I know it's not conventional to drink at nine in the morning but I have never been a conventional person. Waking up at this hour is not really what I used to. Actually, I used to be a morning person but this cursed me changed all that and made me a nocturne in an instant. God, I miss Storybrooke. Hyperion Heights is not bad. It's much more developed than Storybrooke but this is not my town. I poured myself another glass of tequila. I wasn't an alcoholic before too but now I am. I don't think I can go on a day without a shot of this. My phone beeped and it's Henry. Hey, Roni…I got some news for you later. I'll come by the bar at five. See you. I wonder what that news is. He still doesn't know the truth. I don't think he'll ever know. As much as I want to, I can't let the curse to be broken, not with him at stake.

Zelena walks in carrying a tray of washed glasses. "Are you kidding me? It's nine in the morning and you're having a shot of tequila", she muttered when she saw me drinking. "It's not like you haven't seen this before", I said and continued drinking. She put down the tray and walked towards me. "What's going on with you? You've been weird lately…actually ever since that voodoo witch came to town", she asked. I put the glass down. "Yeah, it's just that the whole thing with the killer and Henry…Facilier coming here is an added baggage to our growing problem", I answered. She sat down. "You think he's going to be a problem?" she asked again. She and Facilier have never crossed paths before considering how intertwined our lives seems to be. "Maybe…he's here for a reason and I don't know yet what that is. Plus, he's awake, that I am very sure of. I just don't know what to do first", I answered. Zelena put her hand over mine. "We'll figure it out together", she said and then smiled. "Now, I got to get those glasses at the back. You stop drinking after that glass", she then said and leave.

I checked if she's really out then poured another one to my glass. The front door opened but I didn't look who it is. "We're not open yet", I said. I can hear footsteps. "So when are you going to tell me?" Rumple asked. I should've known it was him. He went beside me and had a sit. "Should've told you what?" I asked him back. I grabbed another glass over the bar and poured him one. "Dr. Facilier is in town", he answered. Of course, he knows about that. He's a detective after all. "What makes you think I know about that?" I asked again. He stared at me. "Because you're the first person he'll come to see no matter what realm we are", he answered. I looked back at him and he's deadly serious. "Okay, I know he's here. He's been here for couple of weeks now", I gave in. He sighed. "Please tell me you are avoiding him somehow", he said. I rolled my eyes. "So now you're fathering me all of a sudden", I retorted.

"No. I just know that you worked incredibly hard to be the person that you are now. You changed yourself for Henry. It will be such a waste of effort if all that work will be shattered", he said.

"What are you saying?" I asked.

"I know how you are with him around you. Don't forget, I've been in your life for a very long time, dearie. I know you more than you know yourself", he answered.

"I am not going evil again if that's what you mean", I said.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked. We locked eyes on each other. "Tell me, how do you feel whenever you're with Dr. Facilier?" he added.

"I don't know. I just feel…comfortable like I can be whatever I want to be and he will not judge me. I feel…different", I answered.

"We have so much at our plate right now, Regina. Stop seeing him because I know that you are seeing him. Focus on trying to break the curse without killing Henry. That should occupy you", he said.

Rumple was right. I have been seeing Facilier these past few days. I am more than seeing him without my sister knowing. She doesn't know about my past with him. I know Rumple has a point on why I should stay away from Facilier but there's just something about him that keeps pulling me towards him. I will tell myself that I will not see him again but then he'll show up and I will just forget what I just told myself. He is breaking my walls. It's getting dark and the crowd is starting to build inside the bar. Zelena and I got our hands full but we can still manage to be silly from time to time. I saw Henry walked in with a smile on his face. I immediately popped a bottle of beer for him. "Hey there, you look happy", I greeted him as I handed him the beer.

I never thought ever that the day will come when I will let my son share my alcoholism. If I wasn't been cursed as Roni, this scene is never going to happen but I am cool with it now. "Guess what", he said. "What?" I asked. The smile on his face just looks perfect on him. "I sold my apartment in Seattle and I finally bought a place of my own here in Hyperion Heights", he answered. I didn't see that one coming. "You're here for good? Wow, that is a good news. In that case, your drinks tonight is on the house", I said and that made him even happier. "Hey there Roni, usual please", said Gary, one of my loyal customers. I fixed him his drink and served it to him. I almost tripped while doing that too. "Are you okay?" Henry asked me. I frowned at him. "Yeah, why?" I answered then asked him back. "Nothing, you look like you have been drinking", he answered. Zelena appeared behind me and grabbed me by my shoulders. "That is because she is…she started drinking tequila since nine this morning", she said. It raised an eyebrow on Henry's face. "Nine? Really?" he asked. I just rolled my eyes and chose not to answer that.

I saw the front door opened. Another customer, I thought. I don't think we can accommodate more. Our bar is not that really spacious to begin with. The smile on my face faded when I saw who it was that just came in. It wasn't a customer. It's Facilier. It's like I just froze. I couldn't speak or move. I just stood here and watched make his way through the crowd, which is effortless by the way. He reached the bar and sat down. "Hi, nice night huh? I heard you guys mixed a great martini", he greeted. Zelena mirrored my reaction too although she recovered quickly. I moved right away and made him a martini. What is he doing here? I walked towards him and served him the drink. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. "You look amazing tonight. Meet me at the back on your break time. I have something for you", he whispered to my ear and then gave me kiss on the cheek.