Changing A Life

Chapter 2

It took us a week but we eventually scheduled for me and Emma to go and look around a small group home for girls in Boston. We headed round to Emma's parents apartment to drop off Henry. We headed into the apartment and a little voice rang out "Henry!" The little four year old yelled as he wrapped his little arms around one of Henry's legs. Henry laughed and scooped him up into his arms. We walked in and sat down in the living room "hey mom, hi dad" Emma greeted her parents. When Emma and I first started dating it wasn't long after everyone in the town got their memories back and it took them a bit by surprise but it didn't take them long to accept our relationship. However, it took Snow and Charming a bit longer than everyone else. Mary Margaret smiled "when do you guys leave for Boston?" She asked. I smiled "we have to be there between 12 and 1pm, so we'll be leaving early tomorrow morning" I replied. Both Mary Margaret and David were pretty excited and really supportive when we first told them about our plans to adopt.

We stayed at the Charming's for dinner and then headed home after saying goodnight to Henry. I laid in bed with Emma; my mind was racing "do you want me to drive tomorrow?" She asked. I chuckled "you just want to take the bug" I joked. Emma chucked and placed a kiss on my forehead "we're going to adopt a little girl. She'll love it" she said gently. I laughed and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose "you're an idiot" I told her. She smiled "always" she said as I nuzzled into the crook of her neck.

Emma's POV

Our morning went at quite a fast pace. We were in the Bug and on our way to Boston by nine and if all goes to plan and we don't get caught in too much traffic we should arrive either shortly before or after 12. The journey was basically silent except for the radio which we had playing in the background and us occasionally singing along to a few songs.

We pulled up outside and I felt nervousness bud up in my stomach. I haven't set foot near one of these places in over twelve years. I felt Regina place her hand on my thigh "you okay, Em?" She asked gently, I nodded slowly "yeah, I just... I spent so long running away from these places. It's just bringing back a few old memories" I mumbled. Regina placed a gentle kiss on my lips before getting out of the car. We walked up to the door and rang the bell. A middle aged woman with light brown, almost blonde, hair answered the door "Emma and Regina Swan-Mills, I'm guessing?" She asked, we both nodded. She smiled before. Standing to the side and inviting us in. "The girls are all wandering around but most of them should be in the living room, you can go look around in a minute I just have a few things to go over with you first. If that's alright" she said with a kind smile. She led us to what I assumed was her office and we took a seat. "Well, my name is Helen. I just want to ask you a few questions" Helen saiid slowly. We nodded "you mentioned that you had a fifteen year old son. Did you adopt him or is he biological?" She asked "he's Emma's biological son" Regina told her.

She asked us a few more questions regarding our occupations and the area we live in, etcetera. Helen took us to the living room and told us that we could go around and talk to a few of the girls and to come and talk to her if anything comes up. I drifted my gaze around the room and stopped on a small girl sitting in the corner on a bean bag reading a book, which I noticed, was a book of kids Fairy Tales. I chuckled as I nudged Regina; she turned to me with a confused look on her face. "Who does she remind you of?" I said motioning towards the young girl. I watched as a smile spread across my wife's face. The girl was small; she couldn't be any older than nine. She was sitting cross legged on a light pink, worn beanbag with a scruffy stuffed dog sitting on her lap. Her long, wavy ginger hair fell gently over her face. Regina walked over and leaned down next to her "hello" the brunette said gently. The small girl looked over at us with gleaming, Emerald green eyes that stood out against her pale skin. A soft layer of light freckles covered her cheeks along with a light shade of pink that added a bit of colour to her face. The little one smiled at Regina but didn't respond "what's your name sweetie?" Regina spoke gently. I couldn't help but stare at her in awe at the way she was acting around this girl. The little girl put down her book "I'm Halley" she signed, Regina looked up at me with a slightly confused look on her face. I smiled and kneeled down next to them "that's a beautiful name Halley" I said to her with a kind smile. Her eyes practically lit up and Regina stared at me "how old are you Halley?" I asked gently. Halley smiled and proudly held up six fingers. I smiled "wow, you like Fairy Tales?" I asked gently pointing towards her book. She nodded fiercely "so do I, which one's your favourite?" I asked. Regina didn't move, she just sat there in shock. Halley flipped through the pages until the story of Snow White appeared. I chuckled as I nudged Regina gently "that's my favourite too" I told her and her smile only grew. I shot her a kind smile "and who's this little guy?" I asked pointing towards the white and black puppy that she was clinging close to her chest. She smiled "he's Patch" she told me. I shot her a kind smile "Patch is a lovely name, it suits him" I told her. She shot me a proud smile as she hugged him closer to her chest. Regina couldn't respond, she just sat there in awe as I communicated with this young girl. "You can sign?" She asked, I chuckled lightly and nodded "yes I can" I signed back to her. Halley smiled and looked at Regina "can you?" She asked innocently. Regina frowned and looked towards me "no kid" I mumbled. Halley frowned slightly but soon shrugged. I watched as Halley opened up her book again "I like the Evil Queen. She's just sad" she explained pointing to an illustration of one of the many versions of the Evil Queen. I couldn't help but smile "I love the Evil Queen too" I said looking at Regina. I watched as a smile crossed her face "why don't you wait here while I go talk to Emma?" Regina said gently. Halley nodded before getting sucked back into her book. We got to our feet and walked back out into the hallway "you alright Gina?" I asked. She nodded slowly "when did you learn to sign?" She asked with a slightly confused look on her face. I sighed "I had a friend in one of my group homes, I was maybe about eleven, and she was mute so she taught me. After she got adopted I just continued to learn it" I explained, she nodded. "She reminds me so much of Henry" she mumbled, I nodded in agreement.

We headed back to Helen's office and knocked lightly on the door before walking in. She shot us a kind smile "everything okay?" She asked as we took a seat. We nodded "we wanted to talk to you about Halley?" Regina mumbled softly. Helen looked at us with a smile on her face "you understood Halley?" She questioned. Emma nodded "yeah, I learnt to sign when I was younger" she explained. Helen nodded and leaned back in her chair with a deep sigh "most people would take an interest in Halley but once they hear her story... It puts them off" she spoke slowly. We nodded "she seems like such a sweet little girl" Regina responded. Helen sighed "Halley was in an accident when she was four. It was a fire, it killed her parents, and she was the only on to survive. She was in hospital before she came here and had very serious injuries, she was lucky to have survived. She hasn't spoken since, she can't. Doctors believe that it had something to do with the smoke from the fire and the fact that she was so young when it happened" the brunette explained. We nodded slowly "she reminds us a lot of our son" I perked up. Helen nodded slowly "I think she's perfect for us regardless of her injuries and her past. She's such a sweet girl and I think Henry would love her" Regina said. I couldn't help but smile. Helen smiled and nodded "well, I'll just get both of you to fill out some paper work and then you can go and tell her" she said with a smile.

Once we had everything filled in and answered a few more questions. We headed back into the living room to find Halley exactly where we left her still engaged in her book. We walked back over to her and leaned down. She looked up at us with her big green eyes and smiled "hey Halley" I said gently. She waved her hand slowly "how would you feel if me and Regina took you home?" I asked her gently. Halley stared at us for a moment before a smile crossed her face. She leapt to her feet and wrapped her small arms around my neck. I couldn't help but smile and hug her back, she shook grabbed Regina and hugged her as well "thank you" she signed to me once she pulled away. We stood up and I wrapped my arm around my wife's waist "don't worry Gina. I'll teach you how to sign" I told her gently.