Just so you know, Roland is so excited about tomorrow I could barely get him to sleep.

I accept full responsibility. My most humble apologies.

Well, you'd better come up with a way to make it up to me.

Will you accept lasagna as a peace offering? ;)

Robin chuckles, rolling over so that he's lying on his back in the bed, holding his phone in front of his face as his thumbs tap out a reply to Regina. They've been texting on and off all night, with brief breaks allowing him to get Roland bathed and into bed. He's received a few texts from Will in that time too, interrogating him on what he's going to do for dinner at Regina's house tomorrow, but he's done his best to ignore them as politely as he can. He loves Will, he really does—there's not a single person on earth that he owes as much to as Will Scarlet—but hearing him give Robin advice about tomorrow is only going to make him more nervous than he already is. Besides, every minute spent texting Will is one not spent texting Regina.

It's a start, he types back. The little ellipses appear on the screen, letting him know that Regina is replying, and he sighs happily. He truly is acting like a teenager now, but when he thinks about how happy he's been since meeting Regina, how much light she's brought not only into his life but into Roland's as well, he finds he couldn't care less about how silly some might find his actions.

Good. Don't forget your swimsuits! ;)

Shit. Does Robin even know where his swimsuit is right now? He lowers the phone for a moment, biting his lip as he tries to mentally catalogue the contents of his wardrobe. He's only taken Roland to the pool a few times since summer started, which means his swim trunks are either in the dresser, somewhere in the laundry room, or (God, he hopes this isn't the case) still wet and wadded up in the bottom of his beach bag. Does he still have that extra pair, that one he had to buy last year when he took Roland to the waterpark and forgot to pack a swimsuit for himself? That will work in a pinch if he can't find his other one…but does he really want Regina to see him in a cheap pair of waterpark swim trunks, probably not meant to last more than a few days in the water?

Better those than not being able to swim at all because you forgot to wash your other pair he thinks quickly. But at the same time…oh God, Marian, I can just hear how you'd be laughing at me if you were here.

He's about to get up and launch a full-scale swimsuit search, despite the late hour, when his phone slips from his grasp. Robin swears softly as it lands painfully on his chin, sliding off onto the bed. His chin smarts a bit, and he rubs the pain away, reaching for his phone with his other hand. The light on the screen flickers out as the phone locks, and he spends a tense minute or so fumbling around for it in the dark. When he finally finds it and flicks it on again, his thumb hits a button by mistake, and his text conversation with Regina vanishes. A black screen replaced it, huge white letters staring up at him, seeming to mock him…Calling Regina (mobile).

"Shit," he whispered, louder now, praying he wouldn't accidentally wake up Roland in addition to calling Regina. "Shit, shit, shit…"

Frantically, he tries to end the call, but either his touch screen is acting up or his fingers won't obey him. Although the phone is not raised to his ear, he can hear it ringing, and for one panicked moment he considers throwing it away from him. His heart is pounding. He hears a click on the other line, then a pause, then her voice, unmistakable and quiet. "Hello?"

He swallows, his throat having gone dry. Should he answer? Should he tell her it was an accident, apologize profusely, and hang up before she can reconsider her invitation for tomorrow? Or should he…"

"Hello?" she asks again, her voice louder now. This is it—he's got to say something before she gets angry and hangs up, and he's left having to explain himself when they go to her house tomorrow. He takes a deep breath, bringing the phone to his ear.

"Regina, are you still there?"

"I'm here, Robin. Is everything okay? Is something wrong?" She sounds alert, despite the late hour, and he finds himself wondering if she was doing something, or if she's somehow just accustomed to treating every late-night call as if it were an emergency.

"No, no, nothing's wrong at all. Everything's fine. I'm sorry to call so late. I didn't mean to. I hit the wrong button, and…I'm really sorry. Apparently my phone has it out for both of us tonight."

He hears her take a breath on the other end of the line, and when she speaks again she sounds much more relaxed. "It's okay, you don't have to apologize. That's happened to me more times than I care to admit."

"I think I'm getting too old for this kind of technology."

She chuckles. "You'd better not be, because that means I am, and that is something I will not accept."

He laughs along with her, settling back against the pillows as he, too, allows himself to relax. "Although I suppose I should be thanking my phone, really," he says. "It's nice to hear your voice."

"Miss me already?" Regina asks. "You saw me not even three hours ago."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah," she says softly, surprising him. "I think I do. It's nice to hear your voice, too."

"I think the boys had fun today."

"They always have fun when they're together. And, for the record, so do I."

"Me too."

They spend a few minutes chatting softly in the dark about tomorrow, about what should be brought and how to find the place and what the two families' plans are for the rest of the summer. Robin closes his eyes as he listens, a feeling of peace coming over him, a feeling that he can't remember experiencing since Marian died. It's been so long that he's almost forgotten how it feels to have someone you can feel this comfortable just talking with about nothing at all.

As they talk, though, something is on the tip of his tongue, something that he's been wanting to ask her for weeks—wanting to ask her since they met, if he's being perfectly honest with himself. It never seemed like the right time before, but now, lying there with her voice in his ear, sounding just as comfortable with him as he is with her, he thinks now might finally be the perfect opportunity.

Now or never, Robin. Your move.

"I've been thinking," Robin says suddenly, wanting to ask the question before he loses his nerve. In a way, he supposes it was a good thing that he accidentally called her, or else he might have put off asking her once again. Funny how life works like that sometimes.

"Dangerous pastime," Regina warns.

"I've been thinking…maybe it's time for the two of us to spend time together…without the company of our children."

There is a slight pause on the other line, and he hopes that he hasn't accidentally made things awkward between them.

"Like, a real date?" she asks finally.

"I've been told that's what adults do when they want to spend time together. Dinner without the addition of a kid's menu, that sort of thing."

"So, not what we've been doing so far," Regina says, playing along almost immediately.

"As charming as our two sons are, no. I'd like to spend some time with you on my own. If…if you'd like to."

There is another pause, and Robin tries not to hold his breath. It's only the sound of Regina's breathing on the other line that assures him that she hasn't hung up.

When she speaks again, he swears he can hear the smile in her voice. "I thought you'd never ask."

He blinks, smiling as well. "Sorry, is that a yes?"

"Of course it's a yes! What did you think it was?"

He chuckles, feeling a bit giddy. "I thought it might have been a yes, I just really, really didn't want to be wrong."

"Understandable. Just think how embarrassing that would be."

"Oh, I'd never live it down. Certainly couldn't show my face at your little pool party tomorrow."

"We can't have that."

"Good thing you said yes, then. Does Saturday night work for you?" It's a bit last-minute, but he's sure he can get Will to babysit if he bribes him with enough pizza and beer. If on the off-chance Will's busy, he's sure that Belle would be over the moon if he asked her to watch Roland for the night. It's not as if Will is going to pluck up the courage to ask Belle out between now and Saturday.

"This Saturday? Yeah, that works fine for me. Did you have a plan in mind?"

"Well, I did promise you dinner during my scientific explanation of what a date is."

"So scientific."

"How about…dinner at The Mermaid at 7 on Saturday? Or if you have a place you'd rather go to, that's fine. We don't have to iron out all the details tonight. I'm seeing you tomorrow afternoon, after all."

"The Mermaid sounds great. Dinner on the waterfront, maybe a little music, a great guy…a girl could do a lot worse."

"You think I'm a great guy?" Robin can't help but ask.

"Well, I don't think I would have agreed to go out with you if I didn't like you." Her voice is soft, still teasing just a little, but he can hear her sincerity even over the phone. "You're an amazing person, Robin. I…I know I haven't known you for very long, but I know that much. You're funny, polite, interesting, a terrific father…who wouldn't think you're a great guy?"

He smiles, pulling at a loose thread on his quilt. "I'm sorry. It's been a while since I've done the dating thing. I'm afraid I might be woefully out of practice."

"That makes two of us, then. We can make fools of ourselves together."

He chuckles softly. "I guess that's comforting."

"But Robin? Out of practice or not, I really am looking forward to Saturday. And tomorrow, too."

"Me too," he whispers.

They talk for a few more minutes, until Regina finally suggests that the two of them get some sleep—they'll need it, she reminds him, if they're expecting to swim with the boys tomorrow. He reluctantly agrees, but their goodbyes take longer than usual. When he finally hangs up, he stares at his phone in his hand for a moment, part of him unable to comprehend what just happened. Slowly, he smiles.

He has a date with Regina Mills.


Regina's phone beeps softly at her as she plugs it in, her heart and stomach still pleasantly fluttering from her conversation with Robin. Her mind is going a mile a minute, making a list of things she has to do in preparation for tomorrow as well as mentally considering her wardrobe, trying to pick out what to wear on Saturday. Robin had said that he was out of practice in the dating game, and Regina is the same, if not worse, than he is. She can't even remember the last time she had a real date. Two years ago? More? She's just never had time, not between her job and trying to be the best mother to Henry that she can possibly be. She can't remember the last time she had met someone that she cared about enough to try to fit in with everything else in her life.

Until Robin.

She's about to turn off the light and go to bed when she hears a creak outside the door. For half a second she thinks that it's the cat, but a familiar little sigh outside the door proves otherwise. She chuckles, pulling back the covers and sitting down on the bed. "Henry, how long have you been out there?"

She almost hears him freeze with alarm, and has to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Her son is many things, but subtle he is not. "I can hear you breathing out there. What are you doing up so late?"

Her bedroom door creaks open, and Henry stands there in his pajamas, looking sheepish. "My book was getting really good," he admits. "And before that I was trying to beat my game."

"And did you?"

Henry shrugs. "One more boss battle to go. I can maybe do it tomorrow before Robin and Roland come over."

She arches an eyebrow. "I thought that you were going to help me clean tomorrow."

He grins. "Before that." His smile falters a bit as she looks at him. "You're not mad I'm still up, are you?"

She shrugs back at him. "It's summer, I don't mind. I'm a bit more concerned that you seem to be eavesdropping on me, though. How much did you hear?"

"Nothing," Henry says innocently.

"Henry Daniel Mills."

A smug grin spreads over her son's face, and Regina rolls her eyes.

"Just so you know, I think Robin's a really great guy," Henry says emphatically.

Regina groans. "Careful, mister. I know just where the embarrassing baby pictures are, and I will use them if necessary."

"Oh, I'm so scared." Regina playfully swats at him, and he dodges out of the way before perching next to her on the bed. "He really is a good guy, Mom. I'm really happy for you."

"Aren't most kids supposed to throw a fit or something when their parent starts dating someone new?"

"I'm not most kids."

"No, you're not. And I'm so, so thankful to have you." She puts her arm around Henry, pulling him close and giving him a quick kiss on the side of the head. He pretends to struggle out of her grasp for a minute—he's a teenager now, and has to at least keep up the appearance of being mildly apathetic—but he accepts the kiss and leans into her, looking up at Regina with a smile.

"You really like him, don't you?"

Slowly, she nods. "Yeah. I really think I do."

"Good. Because I think he really likes you, too."

"You think so?"

"Come on. He'd be crazy not to."

She kisses him again, ruffling his dark hair. "Thanks, Henry."

"Anytime. Good night, Mom." He kisses her on the cheek and gets up to leave, shuffling towards the door.

"Get some sleep, kiddo. We have a lot of cleaning to do tomorrow before they get here."

She can almost hear him smirk as he closes the door softly behind him. "Yeah, Mom. Okay."

"I mean it!"

"Love you too!"


Regina's house is a bit of a drive away, along the lakeshore. It's a more affluent community than Robin is used to, huge houses with even bigger backyards capturing his and Roland's attention as he drives down the winding street. He assumed that Regina's house would be larger than his, but now he's wondering if Roland's offhand comment about her and Henry living in a castle hadn't been too far off.

"Are we almost there, Daddy?" Roland asks, bouncing in his car seat. Robin glances at him in the rearview mirror, catching sight of a gray Tshirt and Iron Man swim trunks. He smiles.

"Not too much longer now, Roland. It's a pretty long street."

"The houses are huge."

"Well, that's because we're by the lake. See it? Look out the window, you can see it sort of peeking out between the houses." He smiles as Roland presses his face up against the window, rewarded for his efforts by the sight of the sun glinting off the water. "I'm not sure how close their actual house will be to the lake, but that's okay. The water's still pretty cold this early in the year."

Roland nods sagely. "The pool is better."

They finally pull up to a huge white house, all imposing columns and impeccable landscaping. The lake beckons them from behind the home, and Robin can see a huge wooden staircase leading down from the hill that the house is on to the beach as he maneuvers into the long, winding driveway. He smiles as he recognizes the tree in the front yard, an apple tree if he ever saw one. "This must be the right place."

It's cooler here, as it always is by the lake, and huge beech and oak trees shade the house from the sun. It's just the sort of place that he pictured Regina living.

The ornate front door opens almost before Robin can even exit the car, and he smiles as Henry runs over to greet them. "Hey," the teen calls out, waving to Roland in the backseat as Robin quickly goes to unbuckle him. "Mom sent me out here to make sure you found the place okay. The street can be kinda confusing. She'll be out in just a minute."

"It's a long street, but we didn't have any problems." Robin sets Roland on the ground, grinning as he glances up and sees the tips of Henry's wet hair. "I see someone's been in the pool already today."

"Had to test it out, you know. The lake is still freezing, but the pool's super nice. Mom said we could go down to the beach later if you wanted, though. I don't know what time Roland goes to bed, but we can try to see the sunset."

"Sounds all right with me," Robin replies, fighting to make himself heard over Roland's voice as he enthusiastically greets his friend. "Roland! Before we forget, shouldn't we show Henry what we brought?"

"What did you bring?" Regina's voice cuts in, and Robin smiles as he turns to look at her.

She looks gorgeous, as always. Her suit is simple and black, cut in a style that reminds him almost of Old Hollywood, and she's wearing a colorful sarong tied with one of those knots that he can't even begin to figure out. She's in her element here, absolutely stunning in every way, and she looks as happy to see Robin as he is to see her.

"Daddy," Roland prompts, tugging on his shirt.

"Oh! Right. Just a second." From inside the car, he draws out a baking dish covered with foil, holding it out to Regina proudly. "It's no famous apple pie, but I've been told I can make a mean pineapple upside-down cake. And since you brought the dessert when we hosted…"

"Robin, you didn't have to do that," Regina protests, but he's already pressing the cake into her hands.

"I wanted to."

"Is this gonna be a habit of ours? One of us hosts, the other one brings dessert?"

"Well, I should hope that on Saturday, the person bringing dessert would be the restaurant."

"Hopefully."

"Daddy, I wanna swim!"

Regina and Robin share a smile at Roland's impatience. "Come on in. I'll show you around."

"Your house is beautiful," Robin remarks as they follow Regina inside.

"Technically, it's my father's house. He left it to me. But thank you." He doesn't miss the way the smile slides from her face for just a second, how her posture stiffens and her grip on the cake pan seems to harden. He wonders if there is more to her story, if her relationship with her parents was a troubled one. He can relate to that, at least a little. His parents hadn't approved of Marian, at least not at first, and they hated the fact that Robin had chosen life in America with her over staying in Britain. He hated to say that things had gotten easier with them after Marian died, but in a way it was true. He loved his parents, and he knew that he always would. But whenever they visited—trips to England twice a year ever since Roland was old enough to fly without the risk of the entire cabin hating him for bringing a baby on board—Robin could feel the distance between them, and he knew that he would never truly forgive them for not accepting Marian when they had the chance.

The house is just as beautiful on the inside, a mix of classic design and the sort of white woodwork that one would expect in a beach house. Everything is big—Robin thinks that he could probably fit comfortably in the fireplace if he set his mind to it, and the ceilings are impossibly high. His favorite part is the huge windows in the living room and kitchen, stretching almost up to the ceiling and letting in the most natural sunlight possible. From the living room he can see the pool, huge, in-ground, the sides and bottom covered with beautiful blue tile. He lets out a low whistle.

"Henry says it reminds him of the lagoon in Peter Pan," Regina remarks from beside him. "All that blue."

"It's lovely. And you can't beat that lake view, either."

"Yeah, if only the lake would decide to warm up to somewhere over 55 degrees, we might actually be able to swim in it."

"Only fifty-five? Really?"

"It might have gone up to 58 today. Henry dared me to dip my toes into it a few nights ago. I almost emancipated him right then and there."

"Totally worth it," Henry pipes up, his voice carrying down from above their heads. The adults look up to see Robin and Roland on the second-floor landing, looking down into the living room. They hadn't even heard the boys leave. "You should have seen her face."

Robin let out a chuckle. "Be nice to your mother, Henry."

"What are you doing upstairs, anyway? I thought you and Roland wanted to swim."

"I just wanted to show him my room first. I saw Mal in there earlier."

"Mal?" Robin asks quizzically.

"Our cat. Maleficent," Regina clarifies.

"Henry says she's really pretty and black and fluffy, Daddy," Roland says excitedly.

"She can also be a bit of a diva, so don't be too offended if she doesn't want you petting her, Roland," Regina warns kindly. "She'll warm up to you by the end of the night, I promise."

The boys take off at a run down the hall, and Regina finishes showing Robin the main floor of the house, pausing just a moment to check on the lasagna that he can already smell in the oven. After only a few minutes, Henry and Roland run outside again, towels around their necks and headed towards the pool. "Be careful!" Robin and Regina call after them in almost perfect unison, but their words are lost as the glass door slides shut behind them.

"Well, if nothing else, I'm sure they'll both sleep like babies tonight," Regina says with a laugh and a shake of her head.

"One can only hope. Now, before I forget, is there somewhere that I can change?" He holds up the duffel bag he's brought with them, containing his swim trunks, sunscreen, and a few extra towels.

"Oh, of course. There's a bathroom right up the stairs, first door on the right."

"Thanks," he says with a grateful smile. "I'll just be a minute. Keep an eye on the boys?"

"You know I will."

He changes quickly, giving himself a quick once-over in the mirror before he leaves. As he makes his way down the stairs, he realizes that Regina has gone outside with the boys as promised. In her place, a large black cat sits at the bottom of the stairs, giving her front paw a vigorous wash. "Ah, you must be Maleficent," he tells the cat softly, crouching down and offering her his hand. She sniffs him experimentally, but quickly grows bored and returns to her bath. She doesn't flinch away when Robin gently scratches the top of her head, but he is not acknowledged again, either. "I see how it is," he teases, but Maleficent doesn't glance his way.

"Daddy, help!" comes a sudden cry from outside, and suddenly Robin's heart leaps into his throat.

"Daddy!"

He abandons the cat, and he's running, running outside towards his son. He can't get out of the house fast enough, and his feet almost slip on the perfectly polished hardwood. A thousand scenarios run through his mind, each worse than the last—a bee sting, a broken bone, an image of Roland or Henry having slipped on the side of the pool and cracked their head open. His only consolation is that Regina is out there too…


The moment Roland cried out for help, time seemed to slow down for Regina.

Everything had been going fine. Henry had gone to grab a couple of things from the shed, and Roland was happily hopping along in the shallow end, splashing and laughing and having the time of his life. But one misstep, and he had wandered too far towards the deep end, and the child had panicked, shouting for his father before swallowing a mouthful of water. Little feet scrabbled for purchase on the slick tile floor of the pool.

It only took Regina a minute to come back to life, to remember her lifeguard training from the summer she was sixteen. In the next instant she's in the water, grabbing Roland and pulling him to her and to safety. He's crying and spluttering, coughing up water as it runs down his nose and his chin, but she's got him, and he is safe.

"It's okay, Roland," she whispers into his hair, now wet and clinging to his face. He is shaking, and tears streak down his cheeks. His little arms and legs are wrapped so tightly around her waist that she's not even sure she can untangle them while they're both in the water. Regina doesn't mind. She adjusts her grip and holds him tighter, rubbing his back as he trembles in her arms. "It's okay. You just got scared. I was scared too, but you know what? You're fine. Everything's okay."

"Roland!" Robin shouts, and she turns to see him barreling down the path towards them. His eyes are frantic, but he relaxes just a little when she sees Regina holding Roland. "What happened?" he demands, his voice thick with worry.

Regina wades over to the side of the pool, and Robin kneels down in front of them. "He wandered a little too close to the deep end," she said soothingly, still petting Roland's hair. "He just got a little scared, that's all. He's okay. Everything's gonna be okay."

"Roland…" With barely disguised tears in his eyes and his voice, he reaches for his son as Regina carefully passes him over. Roland disentangles himself and clings to his father instead, soaking Robin's Tshirt and reminding Regina of a soaking wet spider monkey. If her heart wasn't still pounding, she might have laughed. "What happened? Why didn't you do what you've been learning in swim lessons? What happened to blowing bubbles? What happened?"

"I think it happened too quickly for him to even think of that." Henry has joined them now, an inner tube and a pool noodle under each arm, staring at the scene in front of him. "He just panicked. But he's okay now. Right, Roland?"

He sniffles and turns to look at her, nodding slowly.

"You want to sit on the edge for a while, or do you want to get back in? Henry has a bunch of things to float on that he got out, or I can try to find a pair of his old water wings. It won't happen again, I promise. Do you trust me?"

"Uh huh."

"I couldn't quite hear you, Roland," she presses on. "Do you trust me?"

"Yeah!" The smile is beginning to return to Roland's face, and she thinks the worst of his fright is behind him.

"But Roland, you have to be more careful, do you understand?" Robin gently pushes his son away so that he can look into his eyes, kneeling in front of him on the concrete. "Promise me you'll be careful. You scared me, Roland. I never want to feel that way again, do you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy."

Robin hugs his son to him once again, almost frantically, and Regina takes a step back, her arms treading water softly as she stands in the shallows. It is a private moment, one that she doesn't want to interrupt, not while standing there soaking wet. The top of her tankini has ridden up just a little, and she quickly tugs it down, hiding the ridge of the scar on her abdomen and hoping that Robin hasn't noticed it.

"Henry," she says softly, and her son looks up. "Why don't you go see if we can find those floaties for Roland."

"I just saw them in the shed. Come on, Roland."

"No running!" Regina reminds them.

Robin's entire form seems to sag with relief as soon as they're gone, and he walks a few paces away from her. She bobs along to keep up with him as he sits down at the edge of the pool with his feet in the water. The water is up to her chest now, and a little colder than Regina likes it, but she knows she''ll get used to it eventually. Plus, now she can look into Robin's eyes without having to crane her neck.

"That was…thank you, Regina."

"You would have done the same thing if it was Henry."

"You're amazing, Regina Mills."

"Amazing? No. Very, very wet? Yes."

He smirks, and she finds her face growing warm. "Well, it is a pool party. We would have gotten you into the water one way or another."

"Is that so?" Out of the corner of her eye, she can see the boys creeping back from the shed. On each of Roland's upper arms is a bright blue water wing, and Regina tries to hide her smile. Henry catches her eye and puts a finger to his lips, and she nods imperceptibly.

"Oh, yes. I can be very persuasive when I want to be. And, if that doesn't work, very sneaky."

"You don't say."

"Of course. As a matter of fact—"

"Get him!" Henry calls out, and he and Roland attack. Both of them push Robin with all their might, and the result is a fall into the water that is both spectacular and probably more than a little theatrical. Regina shrieks as water splashes into her eyes. Two more splashes follow as both boys join them in the water just as Robin comes up for air.

"We got you!" Roland crows, paddling happily. Robin shakes water from his eyes, and Regina laughs at the sight of him. He's still in his Tshirt, now wet and clinging to him like a second skin, and as she watches he yanks it over his head and tosses it back onto the side of the pool.

"We can throw that in the dryer before you leave," she assures him.

"Don't even worry about it. I packed an extra just in case. That was a good sneak attack, boys. You got me good."

She's almost sure that he knew they were planning that, but she just smirks, not wanting to give him away.

"But you know what I've just now noticed, men?"

"What?"

"Of the four of us, Regina is the only one who doesn't have wet hair yet."

"Mom never dunks her head. Or almost never. Good luck trying to get her under."

His eyebrow arches upward. "Is that a challenge?" he asks, advancing on her.

"Oh no. Don't. Don't you dare. Robin. Robin!"

There is a shriek, followed by a splash, and Regina swears that she's going to get him back for this.


It's a perfect night. They spend hours in the pool, emerging only when dinner is ready and they all resemble prunes more than they do people. The food is delicious, the lasagna to-die-for as promised (he tries to wheedle Regina into giving him the recipe, but the only secret she is willing to divulge is red pepper flakes), and afterwards Regina fires up the grill and they make s'mores. Henry introduces the Locksley men to the idea of Reeses' Peanut Butter Cups on their s'mores instead of Hershey's squares, and Robin announces his life forever changed. They walk to the beach to watch the sunset as promised, sitting on towels and watching the waves roll in. Regina leans against Robin and he thinks back to the park the day before, the kiss that could have been before it was interrupted by their children. Saturday he swears that if he gets another chance, he won't let it slip through his fingers this time.

By the time they walk back up to the house, Roland is dozing off in his father's arms. He remains asleep as they say goodbye, not even stirring with Robin buckles him into his carseat. "See, I told you that we'd tire them out," he whispers to Regina as he closes the car door softly.

"I'm sure that Henry will be out like a light soon, too. I always forget how much swimming can tire you out."

"Well, I'm sure Roland will be upset that he fell asleep through the goodbyes, but I really should be getting him home. Thanks for another amazing night, Regina."

"Thanks for coming over. Henry and I had a lot of fun. And I'm…I'm really looking forward to Saturday."

"So am I."

"But just so you know, I rarely kiss on the first date."

"Is that a challenge?"

"What is it with you and challenges?" she wonders.

"I'm a glutton for punishment, or at least it seems I am wherever you are concerned. Plus, some people would argue that what we've been doing for the past few weeks constitutes dating anyway."

"We'll see." Even in the dark, he can see the fire in her eyes, and he loves it. What the hell has this woman done to him?

"See you Saturday, then?"

"Saturday. Good night,Robin."

"Good night, Regina."

The smile stays on his face the entire drive home.