I HAVE UPDATED THIS CHAPTER - there were just way too many writing errors for my liking, haha!

Here's Chapter 4! I hope you enjoy, and please leave a review or chat with me on Twitter (RegalPixieDust) if you'd like to! I own nothing but those pesky mistakes... and I'm sure there's a bunch - sorry!

Robin calls her on Friday evening, just as she and Henry are cleaning their dishes from dinner. Lasagne again, as per Henry's request. Henry offers to finish cleaning up so she can take the call, and she kisses his forehead with a thank you as she retreats into her bedroom.

She answers the phone happily having been anticipating his call all week, "Hi."

"Regina," his voice is rapid and he expresses a sound filled with concern and worry, "I need your help."

"What's wrong?" She sits on the edge of her pristinely made bed.

"It's Roland. He's gone. I can't find him anywhere. I thought he was in his room but he's not an-"

"Woah, hold on," Regina stops him, motherly concern bubbling in her belly. His blubbering stops and he inhales a deep breath so loudly she hears it on her end, "What do you mean he's gone?" Regina feels a sense of apprehension travel up her throat.

"He had a bad day at school," Robin sighs tearfully, "He was trying to tell me about it, but what he was saying was frustrating and… Regina, I snapped at him. I've messed up so badly." Robin's fighting back tears, his exaggerated sniffles and clearing of his throat tells her that.

"Are you sure he didn't just leave to wander around your building?" Regina asks, not trying to lessen the situation, but trying to be realistic.

"I'm sure. He's been gone for over an hour. I thought when I heard a door slam it was his bedroom. It must have been the front door. I am so stupid."

"You're not stupid, Robin. Kids are unpredictable and sometimes we snap…" She's not helping, if the roles were reversed, this would not be helping her, "What do you need?" Regina asks, at the ready for any request he may make.

"What should I do?"

Hearing his shaky, fearful voice, she sighs, "Alright. Have you called around his friends?" Regina asks, standing up and walking back into the dining area. Henry is sitting on the couch, readying his games console.

"No," Robin groans, realising how utterly ridiculous it is that he didn't think of it first.

"Well, you're going to do that," Regina tells him, with absolutely no judgement. She covers the microphone of the phone slightly and whispers across the room to Henry, "Sweetheart, can you go to Emma's for a while?"

"I would, Mom, but it's Friday… Emma's working. What's going on?"

Ugh. She's about to ask Robin if there is anyone else he can call, but he called her and she feels like she has help him. If it were Henry who were missing, she'd want someone with her. "Robin, I'm going to head over, I just have to figure something out first. Call his friends and ask around. If he's not there, we'll go out and look for him."

They hang up with each other quickly and Henry is standing with his arms crossed, waiting impatiently for an explanation, "What happened to our night together?"

He's a little bitter, Regina may work decent hours but she is quite tired during the week and does tend to go to bed early. Friday's are usually their night; video games that she is awful at and a movie that ends up with Henry snuggled up in her arms.

"Roland's missing, Robin's son." Her hearts racing, racing as a Mother who knows the fear of having your child go missing.

Henry unfolds his arms and his entire stance changes, "Oh. Then you have to go. Robin shouldn't be alone."

"No, he shouldn't. But, neither should you…"

"Mom." He's whining, rolling his eyes as far back as they can go, "I will be fine alone for a couple of hours. I can take care of myself."

She has approached him while he was speaking, his recent growth spurt much more noticeable as she barely has to look down at him anymore, "I know you can take care of yourself," Regina admits, using her fingertip to brush the front of his hair back, "But, this is a two way street. You may be ready to be left alone, but I'm not ready to leave you just yet. Does that make sense?"

He considers her for a second or two and sighs,"Sure, Mom," he whispers, giving her a half-smile, "What should we do?"

Regina clicks her tongue with slumping shoulders, "Get your coat."

Henry obeys and begins to ready himself while Regina reaches for her coat by the doorway. And then it hits her. Marian. She'll be with him.

"Marian?" Regina says, louder than usual but not loud enough for Henry to be concerned. When Marian doesn't appear, she tries again, "Marian!"

"What?" The snarky reply comes from behind her and it has Regina flipping around, still shocked even though she knew Marian would appear suddenly.

"Good. Roland, he's-"

"Outside and alone after Robin yelled at him? I'm well aware." Marian folds her arms angrily, not at Regina, but she's furious at Robin.

Regina's shoulders slump sadly within the confines of her winter coat, "Where is he? I'm going to Robin now and we'll get to Roland as qui-"

"No." Marian cuts her off, her annoyed voice causing Regina to clamp her lips together. "If I wasn't here, Robin would have to find him. Consider this my first step of letting them go. Robin is going to be a single parent, so he needs to learn how to be one."

"Marian… I agree with you wholeheartedly, but Roland is alone in New York City. That's a recipe for disaster."

"He's not in any danger. If he was, I would have come to you right away…" Regina wants to be annoyed at Marian, but she can't force herself to be. Nothing she is saying is wrong, the average parent doesn't have the advantage of a ghost wife, "I should get back to him."

"Okay," Regina sighs, "If anything changes, you tell me. Okay?" Marian nods in agreement and dissipates into nothing just as Henry leaves his room prepared for the cold weather, "Ready?"

The relieved exhale that slips from Robin's mouth when he opens the door is almost comical, and if the situation weren't so dire, Regina probably would have sniggered out loud.

"I can't thank you enough," Robin breathes, moving from the doorway to allow her inside. When Regina moves, Henry smiles supportively and waves shyly as Robin notices the boy. Robin, puzzled, looks back to Regina who has made her way into the short hallway.

"Robin, this is my son, Henry."

Robin shifts his attention back to Henry who has his arm outstretched, initiating a handshake, "Henry Pacer," He introduces himself confidently.

"Robin Locksley," Robin takes the boys offered hand and shakes it warily. Robin's voice is monotonous, and Regina begins to worry that he is upset that she brought Henry. She should have called to let him know.

However, Henry doesn't notice Robin's strange mood, and why would he? He wouldn't know what kind of behaviour was odd of Robin. Henry makes his way further into Robin's apartment, passing Regina and eyeing up the living room.

"I, uh, I hope you don't mind," Regina apologises, "I didn't have anyone to watch him."

"No, it's not that," His head is shaking, "We can talk about it later. Thank you. For being here."

"Of course," There's something bothering him about Henry, she can tell, but she has no idea what and it's slowly beginning to eat at her, anxiousness crawling under her skin, "Did you have any luck with his friends?"

Defeated, he shakes his head, "None have seen or heard from him. They'll call if that changes."

Both adults wander in the living room where Henry is standing at the ready, "So, what first?" Henry asks, eager to help.

Appreciatively, Robin chuckles under his breath, "I'm not sure," he looks to Regina for desperate guidance, "Any ideas?"

"Well…" Regina rubs her hands up and down her upper arms, "He's a seven year old boy. He's frustrated, he's angry, he's confused. Where would he go?" Robin sits on the couch, upset and worried, muttering a defeated I don't know. Regina bends down in front of him, balancing on her feet, getting his attention, making sure he is thinking, "He's your son. You know him better than anyone. You know where he is, Robin. You just need to think. Put yourself in his shoes, where would he go?"

Regina can see the cogs turning in his mind, but he still can't pinpoint anything. His worry is clouding over everything. Henry does pipe up suddenly, though, like a lightbulb has just illuminated his mind.

"Where is your wife buried?" Henry asks, Regina and Robin looking up at him inquisitively.

"Brooklyn, why?"

Henry frowns tightly, looking down at Regina with apologetic eyes before he explains, "I've been in his shoes."

Robin's chest unclenches with a pained sob, that's equally relieved, when he see's Roland's mopped collection of brown curls in the cemetery, "Oh, thank God…"

As he prepares to sprint off in the direction of his son, Regina quickly latches onto his arm before he can become lost among the headstone to his boy.

"Robin… He came here for a reason, let him have his moment."

Grudgingly, he complies with the nod of his head, leaning against a nearby tree with his arms crossed impatiently. Fifteen minutes pass, his stance hasn't changed and no words have been exchanged between the three; Roland is still animately talking to his Mother's grave.

Robin is staring at his son intently, both Regina and Henry surrounded the tension in their silence.

Henry can't take it anymore, so with the popping of his lips, he starts in Roland's direction.

"Henry?" Regina asks softly, stopping him.

"Look," Henry turns to explain to the adults, "Neither of you know what he's going through. I'm the only one who can even begin to imagine it… Let me talk to him."

Regina feels a whole new sense of pride for him, letting out loving sigh to show him so. She glances at Robin for his opinion and he eagerly nods, "I think Roland would like that," His voice is honest and airy, "Thank you."

With Robin's permission, Henry continues walking, but Regina knows he would have gone with or without it.

Now, they're alone and the guilt oozing from Robin's pores is so strong that Regina can practically taste it, "It's not your fault."

Robin scoffs. Loudly, a little more harshly that he intends and he apologises for it, "I just can't see anyone else to blame right now." Robin pushes off the tree to stand shoulder to shoulder with her.

Henry is speaking with Roland, obviously pointing out Robin and Regina so Roland know's he is safe. Roland's sad face develops a shameful look when he see's his Father and Robin sighs heavily. Regina watches everything, too. She wants nothing more than to know what they are talking about, and then Marian appears, standing between the boys.

Regina can see Marian's heartbreak on her face as Henry comforts Roland, who is clearly crying while he is speaking. She thought she wanted to know what is being said, but deep down, she already knows.

Robin has the same interest, quietly asking, "What do you think they're speaking about?"

With her lips tightening in a frown, she slumps her shoulders, "Roland is angry at Marian…" She's careful, but truthful, with her words, "Roland came here to tell her that."

"But it's not her fault," Robin defends, his voice raising slightly, alluding Regina to what has transpired between him and Roland earlier in the day.

"Of course it's not," Regina easily agrees, "But, and please don't take this as criticism, I'm assuming you haven't given Roland much information about what happened, and I don't blame you… Death isn't an easy thing for a child to comprehend." Robin's heart is aching as he realises that his overprotectiveness may be what's mostly to blame, "All Roland knows is that she left him."

His head rolls backward, his eyes staring upward towards the few clouds in the sky, "I didn't think of it that way," he's sniffling, using his forearm to rub over his nose, "I hate that he could ever think that."

"Henry was the same," she tells him, hoping that it would comfort him, "When he was eight, he just couldn't understand why his Dad could leave us and he only felt that way because I built up an indestructible wall of steel around the subject."

"How did you deal with it?" He's looking at her now, pained and confused, in dire need of guidance.

"I had to break down the wall. It wasn't easy, but every ounce of pain was worth it when he started to love Daniel instead of loathe him." Regina turns her body to face Robin directly, leaning in closer, a hand on his jacket, "Henry knows that he can talk to me about Daniel whenever he wants, even if I don't want to."

Robin nods, taking in her advice, processing it, "And what about your other son?"

"Other son?" Regina murmurs nervously, forcing the laugh in her throat away.

"You said your son broke his arm?" Now Robin's confused, "Henry doesn't seem to have one, so I just assumed…"

"Ah," Regina bites her lip shamefully, hating that she chose to lie to him, "I may have been less than honest about that."

He frowns, shifting his weight awkwardly on his feet, "Oh."

"I promise I have a really good explanation."

"No," Robin brushes off, "You clearly felt inclined, I don't need any explanation. Honestly, I'm just glad you are here."

Kicking herself internally, she clasps their hands together, "You deserve an explanation. When everything settles, we'll talk."

He nods, easing her guilt a little, allowing their minds to focus on their boys once again. Henry and Roland are facing Marian's headstone, Henry's hand supportively on the younger boys shoulder. Marian is still with them, standing on Roland's other side. Regina can't help but wish that Robin and Roland knew just how much Marian was trying to help them; it's something both of them need to know, especially at this point of their grief… But, she can't tell them just yet.

Regina also knows that Robin is angry at Marian as well, even if he can't justify his own feelings. It's a conflicted feeling that Regina has encountered many times while dealing with grieving families.

"What do I do now?" Robin asks.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… Do I punish him? Or do I let this slide given the circumstances?"

"Oh, you punish him." Robin sniggers softly at her fast reply, "He scared the hell out of you today, and while he was lucky this time, if he does it again he may not be."

"I don't even want to think about what could have happened." A shiver shoots up Robin's spine, images of Roland hurt flashing through his head.

"Which is why you have to put your foot down. He has to know that this wasn't okay."

"I know," Robin agrees, but he's still wary, "I just don't want him to hate me any more than he does right now."

That makes her laugh, "If our children don't hate us sometimes, we aren't doing our job well enough."

Robin responds with whispered laughter, letting Regina know that he is in some sort of agreement with her, but any more conversation is interrupted as the boys begin to approach them.

Roland's head is hanging, looking shameful as he slowly walks towards Robin. His eyes are red and rubbed raw, his bottom lip beginning to tremble nervously, "I'm sorry, Papa," he croaks, trying to keep his tears bottled up.

Robin bends down to talk to with Roland as Regina turns her attention to Henry, opening up arms wide so he can enter.

Henry does so willingly, and Regina squeezes his upper body once he is within her hold. After only a couple of seconds, Regina whispers in his ear, "I am honoured to call you my son."

Henry whines out a groan, the usual sound of a teenager shown affection by their parents, but his smile is gleaming when he move out of Regina's embrace, "I love you, too."

She ushers Henry quietly away to a nearby bench, giving Roland and Robin their space to have a private conversation. Henry doesn't speak about what happened between him and Roland, and she doesn't push the subject. Instead, they sit comfortably and silently, only to soon be joined by Roland.

Robin is making his way towards Marian's headstone, "Papa wants to stay a little longer," Roland joins Henry on the bench, sitting close so their thighs are touching.

"I'm sure he has some things to say, just like you did," Henry informs the younger boy, a maturity in his voice that leaves Regina in awe.

She's about to contribute to their interaction, but before she can, she feels Marian's presence nearby. Looking around, she spots the spirit three trees away. Regina shifts her gaze to Robin who is quite obviously spilling his guts to wife… So, why isn't she by his side?

Roland and Henry are chatting, so Regina can slip away unnoticed to the spirit of a woman who is visibly heartbroken.

"Why aren't you over there?" He's pouring his heart out to you." It's not judgemental, it's quite the opposite; it's gentle and as supportive as she can make it.

Marian keeps her blank stare focussed ahead, "I know what he's saying. He says it every day."

Regina hates this part.

"Are you okay?" She asks, words being the only thing she can use.

Marian cracks, a quiet cry leaving her lips as she shakes her head, "My son hates me." Her words are staggered, tears falling that she doesn't even bother to hide.

As her eyes begin to brim with tears of her own, Regina counters, "He's just confused. He doesn't hate you."

"No. He does and he has every right to be. They both do. If I had just stayed home that night-"

"Stop thinking like that. What happened to you…" Regina sighs, thinking of the best way to word her thoughts, "You're talking as if you knew you were going to be murdered when you left your apartment that night. You are just as much responsible for your death as I am."

Marian looks at Regina for the first time, "But I didn't even know you."

"Exactly." Regina says to emphasise her point.

Marian lets Regina's words sink in, "I can see where Henry gets it," Marian smiles at her, Regina turning to look at her son. "You have raised the most wonderful boy, and the way he talked Roland down? It was admirable." Regina is still looking towards the bench, but her attention returns to Marian, "He'll open up to you eventually."

"What do you mean?" Regina crosses her arms.

"Henry mentioned to Roland that he… He has something he wants to talk to you about, but he's afraid of how you will react," Regina's pulse starts racing, worrying that it is troublesome. "I imagine that a Mother can easily pick up on something like that."

"Is it bad?" That's all Regina can ask. Is it drugs? No. Of course it's not, he's twelve and it's Henry they're talking about. But, is it?

"Calm down," Marian chuckles, "It's not bad. I promise. It's just not my place to say."

"But,-"

"Regina. If your son was in any danger, I would tell you."

Robin is walking back to them now, his feet dragging on the grass. Marian mutters to Regina that she needs to be alone for a while and thanks her for everything she did today. Then Marian's gone, just in time for Robin to reach Regina.

"I think it's time for us to get home," Robin tells her, moving passed and starting towards the bench.

"Why don't you come back to our place for a while?" Regina blurts out, shocking herself at the suggestion, "It's been a stressful few hours and we live close by."

"Sure," Robin smiles, "It looks as if Roland is rather taken with your son. Maybe it will do him some good."

Roland was ecstatic to find out that he could spend more time with Roland, and Henry was happy about it too. They disappeared into Henry's bedroom as soon as they walked inside, their parents forgotten.

They're awkwardly standing in her living room, not sure what to say to each other. Sure, inviting him over was a good idea, this means they can talk some more, but Regina really hadn't planned this through.

"So…" Robin says through pursed lips, leaning forward onto the balls of his feet and back down again.

Regina laughs through her nose, "So, I have coffee or beer. Your choice."

"Beer," he says without a second of hesitation. It brings out a more prominent laugh from her core and she tells him to follow her to the kitchen. She opens two beers from her fridge and they both take huge gulps. Regina indicates to the kitchen table, urging him to sit. They sit across from one another, their gulps turning into smaller sips.

"I can't thank you enough for today," Robin praises, setting his bottle on the table, focussing all of his attention to his thanks.

She waves her hand nonchalantly, "Don't mention it. You would have done the same thing."

"I hope we didn't ruin your Friday night. I'd imagine you would have probably had plans, a date or something."

Regina blurts out a laugh, but quickly draws it back in, "Uh, no. I didn't have a date. I haven't had a date in a long, long time." Regina blushes at her admission.

"How is that even possible?" Robin asks, not realising the weight of his words until her eyebrows raise in his direction, "Sorry, you just seem like the kind of woman who would be fighting men off."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Regina grins at him, "I've only had a few dates since Henry's father passed. It's not been the easiest for me."

Robin frowns, hating that he even mentioned it, "I didn't mean to hit a sore spot."

"Oh, you didn't," she soothes, and then he rolls up the sleeves of his shirt, displaying that darned tattoo and she immediately goes silent. Robin notices; she isn't the most subtle.

"Does my tattoo bother you?" He asks, slightly amused and with a chuckle under his breath.

"Of course not," she scoffs, unconvincingly.

"Are you sure? Because this is the second time you've looked as if you've had a mini stroke when it's been on show." He's trying to joke, but it doesn't resonate with her, "I got it when I was eighteen."

"Is that so? Does it have any… special meaning?" Regina asks, expertly prying.

Robin swigs from his beer bottle one more time, strumming his fingers over the inked skin, "I suppose it does. However, most people think it's strange. They couldn't possible understand."

"Well, now I'm intrigued," Regina teases, drinking from her own bottle.

With a deep breath in and out, Robin gives into the ease that comes with talking to her, "It reminds me that I'm never alone," he tells her, looking at the tattoo as he speaks. She stays silent, letting him continue, "Why does it interest you so much?"

She's at another crossroad, she can choose to lie to him or be as honest as she can. Lying has proved to come back to bite her, so she opts for honesty, "I've seen it before," she tells him, his eyes perking up and filled with curiosity.

"You have?" He's smiling, a toothy smile that warms her.

"I used to go to a park when I was younger, that symbol was there. When I saw it at the bar, I freaked out a little." Okay, so she's kind of lying again, but the complete truth is out of the question.

"A park?" His face is contorted as if he is trying to recollect something, deep thought presenting itself as a slight frown, "I saw it at a park too, but…" He looks up at her and laughs, "No, you're going to think I'm crazy."

"Try me," she challenges.

A groan slips from his lips, it's not an angry groan, just one laced with reluctance, but he fights it off, "Alright. When I was in my coma, the one I told you about, I remember there was this girl." Robin is studying her face as he talks, looking for any indication that she doesn't believe him, "She kept me company. We talked, played games. I was so scared and she went out of her way to keep me calm. We would always meet at a park and this lion was there," he indicates to his arm, "I got this to remind me that there is always someone out there to help me through a hard time."

Her mouth is dry as she realises that this he is in fact the boy that her Father mentioned. Deep down, she knew it was, but now she has concrete evidence. She licks her lips nervously, "Did you ever find out who she was?"

Laughing a disbelieving laugh, "You actually believe me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" She asks.

That throws him, but he eagerly accepts her belief, "Most people think that I had an encounter while on an illegal substance," Robin jokes, making her laugh softly.

"So, what are you going to do about Roland?" Regina asks, wanting to move away from the tattoo for now. Robin just shrugs his shoulder, genuinely unsure, "Talk to him about Marian."

Robin blows a breath between his lips at her advice, "I still don't feel like I can talk about it. It was just so… I don't want the first person I talk to about it to be my son."

Fair enough. Regina can fully understand that.

Regina stands, walking to the fridge and prying a picture from its magnet. When she sits again, she slides it across the table to Robin. He picks it up and studies the face in the picture, looking up to her, silently asking for more information.

"Daniel," she explains, "That's him. We met in college. We graduated early together, I got into a trainee paramedic program. He died less that a year after we graduated."

It never got easier. The sound of sirens blaring as they sped to a scene. None of the others knew that Emma and Regina's hand would clasp together tightly every time it happened.

Tonight felt different. It felt worse and Regina couldn't keep her heart from racing with worry.

She tried to focus on Emma's hand and on the sound of the furious rain that was battering on the top of the ambulance. The sun was almost completely set, the sky was still a hauntingly bluish grey colour.

The ambulance began to slow down and Regina released Emma's hand, pulling her hair back in a loose pony tail.

"Let's do this," Jefferson whispered, opening the back doors while Emma, Regina, and the others followed stoically. The rain drenched them instantly as it continued to attack the ground.

"Alright, Emma, you and I will take the car on the left. Regina, you check the car on the right. There's another group about to arrive and I'll send them your way," Jefferson had to yell over the commotion.

The accident was a bad one. Two cars overturned, traffic backed up for miles, and onlookers with their prying eyes watching from a distance, even though they wanted to inch closer. Regina approached the mangled car alone, but a voice drew her in another direction suddenly.

"Regina!" Daniel yelled and she flipped her head around to look at him, his image blurry through the downpour.

"Daniel? What are you doing here? Get back to your car!" Regina shouted back, but he doesn't move, doesn't flinch.

"I love you," he mouthed silently, Regina's confusion getting the best of her, her flustered brain failing to understand right away.

But, then it started to make sense.

Emma ran over from her scene and stood in front of Regina, Emma's eyes were filled with despair. Pain. Shock.

"You need to get back into the ambulance."

"What? Why?" Regina asked, irritated. Her eyes darted between Emma and over Emma's shoulder to Daniel.

"What are you looking at?" Emma wondered, craning her neck around to look, but saw nothing. Emma's face drops, "Oh God, do you see him already?"

Emma stared back to Jefferson, his face sad and she could recognise the way he tells the new coming group of paramedics to call the time of death.

No. Regina scrunched her eyes closed as she began to piece everything together. She wished herself awake, awake from this horrifying nightmare. It had to be a nightmare. She wished harder than she ever had before.

Regina's eyes snap open after what felt like a lifetime of wishing and she was still there. Dripping wet, cold.

She wasn't dreaming.

This was real. She felt the colour from her face drain from existence. Her muscles weakened as she turned and saw the car.

Their car.

The navy paint colour that she had fought him on for months. The Mets sticker that Daniel had bought as a joke that irritated her more than she was ever willing to let on.

Regina prepared to sprint towards Daniel as his body was pulled from the wreckage, but Emma wrapped her arms swiftly around Regina's middle.

"Let me go!" Regina screamed painfully as she tried to pry herself from the prison that was Emma's arms.

"He's gone," Emma told her.

Regina kept fighting, two seconds from resorting to violence… then she saw Daniel's face and her knees buckled.

His lifeless body was strewn across the wet ground. She stopped struggling and stared at his bloodless face; the mouth that would never again crack a smile, that would never again kiss her lips. The arms that would never circle her body, his hands that would never again run through her hair in the morning when he thought she was asleep.

Regina hits the ground. Hard. Her knees thudding violently with the concrete of the road. Emma joined her close to the ground, the blonde mumbling that she was sorry over and over as she wept agonisingly for the loss of a friend, for Regina's loss.

Regina couldn't cry. The hope within her keeping it at bay, the hope that was still convincing her she was dreaming, the only thing keeping her emotions in check,

But, as the pain in her knees strengthened, so did the realisation that this was reality. Regina scrambled back to her feet and took off running into the surrounding trees by the highway, in the direction that she last saw the love of her life.

And, it was the last time she would ever see him.

"Jesus…" Robin breathes, reaching his hand over the table to cradle over Regina's. It's never an easy story to hear, even without the ghostly details.

"It was a long time ago," she turns her hand palm up to hold onto his offered hand, allowing herself to accept the support.

"How long?"

"Almost fourteen years. I was twenty two."

Robin's mouth clamps shut, not even wanting to imagine experiencing something so tragic at such a young age, but as curiosity gets the better of him he asks, "You were a trainee paramedic at twenty two?"

Regina nods and smiles at his impressed look, "I was one of the youngest to ever be accepted, but I didn't finish. Losing Daniel, plus finding out I was pregnant, well… It was easier for me to drop out and consider a different career." His eyes become washed with sympathy, "I'm fine, really," she assures.

Their conversation ceases then, mostly on Robin's part as he looks hesitant to drag up any more painful memories. That's when Regina's eyes latch onto his tattoo again.

She flips his forearm to face fully upward, moving the tips of her fingers slowly up the delicate skin until they brush over the inked skin, then a bright burst of light pops within her eyes.

"I'm Regina," she introduced with a toothy grin.

Sheepishly, the boy looks down at the younger girl with sad, frightened eyes, "I'm Robin."

Robin pulls his arm away from Regina touch roughly, like she had just stuck him with a needle. He stands quickly, the chair he was sitting on falling backwards and hitting the floor.

"What the hell was that?" He's breathing heavily, flustered and confused.

"Oh, God…" Regina is short of breath, too. Her eyes are wide and she clutches her chest, looking over to him, frowning tightly at his fear stricken face.

"What just happened?" Robin asks, his voice much more stern.

"I don't know."

She truly doesn't. That was new.

They're both standing now, Regina's chair slid back, still touching the backs of her legs, Robin's still laying on the floor.

Regina's trying to understand what just occurred. She's never experienced anything like it. Sure, she's encountered strong, vivid memories and even seen some future events in her dreams, but never this.

It had felt like being catapulted into another dimension while having your breath punched from your cut… and it's very obvious that she wasn't the only one who experienced it.

"Did you see that too?" Regina asks once she begins to catch her breath.

Unable to accept it fully, he nods his head, but argues, "This isn't happening. There's no way that was real." When Regina doesn't agree with his dismissal, Robin laughs restlessly, "We have to go."

Robin picks up his chair and tucks it under the dining table hastily. He calls for Roland while walking into the living room.

"Robin, wait. We should talk about this," she trying to reason with him, but it comes out plagued with desperation.

"What's there to talk about? What just happened wasn't real." Robin's trying to convince himself and he can't bring himself to look in her direction, but her continued silence makes him scoff, "Right?"

He's irritated, looking at her now. He needs her to tell him that it was nothing but a figment of his imagination.

"This isn't going to be easy to understand-"

Robin cuts her off, shouting for Roland again, louder than the first time and moving further into the hallway. Regina is trying to stop him from leaving, but he's deliberately ignoring her pleas. When Roland and Henry emerge from the bedroom, Robin tells Roland strictly to get ready to leave.

"Mom, what happened?" Henry has immediately picked up on the tension.

Stressed isn't a strong enough words to describe how she is feeling. With Henry's questioning, Roland's innocence, and Robin's frantically hurried attitude, her head is spinning in circles.

And then Marian appears, "What happened?"

"Not now, Marian," Regina gripes without thinking, the situation getting the better of her. She rubs her head, feeling the beginnings of a splitting headache.

The room goes silent, all eyes on Regina as she collects herself after yelling at what they perceive as nothing.

"Regina," Roland giggles, "Who were you talking to?"

Realising what she just did, Regina opens her mouth to explain but her words become trapped in her throat and when her eyes meet Robin's, he's looking at her with his mouth hung open. Looking at her with the look.

The look she hates. The look that she has seen too many times. He thinks she is crazy. Nuts. Insane. One second away from an asylum.

Robin doesn't say a word, but his face says it all. He looks betrayed, almost. He grasps onto Roland's hand and practically drags him from the apartment without a second thought or a final glance. The door slams behind them, it's not on purpose, but it still shakes her to the core.

"Way to out yourself, Mom." Henry jokes with a supportive smile.

Seconds away from a snarky reply, she stops herself and allows herself the time to laugh about this ridiculous life she is living, "It was not one of my finer moments," she's still laughing when she turns her head back to Marian, "Sorry I yelled at you."

Marian shrugs her shoulders, her face stricken with sadness.

"I'll let you both talk and I'll get ready for bed."

"Okay," Regina exhales, her adrenaline still pumping, "Come through when you're changed and we can watch some television or something."

"Sure," Henry smiles, watching as Regina walks away and into the living room, telling Marian to come with her.

But the spirit lingers in the hallway for a moment longer, turning her head to the young boy. Despite how the evening ended, Marian owes a lot of her own son's comfort to Henry and she smiles at him as a thank you. And, Henry can't help but smile back with a nod to the spirit his Mother has absolutely no idea he can see.

Things are getting real for this bunch! I'm so excited to have you all see where this goes, and we will definitely see the return of Cora (you're welcome, Mel) and Zelena (who knows, she may have a connection to Robin somehow ;) )

Thank you for taking the time to read, and if you'd like to, please review. I'd love to hear any comments/concerns or even suggestions! We'll also soon get to see some of younger Regina using her gift and how that has shaped who she is... she's just needing a bit of a reminder.

Mwah! xoxo

Twitter: RegalPixieDust