In response to a Tumblr prompt: First time Roland says Regina's name.


"Gina!"

It's a squeak at best, a pair of high-pitched syllables of what little he can pronounce as he wobbles towards her. She's always hated being called Gina, always. Daniel used to call her that when he wanted to mess with her, and of course that would always end in apologetic kisses she loved to indulge in, but the fact remains that she despises the name.

And yet...

"Gina!" He says again, and she can't help but beam at the sleepy toddler now perched at her feet, his chubby little arms wrapping around her legs as he stares up at her with a big, toothy smile that melts her heart.

It's been rough without Daniel, and she can't remember the last time she felt happy until today.

Robin is standing by the door, watching them as Regina scoops up his son and hugs him to her chest, blowing a raspberry on his cheek and then rubbing her nose against his.

"You said my name!" She breathes, and the boy mumbles Gina once more, making her giggle.

"Look at you all smiles," Robin says, walking further into her office.

"Did you hear him?!" She asks in a loud whisper, and he nods, dimples appearing when he grins at her.

"I did, indeed. Can't say I'm surprised. He's always been quite taken with you."

"And I, with him," she replies, her eyes still on Roland as she makes a funny face to make him laugh, but the boy is far too drowsy to pay much attention to her, and instead it's Robin who chuckles as he looks at her.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just nice to see you like this," he tells her, "it's been a while."

"He's my savior," she admits, resting her cheek atop Roland's head when he buries his face in her chest and settles there, thumb in his mouth as his eyes begin to droop the second she starts to rock him from one side to the other.

"We have that in common," Robin answers, his grin turning into a sad, serene smile that makes her feel for him. He knows exactly the kind of grief she's been going through, knows the pain she's been feeling, because he's felt it, too, and despite how much it hurts (or maybe because of it) he has been there for her, always strong and caring, his son offering that single ray of sunshine her life has been clinging to for the past few months.

"Thank you, Robin," she says then, "for letting me be a part of his life. I know it's a bit... unorthodox, to let your boss be so close to your son, and-"

"You're not my boss, Regina," he interrupts. "Well, you are, but... you're also my friend, I care about you, I want you to be happy. And Roland loves you."

"I love him, too," she whispers, dropping a kiss into the boy's curls as he snuggles closer to her. "Can you wait til he falls asleep before you take him home?"

"No problem," Robin agrees, "I'll be outside."

"No, don't," she calls out as he turns to leave, utters a request she didn't plan on when she adds, "Please, stay."

"Are you sure?" He asks, as taken aback by her words as she is, because he's never done that before, has always tried to keep as much propriety between them as possible while at work, and them being together in her office at 9pm while she rocks his son to sleep isn't exactly proper, not when she's the governor of Maine and Robin her head of security, but Regina finds that yes, she's sure. She wants him here.

"Of course," she tells him, nodding towards the chair by her desk, prompting him to sit there as she walks around with Roland in her arms, slowly humming a lullaby in his ear as she waits for him to fall asleep.

She can sense Robin's eyes on her, but it feels... nice. It doesn't make her squirm unpleasantly, like it does when other men look at her, rather it has a comforting warmth spreading through her. She feels... content, cared for, safe.

Life without Daniel has been bleak, dull, muted shades of gray sucking out the light and color of her world, but Robin and Roland have started bringing that color back, brightening her day with the simplest of gestures, like the coffee Robin brought for her this morning, or the painkillers he gave her yesterday just because he could tell she had a headache, or the reassuring hug he'd given her last week when she'd broken into tears, or the way Roland had ran towards her with a cookie earlier today and screamed with joy when she picked him up, his adorable laugh when she'd given him a piggy-back ride into the kitchen two days ago...

They've become her rock, and she's so thankful for them, so grateful to have them there, because they bring her happiness even in her darkest moments, and she realizes then that maybe, with them at her side, life could one day not be so bleak anymore.