n/a: dealing with writing serious writer's block right now. I am working on getting one once a week update schedule for my WIPs, but it may take a few weeks especially now that I am working.

When they arrived at Granny's, they were seated at a booth near the door. It was not busy save for the regulars.

Robin got up to go to the bathroom.

"Regina?" Morrighan asked.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"I um, I was just thinking, you said you were sending some money to a therapist or something," she began, "and well I just wanted to let you know that you don't have too. I have been talking to someone from the circus. It is easier 'cause they um, know Russian and German and I know them and stuff," she rambled as her eyes darted around everywhere.

"That's fine," Regina said. "I'm glad you're doing what you need."

Morrighan nodded and they said nothing until Robin came back.

"So, how was your day?" he asked.

"Fine," she replied.

"Boring?"

"A bit."

"Not what you want to do for the rest of your life?"

"Yup," she said with a chuckle. "Definitely not."

"What do you want to do with the rest of your life?" he asked.

"Preform, act, that sort of stuff," she replied. "I like telling stories," she said solemnly, "especially good ones. I enjoy how much people enjoy it, whether it is just escapism or if they are getting deep messages. It's really cool," she finished. "I like it a lot."

"When did you know you wanted to do it?" Regina asked.

"My first curtain call, when I was three," she replied, "in Russia. Lorcan and I had a small two-minute routine and it was a circular stage so for the curtain call, half the cast bows on one side and a half on the other side in one line. Then you switch. Anyways we were the shortest, so we were in the middle and standing on the edge of that stage while about a thousand people were just cheering and screaming because they had enjoyed something I'd worked hard on. I was bitten by the performing bug. I am not really sure how to explain but anyone who has felt it know what I am talking about. This overwhelming feeling that you will do anything to be standing on the stage again. It was a mix of shock and pride and shock. I do not think anyone knows what to expect when they go for a curtain call. They tell you everyone will be cheering, but honestly, I've been shocked every time I go up on stage and someone applauds." She was talking quickly, with stars in her eyes, looking up at her memories as she recounted her time performing. "Like when I was in Wicked, I heard so many people say the applause would shake the theatre, and I knew what to expect, but every show I still could not believe that there were thousands of people standing and cheering so loud the room was rumbling. It's the definition of insane." There was a soft smile on her face, and she seemed like she was a world away.

"Sounds nice," Robin said. Regina was not sure what to say.

"Yeah, it is," she replied.

Ruby came to take their order. Robin tried ordering in German and received a dozen little correction by Morrighan, who then had to translate it to Ruby as she did not speak the language. Morrighan ordered a Greek salad, which was now her favourite dish at Granny's.

"Sure you don't want onion rings with that?" Granny asked from the counter.

Morrighan's face contorted in disgust. Regina shot her a look telling her to be quiet.

"Just your mom liked them," Granny continued.

Morrighan looked confused. "Not sure how you know that, but I think it's disgusting. I have no idea how she eats them without vomiting."

"So," Regina said, bringing the conversation around to something less dangerous. "Bets birthday gift."

There was a split-second excited gleam in her eyes, then it vanished, and she thought for a moment. "Well, I'm not a gifts person, nothing's coming to mind," she said. "In the circus, we do not throw a big party, since a lot of people don't have their families it's more a personal day. I much prefer giving gifts."

"Oh," Regina said, unsure what else to say.

"The best gift you ever gave?"

She waisted no time thinking about it. "Last year, inspired by Dax Shepard giving his wife Kristen Bell a sloth, I got a llama brought to the cabin mom was staying in and didn't tell anyone until the llama showed up. I wasn't there, but apparently, it was glorious."

Regina and Robin chuckled along with her. There was something in the image of Zelena being thrilled by a llama showing up at her door completely unannounced.

"What was the best thing you did in New York?"

"Well, for Wicked, we filmed this New Your tourist TV thing that going to air eventually, but I have no idea when, and it's basically the show from One Short Day to Defying Gravity. It is called One Short Day in New York City. The best part was we filmed Sentimental Man through Defying Gravity live, on Lady Liberty, so I was literally trading ten feet above Lady Liberty on a trapeze-like thing, singing Defying Gravity to a plethora of tourists in boats and there were helicopters everywhere and it was quite amazing."

"Sounds fun."

"It was, it was absolutely insane." Her eyes were large and full of excitement and her accent grew stronger as she got more and more wound up in the memory. "It was so cold, but around five thousand people came out to see it and I'm honestly so excited that it's going to get aired on TV because it makes Broadway more accessible and there are many people who never got to see me in the show just since they live in Europe or Australia and could never make it, and this will bring it right to them. And I just and so much fun being so high in the air when it was nighttime and all the lights were on me and I stood up even though I was technically supposed to be sitting and then I had nothing to do with my arms. Normally in the show, you throw the broom around, but I was standing on it, so I just took the Grimmerie out of my bag and started waving it around."

"Sounds like it was a lot of fun. We should watch it when it airs," Robin said. "If you do not mind, of course. I'd love to see it."

"Sure," she replied. Everyone at the table smiled.

Morrighan's eyes trailed to her phone and she replied to a few texts while they waited. Ruby brought them their drinks. Morrighan had opted for water while Robin and Regina had gone for root beer. They looked at each other, unsure of what to say. They had never tried to enforce no-phone rules, mostly since they had not seemed to need it. Not to mention, Morrighan had a list of international contacts and Zelena was sick. If something went wrong, they could very easily not know about it. And it was not like she had ever used it to stop form talking to them before. It was a new situation they had no idea how to navigate.

"One sec," Morrighan said, standing up and walking outside as she dialled a number. They watched her paced outside for a few moments before coming back. "Sorry," she said

"What was that about?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied, looking down. She slid her phone into her pocket.

"What was it about?" Regina asked again, more sternly.

"Nothing," she replied.

"Then it could have waited."

Morrighan just rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath that they did not understand. She had an entire life that they were separate from and she seemed determined to keep them severed from it.

"It's not polite to have a phone at the table," Robin said. "I don't know how it worked in the circus, but in America, it's not polite."

"It's not like you were talking," she replied. "And it was important."

"What was important?" Robin asked gently.

"Just stuff," she replied. She did not want to share.

"We need to know what it's about if it's important," Robin pointed out peacefully.

"Not really," she replied. "It's not going to affect you. Just university stuff," she replied.

Why had that been so hard to get out of her? It had to more than just university stuff. Morrighan rarely talked to them about University, so maybe that is all that it was. She generally tried to avoid subjects that she thought might upset them, like the fact that she was leaving America eventually or what she had planned in the few months after she turned eighteen but before he had to move into her dorm if she was even going to live on campus. She was considering it, but with her minimum wage pay-cut, it seemed like she would have to bunk with five strangers. They had not thought any of this through and Morrighan was tired of pointing it out. They had messed up her life; there was no denying it. She just had to readjust and do as much damage control as she could. She was amazing at adapting. She lived in a travelling circus. It was random and chaotic, and you could go from nothing but your trailer and food rations to having more money than you knew what to do within an instant. She was used to it and she knew how to manage it, so she was not worried. She did not, however, want to turn this into an issue and another fight. She wanted to get through these months as uneventfully as possible and send them cards on special occasions when this was done to make them feel included.

"What type of university stuff?"

"None of your business," she said colder than she had meant too.

"What up?" Robin asked earnestly. "I thought today was a good day."

She considered telling them. Then considered not telling them. Then she told them point-blank that working for Mr. Gold was messing up her savings plan. In fact, for people who were so worried about her education, they never bothered to see what impact their ideas would have on her plans.

"Oh," Regina said. "I mean, we uh, didn't mean too. And we could give you some-"

"I don't want any," she replied. "I want to work my way through university like everyone else."

"Or you could go to university here in Storybrooke," Regina said.

"No," she replied. "I've never heard of it and your American schools are ranked and stuff. I'd never go to school here unless it was Ivy-league because of all that nonsense, and even then, it would have to be full scholarship because I can't afford it." She paused. "Did you do this deliberately to try and get me to study here?"

"What No!" Regina exclaimed. "it had not even crossed my mind."

A lot of thigs did not cross Mayor Mill's mind when it came to her niece/stepdaughter. A lot of things that were making this so much worse.

"Can't Zelena help you out," Regina said.

"I'm not going there with you," she said flatly. "That is absolutely none of your business."

Regina squeezed Robin's hand on the bench for support and to say sorry.

"What are you going to do about it?" Robin asked.

"I'm sorting it out." That was all she said.

The food came and they ate in silence.