Chapter 2: Daniel

Robin was a godsend. She had never been so glad to have him in her life now that she was pregnant. He did everything he could to help her through her first trimester, especially when it came to her morning sickness. There were some foods even he had given up eating around her, determined to make things easier for her.

When she had confided that she felt nervous going to her first ultrasound alone, he offered to go with her. She had happily accepted, relieved that she would have someone she loved and trusted by her side when she got her first look at her baby.

"Is Daddy just as excited to see the baby as Mommy?" Dr. Whale asked her, motioning to Robin as he sat down next to Regina by the ultrasound machine.

Regina flushed as she said: "He's not the father. He's just here to support me."

"Oh," he replied, shrugging. "You don't really see many men doing that."

She scowled at him. "Could we do this ultrasound without a director's commentary, please?"

"Fine, fine," he muttered, rubbing something cold on her stomach. "This might feel a bit uncomfortable."

"I'm a big girl. I'll be fine," she said, reaching out. Robin took her hand and she felt stronger.

Dr. Whale nodded, placing the wand on her stomach. He moved it around, watching the screen before pausing. "Ahh, there's the little bean."

He turned the monitor, giving her her first glance at her baby. It didn't look like much—just like a bean, like he said. She teared up anyway, love surging through her. "It's amazing," she whispered.

Robin squeezed her hand. "Look at him. He's already beautiful."

"We can't determine sex yet," Dr. Whale told them, looking confused.

She rolled her eyes, certain they weren't the first ones to decide to call their baby by a certain sex before finding out. "Well, we're not going to refer to the baby as 'it.' So I decided on male pronouns for now."

Dr. Whale shrugged. "Fine. Whatever floats your boat. But we can find out what you're having in a couple months, if you want. Some parents want to be surprised."

"I want to know," Regina replied, firm in that conviction. She was not a fan of surprises and wanted to know how to plan for her child.

"Okay," he said, moving the wand from her stomach. "We'll make the arrangements when the time comes. Now, how many copies of the sonogram do you want?"

She paused, figuring that she would only need one. No one else knew she was pregnant except for Robin. Looking up at him, she squeezed his hand as a thought hit her. "Do you want one?"

He gave her a shy grin. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not," she assured him, touched that he wanted a picture as well.

"Okay, two copies—one for mom, one for not-dad. You can pick them up at the front desk when you make your follow up," Dr. Whale said, jotting something down in her file. "Everything is looking good. Keep taking the vitamins and I'll see you soon."

He left the room as Robin rolled his eyes. "Some doctors just don't have a bedside manner."

"But he's one of the best," she assured him, knowing it had annoyed her to have to deal with Victor Whale. But she wanted to make sure her miracle pregnancy made it to term, so she needed him.

"Yeah," Robin said with a sigh. "I know."

She let him help her off the examination table before she gave him a gentle push. "I need to dress."

"It's nothing I haven't seen before," he reminded her cheekily. He headed toward the door anyway, grinning at her. "Take your time. I can wait."

She shook her head, wiping off the gel with some wipes before changing back into her clothes. Once she was dressed, she headed out and met up with Robin. He pushed off the wall, grinning again. "Are you ready?"

"Yep," she said, continuing down the hallway as he fell into step with her. "Let's go get our sonograms and then go out to lunch. I'm starving!"

Robin settled into Regina's living, trying to read the newspaper. He kept glancing up at the clock. There was still a half hour to go before Daniel showed up but he swore time was starting to move backwards. At least it was him and not Regina doing the waiting. She would probably be a bundle of nerves, pacing around and cleaning rather than relaxing. It would not be good for her or her baby.

Thankfully, she was safe at his apartment. She had called, asking him to come over because her morning sickness was especially bad and she didn't want to deal with Daniel like that. He was more than willing to give her ex-boyfriend the rest of his belongings and insisted that Regina not even be there for it, that she rest at his place. It took some convincing but she eventually agreed.

He was not looking forward to seeing Daniel but he would rather do it than her. This whole exchange was guaranteed to go faster if it was Robin rather than her as Daniel probably would've tried a way to worm his way back into her life. With Robin, he knew he couldn't even ask to send such a message to her. Robin figured they would just do the swap in relative silence, which was more than fine with him.

The doorbell rang and he set the paper down, eager to get this over with. He walked over to the door and opened it, scowling. "Hello, Daniel."

"Robin," Daniel replied, his smile falling. He scowled as well. "I'm guessing Regina isn't here?"

Robin shook his head. "Just me."

"Where is she?" Daniel asked, looking past Robin into the house as if he expected her to appear there.

"My place," Robin replied. "Her morning sickness is particularly bad today and she needed to rest."

Daniel's eyes clouded over and he frowned. "Can we not talk about that?"

Robin frowned, crossing his arms as he allowed the other man to pass. "What? Don't want to be reminded about the child you're abandoning?"

"I'm not abandoning it!" Daniel protested, whirling on Robin with fire in his eyes. "I didn't want a child in the first place!"

"Yet you knew Regina did. She's never kept her desire to be a mother a secret," Robin reminded him, stepping forward. "Why not tell her that you didn't share her wish to become parents? Why lie to her?"

Daniel didn't meet his eyes as he shrugged. "I guess I thought she would just forget about it."

"Forget about her greatest wish?" Robin stared at him incredulously. He couldn't have heard him correctly.

"Well, she said she couldn't get pregnant," Daniel replied, now meeting his eyes again. "And I didn't think she would actually go through with adoption. That she would just keep getting busy until it was too late."

Robin shook his head. "I can't believe you. It would've just been so much easier to tell her the truth!"

"I didn't want to lose her!" Daniel yelled. "We had a good life. Why fuck it up?"

"Because Regina deserves to be happy!" Robin yelled back.

Daniel glared at him, crossing his arms. "Why am I arguing with you? You're the asshole who divorced her."

That raised Robin's hackles. It was one thing for him and Regina to joke about their divorce, it was another for anyone else to do it—especially Daniel and Zelena. Glowering, Robin stalked into the living room. "Your shit is in here. Take it and get out."

"Aww, did I strike a nerve?" Daniel taunted as he followed Robin into the next room. "Maybe I've gotten it wrong. Maybe she divorced you."

Robin wasn't going to rise to the bait. Daniel knew the story about his divorce from Regina—everyone did. They didn't hide it or make anything up, though some people did believe that. Most people did have some skepticism that a marriage could end amicably, that the former spouses could be such good friends afterwards. But it was the truth in his and Regina's case. Daniel knew how strong the friendship between the two of them was so he knew the man was just trying to make Robin angrier.

"I'm not kidding, Daniel," he replied, keeping his voice low but even. "Get your shit and get out."

Daniel scowled at him as he picked up the boxes Regina had packed for him. "Fine. Tell Regina I'll sign whatever paperwork necessary to make sure that kid isn't my problem legally. Got it?"

"Don't worry. I'll definitely make sure she gets that message," Robin assured him. He followed Daniel as the other man headed toward the front door.

Robin didn't stop at the door, though. He kept following him as Daniel approached his car, watching the man put the boxes in his trunk. Sticking his hands in his pants pocket, Robin gritted his teeth against the cold as he waited for Daniel to leave. Then he could finally relax and go back to Regina.

Daniel sauntered from the back of his car to his driver's side door. "You know, you're right. Regina was always clear about her desire to be a mother. But you were always just as clear about your desire to be a father."

"That is true," he replied, frowning in confusion. He didn't know where Daniel was going with this but he was certain he wouldn't like it.

"So, I'm guessing you're planning to just slide right in and become a father to Regina's child," Daniel continued.

Robin studied him, trying to figure out Daniel's angle. He chose his words carefully. "I'll be whatever Regina wants me to be to her child. I'm guessing the fun uncle."

Daniel scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Please. You may think you're fooling everyone, but I've always seen right through you."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked, confused. He never thought Daniel was one to do drugs but he couldn't find any other explanation for this conversation.

"Tell me, did you really want to divorce Regina?" Daniel asked. "Because I don't think you did. And you've spent the past several years trying to get her back."

That surprised Robin. "Is that what you think?"

Daniel nodded as he opened the door. Leaning against it, he said: "And I'm not alone."

"Well, it's not true," Robin replied. "Regina and I are just friends. And our marriage showed us that we are far better being that than lovers."

"Uh huh. Just know that the only person you're fooling is yourself," Daniel told him, finally climbing into his car. Before he closed the door, he added: "Though this time, you might get her back."

Robin stood on the lawn, watching as Daniel pulled out of the driveway and headed down the street. Once he turned the corner, Robin headed back into the house to get his coat and to let Regina know it was done.

He closed the door and let the warmth wash over him as he retrieved his phone. Robin sent off a quick text to Regina before sitting down on the couch, wanting to collect his thoughts before he met her at his place.

Resting his head against the couch, he told himself that he was being ridiculous. Daniel had just been lashing out because he was annoyed Regina wasn't there. Since he couldn't attempt to sweet talk her one last time, he decided to play some mind games with Robin. He doubted people really thought that he was trying to get back with Regina or at least the people who truly mattered—their friends—didn't.

Of course, most of their friends had known them while they were married and had seen them through the divorce. They had known Robin and Regina to be very passionate and stubborn people with tempers, especially when they were younger, and so had been surprised that it wasn't a fight that had ended the marriage. While he and Regina had had their share of rows over the course of their marriage, they actually hadn't had one in months before they decided to divorce.

They just had fallen out of love. Or more accurately, they didn't have time to nurture it the way they probably should've. Regina was in law school and he was attending grad school. While her father had given them an apartment as a wedding gift, they still also worked part time to afford necessities and the occasional night out. They barely saw each other between school and work, never really making time to focus on their marriage or their romance. One day, they realized they were more like friends than husband and wife and after many discussions, both agreed it was better to end their marriage and continue to be friends. It was only fair to let each other pursue other romantic options.

Robin never regretted his divorce though he would be lying if he said he hadn't wondered what it would be like if they had stayed married. Those thoughts always intensified during periods when he and Regina were single at the same time, when he wondered if maybe they should give their romantic relationship another chance.

They were young when they married. It was another cause of their divorce they both readily admitted. After they had signed the divorce papers, they had gone to a bar and had a drink together. While there, they talked it over and wondered if maybe they should've waited until after they finished all their school like her parents had suggested. Robin, though, predicted that they would never have found a good time to get married and would probably have broken up anyway. While most people would've wanted it to end before getting married, he was glad they had experienced it.

Just as he wondered if they had married too soon, he also sometimes wondered if they gave up too soon as well. Things weren't the same as they had been at the start of the relationship but that didn't mean they didn't love each other, he realized know. Maybe their love had just changed into something else. Perhaps they could've figured it out with the help of a counselor.

He shook his head, reminding himself that hindsight was always 20/20 and didn't help anything now. Regina also didn't need to know about his conflicted feelings for her, about how he wondered if they should get back together. She needed to focus on the child growing inside her and he needed to support her, to be her friend. Anything else needed to be shoved to the side.

Standing, he picked up his phone and texted Regina that he was on his way. She texted back to ask him to pick up ice cream and he chuckled as he said he would. He grabbed his coat and locked up her house, ready to head over to his apartment to continue to be her supportive best friend.

Nothing more.

Regina nervously glanced around her living room. All her closest friends were there, sipping on drinks and munching on the finger foods she put out as they shared light conversations. She took a big breath, reminding herself that they were going to be happy about her news and she had nothing to be nervous about.

"Can I have your attention for a moment?" she asked. Everyone stopped talking and looked at her, giving her their full attention.

She smiled and said: "I have a very special reason for asking you to come out here tonight. I mean, I love spending time with you of course, but I have a very big announcement to make."

"Are you running for Congress?" David asked, eyes widening. "Are you going to start splitting your time between here and D.C.?"

His wife gave him a gentle push. "Don't give her any ideas. Regina isn't going anywhere," Mary Margaret insisted.

Robin sighed. "Can you just let Regina tell you what her big news is before you all start rushing to judgments?"

They all looked sheepish and Regina smiled at him, grateful for his help. She then turned back to her friends. "I know you've been worried about me lately—that I wasn't feeling so well since around Christmas. Well, there is a reason for that. I'm pregnant!"

"Oh my god!" Mary Margaret pretty much launched herself at Regina from her chair, hugging her tightly. "I'm so happy for you."

Regina hugged her back, relieved and excited now that her friends knew. "Thank you," she said.

"When are you due?" Ruby asked from her chair, phone in hand to no doubt put the date in her calendar.

"About August twentieth, but I could go earlier or I could go later," Regina answered. "So let's just say mid-August to be on the safe side."

Ruby nodded, entering the date in as Belle French watched. From her spot, Regina could see the wheels in their heads turning and she knew that a secret meeting between them and Mary Margaret would happen soon so they could plan her baby shower.

David grinned as he looked over at Robin. "So how long have you known?"

"A few months," he replied, shrugging. "She can't hide much from me. You know, being her chief of staff."

"Yeah. That's why," Killian said wryly. Emma elbowed him and he winced, rubbing the spot she hit. Regina was glad someone had done that. She was not in the mood for their usual jokes about how they were more like a couple than friends.

Not with all the hormones acting like a wrecking ball on her emotions.

Robin rolled his eyes as Tink jumped to his defense. "Regina told me too because I'm her assistant. We see her constantly. She wouldn't have been able to hide the symptoms from us."

"You don't have to explain anything, Tink," Emma said, glaring at her husband. "Regina is allowed to confide in whoever she wants for whatever reason."

Everyone nodded and Killian held up his hands. "I just meant that we all acknowledge that Robin is her best friend. He didn't have to pull the chief of staff card out."

"Oh," everyone said, looking a bit sheepish. Even Regina felt it too, wondering what it meant that she had jumped there too.

She was just going to blame hormones again.

They all then turned their attention to Robin. He chuckled as he nodded. "Fair enough. I guess I'm just used to pulling the chief of staff card more often than that."

"I guess I'm going to be the one who risks getting thrown out and asks the obvious question." Jefferson shifted in his seat before asking: "Is Daniel the father?"

Everyone fell silent as they waited for Regina's reaction. She had made peace with how her relationship had ended and so she wasn't going to avoid talking about it. Regina took a deep breath. "He is but he doesn't want anything to do with the baby. That's why we really broke up—he doesn't want children."

"And he told you after all these years together?" Mal Draco scowled, shaking her head. "Bastard."

"That's what I called him too," Robin said, scowling as well. Regina knew his conversation with Daniel had been tense when he came to pick up his things though Robin hadn't gone into much detail about it. She wondered how bad it had gotten and made a note to ask him later.

"Well, since we got that awkwardness out of the way," Ruby said, happily changing the subject. "Do you know what you're having, Regina? Boy or girl?"

Regina shook her head. "It's too early to tell. We'll probably find out in a few more weeks."

Mary Margaret gasped, growing excited. "We should have a gender reveal party! There are so many cute ideas on Pinterest I can send you to choose from."

"Oh, yeah, no," Regina replied, trying not to wince. "I don't want to do anything extravagant. Robin knows what I want."

She looked at him and he nodded. He then glanced at Mary Margaret. "We can work together but you need to respect that I know her wishes. Got it?"

Regina studied Mary Margaret, who had a strange look on her face as she kept her focus on Robin. Slowly, she nodded. "I got it."

"Good," he replied, sharing a look with Regina. She felt more confident knowing he was involved and that he would keep Mary Margaret from going overboard. He always respected her wishes.

Mal stood up. "I think we should toast Regina's happy news."

"Regina can't have alcohol," Will pointed out. "Even I know it would be rude to drink around her."

"I know that," she snapped, scowling at him. "I was going to suggest running out to grab some sparkling grape juice if Robin doesn't already have it stashed some place."

Robin sighed, motioning to the kitchen. "Bottom shelf of the refrigerator."

She smirked, patting his cheek as she passed him. "So predictable. Thank you for that."

"Oi," he protested, watching her leave. "I'm not that predictable."

Regina held out her hand to him, smiling at him. "I love how predictable you are to me. It's very comforting, especially now."

He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I guess I can suffer being predictable if it makes your pregnancy easier."

"Thank you for your sacrifice," she teased him, still holding his hand. She gave him a little tug and he sat down on the arm of her chair, staying close.

Mal returned with several cups filled with sparkling grape juice, handing them out. She raised an eyebrow at Robin's new position but didn't say anything, for which Regina was grateful for. The last thing she wanted to do was explain once again that she and Robin were just really good friends, nothing more.

Once everyone had a cup, Mal raised hers. "To Regina, who is going to be the best mother ever. We are all so glad your dream is finally coming true. Congratulations and cheers!"

"Cheers!" everyone chorused before drinking their sparkling grape juice.

Robin tapped his cup against Regina's before taking a sip. She sipped her own juice, enjoying it. It wasn't the same as wine but it was fine for now. Her baby was going to take precedence, especially as he or she was something Regina had never thought she would have. She was going to take every precaution possible.

"Regina, you okay?" Robin asked in a whisper, rubbing her back as he gazed down in concern at her.

She nodded, smiling up at him. "I've never been better."

"Good," he said, looking back up as he continued to rub her back as he was drawn into another conversation.

Leaning back in her chair, Regina sipped at her sparkling grape juice again. It had been a roller coaster year for her so far but she didn't think she had ever been so happy. The pain of Daniel's betrayal lessened everyday and her excitement for motherhood grew with the love she felt for her unborn child. While it was somewhat daunting to think of raising her child as a single parent, she knew she would not be alone. She glanced around at all her friends, knowing she had a very strong support system to help her.

And she had Robin, her rock. With him on her side, she knew she would be able to do anything – especially motherhood.

A/N: Here is the next part! Don't worry – Daniel is not going to be a problem for Regina. But he's planted something in Robin's head.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, liked, left kudos or bookmarked this story!

-Mac