A year and a half year before…

Sitting behind the desk in her new office, 26-year-old Regina Mills thought of all the things she had in her life. She'd just gotten promoted to junior partner at her law firm. Three months ago she'd signed the lease to an amazing two bedroom apartment downtown and in two weeks she'd have her 27th birthday. Mal had already spilled the beans that Ursula and Carlotta were flying in for the weekend. Some days it felt like she had absolutely everything… but other days it was painfully clear that she didn't.

"I'm sorry Regina."

She looked up from her desk, into the apologetic blue eyes of her social worker, Daniel Colter. His tone was regretful as he informed her that the pregnant teen she'd met the week before hadn't chosen her to adopt her baby.

"She thought you were amazing," he insisted. "She just thought…"

"That some other family was better," she finished, disappointed. Sucking in a sharp breath, she straightened her back and forced her lips into a smile. "No it's fine, I understand. I'd be a young single mother… it's a tough sell."

Daniel tilted his head at her, curiosity in his eyes. He'd known her for a few months now and Regina knew that had more than a few questions about her. Ones that couldn't be answered by flipping through her file. Leaning back in his seat he studied her face. "Regina?"

"Yes?"

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you taking this route?" he asked. "Every parent I come across will launch, unprompted, into an essay of why they want to take a child in. Tell me tales of fertility troubles, personal reasons why they want to adopt. You haven't done that and it's left me wondering why a woman so young and successful, would choose to do something so difficult when there are easier ways to get what she wants."

Regina kept a smile on her face but dropped her eyes to her desk to avoid his gaze. She liked Daniel, perhaps more than she'd allow him to know but that didn't mean she was willing to share with him the pain of her past. After all, how do you talk to a virtual stranger about feeling someone grow beneath your skin, wondering what they'll look like, who they'll grow into? How do you explain the devastating realization that knowing that person and watching them grow wasn't in their best interest or yours? And the absolute reluctance to relive the beginning of that story even when you know the ending might be completely different?

Instead she just smiled and shook her head. "I don't know. I've just had this feeling deep inside that the child I'm meant to have isn't supposed to come from me. I'm not meant to make them, I'm meant to find them. And I will, I just have to be patient."

Daniel nodded, acceptingly. Finally, he had an answer that made sense.

"I understand," he said. "And you're right you will find them. I will help you find the baby that's meant to be your child."

"Thank you," she softly replied.

A few seconds later her secretary knocked on the door. "Excuse me Mr. Colter but I think your guest is growing a little impatient."

Before she even finished her sentence a small boy with brown floppy hair and hazel eyes snuck in from behind her. Walking up to Daniel's chair he asked, impatiently, "How much longer are we gonna stay here?"

"Not much longer," sighed Daniel, pulling his lips into a reassuring smile. "Just give me a few more minutes with Miss Mills and we'll be on our way. Okay, Henry?"

The young boy frowned. "I'm hungry."

"You know if you want I'm sure there's a tray of cookies in the breakroom," chimed in Regina.

It was then that the boy looked at her. She looked into his hazel eyes and something inside her shifted, like her heart was tugged right in his direction.

"Are they chocolate chip?" he softly asked.

Regina smiled. "Every single one."

Pressing his lips together, he looked to Daniel for permission. Daniel nodded. "Go ahead."

Watching him walk toward the door, Regina called out, "What was your name again?"

He turned back to her. "Henry."

She let out a small breath, as her smiled widened. "That's my dad's name."

Henry just shrugged, clearly more focused on cookies. "Cool."

As he walked out her door, led to the breakroom by her assistant, Regina watched him go, unable to tear her eyes away from him. "Um… do you often bring your wards on business?"

Daniel shook his head, chuckling a little. "Henry's a special case."

"Oh?" Regina raised her eyebrows, intrigued. "How so?"

"Well, Henry was one of my first cases actually," he elaborated. "I placed him in a home a few days after he was born but the parents died in an accident two years later. "

"Really?" breathed Regina. "Why hasn't anyone adopted him yet?"

Daniel shrugs, helplessly blowing out a frustrated breath. "It's been five years and I must've placed him a dozen homes since then hoping lightning would strike twice but there's always something. Loss of income, divorces… it just never works out for him."

"That's awful," whispered Regina, her heart aching for him.

"You know the worst part is I think he's losing hope," lamented Daniel. "I told him I have to take him to a new group home today and he didn't even flinch. It was like he expected it."

Regina pressed her lips together. Through her office door, she could see Henry in the breakroom eating a chocolate chip cookie. A spot of chocolate had gotten stuck to the side of his lips and he was trying to lick it away as her assistant laughed. It blew her mind that there was no one out there for him. Or perhaps there was?

She thoughtfully tapped her fingers against her desk before bringing her eyes back to Daniel. "Hey… I know that when we started this I said that I only wanted a baby but if I branched out would that make things a little easier?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Standing in her old room putting on her make up for the evening, Regina thought back to her senior prom. It was the first dance she ever went to. She'd tried so hard to be above it all but in truth, she got swept up in it as soon as she put on that floor length gown. She'd felt pretty and happy and loved. And all those feelings had more to do with the boy on her arm than the dress she was wearing.

Seeing Robin so much these past three days had cracked a dam inside of her. All weekend old thoughts and feelings had been trickling through. Pain, guilt, secrets - they were all fighting to get out and she knew she was helpless to stop them. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that it was only for one more day. All she had to do was get through this goodbye dance and tomorrow night she and Henry would be headed back to the city. Everything would be behind her again.

"Do you really need all that makeup?"

Mouth agape, she turned in her chair to face Henry as he sat on her bed, half watching her get ready, half playing space invaders on his GameBoy. "Yes I need it, young man. We're not all baby-faced like you."

He snickered turning his attention back to the game with a shrug. "I think you look pretty without it."

She rolled her eyes to hide her flattery. "Thank you sweetheart."

Turning back she watched him through the mirror as he laid out on her bed.

"So why are you guys having a dance anyway?" he asked.

"Because somebody thought it would be nice, I guess," she sighed, sweeping a rose blush onto her cheeks. "A fun way to relive the glory days."

Henry hummed, unimpressed. Setting down his game, he narrowed his eyes at her. "Will Robin be there?"

Reaching for her lipstick, she paused. "Maybe… I haven't thought about it but, yeah, he'll probably be there."

She hoped that would be the end of his questioning but of course, she wouldn't be that lucky. "If he's there are you gonna dance with him?"

Her heart thudded in chest. That was a loaded question if she'd ever heard one. "I don't know," she floundered. "Maybe, if he asks me."

Henry stared at her for a moment. "Do you like Robin? I mean like like him."

Regina's breath caught in her throat as she shook her head. "No, of course not."

"You're lying." Henry's words came out blunt and angry, stunning her with their harshness.

She stared at him with wide eyes. "Henry…"

"No you said you wouldn't lie to me and now you're lying, I can tell!"

Hurt flickers in his hazel eyes and she softens. It had been one of their rules when he first came to stay with her. No lying. Not from either of them. She sighed, reaching out for his hand. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Still hesitant, he reluctantly took her hand and she turned in her chair to face him better. Hesitating for a moment, squeezed his hand tight. "The truth is when we were in high school Robin and I used to date."

Henry's face twisted up. "You mean he was like your boyfriend?"

"Yeah." Regina nodded. "And for a long time that meant he was very important to me but… things changed. I moved away and he stopped being a part of my life. So seeing him has made me feel a little weird and I think maybe you picked up on that at the lake."

"Maybe," mumbled Henry, shrugging his shoulders. "But if he was important before doesn't that mean he could be important again?"

If only he knew how much she'd been asking herself that very question. Every time she did the answer varied but one part of it never changed.

She smiled, reaching up to cup his cheek. "He'll never be as important as you."

Henry's lips pulled into a smile, signaling that he was reassured. Softly chuckling, she stood to press a kiss to his forehead. "Love you baby."

"Love you, mama."

Later on when Henry went downstairs to start a movie marathon with her father she would sit back down in front of the mirror and stare at her reflection. She'd been doing that a lot lately, looking at her face and trying to come to terms with the realization that it was now the face of a mother. It was an old habit. One she'd fallen into years ago when she carried a child she no longer speaks of. Back then the thought of being a mother had seemed so completely foreign and impossible but now she welcomes this new facet of her identity. Being Henry's mother is exactly who she was meant to be. She knows that. And once she returns to Boston she'll finally be able to properly revel in it again, without fighting the need to battle old ghosts.

Once again reaching for her lipstick, Regina silently resolved to get through the evening without incident. She'd dance, she'd have fun and laugh. And once it was over she'd leave town, her secrets still intact, her son tucked under her arm and Robin Locksely firmly in her rearview mirror… just as it should be.

Unfortunately for her, the dance would be more emotional than she'd hope for.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave any reviews, reactions or theories you have!