In a land without magic, Robin and Regina in a newly formed relationship discover they are expecting. The news results in their split but the promise to co- parent their son, Henry. But things aren't that simple, after all they're soul mates and pixie dust doesn't lie (even in a land without magic.)

So where are they now, 5 years on...

Chapter 1

Regina finds herself cleaning up after her Saturday morning tradition of apple pancakes, something she always made for little Henry whilst trying to get him ready to go off for the weekend with his dad. With Robin. This particular weekend Regina selfishly wanted her sweet little man all to herself, anything to distract from inevitable argument that was bound to explode the minute her boyfriend Tom actually arrived home from the night before. Tom had gone out with an old friend from college, she'd stayed up all night waiting for his return to discover at 3 in the morning that he was crashing out the other side of town with his old college pal. Regina was shattered having waited up and Henry was on extremely good form this morning, excited for his weekend with daddy which always had him hyped up. Regina left the washing up and went to find her little boy who was ransacking his toy box in the lounge.

"You know I'm pretty sure your mr potato head is still at daddy's" Regina knew exactly what her son was looking for

"But how do you know for sure?" He asked her, his whole face filled with concern. She gently leant down and caressed his cheek

"Because you took him over last weekend so daddy could put him back together again after he got dropped when you took him in for show and tell"

"Do you think daddy fixed him?"

"I think he'll be better than ever and waiting for you" she ruffled his hair sweetly as she looked on proudly at the sweet little boy Henry was becoming.

Regina had run a mile when she discovered she was pregnant having not been with Robin for long. She'd cared deeply for Robin and if she was honest with herself she'd probably admit that deep down he was the one. But fate was cruel and her damaged childhood, the divorce of her parents Henry senior and Cora had made her question love. She never wanted her children to go through what she'd had to. The shouting, the screaming the general war zone. That is why she made the decision she did. She wanted her baby, Henry, to have two parents that loved him no matter. She didn't want to be raising a baby whilst trying to allow a new relationship to grow for it only to fail and have her child left in the middle, she wasn't prepared to do that.

So as a result, here she was another weekend, a regular occurrence over the last five years, checking that Henry was all packed and ready to go. But this time she was balancing a phone under her chin desperately trying to get hold of Tom whilst trying to get Henry to clean up his toys before Robin arrived.

"Come on Tom" Regina muttered to herself whilst she zipped up Henry's bag finally and checked over to see his progress.

"You better be putting all those toys back mister or i'll be telling daddy and that will mean you won't be able to go for ice cream like he promised" Henry sighed grumpily

"Come on it won't take you long, you were quick enough taking them all out." Regina wasn't exactly OCD but they lived in a small apartment and it was pretty crowded with the three of them, she didn't need a scattering of toys left in her child's wake. Regina took the opportunity again to redial Tom, her anger was bubbling. She was fuming but also really worried and she just wanted to know he was safe, he'd crashed at a friends but the last time they'd spoken he was pretty intoxicated and severely incoherent. The doorbell rang and Henry sweetly yelled through "I've got it!"

"Henry wait!" Regina called through as she hung up her mobile and threw it over to the couch before racing to the front door, hopefully before her 5 year old son. The excited squeals of "daddy!" Confirmed she hadn't been quick enough.

"Excuse me mister but I didn't know we opened the front door without mummy being here?" She addressed him,

"But it was daddy!" He defended himself excitedly in Robin's arms having jumped straight into them the moment he'd opened the door.

"But you couldn't be sure it was" Regina replied which led to Henry bowing his head down to the floor and sulking, Robin shifted him slightly in his arms

"We just want you to be safe, it could have been a stranger or a nasty man bud" Robin looked down at his little boy, backing Regina up. They were pretty good at this parenting together malarkey.

"Sorry mummy"

"It's ok my little prince, just next time wait for me or if you're at daddy's" Henry cut in finishing her sentence, showing he understood

"Then I wait for him"

"That's it bud" Robin smiled proudly at his little boy just as Regina's phone rang.

The identity of the caller visibly stressed Regina, Robin kept his eyes focused upon her as he let Henry down and shut the front door.

"I'm not coming to get you Tom!" Robin settled in the lounge with Henry as they began to play with some of his Lego, all the while listening out to Regina who he couldn't help but worry about.

"I've got Henry!" Regina was really struggling to hold it together, "well maybe you shouldn't have gotten yourself into such a state last night then there wouldn't be a problem!"

Robin was distracted from his awareness of Regina by his little boy.

"Tom didn't come home last night" Robin looked intently between Regina who continued you her argument on the phone and Henry whose awareness of the situation frightened him.

"Didn't he?" Robin decided to investigate what Henry actually knew all the while his mind being pulled back to Regina.

"Mummy was crying, I heard her!" Robin's heart broke, he didn't know she was having such a tough time. To be honest he had a lot going on at home himself but he wanted to be there for his son and the mother of his child.

"She'll be ok bud"

"You promise!" Henry replied directly

"I promise, she's tough your mummy" Henry seemed to have been reassured, Robin just knew that Regina didn't need a little boy asking questions about a situation she didn't know the status of.

"Come on then bud shall we get going?"

Henry nodded before racing to pop his shoes and coat on. Whilst Henry was distracted Robin headed over to Regina.

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah... Urm Tom just didn't come home last night"

"Henry told me"

"He did!" Regina was shocked at how aware Henry was,

"He's worried about you, but I assured him you'll be fine because he's got a tough mummy" Regina smiled at how Robin had handled the situation.

"But seriously Regina if you need a friend to talk to or you need me and Marion to have Henry for an extra day or two so you guys can work this out"

"No it's ok" Regina replied rather abruptly, catching herself she quickly added

"Sorry i'm just going to really miss his cheeky chops this weekend and"

"It's fine, but if you change your mind or need anything you know you can call or drop me a text" Regina smiled, Robin gently squeezed her forearm which startled Regina and sent an all to familiar feeling that she couldn't deny felt good, but she was snapped from her thoughts as their little boy made his presence known.

"Daddy I'm ready!"

"Ok bud, you going to say goodbye to mummy then?"

Regina crouched down as Henry ran into her arms and she squeezed him tight and kissed his temple before being given one big sloppy kiss as her little boy pulled away.

Just as Regina was about to finish saying her goodbye to Henry, the door slammed open and a rather disheveled looking Tom appeared.

"Oh trouble are you off already!" Tom dropped his jacket and rather clumsily headed over to little Henry who was rather overwhelmed by the stench of stale alcohol and Tom heading straight for him still apparently quite drunk. Robin scooped up his little boy protectively as Regina had some choice words for Tom,

"Seriously, you're scaring Henry. You're a mess Tom, get into bed I can't even look at you right now"

"Regina I'm fine, I don't know what the problem is I called you to say what I was doing"

"Tom that's not the point and you know it, look I'm not having this argument now"

"Who said we were having an argument. I was having a reasonable discussion, I just wanted to say goodbye to the little man but oh no you come in like the devil from hell"

"Seriously Tom just got to bed" Regina was really trying not to lose it in front of Henry, in front of Robin. Tom just stood there ignoring Regina intentionally riling her up.

"Look mate, just go up and sleep it off you'll feel better for it" Robin sternly spoke which seemed to move Tom along and Regina took the moment to compose herself.

"Why do you two always have to argue?" Regina was taken back by her little boy's words.

"We don't always argue"

Regina replied but Henry was quick with his child innocent honesty

"You do and I don't like it! I don't like it when you're sad" Henry buried his head on to Robin's shoulder.

"It's ok sweetheart, i'm ok. I could never be sad, do you know why?"

Henry replied though it was muffled by Robin's flannel shirt "why?"

"Because I have you and you make me so happy!" She smothered his cheek in kisses causing him to giggle in the way that made Regina and Robin's hearts melt. Robin's phone beeped just as the house was filled with happiness once more.

He had a text from Marion "don't be too much longer, I can't wait till we finally tell him! Drive safe" Robin closed the text message his disposition changing so abruptly that even Regina noticed during her tickle attack on Henry.

"Everything ok?" Robin looked up towards her whiskey coloured eyes that he couldn't help but be mesmerised by, he snapped out of his trance before replying,

"Yeah it's fine" though Regina could see through his response and he knew as much, they were connected in a way neither of them would acknowledge, too scared of where they could lead, instead suffering the consequences.

"Right then monkey shall we get going, Marion is excited to see you!"

"She is?"

"Of course" he ruffled his son's hair

"Right my little prince I love you and you be good for daddy and Marion and I shall see you Sunday evening for tea"

"Sausage, chips and beans?" Henry grinned,

"Yes with your sausage, chips and beans" it was Henry's favourite dinner and one he always had after a weekend with his daddy.

Robin let Henry down to pick up his superhero backpack complete with cape,

"You take care of yourself Regina, we are only a phone call away. I'm sure Henry would really like a surprise bed time phone call" Robin knew exactly how to cheer her up

"I think mummy would like that too" Robin gently squeezed her arm again before they all said goodbye and Robin buckled his little boy into the car bracing himself for the news Henry was about to find out that would change his whole world, whilst Regina leant back against her closed front door preparing herself for the next round of hungover Tom. Both Regina and Robin were left wondering why they ever made this arrangement, why didn't they ever just take the leap together. Their lives would definitely have panned out differently.