Thanks so much for the reviews! Keep in mind, this is just a story based on a specific prompt idea. Actually based on a weird dream I had that Regina was pregnant. It's not about what i actually think is going to happen. Just following a specific prompt.. Okay, I hope you enjoy! :D

Regina sat quietly in her booth at the diner. She was in the back, faced away from the door and hoping to be left alone. She didn't want to go out but she had an irresistible craving for the apple pancakes only Granny could make to perfection. Yesterday she had taken them home, but they weren't the same after cooling down and so today, she decided they were worth the risk of unwanted conversation.

As long as she didn't run into them she would be okay. After the other night, she just wasn't ready.

xxx

"Do…do I know you?"

Regina swallowed hard and used every once of energy she had to force a comforting smile onto her face.

"I see you're still having some trouble with your memory. Perhaps you should see a doctor." Regina used her best acting skills to feign concern.

"Wh…what?" Robin looked around the room and back to Regina. His eyes searched her face before looking off again, his gaze narrowing as his confusion increased.

"You hit your head. You don't remember? I was just getting you some ice." Regina was thankful for her magic as she easily proved her story when she produced an ice pack a second later.

"I…guess it was a hard one." He laughed, as he took the pack from her, seemingly accepting her story.

Regina had to look away. He was smiling again and she felt that constriction pulling in her chest again.

"Yes well, are you feeling alright?"

"Oh yes, thank you. I should be getting back…back home I suppose. I left to…to…"

"To get dinner. For your family." Regina supplied and Robin slowly nodded in response. She could see him processing everything, knowing the spell would make things hazy but he would be able to get through it if the missing details were replaced.

"R- right. Yes. I was going out to get dinner. I should get going." He stood slowly and Regina did as well.

"I hope you feel better soon." She spoke as she led him to the front door.

"Thank you…um…"

"Reg-" Regina stopped and cleared her throat. "Mayor Mills is fine." She forced another smile and Robin's eyes glanced slowly down before he smiled warmly back.

"Thank you Mayor Mills. I hope to see you around."

xxx

Regina hoped the opposite. It had been three successful days without seeing them, and Regina wanted that to continue. It was hard enough seeing anyone else.

Telling Henry had been hard enough. His words somehow both helped and made everything harder.

xxx

"But…but I thought you were going to tell him. He should know!"

"I know, Henry. But sometimes we have to do things we don't understand."

"But why this?"

"Because it's the right thing to do. They deserve happiness."

"So do you! You're a hero, Mom. You deserve to be happy."

xxx

She had barely made it through that. But after he had told the rest of the family, things got so much more awkward.

She was grateful Henry had spread the word. She knew she couldn't just remove memories from Robin without telling everyone else. Things would get way too messy. But then Regina herself wasn't about to walk door to door to explain her situation.

As it turned out, all it took was Henry's words to Mary Margaret, who told Leroy, for the whole town to understand the new situation. She just hoped the dwarf didn't scream it to everyone. There really needed to be some discretion for this to even work out, or else the entire plan would have been for nothing.

Regina was in a slightly better mood today. Henry was coming home tonight for the start of their week together and that always improved her mood.

Thinking on that, Regina finished up her meal and made to leave. She knew she didn't need to impress Henry anymore, but she still felt like cooking him a nice meal for his welcome home again and so she decided to get to the office now so she could get her work done early.

It was just when she was stepping out into the sunlight that a body collided with hers. Regina was so startled she fell back slightly before two arms grasped hers firmly, holding her upright.

"So sorry miss, I wasn't watching where I was going- Oh, Mayor Mills." Robin's voice had Regina's eyes snapping up and her breath caught. "Did I hurt you?" He suddenly looked so concerned and his gaze ran up and down her body, coming back to her eyes as he waited for a response.

Regina had to force herself to speak. His hands were still holding her arms and his expression was so open and warm. She wasn't prepared but she knew she needed to learn to adapt. So she swallowed hard and forced the words from her throat.

"No, no I'm fine, thank you. I was just leaving." She tried to step from his arms but found it hard to do so, taking an extra second to abandon the warm embrace.

"Are you sure? You should let me get you a coffee. In apology." He added and gave that sideways smile that always created that girly butterfly feeling she thought she should hate, but never did with him.

"Yes really, I have to get to work. But thank you…Robin." She smiled and noticed his eyes went to her lips for just the briefest second.

"A rain check perhaps?" He was still asking and Regina didn't know how much she could deny him.

"Perhaps." She nodded and finally stepped around him, avoiding his eyes she could feeling following her as she finally rounded the corner until she was out of sight.

It was then she stopped to calm her breathing. She looked across the street just as Archie was walking Pongo into his office building. Before she could change her mind, her feet were moving, straight to the door they disappeared through.

The doctor definitely looked surprised. It wasn't as if she'd never been here before, but Regina was not one to ask for help often and it had been some time since she had sat on his couch and bared any part of her soul. But here she was and after a second of confusion, he was stepping to the side and welcoming her back once again.

Regina was quiet for a few moments. Pongo came to her side looking for attention and she patted his head absentmindedly. Archie was always patient with her and for some reason, she was just now realizing it and feeling grateful. Another change she realized. She wasn't sure how she felt about all these new feelings.

She knew she needed to start though. She needed to speak before she lost her courage and so with that in mind, she finally looked up at Archie.

"I made him forget." She started and Archie leaned forward slightly.

"Robin." He said it as a statement, but Regina nodded.

"I just ran into him. Literally."

"How did that go?" He asked carefully. Regina shook her head.

"I don't know what to do. I made a decision and I have to live with it but I see him and…"

"I can only imagine how hard this is for you, Regina. But what you did, making him forget so he'd be able to be happy is…Regina that's-"

"Unbelievable?" She supplied without emotion. Archie waited until her tired eyes met his before he smiled.

"No. Not unbelievable. Amazing, Regina. That's what I was going to say. Because I know how far you have come and how hard you try. I can completely believe that you would do something so selfless."

Regina didn't know if it was because of how far she had come or possibly some heightened emotions from her pregnancy, but she felt a small squeezing in her chest at Archie's words.

"I didn't think it would be this hard." She said quietly as she looked back to her hand making slow lengths against Pongo's back.

"It will get easier, Regina."

"I don't know about that. Things are only going to get more complicated."

"No, Regina. I know it's hard right now, but as time goes by and you-"

"I'm pregnant."

She blurted the words and didn't even look up to see how they were received. But she knew this conversation would go no where if she wasn't honest and she just wanted to tell someone. Tell someone who wouldn't look down or her, nor try to soften everything with talk of love and happiness while avoiding the reality of her situation. And like with Henry, she felt just the smallest weight lift from her shoulders.

"Regina, I…how are you feeling about that?" Archie recovered faster than she would have thought. Then again if you're going to council the Evil Queen, Regina figured he'd need to be ready for anything.

"Overwhelmed, sad, angry, scared…" Regina just started rambling and Archie looked sympathetically at her.

"Have you told anyone?"

"Just Henry. I can't talk to anyone else."

"Regina...It's Robin's…isn't it?" He leaned forward again until he caught her eyes.

"Yes." She answered, feeling that familiar burning behind her eyes. She was almost used to the sensation at this point.

"Regina, you-"

"I can't tell him."

"Regina-"

"How would I even explain this? It would have made everyone's lives so much harder. It would have ruined Robin's life. What would he do if he knew? Leave his wife? For me?" She said in disbelief and Archie's expression broke at the realization of just how unworthy Regina felt.

"It wouldn't have surprised me." He started and Regina's eyes snapped up before they hardened and she looked away again. "I'm just telling you the truth, Regina. You did a noble and incredibly selfless thing in removing yourself from Robin's life. You are a good person and you deserve to be happy. I can't tell you that this is going to be easy, but I can tell you that you are not alone." He covered her hand on Pongo's neck with his own for just a brief moment. Long enough to convey the feeling he wanted her to understand.

"What do I do?" She asked quietly.

"Ask for help when you need it. Like now. Don't be afraid, Regina. You underestimate how others feel for you. This is a unique situation so I understand that you can't tell Robin now. But you can talk to me and you can talk to your family."

"My family?" She all but cut him off.

"Henry is not the only one to consider you family, Regina."

"I am not going back to the Charmings." She scoffed and Archie tilted his head.

"They care for you." He started and she rolled her eyes. "Regina. You know they care for you. You know Mary Margaret would be there for you. If you let her. Can you honestly say you don't want more than just Henry and myself here for you?" He saw the conflict in her eyes. He knew Regina and knew that as strong and independent as she was, and no matter how much she tried to pretend she didn't care for anyone but Henry, she was longing for family and love like everyone else. He also knew there was one just waiting for her in return.

"I…I can't-"

"Just think about it. I won't pressure you."

Regina did actually think about it. Something she never would have before. The Charmings. She had no desire to talk to them. She was still angry at Emma. A feeling she didn't anticipate dissipating anytime soon and she couldn't find it in herself to care about that. And David, she had no desire to go to that man, though she didn't deny he had treated her well when she had tried to work with them.

But after leaving Archie's, she couldn't help but to remember the moment with Mary Margaret when they had been fighting Zelena.

It was something that had always infuriated her about Snow. How the woman could just care so much no matter what. How no matter how bad they were with one another, no matter what Regina had done to her, Snow still cared. Regina always knew it. It was in Snow's eyes. How much she hoped for Regina to be the woman she was when they met. The woman Regina believed completely dead.

Even now, as Mary Margaret, the woman never gave up. She proved as much, moments after Cora's invasion in the mansion, when she still was so ready for Regina to just open up, even a crack and show her that woman from so long ago again.

It drove Regina mad. It really did. Or that was what she was always trying to convince herself. So she had no clue why now, instead of going to her office like she really needed to do, that she was instead, standing outside her former step-daughter's apartment door, lifting her hand to knock on the door.

Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know what you think :)