A/N: Hey guys! This is a really short chapter but school has started and that means I'm going to be a little slow on updates. I didn't want to leave you hanging after the cliffhanger though. So I hope you enjoy!

Standing in the kitchen across from Robin having spoken the words she'd promised never to utter Regina felt a ten-pound weight of guilt lift off her chest. Unfortunately, it was immediately replaced by the fifty-pounds of uncertainty that now pressed down on her shoulders. The truth, well some of the truth, was out. Like the scent of their fresh cider it was now seeping into the air between them causing it to go thick with tension as she tried to gauge his reaction. Would he be angry, or sad, or comforting? Looking into his eyes she found none of the above. Instead the first thing she could see flashing in his blue eyes was confusion. And then, doubt.

"Wait…" he said, slipping his fingers from hers. "You… you've been lying to me? To everyone we know?"

His voice dripped with shock and it fell over Regina like hail, bruising her with its impact. Her fingers twitched as they fell to the kitchen counter, searching for the support he'd just pulled away from her.

"I did it because I had to," she said, staring up at him with pleading eyes. "I was doing it to protect Henry and myself."

"From what?" The question came out as barely more than a whisper.

"My mother," she breathed. "I've been running from her since before I met you."

"Why?"

"Because she's cruel… and cold," said Regina, her voice wavering. "And the thought of going back to her… terrifies me."

Robin took a deep breath before nodding his head understandingly. "Who is she?"

Regina hesitated before answering him. "Her name is Cora Mills."

"Cora Mills?" repeated Robin. He said the name as if he'd heard it once before. Suddenly a spark of recognition shone behind his eyes. "The CEO of Molinari Hotels? That's your mother?"

"Yes," she whispered with a nod. It unsurprising that he knew of her. Her mother's face had been plastered across the news in the days since her father's passing. According to the papers she was devastated over the death of her beloved husband but Regina doubted that was true. If anything her mother was relieved she was no longer forced to have him around for appearances.

She saw Robin press his lips together in anger. "So what does that make you? A millionaire?"

Regina bit her lip as her eyes dropped down to the counter. "That's… not important."

"Oh I beg to differ," he seethed. With one look Regina could tell how much he was trying to hold back from her in his effort to be understanding. His hands, which less than a minute ago had been holding her so comfortingly, were now placed at the crooks of his elbows as he folded his arms across his chest defensively. His eyes were hard and his jaw was clenched as well. He looked as if he could explode at any minute. "You were homeless when we met. Marian found you in the winter, living on playground with Henry and now you're telling me you could've gone home to your wealthy parents any time you wanted!"

"It's not that simple!" she gritted out. A tear ran down her cheek as frustration began to build inside her. "I was scared! If I went back to them I would've lost everything! Including Henry!"

"How? How would you have lost him?" questioned Robin, desperate to understand her reasoning.

"She would've stolen him from me," she explained. "I wasn't married when Henry was born and his father, Daniel, worked for us as a gardener. My mother said that his birth would be an embarrassment for the family so… she hid him away. No one knew about him except my parents."

"And you just let her hide him?"

"It was my only option!" she whispered fiercely. "Before that she was going to drag me to the nearest clinic against my will! I didn't care if it was a secret. I just wanted to keep my baby." Her voice cracked with desperation as she internally prayed for Robin to understand.

"So you had him in secret…"

"Yes," she sighed. "And I did everything I could to keep her happy so she wouldn't take it out on him. I worked for her. I smiled for every event. I flirted with every man she pushed in my path, just hoping that it would be enough to keep Henry safe. And it worked… for a while."

She pressed her lips together nervously before continuing.

"When Henry was a few months old, I met a man at a charity ball. He was rich, powerful and decades older than me. I caught his eye." Her voice cracked with emotion as she remembered the touch of Leo's hands on her skin, and the feeling of his eyes on her body. It still made a shiver run down her spine. "He wanted me to be his trophy wife so he offered my mother investment money but only if I would marry him… she agreed. She sold me to him."

"That's… disgusting," said Robin shaking his head in disbelief. "Why didn't you just leave? The right way I mean."

"Robin it wasn't as if I could just walk out," she said desperately. "She had armed guards surrounding me at all times! I had no money, nowhere to go or hide. And if I ran and she caught me I would lose my son forever! She promised me that! I was trapped. And I honestly thought I was going to be trapped for the rest of my life. Please… believe me."

And he did. Her story was incredible and unfathomable and yet he couldn't dispute it if he tried. Seeing the way her body shivered and hearing how her voice cracked told him that every word she was saying was the truth. It softened him to her plight but not enough to comfort her. Not yet at least. He sighed as he brought his hands down to grip the edge of the counter. "I believe you," he whispered. "But if this is true, how did you escape? How did you become… Regina Gardiner?"

"My father, Henry," she said with a shaky breath. It was the first time she'd spoken his name since his death. "He had never… been a strong man, especially when it came to my mother but when he heard of my… engagement" – she spat the word out as if it was poison – "he knew he had to act. I don't know how but he got fake ids and social security numbers for me and Henry. Gave me a couple hundred dollars and told me I had to leave as soon as possible and he would buy time for me to get away from my mother for good. So as soon as I had my chance I ran away from my guards and got on a bus to Santa Barbara with Henry. That's how we ended up on the playground."

"And then Marian found you," finished Robin.

Regina nodded her head. "Felt like the first stroke of luck I'd had in years. And after that I stuck to my cover story because I didn't want to drag you guys into this if someone came around looking for me."

"Wow," said Robin breathlessly.

Regina's eyes dropped down to her feet as she began to grip the kitchen counter anxiously. "Are you… angry with me?"

"Am I allowed to be?"

Her eyes flashed up to his face in confusion. "What?"

Robin stared at her confusion coloring every inch of his face. "You just told me that you've been lying to me for years. That I've hired you, worked with you… confessed to you, made you my son's godmother and the entire time I didn't even know what your real name was. That… hurts."

Glass shards went through Regina's heart at his words. Hurting Robin was something that she'd never wanted to do.

"But also…" he continued. "You told me about your pain and your fears. How much you've had to carry and how much you've had to overcome for Henry and yourself and suddenly it seems like my pain is just inconsequential."

"That's not how I want you feel," Regina insisted softly. "I know that this is a lot to take in and I really didn't want to burden you but… you asked."

"I did," he whispered. "I asked you for the truth but I never expected this. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about it."

He stared at her from across the counter. She seemed so small then, nervously pressing her lips together as she took in his reaction. Lines on her cheeks glistened where her tears had fallen from her eyes down to her chin. She'd folded her arms across her chest and at any other time such a gesture would be purely defensive, but now it just seemed like a desperate attempt to hold herself together. Robin wanted to comfort her, he really did, but something inside him wouldn't allow it. Perhaps it was pride. More likely it was hurt.

"I think I'm just going to need some time to wrap my head around this," he said stoically.

And though it broke her heart to do so Regina nodded her head. "I understand."

"And of course you going to funeral is out of the question."

Her eyes whipped up to his. She tilted her head as she looked up at him with imploring eyes, silently begging him to understand. "Robin… I have to go."

"No you don't," he growled as he leveled her with a harsh stare.

"This is not up for discussion Robin." Every syllable of her words were sharp as if daring him to fight them. And of course he dared.

"Like hell it isn't," he hissed. "You have just spent the last ten minutes explaining to me how dangerous it is for you to go anywhere near your mother. If one word of that is true, then your father's funeral is the last place you should be going!"

"Don't you think I know that?" replied Regina forcefully. "You don't think I've tried to talk myself out of it every minute since I've learned he died? I know going there is a ludicrous decision but…"

"But what?" he demanded.

"It's my father!" she declared. "I loved him! He's the only reason I even escaped in the first place."

"And risking yourself seems like pretty poor way to repay him now doesn't it?" Robin harshly replied.

"I owe it to him to be there," she said, her voice growing firm as the guilt became replaced with self-righteousness. "I deserve the chance to say goodbye to my father! I won't miss my last opportunity to do so!"

Robin sucked in a breath as he raised his hands to her in a pleading gesture and tried to speak to her as calmly as he could. "Regina… I understand that this is important to you but -"

"No Robin you don't understand!" she said, cutting him off. Her back straightened as a fire began to light behind her eyes. "She's already taken my home! She's already taken my freedom, my honesty, my name! All I want is to say goodbye to my father! How am I supposed to live with myself knowing I let her take that from me as well?"

"And how am I supposed to live knowing I let you take this risk?" shot back Robin, his patience worn down to its barest bones. "What if you get caught there?"

"That won't happen."

"But what if it does?"

"It won't!" she said raising her voice. "I know the risk that I'm taking here but I can't let this pass. I'm going to the funeral. And there's nothing you can say to change my mind."

Tension quickly filled the air as they glared at each other, separated by the marble counter between them. Time moved at a glacial pace as they remained locked in eye contact silently having a conversation that would reach no resolution. Him, angrily begging her to reconsider and her, stubbornly refusing to change her mind. Regina was the first to break contact, her eyes falling to the long forgotten mugs of cider on the counter.

"I'm tired," she sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair as she closed her eyes in exhaustion. "I can't talk about this anymore. I don't want to. I just – I want to sleep."

She didn't even wait for his response before shuffling tiredly toward the stairs. She could feel his eyes on her back but she couldn't find it in her to care. It had been the longest, most emotionally exhaustive day of her life. All she wanted to do now was knock back a sleeping pill, fall into bed and pray that Robin found it in his heart to forgive her before slipping into a black, dreamless slumber.

XXXXXXX

Robin stayed in the kitchen long after Regina went upstairs. He remained rooted in place by absolute disbelief over what had just happened. Less than twenty-four hours ago he'd stood in that very same spot feeling optimism and excitement over the prospect of welcoming an old friend into his home. Now that very friend had shattered his trust at his own request for the truth.

Regina Mills.

It felt strange to even think.

Unsure how to move on from what he'd just discovered Robin did the only thing he could do. He cleaned up their mugs.

The cider had long since reached room temperature and was therefore undrinkable. A twinge of disappointment went through him as he realized they'd barely taken three sips of it before… everything had come out. What a waste.

As he poured the cider down the drain his eyes flickered over to the kitchen cabinet. The door remained closed but, as if he had x-ray vision, his gaze dropped down to the second shelf up from the floor. On that shelf, blocked by a half-empty sack of potatoes, sat a bottle of fifty-dollar Napa Valley red wine. Given to him as a housewarming gift by his realtor when he'd first moved into his house, it had remained there, unopened, for over a year. He'd never been tempted to open it. Wine wasn't his first choice in drinks anyway but tonight, after all he'd learned, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't hyperaware that the only thing standing between him and the sweet bliss of alcohol was a cabinet door and a cork. His heart began to speed up as he imagined, just for minute, what it might be like to take even a sip. To have his troubles suddenly seem that much further away.

He let the mug in his hand drop into the sink as he shut his eyes and sucked a rush of air in through his nose.

Roland.

Marian.

Me.

Roland.

Marian.

Me.

He chanted the names in his head over and over again in his head. The names of three people he never wanted to disappoint again. His son, his deceased wife and himself. Taking even a sip of that wine would be breaking the promise he'd made to all three of them to be better than he once was. Normally, the name of a certain raven-haired beauty would also be on the list, but he couldn't handle the thought of her. Not at this moment. Luckily he didn't need to. Just the reminder of the promise he'd made to his family was enough to conquer his urges for the night.

He left the kitchen quickly after that.

As he made his way to his bedroom, he decided to check in the boys. They were stilled curled up in their sleeping bags in Roland's room, blissfully unaware of the revelations that had just taken place downstairs, the glow of Roland's night light shining on them from the corner of the room. Henry, if that was even still his name, snored peacefully by Roland's side, drool rolling onto the pillow beneath his head. As Robin watched him another round of sorrow grew in his chest. He'd known Henry since he was a baby. Watched him grow, watched him learn to walk and speak. What did those memories mean now that he knew they'd all taken place under false pretenses? What changed?

Nothing, he realized. Nothing at all.

He didn't know just how he felt about Regina yet. If he could forgive her or if he even needed to but he did know that he still loved Henry. He always would. Nothing could ever change that.

As quietly as he could he shut the door to Roland's room and continued down the hall to his own. His heart skipped a beat as he neared the guest room and saw the light from inside glow from the crack underneath the door. She was still awake. Robin's pace slowed to a stop as he reached the point in front of the door. Should he knock? Did he want to? He did.

There were still so many questions he'd wanted to ask, so many answers he felt he deserved but all he could think about was the look on her face as she'd shuffled up the stairs to bed. So tired and drained. He supposed his questions could wait for another day. He walked past her door and continued to his bedroom.

Once inside he shut the door behind him and headed straight to closet to grab his pajama pants. He would take a shower in the morning. He didn't think he had the energy tonight. As soon as he slipped his shirt off and his pajama pants on he slipped into bed fully intending to head to sleep. But then his eyes fell to the top of his dresser where his laptop sat.

He really shouldn't… but he would.

In a flash he threw back his comforter, headed over to the dresser and snatched up his laptop. He flipped it open and waited for it to power up with bated breath. Just one cursory internet search. Just to satisfy his curiosity.

He let out a guilty sigh when his screensaver popped up and a picture of Marian with baby Roland appeared. He wondered if she would approve of his current method of truth seeking. Probably not.

His cursor blinked at the bottom of his screen as it hovered over the icon of his web browser. Hesitation froze his hand in place as his mind raced with all the memories of Marian and Regina together. They'd always been rather close, even when they'd barely known each other. So very close…

Had she known?

The question popped into his head before he could stop it. Had Marian known the truth about Regina? Did she keep it from him? They had always been close, practically sisters some would say. Especially during Marian's pregnancy. It's certainly plausible that Regina had chosen to reveal the truth to her at some point. But if she had Marian would've told him. Right?

He let out a frustrated breath as he removed his hand from the keypad and shutdown his laptop. Speculation would get him nowhere. The true answer to a question like this could only come from the source. He placed his laptop on nightstand and returned to bed.

There was one thing he knew for certain. If Marian were alive and if she did find out the truth about Regina, she'd find some way to support her no matter how she felt. And of course she'd expect the same from him.

XXXXX

The next morning, Regina awoke in Robin's guest bedroom to the company of a pulsing headache beneath her skull. She gritted her teeth as she forced her eyes open to face the blinding light of the morning sun. The night clearly hadn't treated her well. Instead of the dreamless sleep she had prayed for she'd been plagued with visions of her threatening mother, her dying father and an increasingly betrayed Robin. She could tell by the way her blankets were twisted up around her legs, that her attempts to escape them had made their way past the dreamscape.

She groaned as she sat up in bed, pressing a hand to her forehead. Her mouth felt dryer than desert sand and the light streaming in from the window was doing nothing for her headache. She shuffled over to the guest bathroom and turned on the sink. As she loaded up her toothbrush with toothpaste the events of the night before began playing in her head on a loop.

Robin knew the truth now. She'd told him everything about her father and her mother. Now there was no going back. As she brushed her teeth she could feel herself begin to obsess over every detail of his reaction. The memory of the look in his eyes as she'd revealed how long she'd lying to him. The frustration behind his words as he tried to convince her not to go to the funeral. He'd been concerned and Regina couldn't help but feel a little glad about that. If he was concerned, then he still cared. And that meant she hadn't lost him. Not completely at least.

After spitting out the last of her toothpaste, she shuffled back over to the nightstand next to her bed to check her phone. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was ten-thirty. Henry must've been awake for hours now. Yet it was so quiet.

She quickly exited the room in search of her son. Her heart skipped a beat when she crossed the hallway to Roland's room and found it empty. Only after reminding herself that the boys were most likely with Robin was she able to calm down.

She felt her heartbeat speed up as she made her way downstairs expecting to find Robin and the boys waiting for her. She wondered just what Robin's reaction would be to seeing her after last night. Would a good night's rest have made him more understanding? Or would 12 hours of stewing over her betrayal make him pricklier than ever? It seemed her question would go unanswered. She found the first floor of the house just as empty as the one above it. No Robin or boys in sight.

She sighed when she found a note in Robin's blunt handwriting waiting for her on a legal pad on the kitchen counter.

TOOK THE BOYS OUT FOR BREAKFAST. THEY'LL BE SPENDING THE DAY AT THE ZOO.

"Of course," she grumbled, shaking her head at the note. He didn't want to see her. She didn't even blame him for it.

The silence of the house began to weigh down on her as she stood alone in the kitchen. She considered eating breakfast but couldn't find her appetite. Her eyes flickered to clock above the stove. The funeral would be starting in less than two hours. She should start getting ready.

Back in the guest room she dug through her suitcase and pulled out the plain black dress she'd buried underneath the rest of her vacation clothes. As if hiding it would make it less real. It might as well have been made of two tons of iron as she slipped it over her shoulders. As soon as she zipped it up she wanted nothing more than to take it off. Tears filled her eyes as she examined it in the mirror. It reminded her of the black dress she'd worn to Marian's funeral so long ago. She'd never longed for the comfort of her best friend more than she did today. To have Marian here to hold her hand and convince her that she was making the right choice by attending this funeral would've made the day that much easier. Instead she had the silence of an empty house and the weight of an unrelenting guilt pressing down on her shoulders.

She let out a shaky breath as she turned away from the mirror and back to her suitcase. Reaching inside she pulled out a shoulder-length light brunette wig, a cast off from the year Henry had wanted to be Thor for Halloween and he insisted that she go along as Jane Foster. Personally, she would've preferred to go as Lady Sif. Tucking her own black hair beneath it, she gently situated the wig on her head with a groan. She ran her brush over it a few times to get the strands in place. Her lips pulled into a frown as she eyed herself in the mirror. Brown certainly wasn't her color but the wig looked believable enough. Hopefully once paired with her sunglasses it would be enough to through her mother off her scent.

With one last look in the mirror she made her way downstairs to the kitchen again. In all the excitement from the day before she hadn't been able to make it to the rental car dealership. Without a car of her own she'd have to call a cab to take her to father's funeral. It was not ideal, considering she'd rather have the ability to leave whenever she wanted as quickly as possible, but it was her only option. She knew Robin always kept the number to a cab service in his kitchen drawers. That might've changed over the years but it was still worth a look.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs she was surprised to find Robin waiting for her in the living room. She hadn't even heard him come in.

He stood when she entered the room, rising from his spot on the living room couch to catch her in his uncertain gaze. Her heart clenched as they locked eyes. She could no longer see the frustration that was so obvious in his eyes last night. Today it was replaced with a heavy concern that, despite her best efforts to keep her expectations low, caused her heart to soar in the hopes that he still cared.

Her eyes moved on from his face and widened when they took in his outfit. A plain black suit.

Unsure of what to say to him she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "You're wearing a suit?"

"You're wearing a wig?" he retorted quizzically.

Her hands flew up to the ends of her chocolate-colored wig. "I thought it might help me keep a low profile," she mumbled. "Where are the boys?"

"I dropped them off at the zoo with Hook and Lani," he answered, tugging on his black tie uncomfortably. "After that I swung by Macy's to pick up this suit."

"Why?"

"For the funeral," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Did you really think after everything you've told me that I'd let you go by yourself?"

"Robin…" she sighed, stepping closer to him. "You don't have to come with me. I know that I'm not your favorite person right now."

"Just because you're not my favorite person doesn't mean you're no longer important," he whispered sincerely. "You might not be Regina Gardiner to me anymore but you're still the woman who stood next to me as I buried my wife. And I still want to be there for you as you do the same with your father."

Regina felt her eyes begin to fill up with tears. She didn't know what to say.

"Whatever I feel about what you've done doesn't matter today," said Robin. "You need me. So I'm here."

Regina nodded her head gratefully, choking down the sobs that threatened to escape her.

"Thank you," she choked out.

The day had barely begun and she knew it wouldn't be an easy one. She knew going to bury her father would be the riskiest and most emotional thing she'd ever do. But now, thanks to Robin, she also knew that she wouldn't be doing it alone.

NEXT CHAPTER: Robin and Regina attend the funeral and run into familiar faces.

Please Read and Review! It always means so much to me!