A/N: Welcome back!
Mornings in Storybrooke were always beautiful. No matter the weather, no matter the season it was impossible not to enjoy the stillness that fell across the town in its early hours. Even if the night that preceded it was less than a dream.
Regina had woken up before anyone else that morning. After peeking in on Henry and her father, she'd gone to the bathroom to find her eyes puffy and red-rimmed. Reminders of her argument with Robin. She'd tried not to dwell on it - rinsing her face with cold water and moving on to her tea - but she knew it'd be a long while before she got over what happened.
Sitting on the porch of her childhood home, a rapidly-cooling mug of tea in her hands, Regina thought back to the night she'd had just hours ago. The screaming accusations she and Robin had hurled at each other, the tears that had run down her cheeks and truths that had finally come to light. It all seemed so… loud. Especially in the quiet hours of the morning.
Why had she told him the truth? Why did her tell her his? Why had these unpleasant realities chosen this particular weekend to rear their ugly heads?
Looking back, she supposed it was inevitable. She'd vowed a long time ago never to tell Robin about their baby but the minute she saw his face that first night back, she'd known he'd find out somehow. The question was… how does she move forward now that the truth is out?
As she took another sip of her tea, she sees a car coming down the road. Even from a distance she can see that it's Mal's Prius. Silently, she prays that her eyes still aren't as puffy as they feel.
After pulling into the driveway, Mal steps out of the car, sunglasses still on and a thermos full of what Regina knows is black coffee. Yawning, she brushes her blond hair away from her face and nods to her.
"You look like shit."
"Thank you so much," Regina sarcastically replies.
Mal is not a morning person. It's one of the few things about her that hasn't changed in all their years of friendship. So Regina allows her a snide comment or two, knowing the only reason she would get up this early is to lend support.
Mal sits next to hear, groaning as she lowers herself onto the creaky porch steps. "Take it you had a rough night?"
Regina shook her head. "It certainly wasn't the best, no." Trying to change the subject, she brought up the other half of their quartet. "Where are Ursula and Carlotta?"
"Banished," Mal replied, with a smirk. "Ursula called and told me how chatty Carlotta got with Robin at the dance. I suggested they disappear before you got a hold of them. They took off half an hour ago."
Regina chuckled, wryly. "Yeah well, they can run but they can't hide."
With all the emotions swirling about her the night before, she hadn't really processed the fact that Ursula and Carlotta were the ones to tell Robin about her pregnancy. She was sure that one day she'd find it in her to be angry about that betrayal. At the moment it was hardly her top priority.
Mal anxiously tapped the side of her thermos. "So… how'd he take it?"
"Not well," Regina softly replied. As the sun continued to rise over the horizon, she told Mal everything that had happened after she'd gone to confront Robin. Her letting out all the feelings she's held in since their breakup, him asking about the baby, not believing her when she finally told him. The whole time Mal listened with wide eyes, silently absorbing everything she said. When there was nothing more to tell, her lips parted with awe. "Wow…"
"Yeah…"
Pausing for a beat, Mal asked. "How do you feel?"
"I can't even begin to answer that." Regina pressed her lips together, trying to take stock of all her emotions. "Last night I felt angry and sad but now… I think I'm just numb from it all."
Mal nodded understandingly. "Think you'll talk to him again?"
Regina's head whipped toward her as she scoffed. "Why? So I can have one last screaming match for the road?"
"Of course not. I'm just don't think either of you got what you needed last night," she reasoned.
"What I needed?"
"Yes," Mal insisted. "You both had huge reactions but were either of you really listening to what that had to say? I mean, you were emotional and he was drinking. After everything that's come out, is that really how you want the conversation to end?"
"I didn't even want the conversation to start, Mal." Regina huffed, growing irritated. "I never wanted him to know anything."
"Well, he does now and you can't change that." Checking the time, she sighed. "Look, we leave here this afternoon. If you never want to talk to Robin again, that's your business. But you've got a little over seven hours before we head out. If there was ever a time to bury this particular hatchet… it's now."
Regina sighed, dropping her gaze down to the tea in her hands. Last night was one of the worst of her life but she still couldn't shake the feeling that she'd left things unfinished. It'd taken her ten years to allow herself to even get near Robin. Did she want to take another decade to talk to him again?
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The sun warmed Robin's cheek as he sat by the kitchen window watching his son devour a bowl of Coco Puffs. Two pieces of buttered toast sat on the plate in front of him but he hadn't taken a single bite. His appetite vanished after last night.
Though he was still and silent in the face of his four year old, Robin was still shaken up over his fight with Regina. And all the revelations that came with it.
When he'd woken up that morning, he felt like a stranger in his own reality. All those years he spent building a life - getting married, having a son, maintaining a business - he'd lost a child without knowing it. The realization put questions marks on every aspect of his life.
If he'd known about the baby what would've changed? Would he still be here in this house, in this town living this life? Would he still have fallen in love with Marian five years ago? Would their son have even been born?
Roland slurps up the leftover chocolate milk from his cereal, leaving a brown milk mustache over his upper lip. Robin smirks, amused. Seconds later, he wonders if the child Regina lost would've liked Coco Puffs? Or chocolate milk?
What would they have looked like? What would've been their name? Who could they have been?
And how much of his life could've been undone or improved by their existence?
"Papa, why are you staring?"
Pulled back into the moment, Robin shook his head. "No reason, son."
Roland narrowed his eyes, pushing back his now empty bowl. "Grandma Ruth says it's rude to stare."
"Grandma Ruth is right. I'm sorry," he grumbled with a sigh, rubbing his hand against his eye. They were still dry after the tears and vodka from last night.
"Papa are you okay? You look sad."
Robin tried to force a smile to his face but could tell by the look in Roland's eyes that it was a losing battle. Instead, he dropped his chin into his hand and shrugged. "I'm okay, son. I just didn't have a very good night."
Roland tilted his head thoughtfully before hopping out of his chair and wrapping his arms around his father's middle, squeezing him tight. "Do you feel better now? Grandma Ruth says that hugs chase away sadness."
Robin's heart stuttered at his son's innocent display of compassion. He yearned to live in a world as simple as Roland's. One where grief and sadness could be thwarted with just an earnest hug from a child who loved you. Unfortunately, he left that world a long time ago.
He pulled Roland into his lap and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You're a sweet kid, you know that?" Running his fingers through his son's curls, he allowed himself a genuine smile. "I'm really glad I have you."
Giving him another kiss, he sent him to get ready for his trip to the zoo with David and Mary-Margaret. His cousin and in-law were always keen to take his son off his hands. Normally he would welcome it but he knew getting through today would be that much harder without Roland around to take his mind off things.
Two hours later, he dropped his son off at David's house. On the way back he tried to mentally go through all the projects he'd been putting off at home. Painting the window panes, clearing the gutters, power cleaning the driveway. He'd do it all as long as it kept his mind off-
"Regina?"
His grip on the steering wheel tightened when he pulled into his driveway and saw her waiting on his porch. Before he even caught his breath, her eyes locked with his through the windshield. A part of him wanted to hit the reverse right then. Back out of the driveway and disappear into the horizon. Maybe he would have if not for the look on her face.
Sighing, he put his truck in park. Cowardice wasn't an option today.
It was time to face her.
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