Chapter 3: Friendships

Regina pulled up to Granny's and parked the car. She turned to Henry, who was purposefully avoiding her as he sat in her driver's seat. Pressing her lips together, she took a deep breath and then slowly let it out to keep her annoyance at bay. It would not help for her to be snippy with him.

"Are you hungry?" she asked him, trying to keep her tone light. He just shrugged in response and she had to force herself to keep up the tone as she continued. "Well, maybe you'll find something once we're inside."

He shrugged again before opening the door and exiting the car. She sighed before following him, wondering if she would ever have a proper conversation with her son again. At the moment, she doubted it.

They entered Granny's and Ruby greeted them warmly. "Your usual?" she asked them.

"I'm not hungry," Henry insisted, blowing past Ruby.

Regina sighed, apologizing to the waitress for his behavior. "And I'll take my usual, please."

"I'll put that in," Ruby said, jotting it down on her pad. She then gave Regina a smug look. "And just so you know, he's not like that when he's with Emma."

She walked off and Regina tried not to scowl at her retreating form. It didn't surprise her that Ruby was a fan of Emma's – Regina knew the two were friendly with each other. So of course she would think that Emma was the perfect mother despite only entering Henry's life a few months earlier and not having any parenting experience. It was going to be easy for Emma now as Henry was mad at Regina and thought Emma was perfect, so he was going to act differently around her. But she wondered what would happen once Emma Swan fell off the pedestal Henry had put her on and he realized that she was just as flawed as everyone else. Judging by how he was acting around Regina, it was not going to be pretty and it was likely Emma would split once she realized how hard parenting was.

Regina just wished she knew how long that would take and wondered if she had the patience to wait for it to happen. For now, she was just going to try to enjoy breakfast with her little prince – no matter how sullen he was – and worry about Emma Swan later.

"You should have something to eat," she told Henry as she sat down across from him. "You'll learn better on a full stomach."

"I'll be fine," he insisted, staring out the window and pointedly not looking at her.

She sighed as she felt someone hover nearby. Her heart sped up when a familiar voice said: "You should listen to your mother. She's a very smart woman."

Henry looked away from the window, tilting his head up to see the speaker. He frowned. "Who are you?"

"Robin Locksley." Robin moved closer to Henry and held out his hand. "At your service."

He wore his EMT uniform and Regina found her eyes roving over his body, admiring how the navy blue made his blue eyes pop more and how even the long-sleeved shirt did little to hide how fit he was. She wasn't sure if he was just getting off shift or heading to one but either way, he looked far too good for this hour of the morning.

Of course, he always looked far too good.

"How do you know my mom?" Henry asked, ignoring Robin's outstretched hand.

"I treated her after the fire," Robin replied, pointing to his EMS shield. "And we got to know each other that night. I guess you could call us friends."

Henry glanced between him and Regina, his eyes narrowing. "Wait, is he the friend you went out with the other night?"

"Yes," Regina replied, growing nervous. She hadn't yet considered when she wanted Henry to meet Robin but it seemed fate had other plans, even if she hadn't figured out what her relationship with the man was yet.

Robin glanced down at his outstretched hand. "Are we going to shake hands or am I persona non-grata for taking your mum away from you on a Friday night?"

Henry shrugged and shook Robin's hand, looking him over. "Are you a firefighter?"

"I'm an EMT," Robin replied, pulling his hand away from Henry's. "I can fight a fire if needed but I'm mostly there to help anyone who is injured or sick."

"So you help people?" Henry asked. When Robin nodded, he then asked: "Why do you like my mom then? She just hurts people."

His words felt like a dagger to Regina's heart and a lump formed in her throat as Robin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "That's not fair to your mum," he told Henry softly. "She helps a lot of people."

"It's okay, Robin," she said softly. "You don't have to defend me."

Robin, though, crouched down to look Henry in his eyes. "I know you're having trouble with your mum but it doesn't mean you get to be so mean or rude to her. I sense you're an honorable boy and that's not what honorable people do."

Henry seemed to be a bit shaken and he grew thoughtful. Robin nodded, patting his shoulder. "You think about that over breakfast. If you won't listen your mother, listen to this EMT – food is very important. So at least nibble on something, okay?"

"Okay," Henry agreed as Ruby returned with Regina's order. As she set it down, he looked up at her. "Can I have my usual too, Ruby? Please?"

"Yes, you may," Ruby told him. She then glanced at Robin, raising her eyebrow. "You proposing, Locksley?"

"Maybe," he teased her. "What do you say?"

She scoffed. "Not on your life."

He let out an exaggerated sigh as he stood. "Can't blame a man for trying."

"I'll be back with your breakfast, Henry," Ruby said, shaking her head as she walked past Robin.

"You're quite the flirt, Robin Locksley, aren't you?" Regina asked, trying to keep her tone light but knowing some of her jealousy leaked out.

Robin smiled at her. "Oh, I was just having some fun. I have my eye on a different brunette."

Her heart skipped a beat and she felt the jealousy recede. "I'm sure she knows she's a lucky woman."

"I'm the lucky one," he replied, lowering his voice as he leaned in closer. She felt like she was drowning in his blue eyes.

"Ugh," Henry said, voice full of disgust. "Are you two flirting?"

Regina pulled away from Robin, clearing her throat. "Sorry, Henry," she said, sheepishly.

"I'll leave you two to your breakfast," Robin said, stepping back. "Have a good day. And it was nice to meet you, Henry."

"You too," he replied, facing Robin though his eyes were on Regina. He shook Robin's hand and waited for the man to walk away before turning back to his mother. "So, what's your endgame with him?"

"What?" she asked, surprised. Was her son asking her what she intended with Robin like an old-fashioned father?

Henry clasped his hands together as he leaned closer to her, like she did when she was about to interrogate someone who had come to her office with a request. "What role does he play in keeping everyone cursed? Who are you keeping him away from?"

She pressed her lips together, wishing her son would stop thinking the worst of her. "He doesn't play any role in any curse because there isn't one. He's someone who helped me when I was injured and we found we had a connection. So we're exploring it."

"Likely story," he replied. "But you control everything in this town."

"That's not true," she countered, knowing that was the truth. She may have created Storybrooke and the curse made everything run on a loop, but she didn't have much control over the people or their feelings.

Otherwise, she would've been able to halt Henry's belief in the storybook already.

He studied her before digging into his breakfast. "If he's here in Storybrooke then he must also be in the storybook. I'll find out who he is and who he may not realize he should be with."

"And what if the book says he is supposed to be with me?" she asked, thinking of the lion tattoo emblazoned on Robin's wrist.

Henry scoffed. "Doubtful. Villains don't get happy endings like that."

She swallowed, knowing that was true. But still, she protested: "Good thing I'm not a villain then."

"That remains to be seen," he replied before placing a forkful of scrambled eggs in his mouth. He watched her carefully as she chewed, no doubt waiting to see how she reacted.

Regina just sipped her coffee as she held his gaze. She set her mug back down before saying: "I suppose so."

They had their own little staring contest before Henry shrugged and returned to his breakfast. She let out a little sigh as she leaned back in her booth, hoping this phase would pass soon as she didn't know how much longer she could take having him treat her like a monster.

"It's nice to have a lunch date with a friend," Kathryn said, pulling her chair in before picking up the menu. She glanced up at Regina. "Thank you."

"Thank you for agreeing to it," Regina replied, though she felt more nervous than excited. She hated to ruin Kathryn's good mood but she knew she had to tell her friend the truth about her husband and his affair with Mary Margaret Blanchard. It was not fair to let her continue to fantasize about children with him when he was likely planning to leave her.

But she wouldn't drop that bombshell just yet. It was probably best to at least eat before they discussed that.

Kathryn didn't seem to sense Regina's hesitancy and just continued on with the conversation. "I didn't get a chance to ask – how was your maybe a date?"

"It was very good," she replied, smiling as she remembered the wonderful few hours she had spent with Robin. "And I think it may be followed up with a real date."

"That's great! I'm so happy for you," Kathryn replied, smiling happily as she took Regina's hand. "So, can you tell me who it is now?"

Regina laughed, nodding. "It's Robin Locksley. He's the EMT who treated me after the fire at Town Hall."

Kathryn's eyes lit up. "The EMT who treated you? Oh my god, that's such a sweet meet cute."

"A what?" Regina asked, confused.

"It's what you call the scene in movies where the romantic interests meet for the first time," Kathryn replied. "You and Robin had a great meet cute."

Regina raised an eyebrow but she had to admit that Kathryn was right. "Yes, I supposed we did."

"So, tell me more," Kathryn said, looking very eager to hear the details. "Where did he take you? What did you do?"

Though she was not used to discussing such things with anyone else, Regina found she wanted to and she wanted to get Kathryn's take on her relationship with Robin. She realized that was what it was like to have a friend and she wished she had one earlier. Maybe things would've turned out so differently.

"Well, he took me to the Fox's Den for some drinks and conversation," Regina told her. "And then conversation turned into a bit more."

"How much more?" Kathryn asked, wiggling her eyebrows as she gave Regina a suggestive look.

Regina laughed. "We just kissed. Okay, we may have made out a little, but that's it," she replied.

"Madam Mayor, how scandalous!" Kathryn teased her and the two women shared a laugh as the waiter approached to take their order.

Once their orders were in, Kathryn sipped her water and then asked: "So, tell me more about Robin. What's he like?"

"He's honestly unlike any man I've ever met," Regina replied giddily. "He actually listens to me and makes me feel like I'm the only person in the room. And I don't know what it is but I feel comfortable telling him anything. In fact, I've already admitted some things to him that would've sent anyone else running from me. But he's stayed."

"Wow," Kathryn said. "He sounds amazing."

Regina nodded. "He is. And he met Henry this morning, by accident really. We hadn't planned anything about that out. But he was really great with him, talking to him and treating him like a person, not just some extension of me, you know?"

"Not really," Kathryn said, looking a bit pained. Regina then remembered that Kathryn wanted to be a mother but wasn't one just yet.

And likely wasn't going to be one for a long time once she found out about David's infidelity with Mary Margaret.

Regina reached out and took Kathryn's hand. "Sorry. That was insensitive of me."

"No, no," Kathryn insisted, though there was still pain in her eyes and tone. "You shouldn't feel you can't talk about being a mother around me just because I'm not. I shouldn't have made you feel that way."

"Well, how about we agree to just be a tad more sensitive to each other going forward?" Regina suggested, surprised she was the one trying to find common ground rather than tearing Kathryn down.

Maybe she wasn't lying to Henry when she said she wasn't the Evil Queen. She certainly didn't feel or really act like she had before she cast the curse.

Kathryn nodded, giving Regina's hand a squeeze before letting it go. "So, let's go back to Robin. Did Henry like him?"

"It's hard to tell," Regina replied, recalling her son that morning. "He's still so against me that he's also suspicious of Robin."

"I'm sure he'll come around. I know I'm no expert on kids but I remember being a sullen teenager who thought my parents were evil as well," Kathryn assured her.

Regina appreciated her attempt to comfort her. "I hope this passes soon. I hate this chasm between us."

"Maybe Robin will help?" Kathryn suggested. "Someone more objective for Henry to talk with?"

"Maybe," Regina replied. "Or maybe he'll make things worse, like Henry will think I'm trying to replace him. Especially once he realizes that Robin has a son of his own."

Kathryn raised an eyebrow. "He does? Is he Henry's age?"

Regina shook her head. "He's four."

"Aww, that's sweet," Kathryn said before nodding. "But I can see why you would be concerned. Henry could see Roland as a cuter and easier kid who might draw your attention away."

"Right," she said with a sigh. "Well, we haven't talked about me meeting Roland yet. So I think I have some time to prepare him."

Kathryn nodded. "I know Henry sees Archie. Have you two considered going together?"

Regina bristled at that. "Why?"

"It might be helpful," Kathryn replied. "Really help you two reconnect and communicate better."

"I don't think that's the issue," Regina said, her ire raised. "He just needs to get past this silly phase of believing everything in a silly book of fairy tales."

An awkward silence fell over them and it was only broken by the arrival of their meals. The waiter placed each plate in front of them and asked if they need anything else. Both indicated that they were fine and he left, telling them to enjoy their meals.

They both took a few bites of their food before Kathryn changed the subject. "So, I don't know if I've ever told you, but my dream has always been to become a lawyer."

"Oh?" Regina asked, wondering where her friend was going with this topic change but glad for it nonetheless.

"Before David woke up, I applied to law school in Boston," she continued. "And I heard back from them today. I got in."

That surprised Regina. "Congratulations!" she said.

"Thank you," Kathryn said, though she didn't sound or look very excited about it.

"Is something wrong?" Regina asked, concerned now.

Kathryn sighed. "I haven't told David about it and I don't know how he'll react. Or if the timing is even right for me to start law school. He's still recovering and we're hoping to start a family…"

Regina's food tasted like ash as she debated telling Kathryn the truth. She deserved to know that David was cheating on her and that she shouldn't be centering such big decisions around him. But at the same time, Regina knew that Kathryn would never be able to attend law school in Boston. The curse kept people from stumbling into Storybrooke and ruining her meticulously crafted world but it also kept the people of Storybrooke from leaving as well. She and Henry were the only exceptions – and now Emma, she figured. If Kathryn tried to leave, she could get hurt.

And Regina didn't want that.

But she also realized that Kathryn was going to get hurt either way. If she decided to put off law school and stay for David only for him to leave her for Mary Margaret, then she would have her heart broken twice over. And it would be worse if she found out that Regina knew and didn't say anything.

"Regina?" Kathryn asked, frowning. "Is something wrong?"

"Unfortunately," Regina replied, tucking her hair behind her ear. "The other day, I was looking over the area where we're putting the new playground when I spotted a couple locked in an intimate embrace."

Her friend tilted her head, looking even more confused. "Okay…"

Regina took a deep breath. "As I walked past to head to my car, I realized that it was Mary Margaret Blanchard…and she was kissing David."

"Oh," Kathryn said, sounding almost defeated. She seemed to deflate before Regina's eyes, her shoulders hunching over as she sighed.

Feeling guilty, Regina continued: "I debated whether to tell you but my heart told me that you deserved to know."

Kathryn reached out and took Regina's hand. "Your heart was right. And honestly, this isn't much of a surprise. Just a…disappointing confirmation."

"I'm sorry," Regina said, meaning every word. She was the one who set Kathryn up for this heartbreak by cursing her to be married to David to keep him away from Snow White. It honestly had been just a matter of time before he tried to get back to his wife.

True Love was a powerful force that could combat anything.

Well, almost anything.

"It's okay," Kathryn said. "We were honestly having problems before the accident. I hoped the accident would let us start with a blank slate but it didn't. Maybe this is for the best."

"You think so?" Regina asked, surprised.

Kathryn nodded. "We were…or at least I was…holding onto something that had broken long ago. Maybe it's time to let go and see if our happiness lies elsewhere."

"Like Boston? And law school?" Regina asked, afraid that she would lose her friend to the town line one way or another.

"Maybe," Kathryn replied before sighing. "I don't know. This throws that into doubt. I'll probably defer until next semester so I can properly end my marriage to David here."

Relief swept through Regina. She wouldn't have to worry about losing her friend just yet. "That sounds like a good idea. I'll help you find a good lawyer."

"You're the best," Kathryn told her. "But let's take it one step at a time. I need to talk to David first."

"Of course," Regina replied. "I'll be here for you, no matter what happens."

Kathryn gave her a grateful smile. "That means so much to me, Regina. And even if I get busy with the divorce, I'll still be there for you. Promise."

Warmth flooded through Regina and she smiled back. "Thank you so much."

"Now, let's put aside such depressing topics," Kathryn said, pulling her hands back. "Is there something happier we can talk about?"

Regina laughed and nodded, turning back to her meal. "Your choice."

As they ate, they discussed the upcoming Miner's Day festival and what they were looking forward to doing there. Regina started to relax and just enjoy having a friend, someone who just wanted to spend time with her because she wanted to, not because she wanted something from Regina.

It felt wonderful.

"What did you do?" Henry demanded, confronting her with a scowl as soon as she stepped into the house.

She paused as she slid out of her heels, trying to figure out what she could've done now. Looking up, she frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Everyone hates Miss Blanchard," he replied. "They are calling her mean things and say she destroyed the Nolans' marriage. What lies were you spreading to do that?"

Regina sighed. Kathryn had called her to tell her she had confronted David about his affair with Mary Margaret. He had confirmed it and she had thrown him out of the house. It seemed word had now gotten out in Storybrooke and Mary Margaret was declared the villain, which gave her some joy – she wasn't going to lie about that.

"I didn't tell any lies," Regina said, telling the truth.

Henry wasn't swayed. "People are saying you told Kathryn about David and Mary Margaret."

"I did," she replied, "but I didn't make anything up. I saw David and Mary Margaret kissing."

"And you told because you want to keep them apart! Because you know they are meant to be together!" He almost yelled that part, his face slowly turning red.

She gently gripped his shoulder. "Henry, I need you take a deep breath and then let it out slowly."

He pulled away from her but did as she said. Crossing his arms, he demanded that she answer him. "You can't change the topic forever," he told her.

Regina resisted the urge to tell that she could, knowing that was a childish response. She was the adult and needed to act like it. "My reason for telling Kathryn the truth wasn't because I wanted to keep David and Mary Margaret apart."

"Then why did you tell Kathryn?" he asked her, sounding like he didn't believe her.

"Because she's my friend and deserved to know the truth," Regina replied. "I didn't like having to hurt her but she told me it was better that she knew."

He still didn't look convinced but his eyes had softened from the harsh glare he had been giving her. She crouched to look him in the eyes. "I know you admire Ms. Blanchard, Henry, but what she and David did was wrong and the true victim here is Kathryn. And it's important to remember that."

"Even though Ms. Blanchard and David are meant to be?" Henry asked.

"Well, I think that's still to be seen," Regina replied, hoping the curse continued to hold and kept them apart. "And even if they are, it doesn't justify them hurting someone else."

Henry tilted his head. "Wouldn't you say the same about yourself?"

She frowned, not sure where he was going to go with this. "Excuse me?"

"You hurt everyone when you cast your curse so you could be happy," he pointed out.

Except I'm not very happy right now, she thought. But out loud she said: "I didn't cast any curse, Henry."

"You can't keep lying forever," he replied. "And you can't keep Snow White and Prince Charming apart. They are True Love and meant to be."

He then stalked off and she sighed, rubbing her neck. It was clear it was going to another long night.

Just perfect.

Regina's phone rang and she picked it up. "Hello?"

"Bad day?" Robin asked. His voice managed to calm her a little bit.

"Not until I got home," she admitted, heading to the kitchen to start preparing dinner for her and Henry.

He hummed. "Henry again?"

"Unfortunately," she replied. "He blames me for what's happening between Mary Margaret, David and Kathryn because I told Kathryn about them."

"She's your best friend, right? Of course you had to tell her. It wasn't fair to her," he said.

She was glad at least he was on her side. "I know. I just wanted to protect Kathryn but he's convinced I really just want to keep Mary Margaret and David apart."

Of course, part of her was doing that – the whole point of the curse was to prevent them from having their happy ending. But if she wasn't getting her happy ending anymore, did it matter if they got together?

"Why?" Robin asked.

"It's a long story," she replied. "But they're apparently the heroes and I'm the villain."

She opened the refrigerator, trying to decide what she was going to make as Robin responded. "You're not a villain."

"I'm starting to doubt that," she admitted. "Maybe I am."

"No, you're not," he replied firmly. "Don't let him get to you."

She sighed, closing the fridge. "I'm trying but he's my son. He's my whole world and I hate this tension between us."

"Of course you do," he said. "Maybe just give him a few more days to cool down?"

"I feel that's all I'm doing but he never cools down. He just gets more and more upset," she replied. She sighed. "I'm sorry. You probably didn't call so I could vent to you."

He chuckled. "It's okay. I'm always here if you need to vent."

"Thanks, Robin, but really, I need a topic change," she told him. "I also need something to make for dinner."

"Roland is obsessed with chicken noodle soup right now," he replied. "Maybe you can have that?"

She opened her cabinet and found a can of said soup waiting for her. Taking it as a sign, she grabbed it and thanked Robin. "That was a big help."

He chuckled. "Glad I could help with something."

"And once again, sorry to unload on you," she apologized, feeling bad as she heated up the soup. "How was your day?"

"Relatively boring," he replied. "You don't want to hear about it."

Pulling down two bowls, she said: "Boring sounds really wonderful right now. Please tell me."

He chuckled before telling her about his rather uneventful day at the station. There were no calls and so they mostly just cleaned. "I'm pretty sure that place is spotless now," he told her.

"Good," she replied. "I like things to be neat, orderly and clean."

"Then you would love our station," he said, chuckling.

She stirred the soup. "So what happened after work?"

"I slept," he replied. "Cleaning really tires a person out you know. And then I picked up Roland and we went to the park for a bit."

"That sounds like fun," she said, missing the days when she could just take Henry to the park and have a fun afternoon.

Those days were long gone and likely never coming back.

"It was," he said. "And now I'm making us some chicken cutlets for dinner while talking with you."

She smiled, pleased that at least someone wanted to talk to her at that moment. "I'm glad you are."

"And you know you can always call me," he told her. "I'm here if you ever need to talk."

"What about if you're on call?" she asked. "I wouldn't want you to miss helping someone because of me."

He paused. "What if I send you my schedule?"

"What?" she asked, surprised.

"If you have my schedule, you'll know when it's safe to call. How does that sound?" he asked.

She was touched by his offer and how much he wanted to share his life with her already. "Thank you."

There was some shuffling on his end and then he sighed. "Sorry, Regina, but my dinner is ready. I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow sounds great," she replied, ending the call. She took a deep breath and then called Henry down for their own dinner.

Hopefully, she could get through it without crying or breaking something. And maybe one day soon, she would figure out how to get through to her son and get back to what they once had.

Maybe.

A/N: Here's the third chapter! Robin has met Henry, who is suspicious of his mother's new "friend." And we get a little more of Regina's friendship with Kathryn as well. She needs someone to gush about her new man to, right?

Though it looks like helping out her friend might have made things worse with her son. Will Regina ever catch a break?

Stay tuned to find out!

See you next week!

-Mac