Hello dear readers! Hope you are still there! :) Sorry for the long wait! I was so busy with family, traveling and celebrations, that I didn't have enough time to get deep into my imagination. But the good news is, now I have a beta! :) So I hope there won't be any mistakes!

And this is a super long chapter for you! If follows the previous one. I don't want to get you confused, so consider everything happened in SP to the funeral inclusive, plus Regina's pregnancy.

Expect Outlaw Queen feelings in the second half!

Enjoy!

She tried to avoid everyone, she really tried. Most of all she wanted to avoid Emma, because she knew of her secret and because she was almost always accompanied by Henry. Henry, her everything. Or so it used to be. Now, now she wasn't so sure about what she had. Certanly she didn't have Henry, but on the other hand she had a baby on the way. A baby whom she had a hard time getting used to.

Beside her children she seemed to have a "friend" - what Emma liked to call herself kind of keenly in the past days. She just couldn't let Regina be. Like mother like daughter, Regina thought. These Charmings must have something in their genes to be always a pain in her ass. Emma kept calling her, pushing her about magic lessons, wich sure were important and needful against The Wicked Witch, and they talked about it before, started practicing back in Neverland. But no matter the foreseen danger, Regina felt more like hiding than fighting. And she knew well that this just wasn't her. So she agreed to the lessons as long as they stayed at her house, garden or her vault alone. When they met and spent whole afternoons together, Regina was relieved that Emma hadn't brought up the baby. At least not until their third session.

- Hi! - She greated the brunette enthusiastically, with a bit of uncertainty.

- Hi, Emma, you are early. - Regina eyed her suspiciously from the door.

- Yes, because we have something to do before our lesson! - She started to explain, gesturing with one hand, keeping the other deep and secure in her back pocket. Regina wandered why did Emma, the Savior needed often this act of defence, or was it only a bad habit of hers? What she realised though is, that she liked to think of Emma like someone invincible, who nor hides from anything neither is hiding anything from anyone.

- Do we? - She asked confused.

- Yes, we are going to the hospital to your appointment! - Emma announced matter of factly.

- What? No, no I'm certanly not. - She said with a smirk, crossing her arms on her chest, and to demostrate her opinion she casually leant against the doorframe.

- What is wrong with you? You haven't left the house for three days! Regina, you can't hide away from the truth! I gave you enough time to think, this is getting ridiculous! - Emma was almost shouting the last words, and now stood face to face with Regina. Who on the other hand quickly lost her fragile confidence, she wasn't snapped at since her mother did it back in the enchanted forest, and she suddenly felt herself like a little child again. Mouth agape, she just stared at Emma, who started to pace up and down on the mayor's outside foyer, her left palm resting on her forhead, than the pale fingers disappearing in her blond locks.

- I ... - Regina whispered, and Emma stopped suddenly.

- I'm sorry. I know we are not that close, but you really should come, it will help. I promise. - Emma looked straight into thoose deep brown eyes, and she could clearly see in them the brunette's suppressed fear. She needed to give her more reason, she needed to convince her, maybe if she opened up herself a little bit. - It helped me, with Henry. I know the circumstances are different, but still, I didn't want to deal with my situation either, but the nurse convinced me to dare to think about my baby, than later I was able to love him without fear. You know, it's a long story short, but ...

- Okay, I'll go. - She sighed in capitulation. - This was what I wanted, after all. But only on one condition. Whale can't touch me.

- That's gonna be a problem... - And she started fidgeting again, not ready to throw the bomb into the room, yet.

- Why? There are other doctors in the hospital, not just him.

- Yes, but he was the only one who accepted to see you. - Regina had to swallow the bile rising in her throat. Did they truly hate her that much? Or feared her? It surprised Regina how much this affected her, she didn't use to care about what others thought about her. Now it hurt.

- Hey, it's gonna be okay! He was nice, really, and I'll be there. - That halfsmile of Emma's, it was the display of the unwanted care, or not so unwanted anymore, Regina thought.

The hospital was way too crowded for her liking. They quickly crossed the waiting area to head towards the examination room, in which expectedly Whale has been already waiting for them. As she followed the sheriff through a dark and narrow corridor, she felt the ugly and cold green walls closing in on her. She had to slow down her steps, because this strange feeling made her almost unable to fight the dizziness, that has been threatening her since their drive here with the bug. She took some calming breaths after they stopped in front of the white door of the examination room, and even got an encouraging smile from Emma.

As they stepped inside Whale roose from his chair.

- Ladies. Please, sit down. - He smiled at them, and it made Regina sick, her painful past coming back at her with renewed force. They were watching her, waiting for her to make a move, but she just stood there, her shaking fingers shifting around her small purse.

- Why? - She cracked.

- What why?

- Why do you want to treat me? - He knew she would ask, sooner or later, and he knew he had to be honest with her, in order to gain her trust.

- Do you work for her? Or do you have some crazy plans with me again all alone? This time using my child for your latest sick experiment? - She was impatient and angry.

- No Regina, nothing like that. - He tried to reassure her.

- I don't believe him. - She said suddenly, looking at Emma, waiting for the blonde to say something, anything that can get her out of this situation.

- Just hear him out. - She pleaded instead.

- I feel like I owe you. - His confession brought back both women's attention towards him. Regina eyed him incredulously, she still couldn't force herself to move from the door, though after she crossed her arms on her chest she took two small steps inside after all.

- If I would even believe you, you would still remain inexperienced in both childbirth and prenatal care. - She stopped to think, than continued. - Unless you really did work with babies back in your lab, in which case I'm not staying here one more minute. I know your past, your work in your wordl, your so called medicine. Or maybe you prefer to call it science, I don't care. I had enough of it already, and I won't fall to it ever again.

After taking a deep breath, than letting it out slowly, doctor Whale resumed speaking.

- My passion for science had begun many-many years ago, when my mother was still alive, expecting our youngest sibiling. We -my brother and me- were already old enough to know what we wanted to be when growing up. My brother was drawn to the military and me, I was completely mesmerised by the function of the human body. Thanks to my family's immense assets, before long I could start to build my own laboratory. I wanted to make a tool as my first invention to enable to study the developing of the foetus, inside the whomb. It was a hidden secret, a mystery, which I grew desperate about. Partly because of my mother. I examined many pregnant women, specifying my machine along the way. One of my professors saw the potential in my work, so as an expert in prenatal care and chilbirth, he was my guide on the medical field. Although the technology is quite different here, and also the aformentioned transpired decades ago, I can assure you, I am more than suitable to help.

- Touching, really. I'm still not convinced, though.

- I know you lost all your babies back in The Enchanted Forest.

The air in the room froze. A shaky breath escaped through Regina's quivering lips.

It felt like ice consumed her body from joint to joint, starting in her neck and travelling all the way down into her feet and finally leaving her body through her toes. She had to grab the edge of the examination table in front of her, not to collapse right than and there, under the weight of her hidden past. The floor seemed so tempting somehow, but only for a missed heartbeat.

- How... - Her suddenly raspy voice failed her at first, but she managed to continue after a visible swallow. - How dare you! - She galred at the other two -especially at Whale- with torment and fury in her eyes at the same time. She let the Evil Queen come to the surface, she was her protector, who shielded her from the world's dangers. - I had enough of this! I won't be anyones lab rat!

And before any one could say anything, she disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.

- That's just great! - Emma huffed frustrated. - God! - She said even louder, fingers disappearing in her blonde feathers. - Okay. - She shighed. - I go after her, and try to bring her back. And you, - she pointed her finger at Whale- you won't tell her anything that could disappoint her any further. Understood? - He just nodded.

She had to clear her head, so as she saw the purple cloud surrounding her, she thought about someplace quiet. Someplace outdoors to get some fresh air she was now craving for.

By the lake.

Where she had a nice talk with Henry about a week ago. She didn't know how she could consider it a good memory, but she did anyway. How pathetic. But also understandable. It was the only time when there were just the two of them recently, and though the meeting wasn't any close to what she was yearning after, she made peace whith what she could get. And her longing for her son made her remember what brought her here in the first place. The dreadful memory of loosing her children.

When she looked around and didn't see anyone, she went straightway to a nearby bench. A sudden relief run through her as soon as she sat down. She had started to feel her legs getting weak and her lower belly growing uncomfortably tight. A familiar feeling, which made her release some silent tears while her right palm was gently covering her slightly consricting midsection. Maybe this time will be different, she thought hopefully, and her previous anger - risen by Whale's words - came back to her. This time she however, was angry at herself.

She acted like a stupid child, who couldn't face her old demons. Running away. Stupid and weak. Like her mother would have said, and this time she would have been right.

To be honest, Whale surprised her beyond anything. She buried those sad memories so deep, she almost truly forgot them through the years. But she only whished to forget them. Back in The Enchanted Forest she even considered to drink a memory potion to never remember. Although in the end she made only Snow to drink one, when she couldn't stand the pity in the girl's eyes any more. But of course she could't make everyone forget. She didn't even remember who else could share the knowledge of her burden. It happened so many times, and she wasn't herself through those terrible days to tell who was around to 'help' her. She just hoped it won't matter.

- Bad news? - Regina sucked in a lungfull of breath, suprisedly looking up at the man in front of her, vulnerability showing through her wide eyes. - Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. - Robin reassured her immediately, frowning at her still shocked state.

- I saw you at the hospital previously, and now you... Are you okay? - He had to ask, because her whole facade made him worry. She definitely wasn't looking okay.

- Yes... - She answered after a while, her voice quiet and sounding almost broken to his sensitive ears. - It was just a check up, everything is fine. - She continued after clearing her throat, not looking at him any more, shifting her gaze between the lake and her shaking fingers in her lap. Her supposed soulmate. Her too handsome, and too kind supposed soulmate. Who else would come to her now? Did fate send him to help her, to save her? Should she let him try at all? No matter how hard would he want to help her, in the end he would run from her, run, as far as he could get, fearing that her constant misery would encroach him too. Him and his son. And he wouldn't bring this fate on his child, no sane parent would.

- Your eyes tell another story. - He pushed, because he had already saw the tears in those brown orbes.

- I,... I was thinking about my son. - She lied again, looking at him, though now with a well practiced, fake smile on her face. She sensed, that she had to give him some reassurance, othervise he wouldn't give up, and he would ask her till she couldn't hold her mask on anymore.

- Oh, I see. - And he seemed to give up, at least for now, though he was still staring at her, frowning, which started to make her uncomfortable. Until she noticed someone moving close to the lake.

- Is that your son? - She asked with a genuine smile this time. Roland was jumping up and down giggling, than he bent down to look closely throught the grass. Robin nodded and was smiling too, as he watched his son's activities.

- We came here right from the hospital so he can search for frogs. He started coughing this morning, and while we were waiting for our tea at Granny's, Granny told me that they can check up Roland in the hospital to see if he has something serious. Luckily it's just a mild cold.

- He seems to be full of energy. - They watched him squat in the grass, walking around with knees bent, like a cute little munchkin. As much as she loved children, the view of a happy, playing child improved her mood right away.

- Oh, I've got an idea! Why don't we get our drink now? - He sat down beside her, and reached for his bag, to pull out a thermos. - I brought some tea for Roland, so ... - Than he hesitated, because she looked at ease now, but maybe he misred her. - But only if you don't mind.

- No, a tea would be wounderful. - She said quite happily, though in her mind hudreds of questions raised. Suspicion. Could it be vengence from the past what truly drives him? Would he poison her? Kill her as soon as he got a chance. Excitement. Could he find her attractive? Could they really be each other's true loves? Can she find happiness with him? Fear. Is he just playing with her? Does he want to crush her heart? Would he use only her body and even humiliate her?

She never wanted to trust Tinkebell's words more than at this moment.

She had to make Robin talk. Maybe she could read him, get to know his intentions.

- Why are you so nice to me? - She asked him, while he handed her one of the two plastic cups of hot tea.

- You aren't cruel with me either, why would I be than? - He smiled at her playfully. - You are even nice sometimes, but most of all you are definitely helpful. You helped us a lot.

- But my past... You should run away from me like everyone else does. I assume you heared stories about me... Why do you keep coming back? - She could only whisper the last sentence, and those damn tears were back in her eyes again, clouding her vision.

- Maybe because I'm a fool or -as I prefer to think- I like challenges, and you, your majesty, you make me courious. There is something about you, which I can't explain. And I can tell you, I'm going to find it out. - He sounded so honest, that Regina started to blush and a single tear made it's way down her rosy cheek. His grey eyes never leaving her brown ones as he brushed that drop away with his thumb. - Why are you crying?

- Honestly? - She laughed helplessly, shaking her head, looking away at Roland, than back at Robin, than averted her gaze in the distance. - I don't know exactly. It is just too much... what is happening with me, around me... I can't ... I don't even know you. - She finished finally when he took her free hand in his, the two looking in eachother's eyes.

- Than let's get to know eachother. - He said with a sweet smile, but Regina just sighed, still shaking her head.

- You shouldn't...

- What? I shouldn't give you a chance? I shouldn't give us a chance? Let me decide it for myself, please. - He whispered, their faces were so close, that they could feel the others breath, so he didn't need to say his words any louder. He reached up to cup her face, doing it very slowly, giving her time to accept the gesture, or refuse it if she wanted to. All this time looking in her deep brown eyes - dim from unshead tears, showing her all the honesty what lived inside him. He tried to look through the dimness, and the sadness and fear he found in her almost break his heart. He whished she would let him hug her, to comfort her, reassure her, but he wouldn't do such a thing, not jet, he wouldn't want to scare her off.

As Robin touched her wet cheek she felt herself drawn to him immediately. It was their first physical contact - except for the previous handholding, and it felt something close to magical. If she wouldn't know any better she would suspect Tinkerbell to be behind the bushes using her pixiedust on them to help thigs move faster. But it was only them. Only the warmth of Robin's palm against her slightly wet cheek, making her feel content and loved. And she let her heavy eyelids fall, let herself indulge in the possibility of a happy ending. She and Robin in love, raising Henry and Roland together, the new baby on the way. No Zelena, no ...

But her thoughts got back to the present too soon. And she released her happiness with a huge exhale from her heavy chest, like she forgot to breath for some minutes, like she didn't think herself capable of being happy.

- It's not the best time. - She said brokenly, but with truthfulness.

- Maybe it is all about timeing. - He tried everything to make her believe, believe at least in the possibility. He placed his finger under her chin, not letting her look away, preventing her from hiding from him. And he managed to look into her accross a very narrow slit -that was all she let him see through, and her eyes were so uncertain that if he didn't know for sure, he wouldn't believe that he was face to face with The Evil Queen. With the woman, who used to be The Evil Queen, to be precise. - I know, The Wicked Witch is still out there, planning God knows what. But we can't just wait for her to show up, we should live our lives, beside preparing for her attack, of course.

- Yes, maybe it is. - She said with a sad smile.

- Can you promise me something? - He waited 'till she nodded. - Call me whenever you feel the need to talk, okay?

If she would have got an offer like this a year ago, she would have sent the person to hell right away, with her head held high, like she is not in any need of comfort, and won't ever be. But she changed, she was different, though she often liked to keep up the same stern facade in front of almost everyone. But not with Robin. He had this effect on her. He kept unlocking her hidden doors, while making her feel safe and cared for. It sill felt impossible to Regina.

- I can't promise anything. - She looked at him seriously. - But you never know. - And she gave him a grateful smile, and it was enough for Robin for the time beeing.

They sat in silence, both thinking over their previous talk, watching Roland play, when they noticed a blond figure approaching them.

- Hey, Emma! - Robin greated her as she got close enough.

- Hey, Robin! - She hardly gave him any attantion, stepping right in front of Regina. She was panting. - Finally I found you. You okay? - She kept taking deep breaths. - We were started to get worried. I asked David to help searching, but you weren't anywhere. Look, Whale is sorry, and I pro...

- I know. I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have left.

- So, does this mean you'r coming back?

- Yes, I am. - Regina said calmly, in contrast with Emma's anxcious demenaur.

So? Is it worth continuing? Please, let me know what you think!