Chapter 4: New Complications

Mayor Mills Announces Pregnancy; Expecting Baby Boy in Summer

Robin sipped his coffee as he read the article about Regina's pregnancy. It was very straightforward but also positive. Everyone interviewed expressed happiness for her and congratulated Regina on her coming bundle of joy. He was pleased to see it and reminded how much the people of Storybrooke loved their mayor.

"How bad is it?" Regina asked. He looked up from the paper to find her standing nervously in the doorway, playing with her fingers. If they had still been married, she would've been playing with the engagement ring he had given her. But that was locked up safely in one of her jewelry boxes and she refused to wear any other type of ring, so she toyed with nothing.

"It's very good," he replied, setting down the paper. "The article just states the facts and everyone they interviewed was happy for you."

She sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, reaching for the paper. "They were?"

He nodded. "The people love you, Regina. While I'm sure there are some people who will voice some displeasure, they're going to be drowned out by the people who are overjoyed for you. So don't pay attention to them."

"I'll try not to," she said, "but you know me."

"Well, if you need some reassurance or someone to block out that noise, you know where to find me," he reminded her.

She smiled, handing the newspaper back to him. "Yes, I do."

He set the paper down. "So, is there anything else you need, Madam Mayor?"

"Madam Mayor, no," she replied. "Regina, yes."

"Oh?" he asked, surprised at how she worded that. "Then what do you need, Regina?"

She bit her lip before moving toward the edge of her seat. "I've been thinking about my birthing plan."

"Okay," he replied, not sure where she was going with that topic.

"And as I thought about who I wanted in the room with me, I've narrowed it down to two people," she said. "Mary Margaret...and you."

That surprised but thrilled him and he smiled. "Me? Really?"

She nodded, reaching over and taking his hand. "There's no one else I want holding my hand. And you always have this amazing way of keeping me calm. You also know all my wishes in case something goes wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong," he told her, though he did know that childbirth did come with a lot of risks. He pushed those thoughts aside as he said: "I'm honored. Thank you."

"This does mean you'll have to come to the classes with me," she replied.

He nodded. "Just let me know when they are and I'll make sure my schedule is clear."

Relief filled her eyes. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," he replied. "And I will make sure I'm available for whatever you need, Regina. I mean it when I say you're never going to do this alone."

"I don't want to inconvenience you," she said.

He shook his head. "You never inconvenience me."

She gave him a pointed look. "You're allowed to have a life that doesn't revolve around me, Robin."

"I know," he replied. "I am not doing anything because I feel I have to. Everything I'm doing is because I want to."

"I am so lucky to have you in my life," she said, smiling warmly before standing. "I'll send you the information for the classes. Do you want to have lunch together?"

He glanced at his schedule and disappointment filled him as he shook his head. "I have a lunch meeting. Maybe dinner?"

She tilted her head. "I can do dinner but wouldn't you like some time to yourself to unwind?"

"You know me," he told her. "I unwind better when I'm with someone."

"Alright. I'll see you for dinner," she said, walking out of his office.

Alone, Robin leaned back in his chair and sighed. He knew what Regina had been trying to tell him - that she was the one having the baby and not him, that he could still go out and have a social life. That he should be going out and meeting possible new love interests but he just had no interest.

Especially not after what had happened with Fiona. That had nearly cost him his career as well as Regina hers.

He was definitely not risking that again.

Maybe he had been right over a decade ago and Regina was The One for him, just not in the way he had imagined when he bought her engagement ring. Perhaps they were just meant to be platonic life partners. He would be okay with that.

Regina probably wouldn't - more for his sake than hers. She would argue that he deserved to have romance in his life and find someone who loved him, who could give him the family he wanted.

But he now knew he only wanted to have that family with Regina. So the closest he would get was just being part of her and her child's life.

She wouldn't believe him but that would make him very happy indeed.

He picked up the newspaper and set it aside. There was plenty of time to ponder the nature of his relationship with Regina and how he proceeded with keeping his true feelings for her safely hidden away. For now, he had work to focus on.

Everything else could wait until after business hours.

"You don't have to do this," Regina protested. "I can always hire someone to help clear out the room and get it ready to be a nursery."

Robin shook his head, standing with David, Will and Jefferson. "Nonsense. We're all willing to help, so why should you spend money?"

"A pizza is far cheaper," Will agreed.

She chuckled, knowing that promises of food could get her anything with her friends. "Fair enough."

A phone rang and Robin pulled it from his pocket, groaning. "It's my parents."

"You can take it," David said, picking up another box. "Will, Jefferson and I can handle it for now."

"Thanks, lads," he said, picking up his phone. "Hi, Mum."

"Robin, where are you?" Regina heard his mother ask. Judging by how he was holding his phone, she was on Facetime.

He turned around so that Regina appeared on the screen as well. "I'm at Regina's. We're doing a little cleaning."

"Hi, Jane," Regina said, waving to his mother.

Jane Locksley smiled, the skin around her blue eyes crinkling. "Hello, Regina. How are you?"

"I'm good," she replied, always happy to talk to her former mother-in-law. Having a good relationship with their son meant she still had a good relationship with them and they continued to be kind and loving to her. They had welcomed her into the Locksley family with open arms and still considered her one of them, even after the divorce.

Robin motioned for her to follow him and they started to head downstairs. "I'm actually glad you called now, Mum. Regina has some big news for you. And Dad, if he's around."

"He is," Jane replied. "I'll go get him."

She set her phone down and Regina turned to Robin. "You haven't told them?"

"No," he replied. "I figured it was your news. And now that everyone knows, we can tell them together."

"Sounds good," she said, ignoring how her heart fluttered. It was almost as if they were telling his parents they were going to be grandparents, when that wasn't the case. Though if she thought about it, it was likely Jane and Richard Locksley would be the closest to grandparents her son would have.

Robin's parents returned and Richard waved. "Hello, Regina. Looking beautiful as ever," he said.

"Thank you, Richard," she replied. "You're looking as handsome as ever."

He waved her off as Jane rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Regina, what is this big announcement?"

Regina smiled. "I'm pregnant!"

Jane let out a happy squeal, clapping her hands as she smiled widely. "Congratulations!"

"Though I must admit I'm surprised," Richard said, shaking his head. "I didn't know you two were back together."

Regina felt her smile falter a bit as surprise swept her. Beside her, Robin shook his head. "We're not. I'm not the father."

"Daniel is," Regina said, grimacing. "It's a long story."

"Sorry," Richard replied, shaking his head. "I should've kept my big mouth shut."

Robin shook his head. "No, no. We probably gave you that impression since we announced it together."

"Well, we know the truth now," Jane said, clearly trying to move on. "Tell me, dear, when are you due and do you know what you're having?"

Grateful for the change in topic, Regina smiled. "I'm due in mid-August and I'm having a boy!"

"That's wonderful!" Jane replied, clapping her hands together as her smile brightened. "We'll definitely have to send you something for him, right, Richard?"

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Regina assured them, not wanting them to have to worry about shipping something from England.

Richard shook his head. "Nonsense. You're still family, Regina. And your baby will be too."

Jane nodded. "Robin, you're helping her, right?"

"Of course I am," he assured his mother, hugging Regina against him.

She nodded. "I don't think I would be able to do this without his support. He's the best."

"We're actually cleaning out the room for Regina's nursery," Robin said, motioning behind him. "Then I'll paint it later."

"I told you that I would get someone to do that," she reminded him, not wanting to capitalize on his time. She was already doing enough of that.

He gave her a grin. "Nonsense. I'm perfectly capable of painting a room, Regina. No need to spend money on that. Spend it on your baby boy."

"You're probably not going to win that argument, Regina," Jane said. She motioned to Richard. "He gets it from his father."

Regina chuckled before sighing, knowing that his mother was right. She didn't win these types of arguments with Robin. "Alright."

He kissed her cheek before handing her his phone. "You keep talking. I'm going to check on the others."

"How big of a project is this?" Richard asked, chuckling.

"Not very big," she replied. "But they are trying to make it bigger."

Richard and Jane chuckled. Jane tucked some hair behind her ear. "So, do we get to know name ideas? Or are you keeping that secret?"

"I am keeping it secret," Regina said. "Though I think everyone might have already figured it out. Robin certainly has."

"Oh. Then I think I know what it is too," Jane said. "And it's going to be a lovely name. Are you going to give him a middle name too?"

"I haven't decided," Regina said, though it was a partial lie. She did want to give him a middle name but wasn't sure if she could use the one name she wanted.

Jane nodded. "Well, if you need any suggestions, we'll be happy to give you some."

"Like Richard," her husband said. "It's a very fine name."

She elbowed him, rolling her eyes. "Don't listen to him. You name your son whatever you want."

"I didn't say she had to name him Richard! It was just a suggestion," he protested.

Regina chuckled, amazed at how Robin's parents always managed to put a smile on her face. But then she thought of something and frowned. "I have to talk about it with Robin. He may want it to keep it in the family…"

She paused, pain filling her heart as she thought of Robin marrying again and building a family with someone else. But he deserved to have all of that and it was clear that it wouldn't be with her. Regina knew he would find the right person one day and while she knew that if she used the name it wouldn't preclude him from doing so, she still felt it best to leave it for him.

"You are family," Richard insisted. "Even if you two aren't together…"

"If?" Regina asked, surprised by that wording. Maybe he wasn't convinced they weren't together again after all.

Jane elbowed him. "They aren't together."

"Right, right," he said, rubbing his chest. "Poor choice of words. Even though you aren't together, you're still family, Regina."

"Absolutely," Jane replied. "And your son will be family as well. It's up to you but we would be honored to act as grandparents to him."

Regina teared up, touched by the offer. "I would love that. Thank you."

"So, what did I miss?" Robin asked, wrapping his arm around Regina again.

"Not much," she replied. "Just your father making a case as to why Richard is a fantastic name."

Robin rolled his eyes. "Of course he was."

"Regina wants to save it for you because she thinks it should stay in the family. We were just telling her that she is family," Richard told him. She hadn't really been thinking of his name when she had made her statement but she was willing to let him believe it for now. There was no harm in it, after all.

"Oh," Robin said. He turned to her with a smile. "You're not getting rid of us Locksleys that easily."

She gave an exaggerated sigh. "I suppose not."

"We'll let you two go," Jane said. "Why don't you two call us next week? Okay?"

They both nodded. "Love you, Mum. Love you, Dad," Robin said.

They smiled and Richard replied: "We love you too, son. And you, Regina."

"I love you both," she said, touched and feeling herself tearing up. "I look forward to talking to you next week."

Robin ended the call as she turned away, trying to wipe her tears away. But it only caused more to fall, proving it a futile exercise. Yet she still kept trying, hoping it would eventually work.

"Regina? Are you okay?" Robin asked, placing his hand on her back. He handed her a tissue. "What's wrong?"

She shrugged, unsure why a simple conversation with his parents had affected her so. "I'm just going to go with hormones," she said.

"Oh, right," he replied, accepting her answer. He still pulled her in for a hug. "I'm sure it will pass."

"Yeah," she agreed, curling her fingers around his soft t-shirt and breathing in his familiar woodsy scent. It comforted her as much as his warmth and strong arms.

He kissed the top of her head. "Do you want to lay down for a bit? Maybe you're also tired."

"Maybe," she said. "But I feel bad napping while you all are working on my nursery."

"Don't. Focus on your health and the health of your baby boy," he said, glancing down at her midsection.

Regina placed a hand on it, feeling the slight swell. She was starting to show and it made everything feel so much more real now. And soon, she would likely feel her son moving around inside her - something she couldn't wait to experience.

"We're going to be fine," Robin assured her, tucking some hair behind her ear. "Go, rest."

She still hesitated, wanting to suggest that she wait until they were done so he could nap with her. But she reminded herself that would be crossing the line they had long agreed not to cross so she nodded. "Alright. But promise to wake me if you need anything."

"I'll promise to wake you for an emergency," he said. "I think we can manage otherwise."

"Fine," she said, giving him a hug. "Thank you."

She melted into his embrace, wishing she could ask him to come hold her as she napped. But her hormones were running amok and she knew it wouldn't just be an innocent nap. Having him so close would be too tempting and she wouldn't be able to keep her hands off him. So it was best to go to her bed by herself.

At least she could still dream about him.

He kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, darling."

"I'm sure they will be," she said, knowing he had no idea what kind of dreams were awaiting her. She headed down the hallway and entered her room, crawling under her covers.

Within minutes she was sound asleep, drifting off to a world where she could let her hormones run wild and do whatever she wanted with Robin without any consequences.

"Thanks again for your help," Robin said, clapping Will on the back before shaking David's hand. "I know Regina appreciates it."

David nodded. "Tell her she owes me dinner and a beer."

"Same," Will agreed, laughing. "Though I was happy to help. Felt good to help someone I care about."

"Have a good evening, Robin, and keep an eye on her," David said, heading out the door with Will right behind him. Jefferson had left earlier to pick up his daughter from the babysitter, leaving Robin alone in the house with Regina.

Leaning against the doorframe, Robin waved to them. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of her."

He watched as they got in their cars and drove away, finally closing the door before him. Robin climbed up to Regina's room, peeking in to check on her. She lay sound asleep in the middle of her bed, cocooned in her blankets. It made him smile as he recalled many fights over the blankets after they had first moved in together and started to share a bed regularly. Finally, he just bought her a blanket just for her to cocoon in at night and they were able to share the other sheets with no problem after that.

They often called the great blanket fight their first true compromise.

She looked peaceful right now and he was glad she was getting some rest. Robin crept closer to the bed and kissed her cheek, watching as she shifted a bit before settling back down with a smile on her face. He hoped she was having good dreams of being an amazing mother to her son - it was what she deserved.

For a moment, Robin was tempted to climb into bed next to her and get in a good nap as well. They had shared a bed several times since their divorce, usually when it got too late for one of them to go home and so they just crashed at whichever home they were at. But it was something they agreed to beforehand and so he didn't want to invade Regina's space.

Though he was reluctant to leave her side, he knew she would be fine. He would leave her a note to let her know they had finished and he had gone home. A shower, dinner and an early night sounded good to him.

"Good night, sweetheart," he whispered. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He tiptoed out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him. After cleaning a bit more for Regina, he slipped out of her house and headed back to his apartment. It wasn't a long one and soon he was lounging on his couch, showered and waiting for his dinner to arrive.

As he flipped through the channels on the TV, his mind kept returning to his parents and their call that afternoon. Something had happened between them and Regina before he entered but he wasn't too sure what it was. It felt like it had to be more than just them confirming that Regina was still part of the family since she looked too emotional for that. After all, Regina knew she was still part of the family.

Right?

He knew they had an unusual relationship for two people who had once been married to each other. Maybe she had always been unsure of her place in his family while he had assumed she had known.

Maybe they needed to have a conversation so they both understood everything.

Though, of course, that was complicated by his feelings for her. Maybe it was time to come clean about those as well.

"Beer," he said to his empty apartment. "I need to have a beer if I'm going down this road."

Robin shuffled into his kitchen and pulled out a beer from his fridge. He opened it and took a long swig just as his buzzer went off. Chuckling he walked over to it and let the delivery person into his apartment. "Perfect timing," he whispered.

In a few minutes, he was back on his couch and eating his Chinese food. He turned on the TV but it did little to drown out his thoughts.

Namely, his feelings for Regina.

He sighed as he chewed. Even when they were with other people, he always found it difficult to leave her at the end of the day. Now, though, he really hated it. Robin wanted to be there with her in order to help her with her pregnancy. He wanted to make her meals, massage her feet, make sure she went to bed and if he had to, run out in the middle of the night to get whatever she was craving.

Robin just wanted to be with her.

"I am in too deep again," he told her a picture of her. "What should I do?"

But that Regina just smiled back at him, frozen in time. Yet it still gave him his answer as he put the picture back. "I know, I know, I should just talk to her. But I can't burden her with all of this as she's still healing from her breakup with Daniel and preparing to have a baby."

He sighed, taking another swig of his beer. "How do I fall out of love with you?"

Robin, though, already knew the answer to that question - he couldn't. He would love her until his dying day.

Even if he had to do it just as her friend.

"Okay," he told himself. "Enough with this pity party. It won't help you and it definitely won't help her. Time to be an adult and keep supporting her as her friend."

As if she knew he was thinking of her, his phone rang and Regina's picture popped up on his screen. He smiled as he picked it up. "Hello, sweetheart," he said.

"You could've stayed," she replied as a greeting. "You didn't have to go leave."

He smiled, imagining her still in bed or on the couch as she called him. "I thought you would want some alone time after having company all day."

"You know I don't mind having you around," she told him.

"I know," he replied. "But I also know how much you value your privacy."

She hummed. "I do...but…"

He sat up, sensing some vulnerability in her voice and knowing she would only be that way around him. "But what?"

"It's been a long time since I was alone," she admitted. "Daniel was always around and, well, I'm not really comfortable being alone."

"Do you want me to come over?" he asked, starting to stand. He knew she didn't care what he looked like and so he could just put on his shoes while heading out the door.

She sighed before saying: "No, no. you're probably comfortable. And I should get used to being on my own, right? I can't expect you to be here every day. That's not fair to you - you should get to live your life."

You are my life, he wanted to tell her. You and your son. Instead, he said: "You're a part of my life."

"You know what I mean," she told him. "You're single and still young. You should be out looking for the love of your life rather than taking care of your ex-wife."

"I'm taking care of my best friend," he said, trying to get through to her that he wanted to do this. And possibly the love of my life.

She sighed. "Why are you always so difficult?"

"You love me for it," he teased her, though his heart beat in his chest as he waited to hear what she said in response.

"I do," she replied. "And I'm just as difficult so we're pretty much two peas in a pod."

He smiled, though his heart leapt at the fact that she agreed she loved him. Though he then reminded himself that they told each other "I love you" all the time - they just meant it platonically.

Or at least she did. He meant it in a deeper way he knew he couldn't confess to her just yet.

If ever.

"That's us," he agreed, wishing he could tell her everything he felt. But it wasn't the right time.

And if Robin was honest with himself, the right time had passed for them. He had wondered from time to time if they had thrown in the towel on their marriage too early, had let stress get the better of them and cause them to make a rash decision. What would've happened if they had held on at least another year? Would they still be married? Could they have adopted or had children of their own? Maybe they would've been living happily ever after, just like they planned on their wedding day.

Or maybe things would've just gotten worse. Maybe they would've ended up like typical divorcees - bitter and full of venom toward their ex-spouse. Perhaps they did do the right thing and managed to save their friendship if not their marriage.

He couldn't imagine his life without her. It was too terrible for his imagination to even consider.

"Robin? Are you still there?" Regina asked, her concerned tone drawing him back to their conversation.

"Yes, I am," he said, rushing to assure her. "Sorry, I think I zoned out there for a minute."

"That's okay. You're probably tired after everything you did today. I'll let you go so you can get some sleep," she replied.

Disappointment flooded him but he knew he was likely to fall asleep on her if he stayed talking. So he asked: "Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Of course," she said. "Maybe we could have dinner together tomorrow?"

"It's a date," he replied. "Let me know if you need me to pick anything up and I'll get it before I come over."

She thanked him before wishing him a good night. Reluctantly, he ended the call and let his phone fall away with a sigh. At least he knew he would be seeing her tomorrow and having dinner with her then. It was better than nothing.

Right?

Damn him.

Regina crossed her legs to control the itch forming between them as she tried to pay attention to the presentation by the Chamber of Commerce president. But it was hard with Robin sitting next to her, taking notes. Every so often his arm would brush against hers and his familiar pine-scented aftershave would waft past her, making her even wetter.

Why did her chief of staff, best friend and ex-husband have to be so goddamn sexy?

"Any questions?" the president asked and Regina felt like a deer caught in headlights. She was so distracted by Robin, she hadn't really listened to the presentation and was now going to be caught.

"I have one," Robin asked. "How do you imagine this plan will affect traffic?"

She breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he was at least listening to the presentation. The president explained how he believed the plan would actually ease traffic on Main Street but Regina frowned as she studied the map. "That road cuts through protected lands," she pointed out.

"Oh," the president said. "Right. I'm going to get permission to build there. And I need you to sign off on it."

Regina felt Robin tense up and she reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "And why should I do that?"

The president seemed taken aback. "Because of everything I mentioned in my presentation."

"And it can only be achieved by cutting through protected lands?" she asked. "Lands that serve not only conservation of some of our state's native animals but also provide buffering against ocean swelling during storms?"

"Well, I'm sure we can come up with other solutions to those that will satisfy everyone," the president said, looking flustered now. She watched as his eyes kept darting toward the door, no doubt eager to escape and avoid further interrogation.

Regina hummed. "Well, let me review your proposal again and I'll be the one who determines that."

"Of course," the man replied, gathering up his papers. "Thank you, Madam Mayor."

He quickly left as Regina leaned back in her seat. She glanced over to find Robin smirking at her and she frowned. "What?"

"You weren't paying attention at all during that presentation," he said, crossing his arms as he studied her.

She grimaced, knowing she was busted. "I just couldn't concentrate," she admitted, though she hoped he wouldn't press too much.

"Pregnancy brain? I remember how bad Mary Margaret got," he said, trying not to smile but failing.

"Oh god, I hope I don't get that bad," she groaned. "If I ever start messing up my recipes, you'll just put me out of my misery, right?"

He chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll step in. So, do you want me to go over what they just said?"

"No," she replied, feeling like she needed to put some distance between her and Robin for now. "I think I'll be fine."

"Okay," he said. "But I'm just down the hall if you need anything."

She nodded, knowing that all she needed now was some space between him and her. "I'll keep that in mind."

He smiled, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. She got a good whiff of his familiar pine cologne and it sent a jolt straight to her core. Regina tried not to shiver as he pulled back, nodding to her. "See you later."

She nodded, watching as he left. Once the door closed behind him, she groaned. "Pull yourself together, Regina. You can't let the hormones win," she told herself.

After a few deep breaths, she left the conference room and headed back to her office. With some distance between her and Robin, she just knew she would be able to regain control of herself and be normal around him again.

If not, she was fucked.

And not in the way she wanted to be.

Regina was acting odd.

And that concerned Robin.

So when it came time for lunch, he headed down to her office. Tink greeted him warmly and he paused at her desk. "Hey, how is she?" he asked.

"Regina?" she asked. When he nodded, she shrugged. "She seems fine. Why?"

"She seemed off in our meeting earlier. Barely paid attention and seemed fidgety," he replied. "It just wasn't very Regina, if you know what I mean."

Tink frowned. "That doesn't sound very Regina. But she is pregnant. Lord only knows what her body is currently going through."

"I know," he replied, "but I don't want to blame everything on her pregnancy and miss something important."

She nodded. "That's true. I guess we'll just have to keep a close eye on her without her realizing it, right?"

"Yeah," he said, sighing. "Which isn't easy. She can see right through us pretty easily."

"Well, she says we're both open books. I guess we're going to have to be a bit more closed than usual for now," Tink suggested.

He chuckled. "I think we just need to be a bit stealthier than usual. I mean, we did pull off that surprise party for her a couple years ago. We need to be back at that level."

She nodded. "We did it before, we can do it again."

"Agreed," he said, reaching for the door handle. "Well, I'm going to see if she wants lunch and we can go from there."

"She went down to land management to ask a question," Tink said, "but you can wait in there for her."

Robin nodded, thanking her. He opened the door and stepped into Regina's quiet office. Wandering toward her desk, he hoped that maybe he could find some clues as to why she had been acting so off earlier that day.

He wandered over to her desk and looked it over. Nothing looked out of the ordinary - mostly paperwork and memos from other departments. She also left her planner on her desk but nothing seemed to stand out there either as it was mostly meetings and doctor appointments. Robin sighed, figuring he wouldn't get his answers there.

Just as he was about to walk away, something caught his eye under some papers. He pushed them aside and saw that it was a book about pregnancy. Robin's hopes were raised as he figured that if Regina's behavior was related to her pregnancy, she may have been reading about the cause. Leaning closer, he started to scan the page and then reeled back. It was all about how a pregnant woman could experience an increase in sexual drive during her second trimester.

Regina was horny.

Oh.

It certainly explained a lot - her faraway look, how flushed she had been, how distracted...She had been dealing with her libido and had probably gotten lost in a sexual fantasy. Or at least she had been trying to figure out how to satisfy her needs now that she was single. Certainly she wasn't going to go out and have a one night stand.

Right?

He rubbed the back of his head, scolding himself for doubting that. Regina hadn't been interested in casual sex since before their marriage. It seemed something about their relationship made her more discerning when it came to partners and she usually wasn't intimate until she had an established relationship with them. And given that she was pregnant, she wasn't going to risk catching something from someone she picked up at a bar.

So what did that leave her? Her vibrator? Would that be enough?

Did he offer to help her?

No, he told himself. That would essentially be throwing a grenade into their relationship. It wouldn't blow up right away but eventually it would, destroying everything they had. He couldn't risk that.

He couldn't lose Regina.

The door opened and Robin quickly hid the book again before leaning back in the chair, pretending he hadn't been snooping around her desk. He tucked his hands behind his head as she entered, stopping short. She tilted her head, trying to glare but failing. "Comfy?"

"Very," he replied. "Hungry?"

"I am," she said. "What were you thinking?"

He shrugged as he stood from her chair. "You craving anything?"

She bit her lip before saying: "Don't laugh, but I'm really craving those peanut butter and banana sandwiches you used to make when we were still in school."

"Really?" he asked, surprised as he recalled all the eyerolls she used to give him every time he had one of those sandwiches. "You used to tease me about those."

"I know but I actually liked them. And now I really, really want one," she said, grimacing a bit.

He grinned, moving closer to her. "Alright then. I'll run to the store and get everything we need. I'll be back as soon as possible. Do you want me to pick up anything else while I'm out?"

"No, I'm good," she told him. "Thank you, Robin."

"You know I would do anything for you," he replied, stopping next to her. "I only want to make this pregnancy easier."

She took a sharp inhale of air and he recalled the book he had found on her desk. Was she thinking about it as well? Did she think he was offering to help with her increased libido? If she asked, would he say yes? Or would he quickly prove himself a liar?

Regina finally chuckled, reaching out to take his hand. "What would I do with you?"

"Well, let's hope you never have to find out," he said, meaning every word. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "I'll be right back."

He then stepped away and walked toward her office door. Robin paused there before looking back at her. "Why don't you rest until I get back?"

"Usually I'd fight you," she said, sighing. "But I think that's a good idea. Can you ask Tink to hold my calls for the entirety of my lunch hour?"

"Will do," he said, leaving the office. He paused at Tink's desk to give her the update about Regina.

Looking concerned, Tink leaned forward and lowered her voice. "And she's alright?"

"Yes," he assured Tink. "It's just a pregnancy thing. It'll pass."

Tink relaxed, nodding. "Alright. So where are you going?"

"To the store. Regina's having a craving and I'm going to help her with it," he replied. "I'll be right back. She wants you to hold her calls until after lunch, okay?"

"Will do," Tink agreed, sitting back down. "Is she getting some rest?"

He nodded. "She didn't even put up a fight."

"Wow," she replied. "And you're sure it's all her pregnancy?"

"Yes," Robin assured her, reaching out to squeeze Tink's shoulder. "It's just her pregnancy. She's growing a whole new person and it's changing her body. We're just going to have to roll with it until she gives birth to her son."

Tink nodded. "As long as it's just her pregnancy and nothing else, that's fine. She's waited so long to be a mother. I wouldn't want anything to ruin this for her."

He understood her feelings, worrying about everything that could hurt Regina or her baby late at night. But now he put a smile on his face as she said: "We just need to stay positive. Regina is having a very normal and healthy pregnancy. And I know it will end with a healthy baby in a few more months."

"Right," she agreed. "Stay positive and make Regina's life as easy as possible. I think we can do that."

"Great. Do you want something while I'm out?" Robin asked, moving away from the desk.

Tink shook her head. "I'm good. Just focus on Regina and her cravings."

He nodded, knocking on her desk before walking down the hallway. There were some things he couldn't help Regina with regarding her pregnancy but there was so much more he could. So he needed to focus on those and not think about the others. Especially one in particular.

It would only lead to trouble neither needed and could cost him everything. That was a gamble he could not afford to take. So he would just stay in his lane and just be Regina's supportive best friend and chief of staff.

Nothing more.

A/N: Uh oh – Regina is experiencing an symptom that's making things a bit awkward for her. Will she continue to suffer in silence or will she ask Robin for some help? After all, she's still very much attracted to him and he is still attracted to her – even if the other doesn't know.

Only time will tell!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

-Mac