I can't even begin to say how thankful I'm for the feedback I'm receiving from this story, here and on twitter! That means quite a huge deal to me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Btw, how cool it's the new header of this story? I think it's FABULOUS! Ivy ( DreamShadeIvy), thank you so much for doing it and let me use it!

And here's the second chapter! I hope you like it!

Regina went back to Snow's house after spending the most part of her day searching in the woods for Robin. She was overly tired and disappointed. It didn't matter how hard she tried or how far deep she went in the woods, she couldn't find him. When the sun started to leave giving place to the moon she decided it was time to get outside the woods. It was time to give up at least for the day before she lost herself. She was sure she was going to find him eventually. She just needed to leave and come back another day more prepared.

Zelena and her baby lived with her now, the structure of her house was falling apart and Regina couldn't bring herself to let her sister live at Granny's while the masons fixed her house. The only reason the green witch wasn't there in the morning when she needed someone to take care of Henry was because the baby was having trouble sleeping so Zelena told her sister she was going to take a walk with the baby. Later, when Regina was arriving at the hospital, she received a text from her saying that the baby had finally fallen asleep. She was closer to Granny's than Regina's, and she was too exhausted to make her way back so she was staying in one of Granny's bedrooms that morning.

The fact that she didn't want Zelena to know about Robin and the baby yet plus the fact she was excited to tell the news to Snow made her go to the Charming's house instead of her own. Snow was thrilled with the news, and she was very hopeful.

"I know it may sound cliché since I'm miss optimistic and all, but I really do believe you'll find him again."

"And I know I'm miss pessimistic but even I believe in that too." she replied, smiling.

The younger woman was glad to hear that. They ate and talked but 9pm came and when Regina yawned for the third time Snow said they should hit the lay. Emma was living in her own house with Hook; Henry spent that day with them and was going to sleep there, so there were plenty of free rooms for Regina to sleep in at Charming's.

She chose the room Henry adopt for him. The room smelled like him. Regina borrowed one of Snow's clothes and went to the bed. She didn't want that happy day end up with sad thoughts, so she started to think on a certain unforgettable moment, a moment she was certain it would keep her smiling all night during her sleep.

He hasn't touched her since she found him again in New York. He seemed kinda... glad when they were around people. Almost like he didn't want to be alone with her. Sure, after they got back together there have been a few tender moments, sharing sloppy kisses and sweet words to one another. But they

didn't get intimate. While she knew they have been busy, having to go to Camelot, then back on Storybrooke and having to deal with Dark Swan and now trapped in the Underworld, she also knew her thief. She knew he was avoiding being that way with her, and today she was going to take the opportunity that they were alone on Charming's apartment in the Underworld and find out why.

She kissed him, but as she expected, he didn't fully returned the kiss. She could tell something was off, that he was holding back. She placed a hand on his chest, stopping the kiss and leaning back just enough so she could look at him in the eyes.

"Robin, you don't want me anymore, I can tell by the look on your face. It's because of the fact that… I'm barren? You're disgusted with me?"

Regina brought her hands to herself and looked down, not being able to keep looking at him. She ran her hands through her arms, feeling small and ashamed. She knew, she heard stories of men who left the woman they were with when they found out she couldn't give him children. After all, it was hard to find a man who didn't want to start their own family with their loved ones. Sure thing, she and Robin had Henry and Roland, but she could bet he wanted more. She knew he wanted a mix of her and him.

"My love, is that what you've been thinking?" he asked as he grasped the gravity of the situation, lifting his hands and caressing her cheeks.

"Well, it was the only thing I thought that made sense" she answered, still looking down.

He sighed and used his thumbs to lift her chin gently.

"Listen, I won't lie. I got sad when you told me you drank a potion that made you infertile. But only because I always dreamed with a mini version of you, black hair and rose cheeks, with your strong and fabulous temper running in the house bossing everyone around. And that dream got wiped away. But that, and I guess nothing, would be able to make me think less of you. Nothing would make me want you less. You're the person I wanna spend the rest of my life with, Regina. You're my future." he reassured her and smiled, and then he sighed again. "I admit I've been acting a little distant, but it's not your fault. I'm not disgusted with you. I'm disgusted with me."

"Why could you possibly be disgusted with yourself?" she asked, frowning.

"I slept with another woman, Regina. And not with any woman, with your sister." his painful expression left nothing to the imagination as to how he was feeling inside. He was suffering.

"But you didn't know it was her, Robin."

"It doesn't really matter! I shouldn't have moved on. When we got back to Storybtooke, I was ready to accept your coldness or your indifference. But you were as lovely and understandable as always. I just don't think I'm still worth of you."

" Just because you made one mistake, even if it was a big one, it doesn't erase all the good things you did, Robin."

"I... I think I know that. But I don't want people to think you're weak or something like that for being back together with me."

"I don't think people think that of me, and you know what?", she said raising her voice "Even if they do, which I doubt, I couldn't care less. I'm an independent woman, this is my life and I worked hard to own it. So if I want to forgive you, this is my business and mine only."

A big smile appeared on his face, the biggest one since they found each other again in NYC. Regina saw his once tensed arms relax, the dark shadow present in his eyes ever since NYC giving place to the beautiful sparkle she knew and loved.

"What?" She asked confused but somewhat pleased to see him smile.

"I just love your sassiness and how strong you're. And I also love to realize the exceptional and precious woman standing right next to me, is as in love with me as I'm with her."

He didn't wait for a response, he moved forward and crashed his mouth with hers. He missed so freaking much feeling worth of kissing her like that. Of being hers.

She placed her arms around his neck, messing with his hair and lifted her legs, crossing it around his torso. He got the message pretty quickly, holding her up and kissing the sensitive spot of her neck and leaving wet trails around it while moving them to one of the bedrooms the place had. He laid her down on the bed with a bit of rush, and he cursed quietly for not being so patient and acting a little slower. But that woman had the power to drive him insane.

If her moans were any indication, she was quite enjoying this side of him so he started to relax. He watched her in the bed for a second, observing the way her hair was scattered over the bed, her teeth biting her own lip as she looked at him. Boy, was she a vision. He got rid of his shirt and then he was all over her, loving her exactly as he knew she deserved.

They got rid of their clothes very fast. He took his time teasing her, licking and nibbling her nipples as one of his hands made its way downward, finding her soaked middle. God, she was so ready for him. His mouth found hers again, hungrily.

"Robin," Regina said out of breath with a raspy voice. "I need you inside me. Right now."

Robin smiled. He brought his hands back up then traced a pattern with his thumb from the middle of her breasts to south, travelling through her belly and arriving where she desperately wanted. He played with her clit, making her gasp, then he could not wait anymore.

Soon they became just one. Just one body, just one soul. They were all but feelings, and touches, and groans and whimpers. Little did they know at that time their love was just so big that they were making another human being together.

Regina woke up early and made a plan. One that she knew it was going to work. And gladly, when she went to the kitchen, Snow was already up, making breakfast.

"Good morning Snow." Regina said putting her hair up on a ponytail. "You didn't become one of those person who wakes up early just because they want to, haven't you?

"Good morning, Regina," Snow replied and laughed. "No, I still don't like getting up early but this is the time Neal wakes up, and you know how baby works." she sighed.

"I do. They do have their own time."

Regina remembered of when Henry was just a baby and she tried to change his sleeping schedule, but it didn't work. The boy was stubborn and only slept and woke up when he wanted to.

"Exactly." Snow smiled, giving Regina a cup of orange juice.

Regina looked around, and since it was just the two of them she decided to start her plan now.

"Snow, you're so good at tracking people, especially in the woods... can you tell me how you do it?"

"First and foremost you have to leave something behind so you can find your way back. Be it a ribbon around trees, or whatever you want. Then, the next important thing is to follow the patterns of the footsteps on the ground."

Regina nodded and Snow looked at her, suspicious.

"Regina, I know you're up to something." she said throwing a serious look on her stepmother's direction.

"No, I'm not." she replied, trying to keep an steady look on Snow, but failed.

"No, hear me out. I know you need some space, I know you like to take matters with your own hands, and I respect that, but… I need you to promise me that you'll not venture yourself in the woods at night. If you want to go there, fine, but do it in the daylight, when you can see things clearly."

The concern present in Snow's voice touched the older woman.

"Don't worry Snow. I won't do anything stupid. Besides…" Regina said rubbing her belly slowly and making circles in it. "I do have someone else to think about. Someone who directly depends on me."

"That's right." Snow smiled brightly and they finished eating their breakfast, and soon Regina changed her clothes and left, following her plan and heading to Gold's pawn shop.

"Well, well second straight day that you come here. Why am I honored with your presence today?"

"I need you to teach me how to separate my shadow from my body."

"Why on earth do you need that?"

"I believe my shadow can help me to find Robin."

"And you're not far from the truth. Who's going with you to the forest?"

"No one. I'm going alone."

"Why you don't ask Snow?"

"She's busy with baby Neal."

"Emma?"

"She's busy with her boyfriend and I know she's working hard to solve the mystery behind some people disappearances."

There was that. After her talk with Hyde, when he said he owned Storybrooke now and he brought a few guests as well, five people mysteriously disappeared. She didn't know for sure, but she could bet Hyde had something to do with that. Or at least, one of his guests was involved.

"Zelena?"

"She's busy with her newborn baby"

Well, it wasn't that Zelena wasn't busy with that baby. She was. But that wasn't the main reason why she didn't want to ask her for help. She still hasn't been able to trust her sister completely. She forgave Zelena, asked her to move in with her, but still had trust issues with her. The Charmings kept saying for Regina to let it go and trust Zelena, but it was hard for her. Just because they're sisters doesn't make it ok or it doesn't erase all the bad things she did. The pain was still fresh. No one near Regina could understand that, but she knew someone who would understand. Robin.

"Henry?"

Regina would be lying if she said she didn't think about him. Because she did. Truth is, she couldn't predict how Robin would react so she was afraid of having Henry near him. But she didn't want to tell that to Gold because he would think her reasons were foolish. So she opted to say a half-truth.

"Well, he's busy with his girlfriend."

"Regina..."

"What? That's true! He's spending an awful of a lot of time with her."

"Regina, he's not a child anymore. He knows how to take care of himself." Gold said, clearly not buying her reasons.

"I'm acknowledging he's growing! I just said he's busy with his girlfriend!"

"Regina..."

"Ok, fine." she said giving up. "I'll call him."

"And put the call on speaker, I want to hear it too."

Regina rolled her eyes but did as he asked. She called her son and he answered the call with a sleepy and annoyed voice.

"Mom?"

She smiled. He was not a morning person. He was her son alright.

"Hey son. Sorry to wake you up so early but... something important happened."

"Tell me."

He said and she could hear him moving in the bed, probably trying to move to a sitting position.

"I saw Robin yesterday."

"Of course you did, you live with Zelena now."

She could practically see him scrunching his nose in disapproval.

She smiled again. She was not the only one having trust issues with Zelena.

"I'm not taking about baby Robin. I'm talking about Robin Hood. My Robin."

She heard him gasp and his "what?!" came right next.

'I"... she thought about it for a second and decided to leave the pregnant part out for now. She wanted to see his face when he heard the news. "I was in the park yesterday, in the same place I was when i went there last time with Robin, and suddenly I saw someone very similar to him standing in the other side of the park. I followed him, and it was him."

"Oh my god! That's so awesome!"

His happiness made her even happier than she already was. She knew Robin was important to Henry, the boy had the archer as one of his best father figures and they both learned a lot with each other.

"Indeed it's. But there's a problem, son. He's back but... it doesn't seem like him. Whoever brought him back, they brought back the dark version of him."

"That's not a problem! We can fix this! What matter is that he's back, mom. He's not dead anymore."

"I know son, I know. That's the spirit"

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm at Gold right now, and he's going to teach me something that will help me find Robin."

"Do you think it's wise to trust on my grandpa?"

"He's a smart kid, I'll give him that." Gold interrupted, twisting his mouth as if he was trying not to laugh.

"Are you implying that I'm not smart?" Regina said arching an eyebrow.

"Not at all dear. All I'm saying is that you've raised a smart kid."

"Uhm, better put."

They all laughed.

"What is he going to teach you?" Henry asked when they stopped laughing.

'Shadows are reflections of the soul. He's going to teach me to take my shadow out of my body, and my shadow will take me to Robin. Because my soul is linked to his."

"I understand. So what's the plan?"

"Gold says it's not that difficult to learn how to do such a thing. I believe by 11am I'll have finished up here, can you meet me at my house at noon? Then we'll go together after Robin, but we're not in any circumstances supposed to talk to him. We'll go there just to gather information. See where he's, what might have happened to him and things like that."

"That sounds like a good plan!"

"Ok. Try to sleep some more and I'll see you at noon."

She took the phone out of speaker and placed the phone on her ear.

"Fine. I'll try to think of a name to this new operation of ours."

She laughed.

"Ok son. Bye"

"Mom?" Henry said when she was almost hanging up. "It's nice to see u making jokes again."

She smiled widely.

'It's nice to be making jokes again."

They hang up and Regina started her training with Gold. As she remembered, he really wasn't a bad teacher and by 11am she had learned everything there was to know about shadows and how to separate them from your body.

"On our lessons we used my real dagger to separate the shadow from your body, but obviously, out there you won't use my real dagger."

Obviously, she thought sarcastically. He took his dagger and made a new one, giving it to Regina. He ensured her the new dagger would work as effectively as the original would.

"You're pro at making fake daggers at this point."

"Oh dear you do have a tongue."

"Yup I do."

She couldn't help but prolonger the "p", like a little child. She was just so happy and excited. She couldn't wait to see Robin again. She left Gold's pawn shop with the fake dagger inside her purse and optimistic that she was going to find Robin that day. She went to store to buy lots of ribbons and a compass then she went home. She went inside her house and Henry was there, sitting on the couch watching TV. She figured he got there earlier and used his set of keys to get inside.

"Hi Henry." Regina said dropping her things in the table and kissing his forehead.

"Hi mom."

"I'll just take a quick shower and then we can go." she went upstairs and noticed how awfully quiet the house is.

Zelena probably went for a walk with the baby, Regina thought. As promised she didn't take long in the shower, and soon she was walking out of her bedroom, wearing a new pair of clothes and comfortable boots. It made her sad to let go of her high heels, but she knew she needed to be prepared to go inside the forest. On her way downstairs, out of habit she casted a glance at Henry's room, and she realized the bed was made differently than she usually made. She took a closer look, and decided the bed definitely was made in a different way than she did the last time Henry was there.

She went downstairs and approached her son.

"Henry, did you stay here last night?"

"Yes, I did." he admitted. "Emma is too worried about the five missing people, she keeps pacing back and forth the entire house all night, makes it impossible for me to be able to sleep there. I asked her to bring me here yesterday and she agreed to it."

"She could've told me." Regina mumbled more to herself.

"I asked her not to." Henry hurried to explain. "I don't know what happened to you yesterday, nobody wanted to tell me. They just told me that you were okay and I shouldn't worry. But I know something happened and you were staying at Snow's. I didn't want to worry you. Besides, it's not like I stayed here without an adult, Zelena was here."

The boy had a point.

"You're right. But just for future references, I still don't want you to stay alone here ok?"

He nodded. They were about to leave when Regina realized something.

"Henry, you aren't bringing a coat with you?"

"No, why?"

"You should. It's very windy today and I bet its winding a lot more inside the woods."

"Mom are you going to make me drop these bags on the floor," he said looking to the bags he was holding. He was holding the two bags they needed to take to the car, not letting Regina carry none. Always the gentleman. "just to go upstairs to grab a coat?" he exhaled dramatically.

"Yes." she said crossing her arms above her chest.

He sighed and went upstairs all grumpy and annoyed. She tried not to laugh but failed. When he came back she was still laughing.

"Why are you laughing, mom?" he asked confused.

"Is just…" Regina forced herself to stop laugh. "You look a lot like me when you're angry. Sorry, I'll stop." she said and tried to think about something sad. It worked. The desired she had to laugh disappeared instantly.

"Ok mom, let's go now." he tried to sound angry but Regina saw the corner of his lips going up. He was smiling.

They brought everything they needed into the car and went to Grannys. Regina bought something for them to eat and drove them to the park, parking the car very close to the forest, the exact same place where she saw Robin the last time. Regina turned the car off and they started to eat their lunch there. She knew buying a hamburger for herself instead of her usual salad with chicken would make Henry suspicious, but it wasn't like she wanted to keep him in the dark about her new discover. And she was craving hamburger like crazy, so she would damn well have a hamburger if she wanted to. So Regina wasn't surprised when her suspicious were proven right.

"Mom, why are you eating a hamburger?"

"Because I... felt like eating one."

"But you never eat hamburgers. When we go to Grannys you always eat salad with chicken."

"I know, but things are different now."

"Different how?"

"I'm… I'm pregnant, Henry." she said looking at him, waiting for his reaction.

And he didn't disappoint. His eyes went wide open, a large smile playing on his face.

"Are you serious?" he asked, hopeful.

"Yes I'm." he yelled a loud "Yes!" and grabbed her hand, making her laugh.

"How long have you know?"

"I just discovered yesterday." she squeezed his hands.

"You really weren't kidding when you said one day I was going to see myself surrounded by a family so big I wouldn't even know what to do with it. Man, having a big family is awesome!"

She laughed, more than happy with his enthusiasm. But then I certain little boy with deep dimples and inquiring eyes appeared in her mind. A boy who was a part of their family as well. She had been thinking about him a lot lately. Her heart felt heavier everytime the thought of him alone with the merry men in the woods crossed her mind. She knew he felt comfortable with those men, but he deserved more than living in the woods. So much more. And that was one of the reasons why she hasn't fully trusted in Zelena yet. That woman sent Roland away when he clearly wanted to stay, or at least be able to say goodbye to her.

She sighed out loud and Henry looked at her curiously.

"You're thinking about Roland, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm."

"We'll bring him home, mom. We'll bring them both home."

"I sure hope so. I cannot wait for our family to be together again." she smiled and added. "And as much as I wish to go after our little thief right now, I think it's probably wiser to understand and solve whatever is happening to Robin first."

"How is he exactly, mom?" Henry asked, curious.

"He's… very different, Henry. He's angrier, short tempered, and he has a scar beside his left eye."

"We'll find out what's wrong with him." he reassured her and she prayed for him to be right.

They finished eating their food and then they walked out of the car. Henry took their two bags full of rainbows and they headed to the last place Regina saw Robin. She grabbed Gold's fake dagger and did as he taught her, contouring one of her feet with it and did the same with her other feet. Soon her shadow was free and started to move. Her shadow was moving fast, moving her hands to call Regina to follow her, seeming eager to be reunited with Robin's shadow as well. To finally become one again.

Regina and Henry kept up with her, holding ribbons around trees as they passed by.

She couldn't stop smiling when she spotted him. He was not too deep inside the forest, in less than 20 minutes they found him. He was collecting something from the ground and taking it inside of a huge cabin. She was able to see female figure there too, but she couldn't make out who it was. But whoever it was, Regina was sure that was the person forcing Robin to do horrible things.

"You see him, right?" Regina asked, turning to face Henry.

"Yes I do." he said excited.

If it was possible, her smile grew. This really isn't fruit of her imagination. This was real. This was actually happening. She was pregnant, and he was back.

"He seems different though." Henry continued, taking her out of her thoughts. "Do you know the woman who's with him?"

"No. But I have every intention of finding out"

The brunette quickly attached her shadow to her body again as Gold instructed, and when she looked up she saw Robin staring at them as he walked in their direction, furiously. Fear ran through her body, and her first thought was keeping Henry safe. She grabbed his hands and made a purple smoke surrounds them. One second later they were back to her car.

"Henry, I need you to stay here."

"What?! Are you going back there? Are you insane? Did you not see how angry Robin was?"

"I… I need to talk to him, Henry." she said kissing her forehead. "Give me twenty minutes. If I'm not back by then, call for help."

She didn't wait for his answer. Soon she was back in the forest, in front of his cabin. And there he was. Looking precisely angry. And handsome.

I'm truly sorry but I really felt like ending the chapter there :( Sorry :( Please don't kill me! I'll post another chapter next Saturday.

Curiosity: Gold really took his shadow off in the show (on 3x02) like Regina did in this story.

Please don't forget to leave a review or hit me on twitter! I'm inlovewithlanap on twitter ❤