma.

"Is everything ready upstairs?" She peeks over her shoulder just quickly enough to catch Regina's suspicious glare.

"Uh yeah, pretty much." Emma rubs her blistered hands against the sides of her pants. "That canopy was a bitch to assemble though." They both glance briefly at Regina again and her scowl deepens.

"Regina, would you like to get a tour of the house?" Snow asks, a little too pleasantly. The woman's narrow eyes sharpen like a hawk. "The upstairs is really quite beautiful. You can bring Daniel along."

That sways her and she climbs the steps with Snow, crooning at Daniel the whole time. The steps are made of carpet and curl in slightly at the top and bottom. There's even a skylight that gleams down at them from above. The house has quite a few rooms and Snow leads her into them all.

Regina wrinkles up her face at the the overly adorable flower bedspread near an open window with flower pots lined up on the sill. She smirks in amusement at a parrot housecoat hook on the back of the door. "Oh it just screams you." Even the crib and baby mobile has an animal theme. "Trying to turn him into a future forest ranger?"

There's another room and only the two beds are visible through-out all the boxes. The guest room that's most likely reserved for Henry and Emma when they visit. There's another room with zoo wall paper half hung and stickers of animals everywhere.

The final door beside the bathroom is closed and she wonders why. She also doesn't realize that the entire family is behind her now. And if she saw the creepy elf-like grins on their faces she probably would have run.

Snow opens the door and Regina stares, instantly confused. It's...a beautiful room. The décor is so regal; there's white wall paper with golden designs on the frame of the wall and a canopy bed with a diamond bedspread. It's like something she would have designed.

"It's...so beautiful. I see you finally developed some taste." There's still confusion and uncertainty in her voice. A lot of uncertainty. "I love the bedspread."

The family exchange smiles and Snow laughs softly. "It's yours, Regina." The woman spins to her in shock. "This is your room!"

Her mouth hangs open and becomes dry, that same fear creeping up on her that she had when she was made Daniel's godmother. "I...I have a mansion," is all she can croak out, shaking her head. "I have a home."

"Yeah," Emma agrees. "And I have an apartment just a block down from here but I'm gonna be here often." She looks pointedly at the woman. "And so are you. We've all got our own rooms here."

Regina can't say anything and Snow puts a hand on her arm. "You don't have to live here. You are always welcome to if you want. You can stay for as often as you please. If you want to stay a day in a month you can. Or a week in a month. If you want to stay the whole month you are welcome to. It's yours—for any time."

The former queen swallows and looks at each smiling face. Then she glances down at the innocent, gurgling tot in her arms. He drools and smiles and she tears up. "I don't know what to say...Thank you."

"And if you don't want it then you're taking down the damn canopy," Emma gripes. "That thing was a bitch to get up." Everyone but Emma starts laughing, who just scowls down at her blistered fingers.

"I even helped with the designs," Henry says proudly and it's only now that Regina sees he has a few gold paint dabs on his nose. She chuckles and kisses the spot on his nose. "And what did you do?" she croons to the baby in her arms.

"Uh...he may have christened your carpet," Charming says awkwardly. They all glance to a spot covered with paper towels and laugh.

"So do you like it?" Henry asks her hopefully. She lays on the bedspread with little Daniel and gazes up at the silk canopy. "I love it all...except for this canopy," she says with a playfully disgusted look, delighting in the way Emma darkens in rage. "It's a little much."

"I will suffocate you with my jacket in your sleep."

The group chuckles again and move to the door, smiling in endearment as Regina excitedly explores every inch of her new room like a giddy little girl. "We'll leave you to settle in then," Charming tells her and then it's just Regina and her godson.

"Have you ever felt loved and didn't know what to do with it?" she asks the baby rhetorically. He gurgles and she huffs when she sees a small wet spot under him. "Oh, Daniel!" She grabs for an old towel discarded on a chair and wipes the small puddle. "I wonder if I should accidentally replace Emma's bath towel with this one..."