This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song
My power's turned on

("Fight Song," Rachel Platten)

Chapter 14: Flight from Boston

Just like Roland had to adjust when we brought Emma home, she had to adjust when we brought Rachel home from the hospital. She wasn't too happy not to have our complete attention and seemed to view Rachel as an intruder, judging from what I got when I held her. I tried to convey that Rachel was her sister and was family, just like Roland, but Emma seemed to resist it. There were times she tried to poof herself into my arms, only to find herself deflected into either Robin's or Barb's because I was holding Rachel. She was not pleased and they were the few times I ever saw her unhappy to be in Robin's arms.

I put Rachel in her bassinet, watching her little chest rise and fall for a few minutes. While I wanted to lie down and sleep myself, I forced myself to rise from my bed and went downstairs. Emma was in the living room with Barb, who watched as the baby hoisted herself up using the edge of the coffee table. She stood on wobbly legs and let out a little laugh.

"Look at you, princess," I said, picking her up. She snuggled into my arms, grabbing onto my shirt. "You're almost walking, aren't you?"

Emma stay with Mama. She curled against me as I sat down on the couch.

I kissed her head. "We can stay here for a little bit, while Rachel naps."

Rachel bad.

Sighing, I shook my head. "Rachel isn't bad. She needs Papa and me just as much as you and Roland do."

Rachel go.

"No," I said, firmly. "Rachel is staying. She's your sister as I'm her Mama too."

Emma pouted, resting her head on my shoulder. Mama mine.

"You don't mind when I spend time with Roland. It's the same thing, Emma."

She didn't respond and I figured she had fallen asleep by the even breaths I felt against my neck. I rubbed her back and sighed as Robin came in with Joe. "Well?" I asked him.

"I passed," he told me, proud. "I am now allowed to drive a car just like you."

I smiled at him. "Congratulations."

He sat down next to me, kissing my cheek before rubbing Emma's back. "How's she doing?"

"Almost walking," I told him. "And she still hasn't taken to Rachel. She called her bad."

"She'll accept her soon. I predict they'll be close," he said, confident.

Roland bounded into the room, plopping down on my other side. I pulled him closer. "Are you done with your homework?"

"I am," he said. "Will you check it?"

I nodded, handing Emma to Robin. Standing, I held out my hand to Roland. "Let's go now."

Swinging his arm, we entered the kitchen. I crouched down and leaned closer to the boy. "Do you want to surprise your papa?"

He nodded and I smiled. "Good. After I'm done checking your homework, we're going to make him a cake."

"A cake?" Roland scrunched up his nose in confusion. "What for? It's not his birthday."

I laughed. "You can have cake for other things. Like being able to drive."

"Oh. Then let's make him a cake!"

Barb chuckled as she dried dishes at the sink. "Say, when's Robin's birthday anyway?" she asked.

"June twentieth," I replied, looking over Roland's spelling.

"The Midsummer!" Roland added.

She put down the towel and turned toward us, hand on her hip. "Really? You fell into the Enchanted Forest on Robin's birthday?"

"I did," I confirmed. "It's hard to get him a present now. How can I top myself?"

She laughed but I only managed a smile. I didn't tell her about the last Midsummer, how I choose Robin over Daniel. How I had said goodbye to this world and returned to Robin's side, wanting to stay in the land filled with fairytales. While I knew she would understand, I didn't want Roland to know that I had even contemplated leaving him. It would break his little heart and I don't think he'd understand yet why I almost left, nor the agony I had felt when I left him at the palace.

Barb chuckled. "Oh, Regina. So, what are you going to do for him this year?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "He's not really one to celebrate his birthday. But I guess we can do something low-key."

Roland leaned against me. "Is my homework right? Did I do a good job, Mama?"

"So far, you did a good job with spelling. Let me check your math and then we can make the cake."

"Can Pinocchio help?"

I chuckled. "If he's up from his nap, of course he can."

"Great." Roland grew quiet before leaning against my shoulder. "Mama? Are you going to have another baby?"

"Not soon. Maybe a few years from now when Emma and Rachel are older. So we don't have to worry about sickness and sore backs. I can play with you again."

He smiled. "I'd like that. But I'd also like a brother too."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Roland nodded. "Emma's okay and Rachel doesn't do much, so I don't mind having sisters. But I think having a brother would be cool. Like with Pinocchio."

Laughing, I held him closer. "I see. Well, we'll have to see about you getting a brother. But why don't you wait for your sisters to grow up a little and give them a chance?"

"Okay," he replied, slightly disappointed.

I kissed his forehead. "Besides, you'll get to be the only boy for now. That's pretty cool, right?"

"Yeah," he agreed, tugging on my hand. "Let's go make the cake!"

"Cake? Can I help?" Pinocchio asked, stumbling into the kitchen.

"Of course," I replied, pulling him closer. "It'll be like old times."

That night, Robin put Emma to bed in her crib as I nursed Rachel in the rocking chair we kept in the nursery. I rocked slowly as she suckled, her little hand warm against my breast. Her eyes were open, taking in my face. "Hello, sweet girl," I cooed at her.

Nice lady.

I removed my hand, frowning. After a few moments of hesitation, I placed my hand against her again. "What was that, Rachel?"

Nice lady. Rachel like.

"Is she talking to you? Like Emma does?" Robin asked, crouching down next to the chair.

I nodded. "She likes me. I guess that's a start, right?"

He chuckled. "What does she think of me?"

Brushing her hair, I waited to see if Rachel would answer him. Safe. Rachel safe.

"Hmm," I said. "She views you the same way Emma did—that you keep her safe."

"I like that. My favorite job has always been being your protector." Robin kissed my forehead.

"It took a while for Emma to realize we were her parents and Rachel is still very young," I said. "She'll figure it out soon enough."

Robin took her from me, putting her to his shoulder to burp her as I fixed myself and my shirt. She let out a little burp, settling against him as he looked at me. "Does this mean she has magic? Or can you read all babies' minds?"

I shrugged. "I'm not around babies enough to know. So it's possible she has magic like Emma. We'll know the first time she just randomly appears in our arms."

"True," he replied, kissing her forehead. He held out his hand to me. "Shall we go to bed, milady?"

"You go. I want to check on Roland first."

He nodded, bouncing Rachel as he carried her back to our room. I headed down the hall, tiptoeing into Roland's room.

Pinocchio slept on the floor, wrapped in a sleeping bag. Roland was sprawled out in his bed, blankets kicked to the edge. I pulled them over him again, tucking him in as I kissed his forehead. "Sleep tight, my little knight."

"Love you, Mama," he murmured before rolling closer to the wall.

I smiled as I left the room, heading back toward mine. Robin was pacing inside, singing softly to Rachel.

"Couldn't put her down?" I asked, changing into my nightgown.

"Not yet," he replied. "I still can't believe she's here."

"Were you like this when Roland was born?"

He chuckled, sitting down next to me on the bed. "Worse."

"I don't think that's possible."

"Oh, it is," he replied, eyes still focused on Rachel. "But then I lost Marian and everything changed. That Robin went away for a long, long time."

I kissed the side of his head. "Put Rachel in her bassinette and come to bed. We're going to need our sleep before she's screaming her lungs out in a few hours."

Robin nodded, laying Rachel down. As he changed into his pajamas, I settled in on my side of the bed and pulled the covers over me. He climbed in next to me, pressing his chest to my back. "Good night, Regina."

I hummed, already feeling the pull of sleep. With his arms wrapped around me, I gave in and fell asleep.

Crying woke me. I felt like I had only been asleep for minutes, but I knew I would be sacrificing a good night's sleep when I became a mother to two children under the age of one. Swinging out of bed, I leaned over to check on Rachel in her bassinet.

It was empty.

Frowning, I turned to check on Robin's side of the bed. It was empty so I figured he was trying to soothe Rachel.

I wrapped myself in my bathrobe and went to check the nursery. "Robin? Are you in here?"

"No, he's not." Zelena's voice froze my blood. I found her sitting in my rocking chair, Rachel cradled in her arms. Emma played with blocks at her feet.

"Let my children go," I told her, approaching her. "I won't let you hurt them."

Zelena tsked as she shook her head. "When will you realize that I am more powerful than you? I will destroy everyone you love and then you."

"You are not more powerful than me," I said with more confidence than I had. "And I will end your reign of terror."

She stood, still holding my sweet daughter in her arms. "That was the wrong thing to say, Regina."

I flinched as she raised her hand, waiting for the impact. Nothing came, though I heard her scream. When I looked back, a white light had engulfed her. I cried out for Rachel and she appeared in my arms, crying again. Rocking her, I searched for Emma and found her sitting on the floor with her arm outstretched.

The light died down and Zelena was gone. Emma looked up at me, smiling. I scooped her up, balancing the two girls in my arms. Kissing her head, I thanked her over and over.

Crying woke me for real this time, loud wails that came from the bassinet beside me. Relieved, I picked up a red-faced Rachel. "It's okay, baby girl. Mama's going to feed you," I told her.

Rachel's cries died down to whimpers as I settled into the rocking chair. Once my breast was bared, she latched on and suckled eagerly. I leaned back in the chair and sighed.

Emma stood up in her crib, little fingers grasping onto the railing as she sucked on her pacifier. She watched me and Rachel. I smiled. "Did we wake you, princess? I'm so sorry."

She just kept watching as I nursed Rachel. When the little girl was done and burped, I cradled her as I walked over to Emma. "You need to go back to sleep, Emma. You're a growing princess."

Bad dream. Bad lady.

I frowned, afraid Zelena was now haunting Emma's dreams as well as mine. "The bad lady can't hurt you," I told her. "Papa and I won't let her. Okay?"

Emma plopped down onto the mattress before lying down. I watched as her eyes fluttered closed and I pulled the blanket over her. "Good night, Emma."

Returning to my room, Robin was still sound asleep and snoring as he sprawled out in our bed. I shook my head as I placed Rachel back in her bassinet, kissing her forehead. "Good night, sweet girl."

I slipped back into bed. Before I finished pulling the covers back over me, Robin rolled over and wrapped himself around me. He buried his face in my hair and let out a little sigh, causing me to chuckle. "Good night to you, too," I whispered.

Sleep, though, didn't come easy. What had my dream meant? And what did it mean that Emma had the same one?

A few days later, I raced up the stairs from my laundry room as someone kept knocking on the door. Barb had gone out food shopping while Robin played with Roland and Pinocchio in the yard. Emma and Rachel were both napping and I wanted to silence whoever was at our door before he or she woke my girls.

"Can I help you?" I asked as I opened the door.

Jenna stood on my front stoop wearing a rather short and tight neon pink cocktail dress. She had teased her brown hair and slathered make up on her face. "Hey, I was wondering if Robin could come out? I wanted to celebrate his birthday with him."

"It's still a few days away."

"I know," she replied, beaming. "I thought I'd be the first."

I smiled, letting her in despite the fact I wanted to slam the door in her face. "I'll go ask him, though it is short notice."

Jenna nodded, coming into the house and observing my toy-littered living room. "Falling behind on the cleaning?"

"Can we please do this with no commentary on my housekeeping?"

She shrugged. "I'm just saying. Robin deserves someone who can keep house, cook dinner and care enough to lose that pudge."

"You mean someone like you?" I put my hands on my hip. "Think you're a regular Donna Reed or something?"

"I have to be better than you."

"No, you're not," Robin said, coming from the kitchen. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer.

Jenna frowned. "Robin, you're really defending her? Look at this place."

"It looks like a house with three active children in it," Robin replied, smiling. "Because there are. And Regina alone isn't responsible for the cleaning. Especially while she's still recovering from childbirth."

"Birth?" Jenna's frown deepened. "What are you talking about?"

Robin tilted his head. "Really? I've been talking about almost nothing else, Jenna. Regina and I had a daughter, about six weeks ago."

"Oh." Jenna looked lost and confused.

"When you offered to help around the house, why did you think Regina wasn't able to do it?" he asked, confused.

She shrugged. "You said she was sick and having a lot of pain. I thought her obese lifestyle was finally catching up with her."

Cries from upstairs cut off my sharp retort. I glared at Jenna. "I'm going to go check on my daughter. You can ask Robin, but I really hope you're gone by the time I come back down."

"Well, aren't you a pleasant ball of sunshine," Jenna shot back. She then turned to Robin, motioning to me. "Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with that?"

Robin nodded. "I do, Jenna. Because I see the real Regina. You just see what you want to see, needling her to get the reaction you want. So I think it's best if you left."

Jenna held her head high. "Fine. You stay by your shrew. Don't come crawling to me when you can no longer bear to be married to her."

"That day will never come," he told her, opening the door. "Goodbye, Jenna."

She grabbed the door from his hands and slammed it behind her, sending a second set of cries echoing through the house. I sighed. "Can you help me?"

"Of course," he replied. But he stopped us on the stairs, laying his hand against my cheek as the babies continued to cry upstairs. "I love you, Regina Mills."

"I love you, too." I moved his hand. "Now let's go get those children before they alarm the entire neighborhood."

We returned to the living room and cuddled closer on the couch as Roland and Pinocchio joined us. Roland played peekaboo with Emma as she squirmed with joy on my lap, clapping her hands every time she "found" her brother again. Pinocchio, meanwhile, was fascinated by Rachel as she laid in the crook of Robin's arm. Her blue eyes took everyone in and she was starting to smile. "She's so tiny," he said.

Robin chuckled. "So was Roland."

"And Princess Emma," I added. "Do you remember?"

"Yeah, I guess." Pinocchio shrugged.

Roland grew tired of peekaboo and leaned against me. Emma copied him and I was weighted down by two children. I hugged them close. "You all mean the world to me," I told them.

"Even me?" Pinocchio perked up, looking at me hopefully.

I nodded. "Even you. After all, I do believe you are my honorary son."

Pinocchio beamed as Robin wrapped his arm around him. "Family is always there for you. Remember that."

Robin's birthday celebration was a small, family-only affair. Barb helped me make a chicken as well as potatoes and vegetables. Earlier, the boys and I had made him a cake. We all sat around the table, eating and laughing with each other.

A few days later, I awoke to a familiar sense of dread. It was the type that had every hair standing on end and my nerves frayed as I waited for something to happen. Except the only thing that was happening was that Barb and Pinocchio were starting to pack up to head back up to Maine.

"I'm going to miss you both," I told her as I watched her fold clothes.

"And I'm going to miss all of you." Barb hugged me. "As soon as you feel up to it, you and Robin bring all those darling children to visit us in Maine."

I nodded. "Of course. And you'll have to come down soon. Robin and I are the crazy people getting married in three months after all."

Barb laughed. "True. Have you started planning anything?"

"A few things," I said, shrugging. "We have an idea of a venue and we know we want to be married by a justice of the peace."

"So it's just everything else?"

"Pretty much," I sighed.

She grabbed my hands. "Don't worry. We'll figure something out, I promise. This wedding is going to be amazing."

Rachel started to cry from the next room, causing me to jump out of my skin. Calming down, I excused myself to go tend to her. I smiled as I picked her up. "What's wrong, baby girl?"

Wet. Need change.

I nodded, lying her down on the changing table. "Okay, Rachel. Let's get you into a nice dry diaper."

She wriggled as I cleaned her and put some powder on before wrapping her in a new diaper. I also placed her onesie into the hamper and got her a fresh outfit, a dress decorated with bright yellow flowers. Brushing her dark hair, I placed a yellow headband around her head. "There you go."

I picked her up and she settled in my arm. Nice Lady good. Rachel like Nice Lady.

"I'm glad," I told her. "Maybe soon, I can get you to call me 'Mama.'"

Barb appeared in the doorway. "Regina, is something wrong? You seem…tense and jumpy."

I sighed. "I just have one of my feelings. I used to get them a lot in the Enchanted Forest and nothing good tended to follow them."

"What do you think it's warning you about here?"

My response was interrupted by the phone ringing. Cradling Rachel closer, I carried her into the bedroom and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Regina? Are you alone?" Robin asked, panicked.

I frowned. "No. Barb and the kids are here. What's wrong?"

"I need you all to stay put. Don't open the door for anyone. I'm on my way home," he said.

The knots in my stomach tightened as a cold sweat broke out along my hairline. "Robin, you're scaring me. What's going on?"

He sighed. "I can't say too much over the phone. Just know this—someone reported you."

Fear gripped me and I held Rachel closer. "Okay. I won't go anywhere. We'll stay put. Hurry home, Robin."

"I'll be there as soon as possible." The line went dead and I hung up the phone, feeling numb.

Rachel began to fuss in my arms and I realized I was gripping her too tight. I kissed her forehead. "Sorry, baby girl. Mama is just upset."

"Regina?" Barb laid her hand on my arm. "Is something wrong?"

"I've been reported." My voice sounded distant to my ears, as if someone else faraway had said it.

Barb sat down next to me, now rubbing my arm comfortingly. "Who did it? You've been so careful."

"I know. So I can't think of anyone who would know except for those I told. And that's pretty much you, Joe, Lucy and Daniel."

"None of us would ever turn you in." Barb sighed. "Maybe someone from the hospital?"

I frowned. "The hospital?"

"The lights flickered when you gave birth, Regina. And not from a power surge. Someone had to notice."

"Perhaps." I sighed, rocking Rachel as her eyes began to close. "Robin's on his way home now. I fear we're going to have to leave Boston."

Barb nodded. "It'll be the safest for you and your family. At least Roland is done with school now. You won't be uprooting him too much."

"I've uprooted him a few times already," I replied.

She smiled. "As long as he's with you and Robin, I don't think Roland cares where he ends up."

I nodded, handing her a now dozing Rachel. "Can you put her in her crib? I just feel like I need to hug Roland and Emma."

"I understand." Barb stood, rocking the baby girl. "You go hug those other babies of yours and when Robin gets here, we'll figure out the next steps."

Heading downstairs, I found Roland rolling a ball to Emma. She would swat at it, sending it back toward her brother, and laugh. I watched them do this a few times before I stepped into the room. "Having fun?"

"Yes, Mama," Roland replied. Emma looked up at me and held out her arms.

I picked her up, kneeling on the floor. As I held her close, I reached for Roland and pulled him in for a hug. "I love you both so much."

"Mama? Is something wrong?" Roland asked. He leaned back and patted my cheek. "Don't be sad."

The door opened and I heard Robin call out: "Regina?"

"In here," I replied, stilling holding Emma and Roland.

He raced in, dropping to his knees beside us. Wrapping his arm around me, he kissed my head. "I saw a black van on my way here and feared the worst."

"No one knocked," I told him, leaning against him.

Roland frowned. "What's going on?"

Taking a deep breath, Robin gripped his arms gently. "Mama and I need to talk first and then we'll tell you. Okay?"

"Okay," Roland said, disappointed.

"Why don't you go play with Pinocchio?" I told him as set Emma in her playpen. He nodded, running off.

I followed Robin into the kitchen. He drew me into his arms and hugged me again. "I'm so scared," he admitted.

"Me too," I whispered. Pulling back, I wiped the tears filling my eyes. "But we've been in worse spots, right?"

He nodded. "Though we only had one child to worry about then. Now we have three."

"Right," I replied, sighing. "I had one of my feelings too. How did you find out I got reported?"

"Management at work called me in the moment I arrived. Apparently Jenna didn't take our last conversation too well," he replied, bitter.

I frowned. "Jenna reported me? But I did nothing around her."

"There have apparently been people being reported out of spite," he replied. "You said that happened the last time too."

"It did. Anyway, how did they find out she reported me?"

"Apparently she came in yesterday and was overheard telling a few people that they were going to have try a find a new archery instructor. Confused, Darrell called her in and asked her what she meant. She then told him that she had to follow the law and report you."

"Bitch." I plopped down into one of our chairs. "Didn't she ever once stop to think of someone other than herself?"

Robin shook his head. "Of course not. Darrell thought it would just be something we could clear up easily…until he saw how panicked I became. He realized that someone in our family had magic and I told him you did have magic, but that Jenna had no proof."

He sat down next to me, taking my hands in his. "I don't know when they'll issue you your warning but Darrell is working to help get us out of Boston as soon as possible."

"Darrell?"

"He's part of the network."

I let out a humorless laugh. "Despite all my worrying, I never thought we'd need the network's help ourselves."

"I know. Me too," he admitted in a whisper.

Squeezing his hands, I squared my shoulders. "Okay. We leave Boston, get to safety in Maine and then we give these morons hell and make them see the error of their ways in persecuting all us magical folk."

"That's my wife," Robin replied, kissing my forehead.

I stood, pulling him up with me. "Come on. Let's go start packing."

We left Boston before dawn the next day. Robin, Barb and I had hardly gotten any sleep as we spent most of the time packing as much as we could fit between two cars and a truck driving by Darrell. The network had gotten in touch with us and promised to relay a message to Daniel and Lucy for us. I knew they would take care of my father's house for me and send us the rest of the things we would need or want.

Roland and Pinocchio were told why were all leaving, understanding after growing up in a camp full of rebels looking to usurp a queen. They woke easily and got into the cars without an issues. Emma, though, was not pleased with being woken up so early and was fussy as I put her in her car seat. "You can go back to sleep in a few minutes, Princess," I assured her.

Once Rachel was buckled into her car seat, I slid into the driver's seat. Robin frowned, keeping me from closing the door. "I'll drive the first leg," he said. "You get some sleep."

"No, I know the roads out of Boston better. And you'll be better on the long stretches of highway. I'll take the first leg and you get some sleep. We'll swap when Rachel wakes for her next feeding."

He sighed, knowing we had no time to fight. We both settled in the car and I took a deep breath. I glanced at our three children, now all asleep in the back seat before meeting Robin's eyes. "Are you ready for the next chapter of our lives?"

"Are you?" he asked. "I know Boston is your home."

I smiled. "In the past two years, I've made my home in many different places but there have always been two constants—you and Roland. As long as I have you two, Emma and Rachel, I'll be home."

"Then drive on, milady. Home awaits." His lips twitched as he leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes for some rest.

Putting the car into drive, I pulled away from the house and started on the long trip back to Maine.

A/N: Did you watch the Super Bowl? I watched on and off, once I got back from Mass and bringing Communion to my grandmother. And eating dinner. I didn't win the office pool (boo) but I'm glad the Broncos won. If Peyton Manning does retire after this, I'm glad he's gone out with another win.

(And maybe it'll encourage brother Eli to try to top his brother and take our NY Giants all the way next season!)

So the Locskleys are going back to Maine, putting them closer to a little town called Storybrooke. What's going to happen? And what's the significance of Regina's (and Emma's) dream?

Keep reading to find out!

Friday will see Chapter 18 of "The Prince of Darkness," so check it out to find out what happened to Regina and Robin. And next Sunday will be Chapter 10 of "The Nanny." I think everyone will really enjoy that.

And then next Monday: rest and relaxation on my day off!

-Mac