Nothing, her extensive search - with the help of Sidney, her most trusted of advisors (though she hadn't told him why she'd been searching for the man, he'd been known to grow rather jealous when it came to Regina having any kind of admirers and though she'd never led him on, she found he was easier to handle when he believed himself to be the only man fighting for her affections) - had turned up absolutely nothing. A full six weeks of trawling through every 'Robin' she could find in the yellow pages - none of them British - and still she had absolutely no idea of how to find the father of her unborn child.
So far, with her only being 10 weeks along, she was barely showing - in actual fact she merely looked as though she'd eaten a big lunch should anyone catch sight of her figure from behind her bag or a book or a file or her desk - and so only herself, her sister and her doctor knew about the pregnancy. She'd been sure to schedule an appointment only an hour after having taken the test herself both to confirm it and to ensure that she get herself prepared and in good health for this child. She had half a mind to just keep it all to herself until she could no longer hide her swollen belly - perhaps she would. It would save her the embarrassment of questions about the father. She was the Mayor of a small town, everyone knew everything about one another and they most certainly knew that their Mayor had been single since the death of her high school sweetheart over a decade ago.
Her heart ached when she thought of her Daniel. This had been their dream. He'd always encouraged her career and she his and they'd promised that no matter how demanding their work lives, they would never sacrifice their home life. A baby had always been on the cards for them - it felt bittersweet that she was now going to do this without him.
She gathered the scattered papers from her desk - she'd googled "how to find someone you know nothing about" in her foolish desperation and, of course, it'd told her nothing helpful - before opening her drawer and slipping them inside. It was 3pm and she needed to go. Emma, one of her oldest friends and the mother to her Godson, Henry, had called earlier, told her that things at the office were a little hectic with the new deputy starting the following morning and so would she mind picking the boy up and keeping him occupied for a couple of hours until she could get away. Regina had agreed instantly.
"I'm on my cell if anything extremely important comes up and can't wait," she informed her assistant as she closed the door to her office and locked it behind her, "but otherwise, just take a message and let whoever it is know that I will be sure to call them back first thing in the morning." She was only leaving two hours early and was quite sure that nothing too pressing was going to pop up at this time of day.
"And George?"
She stilled with her hand still on the handle and the other still clutching the keys in the lock, a deep groan rumbling within her throat at the very mention of the man. He was a pain in her ass and one she most certainly didn't need at the moment. He was a member of the Storybrooke council and a very vocal one at that. He lived off of his father's money - still - and gave no real input. He was just an idiot who enjoyed exerting his power and his family's reputation in the town - especially over a woman, he'd been opposed to every single one of Regina's terms as Mayor.
"Placate him with promise of a meeting first thing tomorrow morning," she breathed tiredly, "that should keep him quiet should he come calling."
Anita nodded her understanding before looking back to her computer and finishing the email she'd been drafting. Regina found her eyes remaining on the woman, looking from her face to the photo frame on her desk beside her computer tower. Three smiling faces; Anita, her husband Roger and their two year old daughter, Amelia. It had something inside of Regina aching at the sight of them happy, content and loved.
"Was there something else, Madam Mayor?"
Her mouth dropped open, the memory of another British voice using her title in very different circumstances flashing through her mind. "Uh...no," she stammered, turning to hide the sudden flush colouring her cheeks and her neck. "No, that's all for today."
It wasn't often that she got to spend time with her Godson, she'd certainly been able to do it more when he was a baby. There'd even been days that she'd asked to take him into the office with her and had spent more time playing with him on his portable playmat than she had actually working. They were extremely fond memories and being here, watching as he emerged from the school building surrounded by a crowd of his friends, much taller than she'd ever seen him and growing into a handsome young man, it had her silently promising that she'd do more with him.
He brightened the moment he laid eyes on her, his smile bright as he turned to say bye to his friends - she found their secret handshake so very precious - before he took off at a run towards her, his backpack bouncing wildly upon her back. She couldn't help but chuckle affectionately at the sight of him, opening her arms out and accepting him into them with a warm hug once he'd reached her.
"Auntie Regina!" he greeted excitedly, his arms tight around her waist and his cheek pressed to her chest, "I didn't know you were coming today."
She grinned and laid the side of her head atop his soft hair, stroking her hand up and down his back as she told him "your Mom had to work late," he pulled back to look at her, his smile still in place and causing hers to grow, "she called and asked if I could watch you for a couple hours," her hand curled over his shoulder as she tilted her head and asked "is that okay with you?"
Henry nodded instantly and vigorously before following her gentle guide and walking beside her towards the parking lot with an arm still looped around her waist, completely unbothered by the display of affection towards her despite the amount of his peers around them. She knew it would change one day, when he'd grown older and cared more about his image but for now she'd simply revel in the feeling of it and push back the thoughts of whether her own child would feel the same about her as Henry did.
"You're still wearing it!" Henry pointed out with a grin when her necklace fell from its place in her shirt.
She cast her eyes down, the bright red apple pendant gleaming in the artificial light of her kitchen from its silver chain. "Of course I am, Henry" she replied with a smile as she portioned and plated their lasagna, thinking to save Emma a little for when she got off work - the woman was a good mother but when it came to just herself, she was hopeless - in a tupperware box that she left beside the fridge. "It's the most precious thing I own."
Regina nodded pointedly at the salad bowl, smiling in thanks when Henry jumped down from his seat and grabbed it for her before making his way to the dining room with her following close behind. "I picked it out myself, you know" he informed her - Emma had already told her, had gushed over the way he'd meticulously searched through the jewellery store for something that he deemed fit for her - as he put the bowl in the middle of the table and moved to take his seat.
"I know, sweetheart" she replied warmly as she placed his plate in front of him before putting her own down and taking the seat beside his at the head of the table. Henry had already brought his juice and her lemonade in as well as their cutlery so alls that was left to do was eat. She tucked her necklace back inside the safety of her shirt to keep from dirtying it before cutting a slice of lasagna and blowing on it.
He'd gotten it for her for her birthday along with a homemade card that she'd left up for weeks before filing it away with the rest of the things Henry had ever made for her. She was going to make a scrapbook someday, something to embarrass him with once the girl phase began - something she most definitely didn't want to think about right now. He'd told her that it had reminded him of her, of her tree and the afternoons they'd spent picking ripe apples and making apple pies and turnovers. She'd forced back her tears until she'd made an excuse to use the bathroom and had worked at settling her emotions. He was easily her favourite person in all of the world.
It was only after they'd both taken the first bite of their food that they heard the front door opening and closing, followed by the heavy thud of boots being kicked off beside the door - Henry laughed at Regina's eye roll because they both knew that his mother wouldn't think to store them neatly in the coat closet until they were to leave for the evening - and then the sound of flat-footed footsteps that moved straight towards the kitchen.
"Oh," came a relieved groan, "you are an absolute godsend, Regina Mills!" and moments later a rather tired looking Sheriff appeared in the dining room doorway. "Well hello there, family."
"You could've easily gotten yourself a plate, you uncivilised heathen" Regina grumbled with no heat as she returned to her own meal once Emma had plunked herself down and ruffled a hand through Henry's hair before tucking in with an appreciative moan that stroked the Mayor's ego just a little.
"Long day, Mom?" Henry asked with a raised eyebrow and a laugh at the way his mother was practically inhaling her food, earning yet another eyeroll from Regina.
"If you prepared yourself some breakfast and lunch the night before, you wouldn't find yourself starving throughout the day."
Emma's fork lifted, its prongs pointed towards Regina as she finished her mouthful before teasing "you are going to make a wonderful husband someday," Henry chuckled at her deadpan expression, "you know that? And yes kid," she turned to her son before spearing some lettuce onto her fork, "it was a very long day."
The boy chuckled at his mother before returning to his meal, both completely focused on their lasagna as Regina watched the pair.
Emma had been a young mother, at only eighteen years old she'd found herself pregnant and in something of a hole. She'd confessed to Regina one night that she'd thought of giving Henry up for adoption, not because she hadn't wanted him but because she'd wanted him to have his best chance. Regina had understood her reasoning but had thanked the gods that teenage Emma had decided that she was going to turn her life around and give that to her child herself.
She'd instantly taken to the young mother and her child when they'd found themselves in her little town and had taken them under her wing. They'd lived here in the mansion for the first year or so whilst Emma had found her footing as a waitress at Granny's and a part-time deputy to a severely understaffed and overworked Graham Humbert. It'd been hard the day they'd moved out, she'd helped her friend move all of their stuff into their new apartment - Emma's first having been a child in the system and she'd been so proud when she'd broken the news to Regina. Sad but so very proud of herself - and there had been tears when the time to say goodbye for the night had come but Emma had reminded her, through her own tears, that they only lived a couple of blocks away, not an entire city.
It'd been hard those first few weeks without her best friend and her favourite little boy wandering the halls and getting under her feet but she learned to be okay with them, her happiness for them outweighing her need to keep them closeby and now here they were - still just as close, if not more, than they were before and an integral part of the town.
A part of her wanted so badly to share the news of her pregnancy with them but the very thought of Henry asking about the father - "who is he?" "how do you know him?" "where is he?" - had her swallowing down the confession. She couldn't let him know just what an idiot she'd been, couldn't have any kind of negative judgement clouding those beautifully dark eyes. Perhaps she would tell Emma, however. The woman had always been rather adept at finding people, her skills would come in handy during Regina's search and she knew the younger woman would think no less of her. Henry was the very proof of that.
She'd spent the night in Zelena's bed, too many thoughts running through her head and anxiety flaring up within her.
"What if I never find him?" she asked with eyes focused on the ceiling and hands folded upon her stomach atop the covers. Her sister had fetched her some water from the kitchen, her nausea having abated for a little while. She had no idea why they called it 'morning sickness' when it ran throughout the day.
"You will," Zelena assured her, lifting a hand to lay it over both of Regina's, her smile filled with the faith and the hope that Regina couldn't seem to muster for herself, "and if not then you're still not alone," she gave her hand a gentle squeeze that had dark eyes filling with tears of gratitude before she continued "but you're going to need to get some sleep, you're growing a human being inside of you after all."
Regina laughed gently before nodding and watching as Zelena burrowed deeper beneath the covers and allowed those piercing eyes to close with her hand still holding her sister's.
Now she was sat in her office once more, looking through the few notes that Anita had handed her when she'd arrived, glad to find that George hadn't made an appearance the previous day after she'd left. She did, however, see that Emma had requested a meeting to introduce her to the new deputy and had sent off an email of confirmation to her friend, accepting the request and taking note that it was only a half hour away.
It was still strange, after so long of only knowing Graham as the town's Sheriff, for Emma to have taken it over once he'd left for bigger and better things. She filled the role well despite her heartbreak at the loss of her mentor and, Regina suspected, love interest.
Perhaps she'd pull the woman aside after the meeting, discuss the prospect of her help in finding Robin...it was worth a shot, Regina thought. For now though she set an alarm on her phone for 9:55am and asked her assistant to hold off all calls until after her meeting with Emma. She was going to allow herself some time to rest her eyes and catch up on a little of the sleep she'd missed last night.
It was the voices that woke her, as opposed to her phone alarm, and she found herself jerking awake in her seat, feeling rather dishevelled and wanting nothing more than to close her eyes and fall back into her slumber but, as she blinked open her eyes and looked to the large, stainless steel clock on her wall, she found it to be 9:50am and realised that, for once, Emma was early.
She let out a quiet groan as she dropped her legs down from the surface of her desk and proceeded to stretch out her stiff body, sighing contentedly at the gentle pop that came when she moved her arms out behind her. Her neck was rather sore but it was a pain she could ignore for now.
She sighed gently at the beep that came before Anita's voice, "Sheriff Swan is here, Madame Mayor" - she wondered if she was ever going to be able to hear that again without thinking of Robin - "with the town's new deputy, would you like me to show them in?"
Regina replied as she switched her alarm on her phone off before moving over to the jug of water she kept in the corner of her room along with a kettle and a tea set. She filled three glasses and moved to take two over to her desk for Emma and the deputy before returning to fetch her own, turning with a practised smile when she heard the door open. "Good morning, Sheriff Swan," she always gave Emma the respect of using her title during business hours, "and welcome to Storybrooke…" she trailed off, allowing for the new deputy to answer but when they didn't, she finally lifted her eyes, having still been turning to greet them, and found the glass slipping from her fingers and smashing upon the floor as her heart practically stopped in her chest of the sight of him. "Robin…" she breathed, every trace of oxygen leaving her body as her mind short-circuited and she found her vision growing a little hazy at the edges.
He smiled back at her, those dimples denting his cheeks in the way that'd made her insides melt all those weeks ago. "Thank you, Madame Mayor" and god, did he know how much that'd turned her on that night? "It's good to be here."