Henry's birthdays had always been quiet affairs. Regina would wake him up, making him chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast before they lounged about the house all day, watching whatever he wanted. She would then order a pizza since it was a special occasion and would finish it with cake and presents.

This year, though, he now had friends from school and wanted to celebrate with them. So she had several soon-to-be first graders running around her backyard, wearing bathing suits as they went down the slip and slide. Bobby stood by it, watching them carefully behind his sunglasses while she flitted around doing everything else to make the party a success.

Regina paused after setting out the cupcakes she had made at Henry's request, watching Bobby. He wore a loose pair of dark green swim trunks as well as a gray t-shirt, all soaking wet. It made his blond hair darker and caused his shirt cling to the muscles of his chest. She wasn't sure when he found the time, but Bobby certainly made sure to keep himself in very good shape. Regina found herself wanting to pull the shirt off him and run her hands all over his chest...

She took a deep breath and shoved that thought aside to join the hundreds like it that had popped up all summer long. As she spent more time with Bobby and Roland, the less she could deny her attraction to him. She even had flirted with using the "l" word, though she had often wondered if it was because she knew he was destined to be her soulmate or because she really did care for him in that way.

Now, though, was not the time for such deep thinking. She needed to keep the children entertained and make sure this was the best birthday Henry had ever had. Clapping her hands, she got the partygoers' attention. "It's time for cupcakes!" she announced.

They all cheered and gathered around her. Henry came to stand right next to her, Roland by his side. Everyone watched as she lit candles placed in seven different cupcakes before leading them in singing the "Happy Birthday" song. When they finished, Henry blew the candles out in one puff and everyone cheered again.

Once the children were seated and enjoying their cupcakes, Regina carried one over to Bobby. She held out the plate to him. "Thank you so much for all your help."

"Anything for you and Henry," he said, taking the plate. "But I expect you to help when I throw Roland a party in January."

"Of course," she said, though it made her stomach twist in dread. There was still a lot about the curse she didn't quite understand-namely how time passed. So she wasn't sure what was going to happen, but she knew that when they came time to celebrate Roland's birthday, he would be five years old all over again. And then she would have to explain why that was to her son.

She realized she may have to do so sooner, not knowing if Roland would be entering the first grade with Henry next month or returning to kindergarten. How many times had he been a kindergartener? If he had to go back, what would she tell Henry? How would she and Bobby handle it?

Would everything she had worked for fall apart because she couldn't stay away from this man and his son?

"Regina?" Bobby squeezed her shoulder, looking concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, absolutely," she lied.

He didn't look convinced. "You got really quiet and worried. Are you sure?"

"I got worried about the start of the new school year. There's so much still to do," she told him.

"I know," he sighed, looking at Roland. "I can't believe he'll be in first grade this year. It's going so fast."

She nodded, relieved that Roland would be following Henry into first grade. It meant she didn't have to address any awkward questions her son might have just yet and she didn't also have to start distancing them from the Lockes.

Then again, she doubted she would ever be able to do that.

"Regina? Regina, are you okay?" Bobby gripped her arms gently, frowning in concern. "Do you need to get out of the heat? I can take care of the kids for a bit if you need to go inside to cool down."

"No, no. I'm fine," she insisted, giving him a weak smile.

He picked up the cupcake and held it out to her. "Then at least get your sugar up, okay?"

"That one is for you. I can get my own." She motioned to the table still laden with cupcakes.

He shook his head, placing the cupcake in her hand. "You eat this one. I can get another one. Now, sit before you pass out."

"I'm not going to pass out!" she argued.

Bobby gave her a pointed look and urged her into a nearby lawn chair. "Now, you eat that cupcake and relax. I've got everything covered."

He headed toward the table while Regina took a bite of the cupcake. She watched as he interacted with the children, smiling and laughing with them. Her heart skipped a beat and she knew she was falling too hard for him. And she was starting to doubt it was just because of a silly tattoo...

A few hours later, the children were gone and her yard was returned to its normal appearance. Roland and Bobby remained behind as Henry was having his first sleepover with Roland. Regina offered a spare room to Bobby to put Roland at ease during his first night not spent at the hotel.

She knew it was just a rouse to be closer to him.

And she wondered if he excepted as a rouse to be closer to her.

Once the others were gone, Regina herded the two boys into the bathroom for a bath. She put in bubbles and they had fun trying to pop them all. Regina just watched them have fun, smiling.

Bobby appeared in the doorway, leaning against the jamb with his arms crossed. "Do we even want to attempt dinner or is everyone still full from the party?"

"Can I have another one of Ms. Regina's cupcakes?" Roland asked.

His father shook his head. "You need real food if you're hungry."

The boys groaned and Regina found herself caving. "Since we've already gone to heck in a handbasket, why don't we get a pizza?"

"Really?" Henry asked, eyes wide. "We never get pizza."

"Well, it's a special occasion," she said, eyes sparkling as she took in Bobby and Roland.

Bobby chuckled. "I'll order us a pie then. I know the best place in Storybrooke."

"Is it Granny's?" she asked, convinced that woman made every food under the sun.

"Granny can make many things, but pizza is not one of them. I know another place. Trust me." Bobby winked at her before disappearing down the hall.

After shaking herself from her stupor, Regina turned back to the bath. The bubbles had long popped and she could see the boys' fingers were getting wrinkly. She smiled, pulling down two towels. "Time to get out."

"Can we stay until the water runs out?" Henry asked, looking up at her with his best puppy eyes. "Please?"

She caved again, reaching over to pull out the stopper. "Okay. But once the water is gone, you two get out. Got it?"

They nodded and splashed each other as the water slowly ran down the drain. She knelt next to the tub and watched them, ready to scoop them up once all the water was gone. They seemed more like brothers already rather than just friends and it made her heart swell with joy.

Henry and Roland were soon wrapped in their own towels, heading toward Henry's room to change into their pajamas. Bobby was waiting for them, arms crossed again. "Pizza's on its way. My treat."

"No, it's my house and I'm the hostess. My guest is not going to pay for his dinner," she insisted, crossing her arms.

He did the same, holding her gaze. "I am just as stubborn as you, Regina, and I won't back down."

They continued to stare at each other before Regina sighed. Her arms fell to her side. "Fine. You win...This time, Locke."

Roland emerged first from the bedroom, dressed in Green Arrow pajamas. He clung to Regina's leg, looking up at her with wide eyes. "Are we going to play any games tonight, Ms. Regina?"

"We can play a few, yes," she said, running her fingers through his wet curls. "Is there anything special you would like to play?"

"Henry's the birthday boy. We should let him choose," Bobby said, picking up her son as Henry emerged from his bedroom. He wore Spiderman pajamas, the top of which rode up a bit as Bobby tickled him.

Regina smiled. "Well, how about this? Why don't we all pick one game each for us to play? After all, we have all night."

"Now that's a compromise I can agree to," he replied, setting Henry down. "Let's go downstairs and wait for the pizza. Maybe we can watch a movie if Ms. Regina agrees?"

When she nodded, Henry and Roland raced ahead of them, running down the stairs. Regina wanted to call out to them to be careful but Bobby's hand brushed hers, sending all rational thought from her mind. She changed it, taking his hand in hers and lacing their fingers together. They walked down the stairs together like that and Regina knew she couldn't blame the heat in her cheeks on anything but a blush.

Once the pizza came, Bobby helped Regina set up a picnic in her living room. The four sat on a blanket and ate their slices off the remaining paper plates from the party. Laughter echoed around the room and Regina found herself only worrying about how the pizza would affect her a few times.

Bobby cleaned up despite her arguments before clapping his hands. "So, Henry gets to pick the first game. What will it be?"

"Clue!" he exclaimed, jumping up. "I'll go get it!"

As he ran out of the room, Regina called out: "Don't run! You'll fall on the stairs and hurt yourself. We don't want to have to pay a visit to the hospital today now do we?"

"No," Henry called out and she heard him taking slower steps on the stairs.

Roland plopped down on her lap. "Are you going to read us a bedtime story later, Ms. Regina?"

"Of course," she said, hugging him. "What's bedtime without a story?"

"Where are we sleeping?" he asked.

She furrowed her brows. "In Henry's room. Why?"

"Oh," he replied. "I thought we'd be sleeping outside."

"I think he's confused a sleepover with camping out," Bobby whispered. He then cleared his throat. "No, my boy, we'll be sleeping in here. But maybe Ms. Regina will let us build a blanket fort in this room and you and Henry can sleep in it."

"Cool," Henry said, entering the room with his chosen game in hand. "Can we do that, Mom?"

Regina nodded, despite the concerns about how much of a mess that would turn her living room into. "Sure. You can sleep in the blanket fort tonight."

Henry cheered, launching himself into her arms. She caught him easily, shifting Roland into one arm so she could hold Henry in the other. Regina cuddled them close, smelling the children's shampoo she had used on their hair and enjoying the feeling of having two children in her arms. She glanced up to find Bobby sitting across from her, smiling at the scene before him, and once again, she was overwhelmed with how right this all felt.

Bobby pulled the game from where it was wedged between Henry and Roland. "Shall we set this up, then?"

The house was dark as the sun had set hours earlier. Regina had run up to her room to change into her pajamas and headed back to the living room. She paused at the entrance, impressed with Bobby's handiwork. He had moved one of her couches opposite the other and draped blankets over their backs to create a tent of sorts. She heard giggling coming from inside it and went to investigate.

She peaked inside, finding Henry and Roland lying under even more blankets. Both boys had Teddy bears tucked under their arms and Roland held a book in his hand. He turned to her, smiling. "Are you going to read to us now, Ms. Regina?"

"Yes, I am. Where shall I set myself up?" she asked him.

"Right between me and Henry!" He patted the space there for her.

She smiled. "And where's your papa going to sit?"

"Over here!" Roland patted the other side of him. "We can all fit."

"Okay," she said, laughing. Regina crawled between Roland and Henry, pulling the blankets over them.

Bobby crawled into the fort right behind her. He wore a white t-shirt and green flannel pants, once again reminding Regina that she needed to make flannel on him illegal.

He settled down next to his son and smiled at her. "Are we ready for story time?"

"We are," she said, opening the book. "The Rainbow Fish?"

Roland nodded, curls bouncing. "It's my favorite book!"

"I can't wait to read it," Regina said, his excitement infectious. Both boys cuddled against her sides, little heads pressed against her chest so they could see the pictures in the book. Even Bobby seemed to scoot a bit closer and he laid his arm against the couch, resting it along the back of her neck.

She read the story of the little fish with the special colorful scales and how he shared them until he almost had none left of his own, but saw how happy they had made the others. Regina wasn't quite sure what exactly the moral was-that sharing was good or a warning about trying to share with everyone at the cost of one's own wellbeing-but Roland and Henry enjoyed it.

However, they weren't tired yet. "Can you read us another one?" Roland asked.

"Which one?" she asked.

Bobby, though, held up his hand. "I think I know just the story. Wait one minute."

"We're not going anywhere," Regina said, before looking down at the boys. "Right?"

They laughed as Bobby returned. He handed her a well-read book in a red leather binding. "The Adventures of Robin Hood," she read before glancing up at him. "How appropriate."

He shrugged. "Roland and I have a marked spot, but we can start from the beginning for you and Henry."

"It's okay," Henry piped up. "I know the story of Robin Hood."

Roland shook his head. "This is different than the movie. It's really good!"

Regina smiled, opening the book. "Then we'll start from the beginning."

She didn't get too far when she felt both boys slump against her. Regina glanced down to find both out cold, using her as a pillow. "I hate to disturb them," she whispered.

"Then don't," Bobby whispered back. "Why don't we all sleep here in the fort?"

"That sounds like a good idea. Can you turn off the light? There's a nightlight that'll flicker on once the other lights are off," she told him, closing the book.

Bobby nodded, crawling out of the fort as Regina laid down. The boys shifted with the change in her position but slept on, their warm breaths hitting either side of her neck. She sighed, closing her eyes as she waited for the day to catch up with her as well.

Even though her eyes were closed, she could tell when Bobby turned off the lights. She heard him creep back into the blanket fort and felt him get settled down on the other side of Roland. He chuckled softly before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Pleasant dreams, milady."

Her heart skipped a beat. She knew Bobby had to think her asleep or else he wouldn't have said that. They had both been dancing around their feelings and as her forehead tingled where his lips had grazed it, she knew it was time to end the dance.

Even if it ended up blowing up in her face in the end.

Consciousness returned to Regina slowly. She fought it as she was nice and warm, her head pillowed on what felt like a firm chest. The steady beating of a heart tried to lull her back to sleep.

She rolled closer to her bedmate, wrapping her arm around him as a familiar and soothing pine scent washed over her. He held her tighter, his hand rubbing up and down her bare arm as their legs tangled together under the blankets. Regina was certain she could stay like that forever.

"Regina," he whispered, lips then grazing her forehead. "Regina, it's time to wake up."

"No. S'comfortable," she mumbled.

He chuckled. "I know, milady, but our sons are going to want breakfast soon."

She groaned. "Okay, okay. How about five more minutes?"

"I think we can do five more minutes," he replied, holding her closer.

Regina didn't really drift back to sleep. She just laid there, enjoying the feeling of Bobby's arms around her and the feeling of his lips against her forehead. This was something she could have every morning, she realized, if she just stopped worrying about the consequences.

She didn't know if five minutes had passed but she opened her eyes, lifting her head. Bobby still laid there, watching her with hopeful but cautious eyes. "Is something wrong, milady?"

"No," she replied with a smile. Regina then leaned down, capturing his lips in a sweet kiss. Her fingers curled around his t-shirt before she pulled away, searching his eyes for a response.

His blue eyes were wide with surprise and she loosened her grip a bit. Before she could say something else, though, Bobby was cupping the back of her head as he sat up to kiss her. He nibbled her lower lip and she opened up to him, letting his tongue in as she grabbed his shirt with both hands.

They fell back onto the floor, Regina now on the bottom and Bobby on top. His fingers tangled in her hair and he used his other hand to keep from crushing her with the full weight of his body. They broke apart for a few moments before kissing again, unable to get enough of each other and not caring about such things as breathing.

"Ooh!" Two little voices broke their passion. Bobby pulled away from her and Regina turned her heads to find their sons kneeling at the entrance to the tent, grinning like Cheshire Cats.

Henry bounced on his knees. "Are you going to marry Mr. Bobby, Mom?"

"I think I should first take your mother on a date, Henry," Bobby replied, winking at her. "Now, why don't you two go wash up and then we'll all make breakfast?"

The two ran off and Bobby sat up, smiling at her. "So, what do you say, milady? Shall we have dinner without the children this Wednesday?"

Her heart beat faster but she nodded. "I'd love that."

"Good," he said. "I've wanted to kiss you for a long time."

"Why didn't you?" she asked.

"It wasn't right. Not yet. It's all about timing, you know."

She smiled, laying her hand on his cheek. "Yes. I supposed it is."

He gave her a quick kiss. "Now, we should go to the kitchen before our boys come looking for us. Milady?"

Regina let him help her out of the fort. They held hands all the way to the kitchen and it felt right.

It really was all about timing.

A/N: There you go! Regina and Bobby have kissed and made plans for their first date. Yay!

Thank you to everyone for their support! You have all been amazing…well, most of you. It seems some people are determined to believe I copied Room Service no matter how many people insist the stories are different. People can have similar ideas. It's what they do with these ideas that really matter and I think by now, it's abundantly clear Mademoiselle Arel and I went in very different directions with our ideas. It seems the claims are going to continue and I wonder if I'm just wasting words here since it is clear to me that my accusers aren't actually reading my story.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great weekend!

-Mac