First of all, a massive thank you to everyone who has helped this story reach 100 reviews; I am so happy!

Thank you so much for all of your support. Will aim to update again mid-week.

For a moment she was overcome by shock, the impact having knocked the breath from her lungs, but then came the pain. It ripped through her head unlike anything she had ever felt before and she couldn't help the strangled cry that escaped her lips as she doubled over.

'MOM,' Henry shouted, running to Regina and putting his arm around her shoulders just as she lost the last bit of strength keeping her upright. Her legs buckled beneath her, and she held almost desperately onto her son as another flash of agony forced her eyes to close and she let out a feeble whimper. Her body went limp, and unable to support her dead weight Henry gently lowered her to the floor and helped her to sit so she was leaning against the wall.

'What's happening?' asked Mary Margaret, her eyes wide with fear. As soon as she was sure that Emma was stable, she came to kneel at her former stepmother's side. Emma stood behind her, worried that Regina's reaction to her presence when she finally came to might only make matters worse.

'She's not supposed to use magic,' Henry told them briefly. He was more concerned with how his mother seemed dangerously close to losing consciousness, her eyes fogging over and her breathing becoming more ragged.

For Regina everything seemed fuzzy, her senses betraying her as she fought against her body's wishes in order to remain awake. Henry was talking, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Her head throbbed, every breath only worsening the pain and she was tempted just to give in and let oblivion claim her so that it would end. Yet something felt wrong, as if she were missing something, and the realisation pulled her back into reality.

'Mom,' said Henry insistently, 'Mom are you okay?'

She shook her head, which felt as if it were about to explode. Her hand trembled as she pressed it lightly to her abdomen, her world threatening to fall apart around her.

'Regina?' Mary Margaret whispered, putting a hand delicately on the woman's back.

'I…I can't…' she stuttered, tears spilling from her eyes, 'I can't f-feel anything. The baby…oh God…'

Regina concentrated as hard as she could but she couldn't sense a thing, the usual warmth of her child's energy seemingly absent.

'You're...you're pregnant?' Mary Margaret gasped.

'I can't...she's n-not there...' Regina sobbed. Her anger was forgotten, melting away as fear burned in her heart, making it even harder to focus.

Henry took his mother's hand, interlacing their fingers and squeezing gently.

'Just breathe,' he reassured her gently. She tried to do as he instructed but Regina had never been so scared. It felt like drowning, and her mind flashed back to the dream from the previous night.

Regina breathed deeply, closing her eyes and concentrating as hard as she could. When she recognised the familiar pulse, not dissimilar to the feel of a heartbeat, her face broke into a relieved smile and she almost collapsed with the weight of her reprieve.

'She's there,' she breathed, 'I can feel her.'

'I'm sure that she always was,' Henry said hugging her carefully, 'you just had to stay calm.'

'The baby's alright?' Mary Margaret queried. Regina nodded wearily, wincing as the dull ache in her head spiked at the movement.

'I'll go and get the bottle,' Henry offered, giving her hand a last squeeze, 'where is it?'

'In my purse, in the kitchen somewhere,' she murmured, bringing a hand to her forehead as if it would help.

Once Henry was gone, Emma moved slowly into view.

'Regina I...I'm really sorry. I never meant-'

'I know,' the brunette sighed, too exhausted to muster any rage towards the woman.

'Are you going to be okay?'

'The baby affects my magic, and so the curse I used backfired. It might hurt for a while, but there's no permanent damage.'

I hope, Regina added silently.

'I won't bring Henry to New York,' Emma assured her, 'it was a stupid idea. I wasn't thinking.'

Regina gave a small nod, and the blonde knew that it was more than she deserved.

Henry returned with a glass of water laced with Tinker Bell's potion and knelt beside his mother. He held the glass to her lips as her own hands were too unsteady to hold it. Although the potion took away the pain Regina felt dizzy, so exhausted that it was hard to hold up her head, and her skin was still an unhealthy grey in pallor.

'Emma, maybe we should call Doctor Whale,' Mary Margaret suggested.

'No,' Regina insisted at once.

'You don't look well,' the school teacher argued gently, 'I think you need to be checked over.'

'No,' repeated Regina, more firmly. 'I've had the potion, I'll be fine.'

'But it usually works straight away,' Henry reasoned, voicing his own concerns. 'You still look ill Mom.'

'I just need a moment.'

She placed a hand on her abdomen as she had done before, but felt nothing out of the ordinary; her magic was settled, as was that of her child.

'Can you help me up?' asked Regina eventually. Henry shot a glance at his birth mother who was thinking the same thing – Regina didn't ask for help. Henry put his arm around her on her left, with Mary Margaret copying his actions on the right, and gently they pulled Regina into a standing position. As slowly as they were able, they guided her into the living room over to the sofa where she half collapsed into the soft cushions with a groan.

'Regina, I really think you should see someone-'Emma started.

'Ms. Swan, as touched as I am for your sudden concern about my wellbeing, I think it might be time for you to leave.'

'I-'

'Have you not done enough damage already?' Regina snapped, stopping any form of retort from the blonde.

'Okay,' Emma sighed, sensing that the older woman was starting to regain her composure and with it her anger, 'I'll go, if that's what you want.'

'It is,' Regina muttered.

'Then I suppose I'll see you Monday kid.'

'I'll just be a minute,' Mary Margaret piped up. 'Henry, do you think you could walk Emma to the car?'

Henry's brow creased at the unusual request but his grandmother gave him a look and he reluctantly complied, leaving the room with Emma so that Mary Margaret was alone with Regina.

Mary Margaret sat beside Regina, and covered her trembling hands with her own.

'It'll pass,' Regina said in a voice which seemed far too quiet.

'You need to see the doctor.'

Regina shook her head slowly.

'Why won't you let people help you?' asked Mary Margaret, frustration creeping into her tone.

'I just need to be left alone,' the older woman sighed, though she didn't pull her hands away.

'We're family Regina, no matter what we've said or done in the past. You could have told us what was going on.'

'I…wasn't ready for anyone to know yet.'

Regina looked down, unable to meet Mary Margaret's eye and the truth slowly dawned.

'He doesn't know, does he?'

Regina closed her eyes in admission.

'That's why you don't want people to know, even Whale; you haven't told Robin yet.'

'Give the girl a medal,' muttered Regina, but when she opened her eyes Mary Margaret could see that they were glistening.

'Don't you think that he deserves to know?'

'No, I don't,' Regina said shortly.

'But he's the father,' Mary Margaret reminded her. 'He'll find out eventually; don't you think it would be better coming from you?'

'I …I can't tell him,' she answered honestly, putting a hand over her abdomen and sighing as she gently traced patterns over the fabric with her thumb.

'I've tried to move on, I really have but just seeing him is enough to bring back all of that pain. I know that he has to be told, I know that, but I don't think I can take his rejection a second time.'

'Oh Regina,' Mary Margaret breathed, her face softening with sympathy, 'why would he reject you?'

'He has his family, a child of his own, a wife he loves…He doesn't need us. I've lost him once, and I can't go through that again. I can't put her through that.'

'Her?'

Regina couldn't help but brighten, her lips curling into a smile as she looked down at her still flat belly.

'Yeah, I think so. I can almost see her…is that crazy?'

'No,' Mary Margaret grinned, 'I think it's wonderful. Regina, I know you're scared, but Robin is not the kind of guy who would leave you to do this on your own. And you can't let that get in the way of you getting help if you need it.'

'I'll be okay,' Regina assured her, sniffing back her tears, 'I feel a bit better.'

It wasn't a lie, and although she was still exhausted the dizziness was starting to pass.

'Emma's waiting in the car,' Henry said as he came back into the room. Mary Margaret nodded, smiling at him before turning to Regina.

'You should get some rest,' she warned her stepmother. 'Anything you need, you know where I am.'

'Thank you,' Regina said sincerely, watching as Mary Margaret hugged Henry before seeing herself out.

Once she was gone, Regina allowed herself to relax. With only Henry left in the house, she could finally drop any pretence of normality and her son could see her body sag with tiredness.

'I think you should lie down,' Henry told her and Regina didn't argue, gently lowering herself until she was lying across the sofa. He went upstairs and brought her down a blanket, sitting on the floor beside her as she closed her eyes.

'I didn't finish your dinner,' she remembered, groaning.

'It's okay Mom, I'll find something. You finished the tart didn't you?'

'I did,' Regina smiled, closing her eyes as her eyelids became heavier. 'Don't eat all of it.'

'I'll try,' Henry grinned back.

'You promised me three names,' she reminded him, 'I've been waiting all week.'

'Hmmm…Poppy?'

'Ugh, no,' Regina dismissed at once.

'Carlos?'

'I thought you said these were the best yet? I have to say I'm a little disappointed so far.'

Henry suspected that his final suggestion of Andromeda was not exactly what his mother was looking for, so rested his head back against the arm of the sofa and took a moment to think.

'I've got it,' he announced brightly.

'Hmm?' Regina breathed, feeling the haziness of sleep beginning to wash over her.

'Rose.'

'Rose…' she repeated slowly, enjoying the way it sounded. 'I like it.'

Henrys face broke into a winning smile.

'Really?'

He turned to look at his mother, but he could sense from the way her breathing had changed that she was already lost to her dreams. He brushed a strand of hair from her face gently.

'Sleep well Mom.'

Xxx

Henry and Regina spent the weekend quietly. Although she insisted that she felt better, she didn't complain when Henry suggested a movie marathon on Saturday. Her sleep had been troubled, and despite taking Tink's potion religiously the nausea was becoming more difficult to manage.

By Sunday lunch time, the feeling had become so strong that Regina couldn't stomach much more than dry toast. She made Henry an omelette, but the pungent smell of cheese and eggs almost pushed her over the edge.

'I'm fine,' she muttered as she pushed the plate towards her son and took a long drink of tea.

'You're not,' he argued, taking a bite. 'Is there nothing Tinker Bell can do?'

'I called her yesterday,' admitted Regina, hating that she had already fallen to the point where she had to ask for help. 'It's just morning sickness, nothing to do with magic; that's why the potion doesn't help.'

'Isn't there anything you can do?' asked Henry, looking worriedly at his mother.

'Peppermint tea,' she answered, nodding to the steaming cup in her hands, 'or ginger…I don't want to try magical remedies, mixing potions never ends well. The internet said exercise helps, but I'm not really in any state to go jogging.'

'We could go for a walk around the park?' he suggested, finishing his meal and hopping off his seat to wash up his plate.

'Is this for my benefit, or are you just after an ice cream?' Regina teased, smiling.

'You've blown my cover,' Henry laughed.

Xxx

'So Bruce is a definite no?' Henry asked as they walked slowly through the park heading, he was happy to note, towards where he knew the ice cream van resided on weekends.

'What is it with you and Bruce?' Regina grinned, linking arms with her son.

'Bruce Banner of course.'

'The hulk? Really?'

'He was a scientist as well as a monster,' Henry tried, relishing in the sound of his mother's laughter that had been absent for far too long.

'I liked Rose,' admitted Regina.

'Me too,' Henry agreed, 'Rose Mills has a nice ring to it.'

'I was thinking about calling Doctor Whale on Monday,' Regina said tentatively.

'Is it really that bad?' Henry asked, looking up at her with eyes wide with fear.

'No, nothing like that,' she reassured him with a smile. 'I just thought I should get a check-up, and maybe try and book a scan for the next couple of weeks.'

Henry's face brightened at once.

'So we could see her? Like…on a screen?'

'Would you like to?'

'Yes!' he exclaimed, trying and failing to contain his obvious excitement. Regina chuckled lightly, squeezing his arm with affection.

'But if you tell Whale, won't other people find out? I mean he's not the most subtle of people, and then there's everyone else who works at the hospital…'

'I think that maybe it's time,' she answered, a tremor of nervousness running through her otherwise calm tone. 'I can't hide it forever, can I?'

'What about Robin?'

Regina sighed, but it was more through a tired acceptance of what had to happen than anything else. She had resigned herself to the fact that she had to tell Robin that he was the father of her child, and although she feared the consequences of her revelation she felt oddly composed. Between Snow, Henry and Tinker Bell's kind words Regina was no longer feeling the pain of loneliness in her heart. If Robin couldn't be there for her and her baby, their baby, then it would crush her - of that she was certain. Yet there was a glimmer of hope that should the worse happen, there would still be people around to support her. Regina had never had that before, people that cared, and it felt comforting.

'He deserves to know before anyone else,' she explained. 'I'll make the appointment with Whale after I've told him.'

Part of her dared to hope that he would want to come with her, but she pushed the thought aside; it was too dangerous.

'It'll be okay Mom,' Henry promised.

'I hope so.'

That word again.

'GINA.'

Regina's smile faltered as she stopped, turning around to see the source of the sound. Roland was bounding towards her from the playground, arms open wide in expectation of a hug.

'Roland,' she gasped, 'what are you doing here?'

He reached her, wrapping his arms around her legs and almost knocking her over. She took her arm from Henry and reached down to gently brush through Roland's hair.

'I came to see you,' he answered simply, beaming up at her. 'I missed you Gina.'

'I missed you too.'

'Carry me?' he asked, holding up his hands.

'Roland, I…where's your father?' Regina stuttered, her heart thumping in her chest.

'Daddy's working, Mama's gone to get juice,' he explained. 'Carry me Gina?'

Regina sighed, giving into the pleading of his soft brown eyes and picking him up.

'Are you okay Mom?' Henry questioned, seeing a grimace pass across her face as she settled the child on her hip. She nodded, the discomfort passing as soon as it arose, and turned towards Roland who was playing with her hair.

'You shouldn't run off like that Roland,' she warned him gently, 'your…your mother must be wondering-'

'Roland?'

Regina felt her chest constrict as she heard the woman's voice, but didn't let it show in her expression.

'There you are,' Marian sighed with relief, 'I was so worried about you. You can't just go off with strangers.'

Regina turned towards her, using every ounce of her strength to remain calm, and she set Roland down so that he could run back to his mother.

'Gina's not a stranger,' he argued.

'Yes, well,' muttered Marian, looking nervously up at Regina, 'you still can't run off.'

'Sorry Mama,' he mumbled sheepishly.

'I'm sorry,' Regina said gently, trying her hardest to be pleasant, 'he just came up to me, and I didn't know where you were.'

'Yes…well…just stay away from my son,' Marian snapped defensively, picking Roland up despite his moans of defiance.

'I wasn't-'

'Haven't you done enough damage already? Stay away,' she repeated vehemently, turning on her heel and walking back towards the playground.

Regina just stood for a moment watching them leave, shock preventing her from doing the same. She could see Roland's face over his mother's shoulder as he waved a sad goodbye, but she couldn't bring herself to return the gesture. She was brought out of her state by a twinge of pain, just above her right hip. It caused her to flinch, although it was gone as quickly as it had arrived.

'Mom?'

Regina put a hand over her abdomen, but felt nothing out of place. She shook it off, suddenly wanting to put as much distance between herself and Marian as possible.

'Let's go,' she mumbled, taking Henry's arm again and trying not to feel hurt at the scorn of the woman who had taken her love away.

When they finally got home, Henry excused himself to finish his homework and Regina sat in the living room, twirling her phone between her fingers. It took her half an hour to find the courage to type the message, but once she had it felt as if a weight was to be lifted from her shoulders.

Robin,

I need to see you. There's something that I have to tell you, something important, and I feel it wouldn't be right if I didn't say it in person. I'm sorry for what I said at the diner. I'm sorry for everything.

Call me and we can arrange a time.

She wanted to put so much more in the text, to say everything she was too scared to utter aloud, but Regina knew that he deserved better than that. She wondered for a moment whether she was doing this to hurt Marian. Of course she had planned to tell Robin before meeting the other woman, but was it just seeing her in the park with her son that had encouraged her to take the first step towards a conversation that would certainly have consequences for their marriage?

No. Regina felt no ill will towards Marian, despite everything she had taken from her. None of this was her fault. She had not asked to be brought to Storybrooke, and had she remained behind Regina would certainly have killed her. For once she felt no anger, no resentment; there was no room left in her heart for those emotions.

Whatever was to happen would affect them both, that could not be helped, but for Regina this was about herself and Robin and nothing more. If Robin ever chose to be with her, then yes Marian would get hurt, but if he did not then it wasn't the fault of the person he chose in her place. The baby would change things of course, but to what extent Regina didn't know.

She closed her eyes, leaning her head back and breathing through the nausea that was rising once again in the back of her throat. She held her phone tightly in her hand, waiting for any sign of a response and hating how desperately she wanted it to vibrate against her palm.

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