A/N: Nothing else to say but... welcome back :)... and maybe reread the last chapter if you're lost.

Robin woke up earlier than usual Friday morning. It was the day of the sleepover and he'd barely gotten a wink of sleep. All through the night he'd tossed and turned, going over hypothetical scenarios in his head. What could wrong, what could go right. It was impossible to sleep with all the buzzing in his mind. Glancing at the clock, he threw off his blankets and he padded down the hall to Roland's room.

When he was younger he never imagined he'd be one of those parents, so easily mesmerized by their child's sleeping form, but he was quickly proven wrong. He used to watch Roland sleep all the time when he was a baby, especially after Marian died. There were whole nights where he wouldn't even go to bed, he'd fall asleep in the rocking chair next to Roland's crib, drifting off to the sight of his little fists clutching and loosening. He'd been so precious as a baby. He still was.

Dressed in his dinosaur pajamas, Roland laid on his side, clutching his old stuffed monkey to his body. He was utterly peaceful, just like his mother used to be when she slept.

Robin sighed, gently taking a seat on the edge of Roland's bed. His son was peaceful now, but he wondered how he'd take it when he told him Regina would be picking him up from school and spending the night. Hopefully, there wouldn't be a tantrum or anything drastic.

For the hundredth time, he mentally kicked himself for announcing his new relationship so quickly. The only reason he'd wanted to tell Henry and Roland about him and Regina was because he'd been sure neither of them would have a problem with it. He'd had no reason to think otherwise. Roland loved Regina. His son always lit up at her name and asked about her and Henry. This reaction to their relationship came completely out of left field.

There had to be a reason.

Gently running his hand over Roland's hair, he prayed he'd get answers tonight.

Light began to spill in through the window, casting shadows across the room. The sun had started to rise and Robin knew his son wouldn't be far behind. Tiptoeing out of the room, he headed down to the kitchen, suddenly struck with the idea he should make a special breakfast to help cushion the blow of today's announcement. Roland loved pancakes. He especially loved making them into faces using bacon, fruit, and other toppings. Normally, Robin wouldn't bust them out on a weekday but he was already up earlier than usual and he'd bought a load of groceries the day before, so he had everything he needed. Must've been fate. Or his subconscious need for this day to go as swimmingly as possible.

He'd just started whipping the pancake mix when the stairs started to creak, straining under the weight of steady thuds.

Thud… thud… thud...

"Stop hopping down the stairs!" he yelled down the hall.

In return, a mischievous giggle reached his ears. That sound would never fail to put a smile on his face. Over the past few weeks Roland had taken to hopping down onto every other stair - like a big boy, he'd explained. Of course, Robin had immediately told him of the dangers of jumping down the stairs but Roland remained undeterred.

His son, the fearless daredevil.

The thudding ceased - replaced by rapid, even footsteps - and Roland walked into the kitchen moments later, his hair still tousled from sleep.

"G'morning, Papa," he yawned, stretching his little arms.

"Good morning, Roland."

Roland walked up to the counter, his brown eyes growing wide as saucers when he saw his father stirring the batter. "Are we having pancakes for breakfast?" he asked, excitement in his voice and the sleep leaving his eyes.

Robin nodded his head. "Yeah, we are." A happy laugh rose in his chest when his son started dancing with glee. "You wanna give Papa a hand and get the pancake skillet?"

Roland nodded, replying with an assertive okay before walking over to the second cabinet from the sink. Helping out in the kitchen was his favorite chore and he knew exactly where everything was. Sometimes his father wondered if he had a future chef on his hands. In less than five minutes, the skillet was on the stove and Robin was pouring out three small silver dollar pancakes while Roland waited at the counter, still in his dino pajamas, his feet swinging back and forth as he watched his father cook.

"Papa, do we have strawberries?" he asked. "I wanna make my pancakes into clowns."

"Just picked some up yesterday," Robin answered, a grin still on his face. Strawberries were a perfect substitute for a clown nose. Henry taught it to Roland when he lived with them, and the younger boy had been doing it ever since. The mention of it made Robin think back to those days when Henry and Regina first moved back to California, how easy it had been to blend their lives together. He wondered if she'd be willing to give it another try one day, when things were settled with Roland, of course.

"And here are three blank faces for you," he drawled, dropping the pancakes onto a plate and setting them down in front of his son. Roland drummed his fingers against the counter, giggling in anticipation. He was probably thinking of all the different ways he could style his meal.

Reaching into the fridge, Robin pulled out a small box of blueberries, strawberries, and a canister of whipped cream. He passed over the fruit easily, but when Roland reached for the cream he held back. "How much are you going to use?"

"Enough to make me happy…"

"But…"

"Not enough to make me sick," Roland finished, sending his father puppy dog eyes and a pout.

Robin smiled, relinquishing the whipped cream. "Good boy."

As Roland started eagerly shaking up the can, Robin glanced at the clock. They still had plenty of time left before it was time to get ready for daycare, but he knew he shouldn't put off the announcement any longer. If his son was going to throw a tantrum he'd rather him do it before they had to rush.

He hesitated to speak, watching as Roland carefully placed matching whipped cream smiles on all of his pancakes. Grabbing a seat on the stool next to him, he gently taps his son on the shoulder. "So Roland, I have surprise for you."

Roland eyes lit up, excited. "Is it more pancakes?"

"No," chuckled Robin, shaking his head. "It's not about pancakes. It's about tonight."

"What's happening tonight?" asked Roland, his eyes growing curious.

"Well, your Aunt Regina is coming for a visit," he said. "Henry's having a sleepover with one of his friends tonight. So we thought it might be fun if we could have a sleepover with you, just the three of us."

He waited with bated breath, fully expecting to worm his way through a minefield at best or battle a full-on meltdown at worst. But, as always, his son chose to surprise him. After sucking some misplaced whipped cream off his thumb, he simply tilted his head thoughtfully and asked, "Does that mean I get to stay up late?"

Robin blinked twice, stunned. "Umm… sure."

Roland grinned. "Do I get gummy worms, too?"

"Don't push your luck," replied Robin, regaining his bearings. Letting out a subtle, apprehensive breath he asked, "So... you're alright with Aunt Regina coming over for the night?"

Roland hummed affirmatively, turning his attention back to his pancakes. "Yeah, it sounds like fun."

"Okay…" he drawled, still uncertain. Passing his son the syrup, Robin knit his eyebrows together, more confused than he'd been an hour before.

That was far too easy.

In her own kitchen not too far away, Regina was also lost in her thoughts that morning. She'd nearly burned her eggs fretting about the night ahead.

After talking it over, she and Robin agreed that maybe they could do with more time with each other's boys. While she would be spending the night with Roland, she'd arranged for Robin to drive Henry to his sleepover that afternoon. It was a small gesture, unlikely to go awry but she still found herself apprehensive about things to come.

Telling the boys about their relationship hadn't gone as planned, and now she was worried it was all downhill from here.

Tossing out her overcooked eggs, she glanced at the clock. 7:15. She didn't have time to start from scratch again. Looks like it was a morning for cereal.

As she poured Henry a bowl of the far-too-sugary breakfast she normally reserved for weekends only, her phone started to ring. Robin's face lit up the screen and her heart skipped a beat. Wasting no time with preamble, she immediately asked, "How did it go?"

He hissed, apprehensively. "It went... well, I suppose?"

"You suppose?"

Anxiety bubbled up inside of her at the uncertainty in his voice. She knew he was giving Roland the heads up that she'd be coming over this morning and it'd robbed her of sleep the night before. She'd tossed and turned in her sheets for hours, worried her godson would be blindsided by the news.

Robin sighed. "Honestly, I don't know what to think. He barely had a reaction at all."

"Really?"

"Really," he insisted. "I told him you were coming over and he only brought up were gummy worms and bedtimes. It was like he hardly cared."

Regina leaned against the kitchen counter, her grip on its edge a tad more fierce than necessary. Roland's lack of reaction should be comforting to her but it was the furthest thing from that. He normally got excited for her visits. What if he didn't want to see her anymore? Or he froze her out when she got there?

"How did Henry take it when you told him I'd be picking him up from school today?" asked Robin.

"Um…" She peeked around the corner to make sure her son was still upstairs before whispering, "I haven't told him yet. I was gonna do it on the way to school."

"Are you sure he's fine with everything?" questioned Robin.

"Of course," Regina easily replied. "He told me so himself."

Henry's reaction to their relationship was the only thing that'd gone right in the past week. And he'd given her no reason to question its sincerity. Speaking of her darling son, she could hear his footsteps on the stairs. "Hey, I gotta go. I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Okay, bye."

She'd barely hung up the phone when Henry walked into the kitchen, dressed in his school uniform but still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He lifted his eyebrows, questioningly, as she pulled down two cereal bowls from the cabinet. "I thought we were having eggs."

Regina glanced at the trash bin where she'd tossed the burnt eggs. "Well, I figured it was a cereal type of morning."

Twenty minutes later, after slurping down their cereal, the two of them were in the car headed towards Henry's school. As Regina drove along the roads, Henry reached onto the dashboard to fiddle with the radio, trying to find a station of his liking. In the past year his tastes shifted from the Radio Disney variety to more adult music with lyrics showcasing emotions he'd yet to experience. And a few she hoped he never did.

Turning onto his school's street, she told him, "Sweetie, I have some extra things to do at work today. So Robin's gonna pick you up from school and drive you to your sleepover, 'kay?"

Henry's face twisted up in displeasure. "Why can't Emma take me?"

"Uh… because Emma is busy," she lied, thrown off by his resistance.

Henry sighed, miffed, before turning to his mother. "Is Robin gonna pick me up from school all the time now?"

"No, it's just for tonight," she assured him, growing uneasy.

"Fine," he muttered as they pulled up to the drop off. She could tell he'd accepted the change in plans, but the sullen look on his face said he wasn't okay with it. She wanted to keep him in the car, question him further on his feelings, but she was already in the drop off zone under the stern gaze of a volunteer mom. As Henry opened the door and climbed out, she stared out at him, helplessly. "I'll be there bright and early to pick you up tomorrow though, okay?"

"Okay," he mumbled. "Bye, Mom."

"Bye."

She'd barely gotten the word out before he closed the door on her, but she chose not to be hurt by that. She was far more occupied with the realization he hadn't given her a chance to say I love you.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Robin didn't worry often. He wasn't prone to stress or to fixate. Sure, he'd had a rough childhood but in a way it'd inured him to the anxiety most people experience in their day to day lives. He never fixated on his appearance, whether he was "happy" in his job or what others thought of him. None of those things ever threw him off. As far as he was concerned he had a place to call home, somewhere steady to work and good, loyal friends. As long as he had those things he could get through anything. In the whole world there was really only one thing he worried about. His son.

Normally, Roland wouldn't give him much reason to be concerned. He was healthy, happy and well-adjusted. Everyone said so, not just Robin. Perhaps that's why he was fixating on Roland's reaction to his new relationship. It was the first time since Marian's death that he truly doubted if he was doing right by him.

"So, ready for the big sleepover tonight?"

Robin responded with a non-committal grunt as Killian appeared next to him behind the bar. It was midday at the Drunken Monk and Robin was behind the bar for the first time in months. He'd say it was because he was ahead on paperwork for the week, but the truth is he was trying to distract himself from his worries. A clearly impossible task.

"I suppose so," he ventured. "Regina's more nervous than ever, and Roland's still a mystery."

Killian thoughtfully nodded as he wiped down a glass mug. "He still hasn't mentioned the marriage thing again?"

"Not a word," Robin grumbled, leaning against the counter. "I'm starting to think he's forgotten he even said it."

"Nah." Killian shook his head. "Kids always remember the crazy stuff they say. They just don't know how to explain themselves."

"And how would you know? The only kid you've been around is mine."

"And Regina's!" Killian quickly pointed out. "Don't forget I almost changed his diaper once."

Robin rolled his eyes.

Still wiping down glasses, Killian eyed him curiously. "Have you given much thought to it?"

"Thought to what?"

"Marrying Regina."

"There's really no point until I can get Roland onboard first. I need to make sure he's okay."

"Of course, but after all these trials and tribulations are over with, do you think it's a possibility?"

Robin looked away, not wanting to answer him. Honestly, the idea had crossed his mind. He wasn't ring shopping or planning to get down on one knee but there were moments where he imagined being married to Regina. How it would feel, what their future together would look like, a life with the two of them and their boys. In his head, it was a pretty picture.

One he'd never get if he couldn't get his son to be okay with it.

"Anything's possible," he vaguely deflected. "I'm just trying to get through the night for right now."

"Fair enough," said Killian, letting it go with a shrug. "What about your afternoon with Henry today? It'll be your first time seeing him since he found out about you and Regina."

"I'm a little nervous but not expecting any issues. Regina said he was more than fine with everything."

"And you actually believe that?" scoffed Killian.

Robin went still. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means he's a nine-year old boy… and you're having sex with his mother."

"Come on!"

"It's true," laughed Killian, slapping a towel over his shoulder. "Young boys can have weird, protective relationships with their moms, especially single moms."

Robin screwed his face up in disbelief. "It's not like I'm some one night stand he found in the kitchen the next morning. Henry knows me - I've been in his life since he was a baby."

"That makes it even weirder," argued Killian. "I know the boy's always been fond of you, but you're his mother's boyfriend now. And if you think it's not gonna change how he sees you, then you're naive."

Scoffing, Robin turned away. "You're crazy."

Killian leaned against the counter, smugly crossing his arms. "Am I?" He scanned the room, eyes lighting up when he found who he was looking for. "Hey David?"

He called out to the newest bartender, David, - a young, strawberry-blonde college senior, who started working in the Drunken Monk half a year ago. Robin liked him. He was dependable, good with the customers and from what Regina told him he'd sparked up a relationship with Mary-Margaret. With a skeptic look on his face, he approached them. "Yeah?"

"You were raised by a single mother, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, my Dad died when I was ten."

"Did she ever remarry?"

David narrowed his eyes, clearly uncomfortable. "Yeah… she married my baseball coach a few years later. Why are you asking about this?"

"It's for me," Robin sheepishly replied. "Regina and I told the boys we were dating earlier this week and it hasn't gone well."

Shaving it down to the barest bones he reiterated the whole situation, with Roland's comments and Henry's response. After listening to Robin's concern, David shook his head and blew out a sympathetic breath. "I hate to say it but… Killian's right."

Robin didn't even register the smug look on Killian's face before the panic creeped under his skin. "But Henry and I have a good relationship. I love that boy."

"And I loved my baseball coach," replied David with a shrug. "But when he started dating my mom… it was awkward. The dynamic changed. He started spending more time with my mother than me, he was more on her side than mine. Eventually they became a unit and I started seeing him as just the man who lives in my house."

Swallowing hard, Robin asked, "But it's not like you hate him now?"

"Of course I don't hate him," said David. "He's a good man, my mom loves him. I just don't go out of my way to talk to him, I guess."

Listening to David talk about the deterioration of his relationship with his stepfather, the picture in Robin's head turned dark and murky. The idea of a future where Henry didn't talk to him was certainly not what he had in mind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After she dropped Henry off, Regina took a quick day trip to Santa Monica. Thoughts of Roland had been swirling in her head all morning and before she knew it she was climbing in her car and telling Anna to forward all her calls. One hour later she was pulling up to Roland's favorite candy store.

As she stood in aisle three trying to decide whether sweet or sour gummy worms would make her more likeable, her cell phone rang. She answered without even looking.

"Regina Mills."

"Are you sure Henry's fine with our relationship?"

She knit her eyebrows together. "Robin?"

"Yeah. I was talking to the guys at work, and are you sure he's okay with us? I mean, really okay. I just feel like I should know before I pick him up."

He barreled on without stopping, the worry in his voice flowing from her phone and dropping at her feet. Biting her lip, she listens to him ramble, thinking of the way her son behaved that morning.

"Well… he told me he was fine with it last week," she softly evaded, not fooling him at all.

"And has that changed?"

She reluctantly sighed. "He was acting strange this morning when I told him you were picking him up today."

"Strange how?" he interrogated.

"Strange like… he was annoyed. He asked for Emma instead," she admitted. Leaning against the shelf, she moaned. "I don't know what happened."

Silence rang from his end of the line and she could picture him, sitting in the chair behind his desk, his jaw clenched, failing miserably as he tried not to let the hurt show in his eyes. God, she wished she was a better liar.

"Maybe you were right," he mumbled. "Maybe it was too soon to tell the boys."

Hearing his dejection made her heart sink into her stomach. Neither of their boys had taken the news of their relationship well and now they were both panicking. Not for the first time that day she wished she had a time machine to go back and tell herself to keep their relationship secret for a little longer. But alas, a time machine wasn't going to appear in her path anytime soon. For better or worse, the boys knew about them now and that meant facing any problems head on.

"Look… I know this hasn't gone as planned," she sighed. "But we are where we are, so let's stick to the plan and try to get past this. It's just a small road bump, remember?"

He chuckled, humorlessly. "Throwing my words back at me?"

"You threw them at me first," she reminded him, a small smile on her face. "Are you still alright picking up Henry after school?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Any advice for swinging him back to my side?"

"Nothing you don't don't already know," she said. "I think you just need to talk to him, Robin. Give him some extra reassurance. I trust you."

"Well, one of us needs to," he replied, good-naturedly. They softly bid each other goodbye before hanging up.

Her stress levels roaring through the roof, Regina studied the rows of candy in front of her. Ridiculous as it was, she was sure one of them held the key to winning over Roland's heart. Grabbing a bag of sour gummy worms, she hoped Robin had an equally simple way of getting into her son's good graces.

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In all his years, Robin had never sat through anything as complicatedly strict as the pick up zone at Misthaven Elementary School. Regina had texted him a rundown of the rules the night before. Rules about green zones, time limits, and kinder had his head swirling in minutes. As he pulled into the school road, lining up his car behind the other more punctual parents, Robin sighed, silently cursing the no cell phone rule. He could use a distraction from his worries.

David and Killian had gotten into his head with all the stepfather talk, especially David. Earlier. Maybe he'd feel differently if Henry and Regina were two people he'd just met but they'd been a part of his for so long the idea of changes to their dynamic unnerved him. Especially when it came to Henry. He was Uncle Robin long before he and Regina became close. Honestly, their relationship hadn't been an easy one at the beginning. He was so young when Henry first came into his life, he'd had no idea how to care for a child of any of age, let alone a baby. Add to that, he and Marian had finally started getting past her miscarriage. After that the idea of being around that adorable little boy felt a little painful. He hadn't wanted to get attached, but it was impossible. All baby giggles and hazel eyes, Henry snuck under his skin. And after Marian died, spending time with him - babysitting, going to movies, and reading comics - helped him relearn how to be happy.

Their relationship meant a lot to him, even outside of Regina. It's change was inevitable but he didn't want it to warp into something cold and unrecognizable. He supposed it was his job to make sure it didn't.

The end of day bell rang and kids started to fly out of the school's double doors, making their way to the parents waiting for them. It wasn't long before he spotted Henry. He trailed near the back of the crowd, flanked by two friends, his backpack jutting out from behind him in a turtling effect. Henry searched the pickup zone, at first overlooking Robin's jeep before doing a double-take. Robin grip on the steering wheel as he made his way over.

"Hi, Robin," he mumbled, climbing into the passenger seat.

"Hey, how was school?"

Henry shrugged. "It was okay."

"Anything interesting happen?"

"Nope."

Well, there went his plan for small talk.

Punching in the address Regina had given him, Robin pulled out of the pick up zone with Henry stoically sitting beside him. The silence between them was palpable. It prickled under his skin, urging him to speak, but not providing a topic to broach. Normally, he'd let Henry guide their conversations - filling him in on his friends and the books and comics he'd been reading that day - but his normally chatty godson appeared to have taken a vow of silence for the ride. He sat with his arms crossed over his backpack, staring out the car window and actively ignoring Robin's presence.

Daring to break the silence, Robin cleared his throat. "So… excited for your sleepover tonight?"

Henry shrugged.

"Any big plans?"

"Not really," he mumbled.

Their conversation continued like this for a while. Robin throwing out questions, desperate to get a conversation going. Henry replying with one or two-word answers, unwilling to throw him a bone. If he didn't know any better, he would've sworn he had a full-blown teenager in the car with him.

Beeping, the GPS instructed him to turn on the next block.

Glancing over at Henry, Robin realized they were reaching the end of their ride and he hadn't even gotten close to talking about the issues on his mind. Ignoring the GPS, he continued to drive straight.

Henry whipped his head in Robin's direction. "Hey! You missed the turn!"

"I know," he calmly replied. "We're taking a quick detour."

He drove for a few more blocks before pulling into the parking lot of a nearby park. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he nodded to Henry. "Come on. You can leave your bag in the car. We won't be long."

Henry stared at him for a moment, skepticism and challenge in his eyes. Robin could tell he was silently debating whether it was worth it to throw a fit or not. Lucky for him, Henry decided against it, unbuckling his seatbelt and climbing out of the car.

Scanning the park for a place to sit, Robin guided them to a small cement table near the edge of a walking path. As they sat down on opposite sides, he noticed the surface was painted with white and black squares. A chess table. How fitting.

Henry stared at him expectantly, as he folded his hands atop the table. It was remarkable how much he looked like his mother in that moment.

Robin sighed, before speaking. "Henry, I wanted to have a talk with you today. Figured we'd do it on the the ride over, keep it light and breezy, but now I see that was a mistake."

"It was?"

Robin nodded. "I see now you're more grown up than I realized. And you deserve an actual conversation, not just a five-minute chat in a car. So I want to talk to you like an adult. Man to man."

Sitting up straighter, Henry pulled his lips into a pleased smile. "Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

"About me and your mother."

Henry's shoulders deflated a bit. "Oh. You mean how you're boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

"Yes," Robin softly replied. Swallowing his hesitation, he pressed on. "See I care about your mother quite a bit, more than I've realized in the past and I like being with her… but I'm starting to think you're not feeling too good about it."

Henry shrugged, averting his gaze. "I'm okay."

Robin grimaced at Henry's poor attempt at hiding his feelings. It was clear he had reservations.

"I know you said that when your mother talked to you about it earlier," he said. "But I wanted to check in on you myself."

"Why?"

"Because I care about you, Henry, and I wanted to give you a chance to say something, even if you think it might hurt my feelings, or hers."

Henry dropped his hands in his lap, but remained silent, thinking it over.

Robin leaned forward, resting his elbows against the table. "Anything you'd like to say, you can say right here. You can ask anything you want to know and I promise it won't leave this table if you don't want it to."

Hesitating for another moment, Henry finally asked, "How come you picked me up from school today?"

Robin blinked twice, blindsided by Henry's sharply asked question. "Because I wanted the chance to talk to you," he honestly answered.

"Are you gonna pick me up from school every day now?"

"No," said Robin, keeping his voice steady. "It's just for today."

Robin sighed. Henry had always been a perceptive and curious kid. Looking back, he should've expected for him to see right through the school pick up. It was somewhat out of the ordinary, especially after the news he'd gotten this week.

Henry settled back into his seat, thinking of another question. "Why do you like my mom?"

Unable to hide his grin, Robin lifted his shoulders. "Because I think she's an incredible person. She's strong and beautiful. I like her laugh and her eyes, and she's a really great mom."

"Hmm," Henry hummed thoughtfully. "I guess that's true."

Robin chuckled softly under his breath. It was the bare cliff notes of all the reasons he found Regina so amazing, but he doubted it was appropriate to wax poetic about a woman to her son's face.

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"

Pressing his lips together, Henry paused. "Did you… did you only hang out with me because you wanted Mom to like you?"

The smile immediately dropped off Robin's face and concern flooded his eyes. "No… why would you ask that?"

Henry shrugged. "Some of the kids at school said you only hung around me to get close to Mom."

Letting out a soft, angry breath, Robin resisted the urge to demand names and home addresses. Instead, he clenched his jaw and replied, "Well, they're wrong. Henry, I don't spend time with you because I think it'll make your mom like me more."

"You don't?"

"No," he assured him. "I spend time with you because you're one of my favorite people in the world. You like the same superheroes as I do and you always show me those funny videos on YouTube."

He laughed a little, thinking of the last batch of prank videos Henry showed him the week before.

"I know I have something special and new with your mom, but I also have something special with you. And that will always matter, no matter what. Besides… you were my friend first."

Henry smiled, visibly relaxing in his seat. "Okay… are you going to marry my mom?"

Robin chuckled, relieved to be back on a somewhat simpler question. "Honestly… that's up to your mom."

"I thought so," sighed Henry, knowingly shaking his head. "It's okay. I'll put in a good word for you."

"Thanks, that means a lot." Robin smirked, knowing he'd be sure to hear an earful from Regina once she caught wind of this. He glanced at his watch. They probably shouldn't stick around for much longer.. "Okay, is there anything else you'd like to ask before we go?"

Henry stared at him for a moment before averting his gaze and pressing his lips together. Robin's concern spiked at his silent reaction. "Henry… is there something you want to say?"

"Can you promise not to hurt my mom?"

"Henry, you know I'll always do my best to treat your mother well."

"That's not what I mean." He sighed, resting his arms against the table. "Ever since we met Grandma Evelyn, Mom's been talking to me more about my dad, Daniel. And whenever she does, I can tell that she gets kind of sad and when I was little she used to cry on his birthdays."

"Oh."

"I think she was really sad when my dad died and that's why she didn't talk about him for so long. So… could you promise you won't leave her alone like he did?"

Stunned, Robin ran his hand over his mouth. There were so many questions he was prepared to answer. This one was nowhere on the list.

A cool breeze ran over the table and he let out a deep, uncomfortable breath. He wondered how long this question had been on Henry's mind. How much he'd thought about what losing Daniel actually meant for him and his mother. He remembered how much losing his own father had affected him, how much it had changed his life. After that he'd thought about death a lot, wondering when it would show up again.

Henry stared at him expectantly from across the table, clearly hoping for an easy, reassuring answer. Robin wished he could give him one. Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple.

"Oh, Henry, you are such a smart and perceptive kid. So smart and so perceptive that I'm sure you know I can't make that promise."

Henry shoulders slumped, dejected, but Robin continued.

"Look, I know your mom has been hurt in the past because of what happened to your dad. I know because I've been hurt, too. Both of us know how much it hurts to lose someone that you care about. But we also know how impossible it is to predict what's going to happen in the future. So… I can't promise nothing will ever happen to me, but I will promise that I will do everything I can to make sure the time I have with you and your mom stretches on for as long as possible. Can that be enough for today?"

Pressing his lips together, Henry thought it over for a moment and shrugged. "I guess that's okay."

Robin smiled. "Good." He nodded toward the Jeep. "C'mon, I should get you to your sleepover."

As they walked back to the car he sighed, a little relieved. The talk had been rocky, but he was glad they'd had it. All relationships require maintenance. And he'd have a thousand awkward conversations to maintain the one he had with Henry.

Climbing into the passenger seat, Henry smiled. "You know… I actually like that Mom's dating you."

"Thanks."

"But I don't think she's gonna want to marry you for a long, long time."

Robin laughed, pulling out of the parking lot. "That's okay, Henry. I've got all the time in the world."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Regina was buried in fabric orders when she got the text from Robin that he'd dropped Henry off. If she hadn't been so busy, she would've called him back and grilled him on how it went. Instead, she forced herself to stay focused on her work. Due to her gummy worm road trip, she was much further behind than she liked.

The bright side of being so busy was that she'd barely had a moment to worry about anything else. The grand opening of her boutique was less than a month away. With time running out everything was down to the wire. Next week she'd finally finish constructing on her main dress designs, her assistant had already started made all the final decisions for their opening event, models had been hired, caterers paid. It was all coming together. While that realization carried a lot of stress, it also brought a lot of excitement.

Never in her life had she dreamed of achieving so much on her own. Or that she'd be free to even try. She wouldn't say so aloud, but she was proud of herself.

By the time she walked out to her car that day, she was the last person left in the office. Everyone else had left at least an hour before her, but she preferred it that way. The boss should always be the hardest working person in the room. At least that's what she believed. Snow would argue that she hated to delegate, which might also be true if she was honest.

Climbing into the driver's seat of her car, she paused for a moment and let her hands rest on the steering wheel. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, trying to physically remove the clutches of work from her body. She was off the clock now. No more worrying about deadlines, or invitations, or profit schedules. In the silence of her car, she shed her work persona and turned back into Regina.

Unfortunately, Regina had her own set of problems.

Before pulling out of the parking lot she fired off a quick text to Robin, letting him know she was on her way. It was time for a sleepover with her boyfriend and his son.

She tapped her fingers against the steering wheel as she drove. On the outside, she was calm. On the inside, she was mentally going over every detail of the night ahead, like she had for the last twelve hours. In the backseat of the car was a purple overnight bag. Inside was her toothbrush, a makeup kit, face moisturizer, lotion, clothes for tomorrow, and a pair of modest satin pajamas. Oh, how she had agonized over those pajamas. She'd spent no less than two hours deciding which of her pajamas would be chaste enough to wear in front of Roland, yet enticing enough for a night in bed with his father. In the end, she'd settled on a set of blue cotton pajamas with a modest button-down, short sleeve top but with drawstring shorties that were sure to show off her legs, a feature of hers that Robin was quite obsessed with. Though satisfied with her choice, she knew the sexiness of her pajamas would not be the main issue tonight.

Tonight, she would only have eyes for Roland. Though Robin would be present for the sleepover, she'd long since resolved to pay him a minimum amount of attention. Instead all her attention would be centered on Roland. How his day went, how he liked the movie, and if he was ready for bed yet. Tonight was about their relationship, and she was determined to prove it could still be a good one, even if she was dating his father.

It wasn't long before she arrived at Robin's house. She didn't even knock before letting herself in. They were already expecting her and after months of living there it was just habit.

"Anybody home?" she greeted, already knowing the answer.

"Aunt Regina!"

She dropped her bags to the ground as Roland rounded the corner with a big smile on his face. He ran into her, wrapping his arms around her legs. "You're here!"

Regina stumbled, surprised by his easy affection. "Hi, sweetheart! Where's your dad?"

Roland immediately frowned. "He's in the kitchen." Gripping her hand, he asked, "Will you come and help me with my puzzle?"

Smiling, she nodded. "Sure."

As Roland all but dragged her to the living room, his father finally made his appearance.

"Look who's here," said Robin, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. She noted the oaky smell of of his cologne as his lips brushed against her skin. He looked good, relaxed. After their phone call earlier, she thought he'd be more visibly anxious. Hopefully this was a sign things had gone well.

"How was work?" he asked.

She huffed tiredly. "Hectic, but good."

"Good." He smiled at her. "Well, I'm trying to figure out what the three of us are eating for tonight. Think you can help me cook something up?"

"No!" Roland stomped his foot and gripped both his hands around Regina's arm. "It's time for puzzles! You promised!"

He moaned frustratedly as he dug his fingers into her skin, trying to pull her into the living room. Clearly sensing a tantrum on its way, Regina knelt down to reassure him. "Okay, sweetie, we'll do puzzles first. That's fine." She turned to Robin. "Ordering in, sound good?"

He nodded. "Sure. I'll call in a pizza and then help you guys with your puzzle."

Roland moved to wrap his arms around Regina's waist. "No! The puzzle's just for us. You're not allowed to help!"

Robin stared at him in shock while Regina nodded her head, stunned. "Okay," she whispered, letting him pull her into the living room. As they walked away she turned back to Robin who still had a bewildered look on his face.

It was clearly the beginning of a long night.

Over the next few hours Regina was smothered in affection from her godson. They finished a puzzle together in record time. During dinner he sat on her lap and stayed there all through the Minions movie. His arms stayed wrapped around her, his head rested on her shoulder, and it appeared as though he loved her more than ever. Though the same could not be said for his father.

All evening Roland was determined to keep his father at arm's length. He refused to let him help with the puzzle and insisted he wasn't allowed to sit on the couch with them. It certainly wasn't the night Regina expected. Though she was glad Roland didn't seem mad at her, she could tell Robin wasn't pleased.

All during the movie she snuck glances at him. While she and Roland snuggled up beneath a single blanket sharing a bag of sour gummy worms, Robin was exiled to an armchair by himself. He took his banishment in stride though. Didn't utter a single word or admonishment in his son's direction the whole night. Though his patience made her love him even more, Regina knew better than to let the night end on such a chilly note between father and son.

Once the end credits began to roll she feigned a yawn and stretched her arms. "Okay, I think it's time for bed now."

"No!" protested Roland, folding his hands together in a pleading way. "Can we watch another movie, please? I'm not even tired."

"Not yet," Robin corrected. "But after a bath and storytime, I bet you'll barely be able to keep your eyes open."

Roland pouted, flopping back onto the couch and crossing his arms. "I don't wanna take a bath."

"Well, I don't want a dirty little boy running through my halls," replied Robin. "Guess who's gonna get what they want today?"

Roland growled at him but Robin stared him down, unbothered. Realizing he wasn't going to get what he wanted, the young boy huffed and turned to his godmother. "Will you come with me to pick out my pajamas?"

"Roland, I already picked out your pajamas. You know that," said Robin.

Roland glared at him. "I want Aunt Regina to pick my pajamas."

"I'm sure the pajamas your father picked are fine," Regina assured him, running her fingers through his curls. "Why don't you run upstairs and see for yourself?" Seeing his reluctance, she added, "We'll be up in a minute."

Put off but compliant Roland stomped his way toward the stairs, giving the two adults in the room their first moment alone for the night. As soon as his footsteps faded away, Regina sighed deeply before walking straight into Robin's arms. Looking up, she gave him a tired smile. "Hi."

"Hello," he softly replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Nearly in sync, they breathed together, unbridledly soaking each other in.

Wrapped in Robin's arms again, it struck Regina how much she'd missed being close to him tonight. Though, she supposed it wasn't exactly her decision to keep him at bay.

"What is going on here?" she chuckled. "I've never seen him so…"

"Clingy and possessive?" Robin easily supplied. "Me neither. It is quite a color on him."

Regina sighed. "I don't understand. After what he said before I thought he'd hate me."

"Well, apparently, it's not you he hates."

She frowned, sympathetic. "I'm sorry." Robin hummed dejectedly and she rubbed his shoulder. "I'm sure he doesn't hate you. You've been his hero since the day he was born."

"Yeah, well I might be his hero but you're clearly his favorite," he replied with a shrug. "Maybe he's not mad about you dating me, as he is about me dating you."

"Well that's gonna be a problem because I happen to like you dating me." She smiled. "I should probably talk to him."

Robin, nodded in agreement. "He'll probably listen to anything that comes from his favorite."

Regina shook her head, unconvinced. "Moms and girlfriends are never the favorite."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bathtime with Roland was always a bit of a hassle but nothing about the last few hours made Robin think tonight would be any easier. He sent Regina off to take a shower on her own, wanting a few minutes alone with his son. As expected Roland didn't take her absence well. Where there was usually splashing and stories made up with rubber ducks there was only silence. Roland sat in his bubble bath, arms-crossed and clearly pouting. He didn't say a word as he let his father rub shampoo in his hair, not even to complain about soap in his eyes.

He'd laughed it off downstairs with Regina but the truth was Robin was hurt. Roland rarely got mad at him, or anyone for that matter. Sure he threw the occasional tantrum but never anything that lasted more than an hour or so. However, this cold shoulder he seemed to be throwing appeared to be more long-term. That worried Robin. He wouldn't say it aloud but receiving the silent treatment from him hurt his heart.

Helping Roland tilt his head back to rinse out the shampoo, Robin asked, "How would you like it if your Aunt Regina read your bedtime story tonight?"

"That'd be okay, I guess," Roland mumbled.

"You know I'm really glad you're being so nice to her."

"I'm always nice to Aunt Regina. I like her."

"I can see that," drawled Robin. "But I'm starting to get the feeling you're not too happy with me."

Sinking deeper into his bath water, Roland offered up no response other than a sorry shrug of his shoulders.

His father sighed. "You know if you don't tell me what's wrong I can't fix it."

"I don't want to talk about it," he said, listlessly pushing away one of his floating toys.

Despite the gnawing desperation for an answer, Robin decided not to press him about it. Whatever the truth was, it would come out in it's own way. "Alright. It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I just thought it might make you feel better." He paused. "It's usually what helps me."

Roland looked up at him. "Who do you talk to, Papa?"

"Lots of people," he easily replied. "All my friends. Your Uncle Killian and Aunt Mulan. And I talk to your Aunt Regina all the time."

"Does she make you feel better?"

Robin smiled. "Almost always."

Humming thoughtfully, Roland grabbed one of his toy boats. "That sounds nice."

Ending their conversation with a small nod, Robin chose not to push the issue any further. Needling Roland wouldn't work out for anyone. Instead he helped him out of the tub, wrapped him in one of his animal themed towels and prayed Regina would have better luck than he did.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was a new experience showering in Robin's bathroom. Even in the many months she'd spent living under the same roof as him, Regina had never once stepped into his shower. She was more accustomed to the guest bathroom, to carefully stepping over Roland's squeaky water toys and getting distracted by the colorful sailboats on the shower curtain. Now she was marveling at the water pressure coming out of Robin's dual shower head and watching the steam fog over his clouded glass walls. For the first time she realized being Robin's girlfriend might come with perks. She didn't want to get out, but Roland would probably be finishing up his bath soon and she had to get ready for storytime.

After lingering in the shower, she rushed through the rest of her nightly routine, brushing her teeth and moisturizing her skin at double speed. She blow-dried her hair thinking of what she could say to Roland during storytime. It was clear he was having a lot of feelings about these new changes and she couldn't say she blamed him. She just hoped he would open up to her about whatever he was feeling.

The second she flipped off her hairdryer, Robin appeared in the bathroom doorway, a water stain scattered across his grey t-shirt. "Hey, Roland's in bed waiting for you."

"Okay," she said, running her fingers through her hair one last time. "I'll be there in a second."

Robin nodded but continued to idle in the doorway, his eyes lingering over her bare legs. She smirked, pleased. "Yes?"

"Nothing," he flirtatiously replied. "Nice shorts."

Regina stifled a chuckle as he walked away.

She found Roland in his bed like Robin said he would be. He looked up at her innocently as she walked through his bedroom door, his blankets pulled up tight over his chin. A night light glowed in the corner of his room, overshadowed by the desk lamp on his nightstand. As she cautiously took a seat on the edge of his twin bed, she spied the old book of fairytales she'd left behind for him. She smiled, knowing he still read it.

"Are you ready for your bedtime story, sweetheart?"

Roland shook his head. "I don't think I want a story tonight."

"You don't?"

"Can I talk to you instead?" he hesitantly asked. "Like Papa does?"

She raised her eyebrows, surprised, but immediately nodded. "Of course. You can talk to me about anything, Roland. You know that." She comfortingly ran her thumb across his cheek. "Something's bothering you, isn't it?"

He nodded, pressing his lips together. "Are you and Papa getting married?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "Not anytime soon," she promised. "But he told me you weren't too happy about that idea." Roland shrugged beneath his blanket and she pressed on. "Do you want to tell me why?"

"If you marry Papa… then you won't love me anymore."

"Oh, Roland… that's not true." It broke her heart that she would even have to tell him such a thing. "Why would you ever think that?"

"Because the fairytales say so."

Regina knit her eyebrows together, confused. "The fairytales?"

Stunned, she watched as Roland sat up in bed and grabbed the book of fairytales from his nightstand. Flipping through its pages, he stopped at an illustration of Cinderella's fairy godmother. "See," he pointed out. "The fairy godmother is good and the stepmother is bad."

"I see…" she cautiously drawled, watching him flip to a picture of Cinderella's wicked stepmother.

He passed the book to her with a sad frown. "You said you're my godmother, but if Papa marries you that means you'll be my stepmother and you won't be nice to me anymore."

Regina's grip on the book tightened as she stared at the picture of the wicked stepmother, drawn with a scowl on her lips and hatred in her eyes she directed Cinderella to scrub the mansion floors. A picture of what Roland imagines she'll become. Cruel, callous and out to hurt at it she imagined the stepmother's scowl replaced with her own mother's signature sneer. It was clear to her why Roland was so afraid.

Resisting the urge to burn the book on the spot, she sucked in a deep breath and simply closed it, hiding its pages away. She scooted closer to him on the bed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Oh, sweetheart... there is nothing in this world that could ever make me stop loving you."

"Are you sure?" His brown eyes were wide with uncertainty.

"Of course," she insisted. "Roland being your godmother is very important to me. I'm so glad I get to be that person in your life but it is not the reason I love you or that I treat you so well. I love you because you're my Roland, and I couldn't find another you no matter how hard I tried. It's why I'll never stop loving you."

"But… the book…"

"Is full of wonderful, magical stories which are just that… stories," she gently explained. Sighing, she ran her hand over the cover. "I love how much you love these stories, Roland, but sometimes things in the real world don't always work like they do in the books. Stepmothers can be really sweet and godmothers can be really mean. You'll have to look into your heart to tell you what's true. Do you understand?"

"I guess so," he mumbled. "But the story made it seem so real."

"I know," she said, nodding. "But look at it." She reopened it to the page with the stepmother and Cinderella. "Look how mean she's being. Do you think, even if your Papa and I got married, that I'd ever be so mean to you?"

Roland hung his head. "No…"

"And do you think if we did get married that your father would ever let me treat you so badly?"

"No…" he mumbled thoughtfully. "He'd tell you to be nice to me."

"Of course he would," she said, squeezing his shoulder. "He loves you so much, he'd never let anyone hurt you."

Roland frowned guiltily. "I haven't been nice to Papa today," he whispered.

"No, you haven't," sighed Regina, brushing his hair away from his eyes. "But you can always say you're sorry. It would mean a lot to him if you did."

"Are you gonna tell him about what I said?" asked Roland, his brown eyes begging her to say no.

Unfortunately, Regina nodded. "I think I should, yes. But it'll be okay. I think he'll be happy to know what's on your mind. He's been worried about you."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings."

"Oh, you didn't," she said, pulling him closer. Pressing a kiss to the top of his head, she whispered into his curls, "We were just worried because you wouldn't tell us why you were hurting. I don't want you to feel like you have to hide things from me or your Papa ever. We always want to know what you're feeling."

"Even if it's bad?"

"Especially if it's bad," she insisted. "If we don't know your problems, we can't help you fix them."

Roland chuckled. "That's what Papa said."

"Well, your papa is a smart man," she replied with a grin. Giving him one last kiss on the cheek, she asked, "Do you feel better?"

Satisfied, Roland nodded before settling back beneath his blankets. "Will you stay with me until I go to sleep?"

What else could she say besides Of course?

Climbing beneath the blankets with him, she lets Roland rest his head against her chest as she turns off the lamp. It's not long before his breathing evens out and his grip around her waist slackens. Still she stays in bed with him, not quite ready to leave. In the dark, with only his nightlight to keep her company, she lets her mind wander for a little while.

As Roland drifts off to sleep in her arms, she lets herself think about their relationship. She remembers the day he was born, down to the moment when she'd first held him and suggested his name. She'd never expected it'd lead to this. To sleepovers with him and his father. To loving and caring about him as if he was her own. She thought about Marian for a little while - if she would approve of this role she'd taken in her son's life. If she'd approve of the role she could take. Stepmother. It was such a dirty, ugly word in her head but it hadn't always. Before Roland, before Snow and Leopold, before the fairy tales had shown her how ugly they could be, the idea of a stepmother hadn't sounded bad. As a little girl growing up under Cora's thumb, she'd rather liked the idea of a stepmother. A new mommy. Someone who was kind and sweet, who cared and had time for her and her father. Someone who would never scold or hit her. A woman to love her the way Cora never could. A part of her still fantasized about it.

In the dark she lightly ran her fingers through Roland's hair. She hadn't gotten the stepmother she'd wanted, but maybe she could be that stepmother for Roland.

Though she wasn't ready to fully explore that possibility, she realized she rather liked the idea of it.

Double checking that he was soundly asleep, she gently and carefully extracted herself from Roland's bed. After giving him one last kiss goodnight, she silently crept back into the hallway, making sure to shut the door behind her. All the lights in the house were off except the one coming from Robin's bedroom. Feeling light as air she walked toward it.

Robin was in bed when she walked through the door. Just by his eyes she could tell he was trying not to look worried, even though he was.

"Well that took longer than expected," he hesitantly ventured. "How'd it go?"

She nodded, a somewhat tired smile on her face. "It was good."

"Really?"

She hummed affirmatively, climbing into bed next to him. His blue comforter was warm and soft against her bare legs as she snuggled closer to his side. A comfortable sigh fell from her lips as he wrapped his arm around her and dropped a kiss to the top of her forehead.

"Did you figure out what was bothering him?"

Sheepishly, she sucked her teeth. "He didn't want you to marry me because he thought I would turn into a wicked stepmother."

Robin's head reared back in surprise. "What?"

"Apparently the fairy tales have been getting to his head," she elaborated, crossing her arms. "He thinks if we get married I'll suddenly hate him and force him to scrub our floors because all stepmothers are evil, apparently."

She wanted to take this seriously, to give Roland's concern as much weight and urgency as he did but looking at his father hold back laughter as she explained his ludicrous reasoning she started to crack up. Shaking her head, she tried not to giggle. "It's not funny."

"It is a little bit," disagreed Robin, already chuckling. After days of fretting over what was going on his son's head, it was a relief to hear his reaction was simply a misunderstanding between reality and fiction. "What did you say to him?"

"I told him I loved him and nothing could change that," she answered. "I also told him there was no way you would ever let anyone treat him badly, even if they were married to you. Pretty sure he believed me."

"Thank you," he said, smiling at her. "Feels nice to have someone defend my honor."

She chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Well, you're welcome. And you should know, he feels really bad about how he treated you tonight."

"Aww," drawled Robin. "I'll tell him it's okay in the morning. He's been nearly perfect for almost a year now. He was due for some bad behavior."

She hummed, absentmindedly, letting her head fall against Robin's headboard.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I just never thought I'd be having these conversations. I never expected to be the girlfriend of someone's dad. It makes me feel…"

"Like you got lost somewhere along the way," he knowingly supplied. His touch turns gentler as he sighs in agreement. "I feel it too sometimes."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He shook his head. "I don't know what I expected my life to be when I was younger but I do know this wasn't it. I couldn't have seen any of this coming."

"Me neither," she softly replied. Hesitating to speak again, she lies on her side. "I used to think I'd be married by now. That I'd be living with my CEO husband and our two-point-five kids in some million dollar penthouse with a city view."

"That's what you wanted?"

She frowned. "Not really. It's just what I expected."

It's sad thinking about it now, the life she'd expected to have. Some husband picked out of an appropriate tax bracket, one with a lofty bank account and the right connections. Someone she could give children to in exchange for a cushy lifestyle of private jets, couture dresses and other gifts that would mask his inevitable indifference. A life with enough glitter to distract herself from the emptiness that colored every wife's eyes at every event she'd been forced to attend. She'd never wanted to join their ranks, to become one of the rich, married and medicated but she'd always seen the path in front of her. Both her parents had told her as much. She was supposed to get married, have children, maybe work a little and start a charity or two while she waited for her mother to croak and finally hand over the company. For so long, she'd expected things to turn out that way.

But now she was here. 32 years old, never married, lying next to her boyfriend - a bar owner and single father- after trying to convince his son she wouldn't turn on him.

She smiled, happy that it wasn't anywhere close to what she'd expected.

"How did things go with Henry?" she asked.

"Well… we had a talk."

She sat up at the tone of his voice, both hesitant and unsure. "And?"

"And… he's worried about you," Robin sadly replied. "He doesn't want you to get hurt."

She smirked. "Did he get overprotective with you?"

"No, not like that," said Robin, shaking his head. He paused. "He's worried that I'll die and you'll be sad again… like you were with Daniel."

Stunned to silence, she stares at him for a moment. When she finally she speaks her voice comes out soft and small. "He said that to you?"

"Yes." Robin nodded, a hint of guilt as in his blue eyes. As if he thought he had no right to know her son's private feelings. "I would've told you sooner-"

"It's fine." She cuts him off a little more sharply than intended but there's no condemnation in her words. She says them tiredly, like she needs a moment to force herself to believe them. "It's okay. I just… what did you say to him?"

"I told him I couldn't promise to live forever but that I'd still do my best," he answers, trying to bring a bit of levity back to their conversation.

Regina huffs, allowing herself a small smile. "Sounds like a fun talk."

Robin tilts his head at her, concerned. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she lies. "I just… didn't think he noticed. I thought I'd hid it all away where he couldn't see it."

"Well maybe you did in the past but he's older now," Robin reminded her. "He sees more in people, even if he doesn't say so. And I hate to be the one to tell you but you have a terrible poker face."

"Thanks," she scoffed.

"You know it's not the worst thing in the world for your son to know you have feelings?"

"I know that," she stressed. "But those feelings, they used to bring me down to my knees. They made it so that I couldn't get out of bed. I don't want him thinking about me that way. Worrying I'll collapse again. He shouldn't have to."

"He doesn't have to," said Robin. "He chooses to. Because you're his mother and you raised a caring, perceptive kid who wants to make sure you're okay every once in a while. You've never fallen down on him, not once."

"Yeah, there's a first time for everything," she mumbled. Catching the concern in Robin's eyes, she shook her head. "It's fine. I just miss the days when he thought I was invincible."

"Well, if it helps I don't think he sees you any less because of it," he assured her. "I know I don't."

His hand reaches out to stroke her cheek and she feels herself relaxing into this touch. Falling back onto her pillow, she wonders aloud, "When did our children get so complicated?"

"The minute we got comfortable enough to let our guard down," he quipped, laying on his side to look her in the eye. "Still, even with all the curveballs they throw, I think we're doing a pretty good job."

A smile tugged on her lips. "We are." Her hand drifts between them, yearning to lace her fingers between his. Silently, she takes a moment to revel in how settled she feels. Everything with their boys is handled, there's no more fear of hurt feelings and lingering questions. She'd woken up this morning feeling like the sky was falling. Now it felt like everything was finally its place.

Letting go of his fingers, she let her hand move up to his shoulder, running her palm over all the skin along the way.. "You know… if you were anyone else it wouldn't be worth it."

"I know," he whispered back.

Moving closer, he captured her lips in a kiss. In that moment Regina realized she had never been happier.

XXXXXXXXX

Miles away in a penthouse with a view of the city, Cora Mills removed her earrings for the night. Placing them on her vanity she sat in front of the mirror and began to wipe away her makeup. She would've gone to bed hours ago but she was waiting for a call. One that would make everything fall in place.

Her cell phone rang and she tried not to sound too eager when she picked up. "Did you get what I need?"

"Yes I did." Sidney's voice was steady and self-assured as he answered. She had to resist rolling her eyes. He was always so pleased with himself for completing the smallest of tasks. "She's signed the NDA and is willing to make all the calls."

"Excellent. Your check will be in the mail."

She hung up without another word, setting her phone down next to her earrings. A smiled pulled on the edge of her lips. It wouldn't be long now before she got everything she wanted.

I hope that was worth the wait. Please leave a review if you can!