Author's Note: Happy Independence Day to my American followers! Enjoy the holiday, and make sure to keep track of your furry friends during the fireworks celebrations! Hope you enjoy this little story. :)

July 2, 9:30 PM

"I swear to God, if the neighbors don't stop setting off those fireworks, I'm going to call the police," Regina mumbled to herself, rubbing her temples.

"I think it's fun," Henry said loudly, standing on tiptoes to try to see the display out the window.

"It's dangerous and irresponsible, and someone could get hurt. Not to mention stupid. Who wastes money on something like that? Those idiots don't know what they're doing. Fireworks should be set off by professionals. On the actual 4thof July. It's not even legal to set them off this early, technically. Plus," Regina continued, hearing whining and scratching coming from one of the back bedrooms, "you know that Luna doesn't like them."

"Yeah…but can't we still go out onto the deck and look at them?"

"Someone has to make sure that Luna doesn't get too scared and hurt herself. Plus, they're not as good as the fireworks the city is going to put on on Saturday. Wouldn't you rather wait for those?"

"No."

Regina sighed, and Henry shot her a grin, his eyes bright and pleading. "Fine. You can go out and watch for ten minutes, and then you're coming inside. And if they're still going off by your bedtime, then I am calling the cops. The kids of this neighborhood shouldn't have to be kept up at night just so some hillbillies down the block can light off rockets."

"Thanks, Mom!" Henry turned and ran out the sliding door almost before Regina could blink, making it to the deck just as the sky over the backyard exploded in a shower of green sparks. Luna continued to whine and howl, and Regina sighed once again.

"I'm coming, baby, it's okay."

She found her little dog huddled under the nighttable in Regina's bedroom, crying and shaking like a leaf. "Luna, come here, it's okay, everything's okay," Regina cooed. "It's all going to be over soon, you'll see…" She finally coaxed Luna out of her hiding place, pulling her into her lap and running her hands over her white silky fur. The dog's heartbeat was racing, and every time another firework went off she burrowed herself into Regina's arms even more. Regina's heart nearly broke at the sight, her sweet little dog terrified like this.

"How about we go downstairs, hmmm?" she asked soothingly. "Nice and cool and quiet down there, you won't even be able to hear the fireworks. And we'll bring all your favorite toys…and some treats, too. Does that sound good?"

Luna whined again, which Regina decided was a good enough answer as any. Carefully, she started to stand up, keeping the little dog in her arms. But when a particularly loud firework went off, so loud and unexpected that even Regina jumped, Luna yelped and leapt down, a white blur across the carpet as she raced away.

"Luna, come back!" Regina cried. "Luna, come! Come here! Luna!"

Luna, in her fear, did not obey, and Regina quickly followed her down the hall. There was no sign of her in the kitchen, but she could still hear her frightened whimpers, so she couldn't be far. Thankfully, the fireworks seemed to have stopped for the moment, so hopefully Regina would be able to find her before they started up again.

Boom.

They came from the house behind them now, the force of the blast making Regina jump again as red, white, and blue sparks lit up the sky. Luna yelped and bolted from her new hiding spot beneath the kitchen table just as Regina realized that Henry hadn't shut the door behind him when he'd gone outside.

"Henry! Henry, the door! Luna, come back!"

It was too late. Luna had seen her escape and taken it, racing out of the kitchen and into the darkened yard. For a moment Regina could still see her, a white blur against the grass as she raced after her, and then she was gone.

July 2, 10:45 PM

An hour later, and still no sign of Luna. The neighbors were all on alert (and those who had been setting off the fireworks in the first place had been sternly reprimanded by an irate Regina, who had warned them that if Luna wasn't located soon, there would be consequences) but so far the little dog hadn't been seen since her escape into the yard and down the street. Already Regina was lamenting the fact that she'd never gone in to have Luna microchipped—what had she been thinking? Henry was exhausted, and so was Regina, and the neighbors who had helped search for her, calling her name into the night, had called the search off for the time being. They would have better luck in the morning, Regina kept telling herself.

"It'll be okay, Henry," Regina said softly as she led him back inside, one hand on his shoulder, trying to hide the worry in her voice. "Someone will see her collar and give us a call. She'll be back by the time you get up in the morning."

Henry couldn't meet her eyes for some reason, and he squirmed uncomfortably. A pit of dread appeared in Regina's stomach. "Henry Daniel Mills," she said slowly, her tone a warning. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Henry bit his lip, a trait he had no doubt learned from his mother. It was obvious that he was hiding something, and was searching for the right answer that wouldn't end with Regina either getting upset or punishing him. Regina crossed her arms and waited. "Luna was wearing her collar, wasn't she?" In all the commotion, she couldn't even remember if she had been wearing it when Regina was holding her. She had to have been…wasn't she? Regina would remember…

"I only took it off for a second!" Henry blurted out.

Regina's face fell. "Oh, Henry," she said quietly, her tone filled with disappointment.

"It had gotten all twisted and her fur was matted. She looked uncomfortable. I was just trying to fix it, and then…"

"And then?" Regina pressed.

"I forgot." He looked down at his bare feet, clenching his toes against the plush carpet. By the pull of his lips and the way he was still refusing to meet her eyes, Regina knew he was trying not to cry.

"Why didn't you say something before?"

"I didn't want you to be mad at me."

"Henry…"

"I'm so sorry, Mom."

"Henry…" Regina sighed, coming to kneel before her ten-year-old. Using one finger, she lifted his chin so that he was looking at her in the eye before putting her hands on his shoulders. "It's all right."

"It's all my fault she's gone!"

"Henry, look at me. You made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. You're not in trouble, and we're going to find her. Okay?"

Henry nodded, still fighting back tears. "You promise?"

"Henry…" Drawing him close, Regina wrapped her arms around her son and held him tight. She knew just how awful he must be feeling right now, and it hurt that there was no way for her to make it right, at least not unless Luna was found. Which she prayed she would be, and soon.

"I promise," Regina murmured into Henry's brown hair.

July 3, 12:27 AM

"Woof!"

Robin groaned in his sleep, rolling over to the middle of the bed. With one hand he reached for his pillow, pulling it closer to him, trying to settle back down again.

"Woof! Woof!"

"Bandit…" he groaned. Their five-year-old Alaskan malamute was many things—a faithful companion, a fierce protector of Roland, always eager to join Robin on a run through the neighborhood—but being a good watchdog was not one of them. He was just as likely to be barking at a squirrel or a stray piece of dust than at an intruder.

He barked again, and Robin covered his face with the pillow. "Bandit, knock it off!" he called out drowsily.

Down the hall, he heard Roland's bedroom door open. Fantastic.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" a tiny voice called out, accompanied by the sound of little bare feet hitting hardwood floors. Robin forced himself into a sitting position, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he flexed his toes and stretched. He yawned loudly.

"Nothing, Roland. Bandit's just barking at something. Everything's fine. Go back to bed."

"Can I have a glass of water first?"

He yawned again as his bedroom door creaked open, revealing his son, wearing Iron Man pajamas with his curls sticking up in all directions. "Sure. Come on."

They padded down the hall to the kitchen, where Bandit was poised in front of the huge sliding glass door that led to their sunporch. His ears were up and alert, and a growl was ready at the back of his throat.

"Cool it, Bandit," Robin warned. "Roland, go give him some pets. Calm him down while I go get your water. I don't know what's gotten into him tonight."

"He's really loud," Roland remarked.

"He's just trying to keep us safe. It's nothing to be worried about, though. It never is. Remember the time he started howling like crazy because the wind blew a beach ball into the yard?"

As if on cue, Bandit tipped his head back and howled, as if trying to summon his wolfish ancestors. Robin sighed. Hopefully, he wouldn't wake up the neighbors this time.

"Daddy, I think there's something outside!"

"Roland, there's nothing outside. You need to go back to sleep, okay? Come get your water." He held out the plastic cup for Roland to take, but he stayed where he was, his little face pressed up against the glass as he strained to see in the dark.

"But Bandit never barks like that!"

It was true. Alaskan malamutes were usually quiet dogs, preferring to howl rather than bark, and Bandit was no exception to this rule. Robin was about to remind Roland all the false alarms that their well-meaning dog had had in the past when he heard a rustling coming from beneath the window, headed towards the garage. Despite his assurances to both Roland and himself that everything was fine, he had to admit that the sound unnerved him a bit.

"Stay here," he ordered, already heading towards the garage door. It was probably nothing, he told himself, but they had had an incident with a few raccoons trying to get into the garbage cans last month…and it was always better to be safe than sorry, right?

As soon as he stepped outside, a wall of humidity enveloped him. They'd been enduring an epic heat wave for the past few days, but it was marginally more bearable at night. He switched on the porch light, the concrete of the driveway warm under his bare feet as he searched for the source of the noise.

A little whine reached his ears, and he turned around the corner. Huddled against the side of the house was a little dog, white with cream around her ears and on her back, fluffy and obviously very scared. Robin's face immediately softened. "You poor thing, what are you doing here?" he asked, crouching down. "Who do you belong to, hmm? What brings you so far away from home?"

"A puppy!" Roland crowed from behind him, pushing past Robin on bare feet to greet their visitor.

"Roland, what are you doing? I thought I told you to stay inside."

"It's just a puppy, Daddy," Roland said matter-of-factly. He was crouched on the grass beside the dog, running his hand down its back. Frankly, Robin was surprised that it was letting him pet it at all. "Is she lost?"

He sighed, running a hand down his tired face before he answered. "It certainly looks like it. No collar, but she's too well-fed to be a stray. Too polite, too," he added as the dog gave Roland's hand a little lick, as if checking to see if he was really a friend.

Roland giggled. "Can we keep her, Daddy?"

"Roland…"

"Not forever!" Roland said quickly. "Just until we find her family. You can do that, can't you, Daddy?"

"Without a collar, it'll be hard. We might just keep her here tonight and take her to the vet in the morning. They might be able to track down the owners."

"So she can stay?"

"Temporarily, Roland. And what makes you so sure it's a girl?"

"I just am," Roland said simply. At almost one in the morning, there was no arguing with that logic. Robin nodded.

"We might have to keep her in the garage. I don't know how Bandit will react to a new dog in his territory."

"Awww, Daddy!"

"Roland, it's one in the morning and you need to be in bed. I don't want to argue with you right now, okay? Let's just get her inside."

Roland stuck out his lower lip in a pout. "Can't we at least bring her inside? She can stay in my playroom. We can shut the door. It's too hot to leave her in the garage."

It's exactly the sort of thing that Marian would say if she were here.

"You're right, Roland. I wasn't thinking. Come on, little one. Come here." It took a few tries, but Robin eventually got the dog to trust him enough to let him pick her up. She was light in his arms, and he could feel her heart racing, but she seemed a bit calmer than when he'd first seen her. "The fireworks probably spooked her, poor thing. I hope we can find her family soon."

A yawn nearly split Roland's head in two as he nodded.

"Come on. Let's get you back to bed."

Roland nodded sleepily and followed Robin inside. "We should name her, Daddy."

"She has a family somewhere, Roland. They're probably worried sick about her and can't wait to get her back. We can't get attached."

"But we can't just call her 'the puppy' can we?"

"I guess not. Did you have a name in mind? A temporary one?"

Roland thought for a second. "Lady."

"Like Lady and the Tramp?"

"Yeah. And because she's sweet like a lady. She doesn't jump or yip like some dogs. She's calm and nice like Bandit."

"All right. Lady it is, then. Now let's put the two of you to bed."

July 3, 11:45 AM

Over twelve hours, and still no sign of Luna.

All of Regina's friends and neighbors were involved with the search now, she had alerted her vet and asked them to call her if any dogs of Luna's description are brought in, and she'd even contacted the local news team and asked them to run Luna's picture to see if anyone had seen her. Fliers have been put up, a reward set, a facebook group made to help spread the word. Regina was doing everything that she could possibly think of, and yet every time she saw Henry's face, saw how heartbroken he was without their dog, she felt as if she wasn't doing enough. It didn't help that fireworks were bound to have spooked more than one local dog, and she was almost certain that Luna wasn't the only one missing. All she could do was hold her son to her when she saw the tears start to threaten again, get in the car for another drive around the neighborhood, make every phone call she could if it would bring them one step closer to bringing Luna home. She had to do it…for Henry, for Luna, and for herself.

July 3, 10:25 PM

As it turned out, Robin didn't have to worry about Bandit getting along with their new arrival.

At first, he was a bit standoffish, sniffing Lady, as Roland insisted she be called, with an air of trepidation almost as soon as Robin decided to chance letting her out of the playroom. She cowered a bit at first, but once Bandit decided that she wasn't a threat, they more or less left each other alone. Once Robin ascertained that they two dogs weren't about to tear the house apart, he made a few phone calls, letting the vet's office and the animal shelter know that they'd picked up a lost dog. The animal shelter was less than helpful, letting Robin know in no uncertain terms that they were full, but the vet promised to ask around and keep him posted. As of that evening, there had been no more calls, and Lady was settling in nicely. He'd even walked into the living room after dinner to find her sprawled out next to Bandit's huge dog bed, both of the canines fast asleep.

The fireworks were a bit tamer that night, thank goodness. Lady cowered and tried to bolt a few times, but Robin held her as she cried and murmured soothing words to her, smoothing her fluffy fur and trying to calm her down. Once she'd settled down again, he'd put Roland to bed and flipped on the nightly news, flopping down on the couch. Lady trotted over and settled herself down by his feet with a sigh. Robin chuckled. In all of his efforts to make sure Roland didn't get attached to Lady, it seemed that Lady herself had gotten just a little attached to them.

Robin had almost dozed off on the couch—a long day of playing with two dogs and a kindergartener can tire a man out—when his ears finally registered what was on the news—a list of local dogs that had gone missing in the past few days due to fear of fireworks. He opened his eyes, watching as pictures filled the screen, along with a plea for anyone who may have seen the dogs to come forward, and a list of tips for securing your own pets on the 4th. Robin glanced down at the dog at his feet, snoring softly, before looking back up at the TV again. Slowly, he smiled.

"Looks like you'll be back with your family for the holiday after all."

July 3, 10:46 PM

"Hello?" Regina answered the phone on the first ring. The number was unfamiliar, which usually meant she wouldn't touch it, but these were special circumstances.

"Hello, is this…Regina Mills?" A male voice, deep and smooth, with a British accent.

"Yes, this is she. May I ask who's calling?"

"My name is Robin Locksley. I'm sorry to call so late. It's just…I was just watching the news, and I think I've found your dog."

July 4, 12:45 PM

"Why'd we have to come here? Why couldn't they just bring Luna to our house?" Henry asked as they made their way through the park. Workers from the city were busy setting up for the fireworks that evening, set to go off over the bay, and already families are setting up for the night's festivities.

"Because that's not safe, Henry. Even if they do have Luna, it's never a good idea to invite a stranger to your house. I thought a public place would be better."

"If they have Luna? You think they don't?"

Regina sighed, looking around. They had agreed to meet at the picnic pavilion, but so far she didn't see Luna or her mysterious British rescuer anywhere. "No, I think they do. He sounded honest on the phone. But you can never be too careful."

"Do you see her?"

"Not yet, but we're a little early. I told him to meet us at one. Just hang on. You can go over to the playground if you want, or we can start scouting out the best spot for when we come back to watch the fireworks tonight."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Mom?"

"Luna will be fine. We'll put her downstairs with her food and some toys, she won't be able to hear a thing. And she won't be able to get out again. Sound good?"

Henry smiled, and Regina wrapped one arm around him in a hug. "Yeah."

They sat down at one of the picnic tables to wait, and Regina tried her best to keep from checking her phone every few minutes.

It was Henry who saw her first. Regina heard him gasp, and then he was on his feet, running as fast as he could. "Luna!" he cried.

Regina followed after him, breaking into a relieved smile as soon as she saw a bundle of white fluff make a beeline for her son. Dog and boy were reunited in a moment straight out of Homeward Bound, and Regina had to blink back tears. She was so focused that she didn't even realize that someone was standing beside her until he spoke.

"Well, seeing that makes this whole thing worth it, doesn't it?"

July 4, 1:05 PM

"You must be Robin," the woman—Regina—said after she, too, had the chance to say hello to the dog. Lady was stuck like a burr to her owners now, her tail wagging furiously. Bandit tugged at his leash for a moment before sitting down obediently in the grass, waiting to be introduced, and Roland eyed Regina and her son with a shy sort of curiosity. Regina held out a hand for Robin to shake. "I'm Regina Mills, and this is my son Henry."

"This is my son Roland," Robin said, and Roland gave a little wave. "And this is Bandit."

"Can I pet him?" Henry asked eagerly.

Regina laughed. "You only just got our dog back and you're already more interested in this one?"

"He's cool, Mom. Like a sled dog."

"Of course you can pet him. He loves attention. He's actually the one who found your little pup, so if anyone deserves the credit for any of this, it's him."

Henry rubbed Bandit's ears, and Roland joined him, chattering happily, his shyness forgotten. "Thank you for taking care of her," Regina told Robin softly. "It means more to me than you know."

"Your dog is family. I understand that better than some. Besides, she was no trouble at all. She's a little angel. Even Bandit was charmed, and he can be a tough one to win over."

Regina laughed again. Robin loved the sound of her laugh. She was gorgeous, he was realizing—it was clear that she had been worried sick the last few days, but all of her worries seemed to be gone now. "That's why we love her."

"What's her name again?" Robin asked curiously. "Roland has taken to calling her Lady, like in Lady and the Tramp, because she's so pretty and well-behaved, but that's obviously not it."

"It's Luna," Regina replied. "Henry and I were reading the fifth Harry Potter book when we got her, and he decided that she has a dreamy look in her eyes just like Luna Lovegood."

She watched as Roland's eyes lit up. "Daddy and I are reading Harry Potter right now!"

"Is that so?" she asked, directing the question more to his father.

"Well, I do most of the reading, but yes." Robin sounded proud. "I figure most of today's twenty-something's got their start on the books when they were around Roland's age, so why not him too? You'd be amazed how many kids say that reading Harry Potter at a young age is what made them fall in love with reading."

Regina smiled. "Makes perfect sense to me. How far are you in the book?"

"Harry's just about to get on the train to Hogwarts."

"You're gonna love it," Henry interrupted, pausing from giving Luna enough apology pets to last a lifetime. "Every book gets better than the last."

Talking about Harry Potter seemed to break the ice, and the four chatted more while their dogs lolled in the grass, panting in the heat of the day. Robin learned that Regina was a single parent as well, that she was the director of a local non-profit organization, and that the Mills' house was only a five-minute walk from the Locksleys'. He, in turn, told Regina a bit about his life with Roland, his job as a contractor, the fact that he was a widower and that they'd had gotten Bandit as a puppy only a few months before they'd learned that they were going to have Roland. The more they talked, the more Robin realized how much they had in common, and how much he legitimately liked Regina Mills. Time passed without either of them really realizing it as they sat on a bench and watched their dogs and their boys play together. When Regina finally realized that they had to get home if she wanted to get dinner on the table at a decent hour, Robin found that he didn't want to say goodbye.

"Thank you again, for…well, for everything," Regina told him, securing Luna's collar and clipping her leash onto it. She wasn't going to lose this dog again if she could help it.

"My pleasure."

He couldn't help the question that flew from his lips as he watched her turn away.

"Would you like to have dinner with me this weekend?"

One Year Later

July 4, 8:15 PM

A lot can change in a year.

One year previously, Independence Day was a scorcher, with soaring heat and humidity, although it did nothing to dull the enthusiasm of the crowds that turned out in droves for the fireworks. This year, though, a cold front was working its way in, bringing with it temperatures in the low seventies that threatened to drop even more. More than one family carried sweatshirts and jackets to snuggle up into when the sun went down. The smell of grilled food and popcorn and cotton candy hung in the air, a band was playing "Proud to be an American," and people carted blankets and picnic baskets as they hunted for the best spot. Some things, it seemed, would never change.

"Come on, Mom! If we don't get there soon all the good spots will be taken."

"Henry, settle down. I don't think a few minute is going to make all the difference."

"Yes it will!"

"Then why don't you and Roland run on ahead and save us what you think are the best seats?" Robin said smoothly. "You get to pick them out and everything. And guard them with your life while you wait for us to catch up. Do you boys think you can handle that kind of responsibility?"

"Yeah!" they chorused.

"Then to your positions, men! Find us the best spot in the park!" Robin laughed as the boys raced off, shouting at each other as the picnic blanket that Henry was carrying dragged on the ground.

"Good thing I brought an extra blanket just in case." Regina mused.

"Those two never run out of energy, do they?"

"Well, what do you expect when we have two boys under the age of twelve in the house?" Regina chuckled. "I'm almost hoping this one turns out to be a girl just because it might mean things settle down a bit at home."

Robin's pace slowed a bit, and his hand came up to rest on Regina's stomach—still a flat pane for now—for just a moment. "When do you want to tell them?"

"Oh, not tonight. Wait til tomorrow. They're too excited about the fireworks tonight to focus on anything else."

"True. I think Roland might actually explode if we told him any more good news tonight."

"We'll tell them tomorrow."

Robin smiled, squeezing her hand. "How did I ever get so lucky?" he asked his wife—God, it felt good to call her that, even in his head—as the crowd at the park all but melted away around them. His friends had all thought that they were crazy, getting married after just six months of dating, but Robin and Regina knew that once you found your second chance, you had to hang onto it for the rest of your life. Six months after their wedding, they were happier than they'd ever been and expecting their first child together. What could be more perfect than that?

Regina grinned up at him. "Oh, I'd say you have Luna to thank for that."

"Remind me to do that the second we get home."

"You think Will can handle both dogs while we're gone?"

"He hates the crowds at this thing anyway. He practically begged me to let him petsit, and he's already trained in the art of keeping Luna calm. He'll be fine."

They met up with their boys—Regina was in the process of adopting Roland as her own son, and Robin had begun to do the same for Henry, so that they would truly be a family in every sense of the word—under the shade of a huge tree, on a hill in the park overlooking the bay. They set up their blankets and sprawled out on the cool grass, listening to the band play, running to the playground every now and then, eating the snacks that Regina had packed as they waited for the sky to get dark enough for the show to begin. When the air got colder, they slipped into sweatshirts and snuggled together, Regina leaning up against Robin while Roland crawled into her lap.

"Hey," Robin whispered in Regina's ear as a hush fell over the crowd, a sure sign that the show was about to begin. "I almost forgot. Happy anniversary."

Their lips met in a kiss just as the first firework exploded over the water.