I'm so sorry for the delay, but I don't have any excuses, other than I was drawing and watching rom-coms, but not good excuses. Please send feedback and I hope you enjoy!

I never knew how something so precious could represent someone so evil. Leo was nothing like Leopold, and I'm going to make sure of that, as he grows up here. And the only way I can do that is to become friends with Mary Margaret, so I can spend time around him. Maybe I could tolerate her for long enough to be with little Leo. I'm afraid he has me wrapped around his finger already.

Mary Margaret is going back to the school next week to introduce her students to Leo, and then she'll go back to teaching. Maybe Leo could use some company.

I zipped up my tight black dress and checked my reflection in my mirror. I sat down at my vanity and put a pair of small, sparkly amethyst earrings in. I swept my hair back over my shoulders and stood back up, pulling on my black heels.

Mary Margaret was just pulling up in her car, and I nearly gagged. I hope that driving with her is worth it to see Leo for an extra few minutes. I walked down the walkway and climbed into the passenger seat of her car. The interior of her car is much worse than the exterior, and I didn't hesitate to tell her that, while turning around in my seat to see Leo wiggling in his car seat.

"You're just jealous you're car doesn't look this nice," Mary Margaret said at my insults. I chuckled.

"No, I'm just rather nervous that Leo has to endure a vehicle as horrible as this one."

"Well, if you're offering, I'll take your car then," she quipped. I laughed.

"I'm definitely not offering." She rolled her eyes mockingly. I turned back to the infant in the back. I played with him until I felt the car decelerate and stop. I climbed out of the car and opened the door to get Leo and his plastic carrier.

"Here, I can take that," Mary Margaret said, grappling onto the carrier. I let her take that, while I held Leo. He was wearing a pair of jeans with an elastic waistband, and a t-shirt with a lion printed onto it. He looked adorable in anything, but he looked especially cute in anything with a lion. I told him how handsome he was while following Mary Margaret into the diner and to a booth.

I slid into the booth with Leo still bouncing in my arms. Mary Margaret put his carrier beside me, nodding her head towards it. I got the hint and wrapped his blanket around him as I laid him down in the carrier.

"Thank you for agreeing to dinner with me, and thank you so much for taking care of him," Mary Margaret gushed.

"It was no trouble," I brushed off. She didn't see eye to eye with me, apparently. She went on about how she hasn't got out much since she got Leo, and I kept telling her to stop thanking me.

"You're going back to school next Tuesday?"

"Yeah, sadly. I don't think I'll be able to let him go."

"Maybe I could look after him in my office."

"You can do that?"

"As long as he isn't disturbing a meeting, then yes. I don't see why not." I turned to Leo. "Yeah, if your mother agrees, you can come to work with me when she's working." Mary Margaret swooned over us both, an action that didn't go unnoticed by me. I can tell she's getting used to a softer version of myself.

"Of course. I don't think I trust anyone else with him."

"Why?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Why do you trust me? What made you trust me?"

"You're so good with him, and the only other person who can hold him without him crying the whole time. I've seen how good you are with him, and I have no doubt that you can keep him safe." I smirked to stop a grin.

"I'm not surprised. You love me, don't you, bud," I said to him, running a finger over his cheek. His eyes lit up before he started grinning at me. Someone finally came over to take our drink orders, and Mary Margaret whipped out a bottle of milk from her diaper bag.

"Can you pass him over to me?" I nodded and slid the carrier carefully over the table to her waiting hands. She cooed to him and offered a bottle of milk to him. He started drinking immediately. She smiled down at him.

"Are you ready to go back to school?" Mary Margaret snapped her head back up.

"Oh yeah, I've missed my students. I just don't want to leave Leo, even if I know he's in great hands." I nodded.

"I can't imagine the feeling, parting with a child you just received, even only for a few hours."

"It's awful," Mary Margaret complained. "I nearly didn't go out with Ruby and Ashley when you babysat for him."

I was about to say something, when the woman came back with our waters.

"What can I get you," she asked in a sickly high voice.

"Lasagne," I said.

"Mac and cheese," Mary said, more kindly than I did. The waitress cooed at the baby before retreating back to the kitchen. I heard Leo whine and fuss, while I smirked. She wasn't kidding when I was the only stranger he was good for.

"I'm not sure how this slipped my mind, but how many months is he?"

"Leo is a month and a half," she said proudly. I beamed back at her, then turned to Leo in his carrier and grinned.

We ate our dinner with a steady conversation flowing, and I held Leo when we finished and talked. I didn't see how time had slipped past us when my gaze flicked to the neon clock near the kitchen.

"We should get going, I'm guessing Leo isn't going to be very happy if we stay out much longer." Mary Margaret turned in her seat and gasped.

"Oh god, I wasn't expecting to be out this late. I guess we should get going." I nodded and watched Mary Margaret fish around in her jeans pockets. I smirked and reached into my purse, threw a twenty dollar bill onto the table, and stood up.

"Regina, don't be silly. I invited you, I'm paying," Mary Margaret said. I knew I wouldn't win, so I sighed and withdrew my money. Mary Margaret pulled out her wallet and dropped money onto the table.

"Okay, let's go." Mary Margaret picked up Leo's carrier and led me to her car. Leo's eyelids were drooping and he was yawning. I chuckled and held his little fist in my hands, running my finger over the back of his hand. He didn't laugh like he usually did, he just smiled sleepily.

"Oh, we have to get you home, hey bud," Mary Margaret spoke, pulling him out of the carrier and transferring him to the car seat. I hopped into the front seat once I knew she didn't need any help, and Mary Margaret climbed into her seat and twisted her keys in the ignition.

"I had a really fun time tonight," Mary Margaret said earnestly.

"I did too."

"Would you mind if…I asked you to come to dinner with me again?"

"As long as Leo comes along," I said. She laughed.

"Of course." I smiled mildly. "You're actually quite pleasant to talk to. I don't know what everyone's thinking." My eyebrow quirked.

"Excuse me?" She slowly flushed a deep red.

"It's just…some people don't really-"

"-Spare me the details, dear. I know I'm not very lenient or pleasant to be around or anything. I believe that title belongs to you." She flushed an even deeper shade of red and her hands shuddered slightly on the wheel. I grinned.

"I think everyone's wrong about you. You just don't want to show it."

"I'm afraid you're wrong. This is me, and only me."

"I don't think so," Mary Margaret said cryptically. I knew exactly what that tone of her voice meant. That was the voice she used as a child when she wanted to find out something. I didn't pay attention to it, because her inquiries and questions are of no concern to me. I wasn't lying when I said that I'm nothing more than unpleasant and cold.

Mary Margaret pulled up to the curb and sighed.

"Would you like to do dinner with us next Wednesday? We can go to a fancier place, if you like. I can pick you up at seven?" she asked. I smiled at 'us.'

"I'd love to. We can still go to Granny's if you still aren't sure about bringing him to a fancier restaurant." I turned to Leo. "It's a date," I said sweetly. He was asleep in his seat but smiling softly.

I got out of the car and walked up the path, stealing a final glance at the station wagon before unlocking my door. My house was quiet and lonely. It'd be nice to have a child of my own causing havoc in my house. At least it wouldn't be boring.

I picked up Leo from Mary Margaret's place early Tuesday morning to bring him to my office. When I knocked on her door, I could here Mary talking to herself, accompanied with the sound of frantic feet flying around the apartment. I knocked louder once more, and checked the doorknob. Unlocked. I shrugged and strode into the apartment.

Mary Margaret was in nothing but a towel, hair still wet and a toothbrush in her mouth. She threw papers into her bag and checked on Leo every few seconds. I cleared my throat, and she turned around like I caught her doing something she shouldn't. She gasped.

"Oh my god," she said, blushing wildly, before scurrying into the bathroom. I chuckled and heard her wet towel fall to the floor, and more rustling. She came out with a bathrobe on.

"Sorry, I thought you would be…decent." She chuckled and went back into the bathroom. The sink turned on and off, then the toothbrush was gone from her mouth.

"Anyways, thank you for doing this. You're such a big help, you have no idea. Can you do me another favour? Leo needs a changing, and then if you can get him dressed, that would be amazing." I nodded and picked Leo up out of his plastic carrier. I took him upstairs and changed him. After, I dressed Leo up in a pair of black sweatpants and a plain red sweater. He could wear a plastic bag and still look adorable. I heard her hairdryer turn on when we descended the stairs. I dressed Leo up in a pair of black sweatpants and a plain red sweater. He could wear a plastic bag and still look adorable.

"Mary Margaret, does Leo need anything else?"

"No, thank you. He should have anything he needs in his diaper bag." Mary Margaret came back out of the bathroom, fully dressed. "Thank you so much." She turned to Leo and grinned wider. "I'll see you later, mister monkey." She kissed him on both his cheeks, then laid him down into the carrier again.

"Alright, you'll pick him up at three thirty?" I confirmed.

"You got it," she said. "See you two later," she called, before we left.

I strapped Leo into the booster Mary Margaret gave me and set off to town hall. When we parked, I heard him fuss a little bit.

"Are you hungry," I asked him. He calmed down a little bit, but still whined quietly. I chuckled and pulled him out of his seat and put him in the stroller. I set it up with ease and rolled him into the building.

My receptionist cocked an eyebrow, but lit up when Leo grinned.

"Is this Leo Blanchard?"

"Yes," I confirmed. She walked around the desk and over to him, and he burst into tears immediately. I smiled pathetically and wheeled him into the office.

Throughout the day, I rocked the stroller, fed him, and when I found a break, took him for a walk around the neighbourhood. I wish this could be my life every day. Maybe it could be somehow, in the future. I could have a child, it could be possible. I just have to sell my soul to the devil and pray for forgiveness, then maybe I might have a chance.