I just want it apologise for how long it had taken me to update this! I hope you enjoy this next instalment and please continue to review and share. Thanks!

Chapter 7

Robin stood still shell shocked, holding little Roland in his arms. Regina was worried, she knew he needed time to get his head round the situation. He'd fought a long battle with his ex-wife over the custody of their baby and suddenly he was all his. Regina put Henry down before calming him

"Why don't we go and see Emma?"

Regina suggested the idea to her son with the intention of giving Robin some time and space to work out what happens next. But sadly their 7 year old protested.

"No! I want to see Roland. I never get to see my baby brother"

"I know sweetheart but you'll get to see him more now, but let's just go out for a little while. He'll be here when you get back." Robin having spaced out, suddenly became very aware of the battle playing out in front of him.

"You don't have to go anywhere bud, mommy and daddy need a little chat. And you my little monkey, want to play with your big brother don't you?" Robin directed the end of his sentence towards the 1 year old in his arms, whose smile beamed at the sight of his big brother. Regina wasn't convinced this was the best idea. She feared Robin was painting over the cracks, trying to prolong dealing with the situation for as long as possible. It wouldn't be good for him or anyone if he bottled his feelings up. She hung back and watched Robin settle Roland and Henry excitedly bounce his little brother's monkey around making him laugh. Robin kissed Roland's head and ruffled Henry's hair attempting to establish his brave face before he got up, releasing a sigh he didn't know he'd been holding. Regina took that moment to approach her love, squeezing his arm and whispering.

"You can do this but you need to give yourself the chance to digest it."

He looked deep into Regina's eyes

"Am I really what's best for him?"

Regina choked on her reply

"Oh please. Look at that smiley grin, he adores you and so does Henry. Their your boys and always will be. Please stop doubting your parenting skills, especially after you just saved us from a Henry melt down. Which by the way was possibly the most genius idea with the apple juice."

Robin can't help the slight blush in his cheeks that this woman elicits from him by being so understanding, loving and caring. Regina caressed his cheek lovingly

"They're lucky to have you, we all are. Why don't you spend sometime with them both, I'm going to go shower" she gently kissed his cheek before turning to ascend the stairs. Robin was quick to pull her back towards him

"I hope you know that I love you and it doesn't matter what Marian or what anyone thinks,says or implies for that matter. You are who I want and need."

Regina's cheeks flushed. It still amazed her the effect this man had on her and the way he was yet to misinterpret how she was feeling or miss the weight weighing in her mind. They shared a loving kiss before Regina finally went for her shower and Robin was left all alone with his two boys.

Robin headed over to his boys just as Roland started making a run for it. Robin was quick to scoop him up

"And where do you think you're off to monkey?" Robin tickled his little boy as he carried him over towards Henry.

"So what trouble have you two been up to?" Robin joked but he was suddenly alerted to the rather guilty look on his eldest child's face. Robin held Roland close despite his want to go off and explore, at least until he had discovered the reasoning for Henry's expression.

"Henry" Robin warned. Henry didn't say a word, which worried Robin. He'd been left in charge of his boys in Regina's house and disaster had struck.

"Henry what have you done?"

"I, i didn't mean to... It was an accident"

"What was?" Robin asked breathlessly, running every scenario through his head. He happened to look down at Roland who was now sat on his daddy's lap and discovered a distinct orange smear of paint down his little boy's trousers. On closer inspection Roland was covered in the stuff, it was in his hair and on his face and hands.

"Henry, did you get out your paint set?" Henry nodded guiltily.

"You know you can't use that unless mummy or daddy is there." Despite the confession Henry still looked guilty.

"Stand up for me bud" Henry got up to reveal a brown mix of paint in a slushy puddle. Robin was dead. Regina was going to kill him.

"Bud! Why did you get them out? Mummy is not going to be happy you've got this all over her carpet!" Robin was trying not to lose his temper, but he was panicking. Regina had already had the bombshell of being greeted by his ex-wife in her home and discovering her relationship was now about to be shared by an extra member, she didn't need to discover this mess when she was ready.

"Right, you go and stand in the kitchen and don't move an inch Henry." Robin directed his son into a room that could at least be wiped down.

"I didn't want to interrupt you and mummy, daddy and I couldn't open them properly because of my arm.

"I know it was an accident, but next time you don't do anything till one of us says you can use them ok"

"I just wanted to do something with Roland"

"Oh bud, it's ok. I'm going to try to sort out the mess and I want you to stay in the kitchen until I've done that" Henry did as he was told whilst Robin balanced a one year old on his hip as he began to approach the paint on the floor with kitchen towel. Robin was just smearing the paint round more whilst panicking.

"Well this has Henry's name all over it" Regina sighed having returned dressed and ready to do something nice with the boys.

"I've spoken to him, it was an accident. Don't be too hard on him"

"He has you wrapped around that little finger of his"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Robin stopped rubbing and stood up, his pent up frustration about to be taken out on Regina if he wasn't careful.

"Just that you have a lot more patience with him than I do" Regina responded with the same amount of frustration.

"Where is he anyway?"

"The kitchen, where he couldn't make more mess"

"How messy is he?" Regina sighed, this wasn't how she was wanting to spend her day cleaning up her 7 year old's mess and arguing with her boyfriend.

"He's not but this one is covered" Robin sighed at the squirming one year old.

"Henry" Regina called through to the kitchen, in frustration.

"You're going to clean this up and not daddy"

"But daddy's already doing it" Henry moaned.

"Henry, stop. You made the mess and therefore it's your job to clean it up"

"Babe it's fine, I'll do it"

"No Robin, he needs to learn a lesson"

"I've learnt mummy"

"Well I don't think you have Henry, it wasn't that long ago that you did the same thing at the kitchen table." Henry bowed his head

"Stop sulking and get cleaning" Regina had hit her limit today and it had barely begun.

"Mummy are you angry with me?"

"I'm not angry with you Henry I'm disappointed. How would you feel if I'd spilt the paint in your bedroom?" Henry looked directly in her eyes.

"Come on bud, the quicker you get it done the quicker we can do something else."

Henry got on with what he'd been asked to do and Robin followed Regina into the kitchen, who was after a much needed coffee.

"Babe"

Regina was leaning against the counter, arms crossed trying to calm herself down.

"It really was an accident" Regina looked over at Robin

"I know, I'm sorry, I just."

Robin walked towards her and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I know this is a lot to get your head around"

"Shouldn't I be the one telling you that" Regina responded in reference to their whole world being flipped on his head, with Robin now being the sole career of Roland.

"If you need some time on your own"

"No" Regina responded instantaneously

"But if you do, I'll understand"

"No Robin, I don't want you to go. Either of you" Regina gently tickled the little boy's belly, making him giggle.

"I think we should take the boys to park once Henry's done cleaning that up. We all need some air and Henry just wants to spend some time with his little brother"

"He adores you. You're all he talks about" Regina caressed Roland's cheek.

"I think he's probably going to be a little while. Shall we go run you a bath? As adorable as you're with paint in your hair, I'm not sure it's a look that's going to workout" Regina joked, making Robin laugh.

"It's ok Ro, daddy will let you be a messy boy"

"Daddy's a bad influence. The truth is everybody loves a clean little boy"

"Oh do they now, because I could have sworn someone I know preferred them dirt"

"Don't listen to him Roland"Regina jumped in before Robin finished his sentence of flirting, giving Robin a cheeky glance.

"Right I think Regina has well and truly bullied daddy into giving you a bath"

"Oi, I did no such thing"

"Oh in that case, shall we just go play with Henry"

"You'll do no such thing, bath mister"

"See what I mean Roland" Robin teased

"I'm going to come and help, but going to quickly oversee where Henry had got to and then I'll come, I'm sure Henry has some bath toys that you can even use" Regina replied

"I think we'll stay away from his bath Incredible Hulk though, Henry may love you lots but I don't think he loves you enough to share that"

"I don't think he loves anyone enough to share hulk" Regina kissed Robin's cheek before they both went their separate ways.

Regina observed Henry just as he was finished.

He popped up, surprised to find mummy in the doorway.

"I've cleaned it all up"

"I can see that, thank you sweetheart"

"I just wanted to do something with Roland"

"I know sweetheart, it's ok." Henry's expression was deflated.

"Come here" Regina sat down on the sofa and pulled Henry on to her lap.

She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You're going to be able to spend lots of time with Roland now"

"Why?"

"Well Roland is going to live with daddy"

"Does that mean when I go to daddy's I'll have sleepovers with Roland too"

"It does and here"

"Here?"

"Well when daddy stays, Roland will too"

"Mummy that's the best news ever!" Regina couldn't help but smile. How did she get so lucky with Henry?

"Daddy's giving Roland a bath, I said I would go help him. Do you want to help too? I said Roland could play with some of your bath toys... But not Hulk!"

"Why not hulk?" Henry replied sweetly

"Because mummy and daddy know he's your favourite"

"It's ok mummy, Ro can play with him too. Let's go, I want to give him to him"

"Don't run up the stairs and remember you can't get your arm wet honey"

Henry sighed

"Wait hang on a sec, let's put a bag over your arm."

"Ro!" Henry excitedly entered the bathroom.

"HRy" Roland replied sweetly, not able to say his brothers name.

"You can play with my hulk"

"You sure bud?"

"He's my little brother, I share all my toys with him"

"Including every colour in his paint set" Regina whispered comically so only Robin could hear. He was just glad they were able to laugh about the situation.

"So how much cleaning has happened here?" Regina teased noticing Roland's bubble beard.

"You said bath, you didn't say I had to clean him" Robin teased.

"Alright genius. Let's get you all clean then shall we Roland." Regina took charge of bath time, washing Roland's hair. She was so gentle with him and careful the soap didn't end up in his eyes. Robin could never manage to do that. Robin was sat next to Regina admiring how effortlessly she took to looking after his little boy. The little boy was clean and Regina was now blowing the bubbles from her hand into the air making Roland laugh. Henry began to act out a hulk scene, splashing the toy through the bubbles.

"I think we should call time on bath time before we flood mummy's bathroom" Robin suggested as he took the hulk toy away and Regina scooped Roland up in the fluffy hooded towel and dried him.

"Maybe Regina was right after all, hey Roland"

"Are my ears deceiving me or did you just say I was right?" Regina was revelling in her victory.

"Well just this once, after all Roland, you are looking very handsome."

Regina passed Roland over to his daddy , his eyes lighting up as his daddy smothered his cheeks in kisses, eliciting a sweet little giggle from his little boy as his stubble tickled his cheeks.

Soon they were all wrapped up warm and ready to go off to the park. Robin had nipped home to collect the stroller of Roland's he kept, after all those little legs would soon tire, even if he desperately wanted to be as grown up as his big brother.

"Mummy can I ride my scooter?"

"No honey, not with your poorly arm"

"I'll be careful"

"Sweetheart, you can't hold on with one hand and if you fell off you would hurt yourself more. We've had enough trips to hospital recently"

"Mummy please I'll be careful"

"Henry I said no"

"Come on bud, you won't be able to walk with Roland if you have your scooter anyway" Robin seems to convince their son.

Robin held Roland's hand and Henry took the other, Regina followed behind pushing Roland's stroller as they finally left for the park. She had to admit she hadn't expected to be in this position, in a committed relationship with her son's father and pushing the stroller of his son... Like a family.

She couldn't help the smile as she watched the boys, her boys, big and small walking hand in hand to the park.

Roland played in the sandpit supervised by Robin, who watched as his little boy concentrated on filling the bucket up with sand with the help of Henry. But Roland didn't quite understand and as soon as Henry filled it, he would tip it over.

"Alright monster, I think Henry is trying to make you a sandcastle."

Roland stood up and plodded through the rest of the sand, his trousers covered, Robin shared a look with Regina

"Boys will be boys" Robin laughed before going and rescuing him from going too far. Regina sat down and helped her little boy, spending some quality time with him and trying to show him she really wasn't upset with him earlier.

"I'm very proud of you"

"Of me?" Henry looked up having just successfully tipped out another sandcastle.

"Yes you, silly. You're being such a good big brother to Roland, even if he did ruin your sandcastles"

"He's only little and I love him." Regina squeezed her little boy and took pleasure in him nuzzling closer to her, his arms tightly wrapped around her middle.

"I love you my little prince"

"I love you too, mummy."

Today proved that whatever was thrown their way, they could take it. They had created their own little family, it was unexpected but sometimes the best situations come out of unplanned moments. They headed back as a family unit, Roland sound asleep in his stroller, Henry holding on to the side of it protectively watching over his little baby brother. Robin pushed the sleeping baby with one hand whilst he wrapped the other arm around Regina's waist and enjoyed the feeling of her nestling in closer to him, her head resting on his shoulder in much the same way Regina had enjoyed her moment with Henry. It must be a family thing.

"Hey daddy, you're pushing it with only one hand! How come your allowed to and I can't" Regina moved her head from his shoulder so that Robin could address Henry.

"Well I'm a grown up"

"But I'm not little"

"You aren't but, I'm a lot bigger than you are"

"Plus daddy has you helping him doesn't he" Regina added in, hoping to avoid anymore of the 20 question scenario from Henry, before whispering to Robin as she nestled back on to his shoulder

"And no broken arm" Robin laughed to himself quietly, before placing a kiss in the top of her head and ushering them all home.