10 years before…
Rushing down the street, Robin kept a tight grip on the garment bag he'd thrown over his shoulder. He'd just picked up his cap and gown for the graduation ceremony and he couldn't keep the smile off his face. One more week and he'd finally graduate from high school.
Though a part of him was feeling nostalgic about Storybrooke, more of him was excited about all the things to come once he left. He'd be going to college. It was just a state school, barely two hours from the town where he grew up but still he was the first in his family to go. His dad couldn't be more proud of him, saying so whenever he got the chance.
He just hoped his father was equally excited about the next big step he'd be taking.
Robin knew they were young, he knew it was crazy but he also knew there would be no girl more made for him than Regina Mills. She was smart and funny, sexy as the devil. But most importantly she made him want to be better than he was. Every time he looked into her brown eyes all he could think about was how much he wanted to give her the world.
That's why he wanted to marry her.
He was going to ask her after graduation. While everyone else celebrated he'd steal her away, take her to the lake where they spent their nights, get down on one knee and ask her to spend the rest of their lives together.
He knew he should be more nervous, that he should be more worried about what she would say, what their futures would look like but he wasn't. Everytime he thought about it, he just felt more certain. Regina Mills was his future.
He just hoped his father agreed.
Walking through the door of the family bar, he found the place empty as ever but that was unsurprising for a Thursday afternoon.
"You're late."
A voice called out from behind the bar and he saw his father standing there wiping down glasses. Practically a mirror of his son, they both carried the same sandy brown hair and dimpled cheeks, the only difference being the stern look the older man had etched onto his face.
"Pretty sure they won't teach punctuality at college," he chided.
"That's okay," replied Robin, shrugging his shoulders, a grin still on his face. "I've still got plenty of time to learn it from you."
His father tried to remain stern but his face cracked into a smile at his son's wit.
Robert Locksely was a hard, sturdy man who could melt at any moment. He'd gone to war, been through hell, could handle himself in a fight and wasn't afraid of anything or anyone. He was also the first person to laugh at a stupid pun and the last to lift his hand in violence unless necessary. Growing up Robin couldn't have asked for a better father.
"Sorry I'm late, dad," he apologized. "I had to pick up my cap and gown."
"Oh yeah?" Robert smiles. "How's it look?"
"Exactly the same as everyone else's," says Robin, rolling his eyes and taking a seat at the bar. "Just like a blue garbage bag."
"Well I'll be taking fifty pictures of you in that garbage bag just so you know," said Robert.
Throwing his head back, Robin groaned. "Really dad? C'mon…"
"Hell yeah I'm taking pictures," he replied, a grin appearing on his face. "It's your high school graduation. I won't get another chance to be this proud of you until you graduate college. And on that day I'm taking even more pictures."
Flashing his dimples, Robin laughed at his father's pride. He might joke about it but it felt good to see his Dad in such good spirits. He'd been more than a little lethargic lately.
Reaching for another glass, Robert let out a wistful breath. "You know your mother would've been so happy to know you were going to school."
"I know," Robin softly agreed, turning a little solemn.
His mother had died when he was ten years old. Car accident on a rainy night, there'd been no one to blame but fate. When it happened he'd felt like his whole world shattered. He'd had no idea how they were gonna make it but his father had kept things together. Made sure the house was still running, that the bar was okay and still somehow finding the time to make sure Robin knew that he could always count on him. He'd never understand how he'd been able to do all that.
Clearing his throat, wiped his palms against his jeans. "Speaking of Mom, I kinda wanted to talk to you about something."
Stifling a cough, Robert raised his eyebrows curiously. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah," said Robin. "I've been doing some thinking about me and my future and I…"
He trailed off, knitting his eyebrows together curiously as his father launched into a coughing fit. "Dad are you alright?"
Robert waved him off still coughing into the sleeve of his shirt. "I'm fine son. What did you want to… talk about?"
He pressed for his son to continue but Robin just watched wide-eyed as his father's coughing fit grew worse, shaking his whole body, echoing through the bar. "Dad?"
Still coughing and gasping for air Robert just shook his head before falling to his knees behind the bar, his mouth still smothered into the crook of his arm. In a flash Robin was out of his seat, running behind the bar to kneel at his father's side. Concern in his eyes, he rested a hand on his father's back waiting for his fit to subside.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft with fear. Kneeling next to him, he took a good look at his father face, taking in details that had previously gone unnoticed. Details like the dark circles under his eyes and the thinness of his cheeks. Rubbing his hand down his father's back he realized that his shoulders bone felt more prominent than they used to do.
"I'm alright Robin. I'm fine," his father said in a gravelly voice, as he lowered his arm.
But Robin wasn't listening to him. He was too busy staring at the crook of his father's arm. At the patches of blood that had started to sink into the fabric of his shirt. For a moment he thought his father must've cut himself on the counter. Then he realized… the blood was there because he coughed it up.
His father looked up at him, his blue eyes screaming with guilt and sadness.
Throat growing tight, Robin spoke, his voice coming out small and scared. "...Dad?"
"Son there is, uh, there's something I should tell you."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
David Nolan had loved high school.
It wasn't the best time of his life but he'd be lying if he said it hadn't ranked pretty high. He'd been captain of the football team, had dozens of friends and even met the love of his life in his freshman math class.
For all these reasons and more, he'd been psyched for the reunion. It was a chance to catch up with all his old friends and relive some of the glory days. Last night's kick-off event at the bar had been a success and he was looking forward to the women vs. men softball event taking place that day.
Of course, he couldn't say the same for his cousin Robin.
Even from across the room he'd seen what happened. Regina Mills, ghost of ex-girlfriends past, had materialized right in his cousin's face.
He had to admit he was surprised. From what he'd heard Regina had a decent life in Boston and he hadn't expected her to come back to town ever, let alone for their high school reunion. After what happened between her Robin who could blame her.
A part of him still couldn't believe that Robin had been so stupid as to let her go but it made sense.
The two of them hadn't exactly been close growing up or in high school but after his Uncle Robert sick things changed. He and his parents had done everything possible to make things easier for Robin and his father. Then when he died, they were all he had left.
It was after Robert's funeral that Robin revealed what he'd done. He'd been piss drunk that night, crying, mourning his father and wishing for the one person in the world who might've actually been able to make him feel better. Shame, he'd already pushed her away by then. When the morning came and his sobriety return David tried to convince him to go after her but Robin stone solid in his resolve. It was too late.
And he could only imagine what seeing her must've felt like the night before.
After everyone had left and the bar had closed up he'd tried to talk to him about but Robin refused. He just said things were what they were and that he didn't want to go to the softball game the next day. He'd said there was no point.
He'd still allowed them to take Roland along though.
As he and his wife, Mary-Margaret, pulled up to the softball field he smiled back at his six-year-old "nephew" in the backseat. "Alright buddy! Are you ready for the game?"
His question yielded immediate cheers from Roland and Mary-Margaret, both of them shaking the poms in their hand colored with Storybrooke team colors.
The three of them exited the car to find the softball field teeming with alumni all dressed in their high school colors. David immediately spotted a few of his old buddies stretching out on the field preparing for the game. Hand over his head, he waved to them not watching where he was going. Out of nowhere another body crashed into his.
Immediately he started to apologize profusely before realizing who he'd run into.
"Regina," he breathed, staring down at her.
"David," she mumbled looking back at him, surprised. "Um… good to see you."
He softly agreed, leaning down to give her an awkward hug hello. Releasing her, he let out a stiff breath as Mary-Margaret greeted her with an enthusiastic hello. While they shared a much more relaxed hug, David looked her over silently noting that age agreed with her. She looked different, older but even more beautiful than before. Happier even.
"So…" she ventured, gesturing toward the two of them. "I heard you guys got married. Congratulations. I'm not surprised at all."
"Nobody was," laughed Mary-Margaret, beaming up at her husband. They'd been together since freshman year and had been connected at the hip all through high school. When they'd gotten married two years after graduation all anyone had said was that "it was about damn time."
"I am surprised to see your son though. Nobody told me about that," she said smiling down at Roland, who shyly ducked behind his uncle's leg.
"Oh," mumbled David, reaching down to lift Roland up and set him on his hip. "He's not ours. He's uh…"
"He's Robin's son," Mary-Margaret stated, trying to rip off the band-aid as quickly as possible.
As soon as Robin's name was mentioned, he saw her go breathless. Her lips parting in awe, as her eyes widened taking another look at the six-year-old in his arms. He knew she was noticing the dimples in his cheeks and the curl of his hair, the only attributes his father could rightly claim.
"Oh, well, that explains why nobody told me." She tries to laugh it off but it's clear she's become uncomfortable. Possibly, even a little hurt.
As if things couldn't get more awkward, a wave of boldness suddenly strikes his nephew.
"You know my Daddy?" he asks.
Regina forces a smile to her before nodding. "I did… a long, long time ago."
The group is silent for a beat, all three of them unsure on how to proceed now that Robin's name has been mentioned. Thankfully, his wife gracefully takes the lead.
"So how have you been?" she asks Regina. "I heard you moved to Boston."
"I did," said Regina, nodding enthusiastic. "It just felt like the best place to be after I graduated college. I found a job in the city and things are going pretty well right now."
"That's good," replies David, genuinely pleased to hear that she's doing well. Knowing that she's alright helps to assuage some the vicarious guilt swelling up in his chest. "Is there anything else new going on with you?"
A smile spreads across Regina's face. "Well…"
"Mom!"
As if out of nowhere a boy runs up and joins their group. Immediately Regina wraps her arm around his shoulders. "Hey now what's the rush?"
A grin appears on Mary-Margaret's face. "Mom? Oh my god, is this your son?"
"Yes he is," said Regina, nodding her head proudly. "This is Henry."
"Oh like after your father," David says, looking down at him curiously.
Regina's son waves up at them and says hello, clearly a little bit bored. He's got the same black hair as her with a pair of round hazel eyes and an angular nose. Already reaching her hip, he's pretty tall for his age which David assumes is older than Roland. Taller than any other kid at the field, in fact.
Looking up at his mother, he asks. "Can I have five dollars for the snack bar? I want a hot dog."
"Sure I'll go with you," she says.
Henry looks up at her, an almost preteen look of annoyance on his face. "You don't have to come with me, you know. I'm nine-years-old, I can make it to the snack bar and back on my own."
Regina's jaw drops in feigned shock. "For the record mister, I am coming because I want an ice cream cone. Not everything's about you," she quips, sending a wink his way.
"Okay," laughs Henry, rolling his eyes, clearly not believing her.
Still chuckling, she pats his shoulder before turning back to her old friends. "Well I gotta go. It was good to see you guys."
"Good to see you too," David mumbled, the gears in his head slowly turning.
Watching them walk off Mary-Margaret hums thoughtfully. "They look cute together."
"Yeah they do…" he mumbled. Turning to his wife, he curiously tilts his head. "How old did Henry just say he was?"
"He said he was nine," she said nonchalantly. Her smile dips as the math suddenly hits. "Oh my god… he said he was nine."
"Nine," David repeats, feeling his heart start to race.
Their eyes widen at the same time and he knows that they've come to the same conclusion. As calmly as possible he passes Roland off to her and tells her to find a seat in the bleachers while he makes a quick phone call.
He's certain that he's never dialed a number as fast he dials Robin. After three long rings his cousin finally picks up.
"Hey Robin, look I know you didn't want to come to the game but you have to get down here…. I know that you don't want to see her but you have to…. Because she showed up here with a son and I think he might be yours."