A/N: Welcome back guys! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update this story. I've been a little preoccupied with Sunny Side Up but I promise I haven't given up on this story! I love it too much to ever do that! So this chapter ended up being so long that I had to split it up into two sections. The next one will be posted in a few hours. I hope you enjoy! Glad to be back!

Sitting in her car Regina felt more confused than ever. It'd been more than two months since she'd moved out of Robin's house and her heart was more unsettled than ever.

She'd hoped that her feelings would fade after she escaped his every day presence. That they'd turn out to be a temporary side effect of having him so close for so long. But in fact, the opposite had turned out to be true. She missed him. From the minute she'd woken up in her new room and realized he wouldn't be the first person she saw that day there had been a twinge of disappointment in her chest. Having her own house was important and of course she didn't regret moving out but her days just felt half full with only her and Henry. It felt strange not to hear the pitter patter of Roland's feet running through the house. Or to come home and not see Robin standing at the stove preparing dinner. It just felt like there was a two-person-shaped hole in her life.

Which was obviously ridiculous considering the fact that she and Robin still saw each other quite regularly. They still managed to have dinner at each other's houses at least twice a week with the boys. He was still the first call she made when she needed someone to watch Henry and of course he did the same with her when it came to Roland. And they talked nearly every day. But all of this only made things more torturous because she was forced to realize that those little moments that she had with him, that she had with all of them together, were the moments she most looked forward to.

Every time she saw Robin she felt herself fall a little bit deeper in love with him.

And it wasn't okay.

Or was it?

She'd made the decision not to pursue her feelings for Robin but with every passing day it became less and less clear why. The certainty of her reasoning appeared to be fading away. Every time she saw him she reminded herself exactly why she couldn't say anything. She was staying away from Robin to protect him. She was staying away from Robin out of respect for Marian. He was too important and their relationship was not something she wanted to risk. When she was alone these seemed like firm, solid reasons to avoid turning their friendship into more.

But when he was there…

When she was looking into those blue eyes and hearing his calming voice it almost seemed…like it would be worth it.

She felt like her head and heart were spinning in circles. And it wasn't as if she could talk to anyone about it. Robin was definitely not an option at the moment. Emma and Snow would just tell her to go for it without thinking of the consequences. And frankly she was a little afraid of what her friends from the Drunken Monk would say about the whole situation. They had known Marian too and she didn't want to put them in an awkward position.

Which is why she had gone to the cemetery.

She didn't know what exactly had brought on this decision. Only that she'd woken up in bed that day and as clear as a bell she'd heard a voice tell her… you need to see Daniel today.

It had struck her in the heart when she heard it but when she'd looked inside herself she'd discovered that the voice was right. If she was honest she'd always felt as if a part of herself had never fully closed the chapter on Daniel in her life. She hadn't wanted to. Knowing that his death was how their story had ended, with him in a body bag and her on the run, never felt right. There was something more to be said, something more to be done but she didn't know what it was. And she didn't know if she'd find it here.

But that didn't mean it wasn't worth a try.

She'd always known where Daniel had been buried. In the days after his death she'd scoured the internet and newspapers for any sort of announcement and after a short time she'd found one. She must've read that obituary a hundred times wishing she had the chance to go to his funeral and say her last goodbye. Of course her mother wouldn't have allowed it and she hadn't dared to ask.

Daniel had been laid to rest five days after he died. In a plot next to his father's, buried in a cemetery less than forty minutes away from where she and Henry had ended up a year later. In the beginning there were many days where she had to resist the urge to visit his grave. She'd always reminded herself that her mother would be sure to look for her there and that it wasn't worth the risk.

But now she was here. Sitting in the parking lot. Trying to summon the courage to leave her car.

It had taken her two hours just to work up the courage to even drive to the cemetery. And now she's spent half an hour just sitting in her car, steeling herself so she'd have the strength to get out.

She doesn't know what she expects to find here or why she's so afraid. But she does know that it's time she finally do this. It's time to give him a proper goodbye.

A few more minutes of deep breathing and she finally gets out. Gravel crunches under her shoes as she starts down a path through the rows of headstones searching for the one that she seeks. It's sunny and unseasonably warm out but she's surrounded by graves on every side and things still feel pretty grim. There's a single red rose in her hand and she twirls it nervously as she searches. On her way here she realized that it hadn't felt right coming empty-handed and pulled into the first flower shop that she could find. Daniel had always loved roses. He'd given them to her constantly, in many different colors always telling her the meaning of each one. She'd agonized over which one to choose but in the end classic red seemed like the only appropriate choice. Love, respect and romance. Three things she would always associate with Daniel. And with red roses.

It's not long before she finds him. His grave is right where it should be and Regina immediately feels her throat tighten as she stands in front of it. Her eyes grow itchy and hot as she reads the engraving on his headstone.

DANIEL COLTER
Beloved Son and Brother.

And father, she thinks to herself. It should say father too.

Hesitantly she steps toward his headstone, her hand shaking as she reaches out to touch it. After ten years a few knicks and chips brush against her skin but it's still solid. Made of blue pearl granite it's beautifully carved. It looks expensive. More expensive than she expected but she doesn't dwell on that that thought for long. There's an old, wilted bouquet of flowers sitting against it and she lays her rose by its side.

She drags her hand from the top of the headstone down towards his name and lightly brushes her fingers against the engraved letters.

She lets out a short shaky breath and a tear runs down her cheek as she whispers, "Hi Daniel."

Dropping down to her knees a sad smile starts to pull at her lips. "I've missed you."

Before she even realizes it words are spilling from her mouth. She tells him everything. Everything she wanted him to see, everything she wished he'd been there for, everything about the life she'd so desperately wanted him to be a part of. She tells him how she'd run away from her mother and lived on the streets. About being saved by Marian and working at the Drunken Monk. About starting her own side business and eventually moving to New York. About reconnecting with Snow and finding Emma. About her return to California and the death of her father. But mostly she talks to him about Henry, their son. She tells him about every birthday, every milestone, every moment he should've been able to see for himself. She tells him that Henry has gotten very good at drawing and writing but that he struggles in math. That he's short for his age and shy. She lists all the ways that they are alike and all the ways they are different. She doesn't know how long she sits there talking, only that it seems like she can't stop. Nor does she want to.

Shadows shift as she continues to speak. She's moved to sit cross-legged in front of his headstone and she knows it should feel strange but it doesn't. It feels right. Easy even. Almost like he's sitting right across from her, listening to every word.

After going through every moment of her life since his death she takes a deep breath before getting into the real reason that she came to see him. "It feels weird telling you this but… there's a guy. A man actually. His name's Robin and I… I think I'm starting to have feelings for him. And it's just… so much more complicated than I thought."

Her eyes drop to the grass as if she's avoiding his gaze. She nervously starts to pick out blades as she continues to speak. "He's Marian's husband. Or he was until she… joined you. He's kind. And funny. And so very caring. He cares so much about me and about Henry and Roland."

A sad wistful smile grows on her face as she lists off all of Robin's good qualities. Maybe it's wishful thinking but she imagines that Daniel would've really liked him if he'd had the chance. "He's sort of been my rock these past few months, these past few years actually. And I… I always knew that I loved him. I just never thought I could love him… like I loved you. But I do."

She feels herself getting choked up as she continues confessing everything to his headstone. Even though it's nothing but lifeless granite sitting next to it it's almost as though she can feel Daniel's eyes on her.

"I don't think I can say anything to him about it. It's just… so complicated. With our history, and our children, and… Mother. I just don't think I could handle losing him now. Or ever." She pauses for a short moment. "Snow and Emma think I should come clean about how I feel but… I don't know if I can. I don't know if it's worth it. And I just wish… that I had a sign."

That's what it came down to isn't it? Ever since she'd discovered her feelings for Robin she'd felt like she'd come to a fork in the road with each path holding a very specific future. She felt like she was stuck not knowing which way to turn. She needed a sign. Some trustworthy direction from the universe to let her know she was making the right choice.

She took another deep breath as she brought her eyes back up to the wording on Daniel's headstone. "You knew me so well," she whispered, desperately shaking her head. "You always knew what I needed. So how about it? Think you could give me a sign here? I'll take anything."

She sat silently staring at his headstone. Waiting, watching, willing it to move or do something that would tell her what the right choice is. Of course nothing happened. She sighed. Well it was a long shot anyway, she thought to herself.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

The intruding voice makes her jump out of her skin. At first her eyes go toward the sky thinking that the interruption had literally been Daniel or the voice of God himself. But then she hears the sound of footsteps and realizes that the voice is coming from behind, not above her. Her head whips around as she stands to her feet and sees a woman approaching her with an unpleasant grimace on her face. She's tall, with wavy brunette hair and a perky nose that she crinkles in Regina's direction. Regina can see that she's holding a bouquet of flowers in her hand but that's not what captures her attention. It's the woman's eyes that she notices first. They're a deep shade of hazel. Just like Henry's.

"Get away from my brother's grave!" she harshly orders.

Regina feels her heart begin to pound. She knows who this is. Had heard about her plenty of times from Daniel.

She nervously licks her lips before asking in a small voice, "You're Daniel's sister? Lydia?"

She sees the woman clench her jaw and straighten her back before firmly answering, "Yes. I am."

Every nerve in Regina's body is firing off at once. This is Lydia Colter, Daniel's older sister. The one he'd talked to her about. The one who'd babysat him and walked him to and from school. The one he'd spent holidays, birthdays and a childhood with. She couldn't believe that she was here. God, she was beautiful. Didn't look a thing like her younger brother though. Her dark brown hair is a long way from Daniel's black. And her hazel eyes didn't carry a hint of the deep blue that had characterized his. If wasn't for their similar chins she wouldn't have even guessed they were related.

Regina had never met any of Daniel's family. And this certainly isn't how she expected to. She could only imagine was sort of impression she was making.

Swallowing hard she nervously wrung her hands together. "I know you don't know me but I-"

"I know who you are," Lydia sharply interjects.

Regina goes still. "You do?"

"Yes," she coldly drawls. "You're that girl he loved. His boss' daughter."

The tone of her voice forces Regina to go silent. It's harsh and unwelcoming. With that tone and the look in her eyes Lydia's disdain is clear.

"He used to speak about you… a lot," she says, her gaze cold and unwavering. "Shame we've never met until now. We expected to see you at the funeral… but were told you were otherwise engaged."

Regina felt her gut begin to twist with guilt. She raised her shoulders helplessly. "I… I'm sorry –"

Lydia just shakes her head and raises a hand to silence her. "No don't apologize," she says, wryly shrugging her shoulders. "I get it. You were a rich girl looking for a distraction and he was there."

Regina immediately started to shake her head. "No that's not true." Her voice, firm with righteous indignation, goes an octave lower because no matter who Lydia was that accusation would not stand. "I loved Daniel… with all of my heart."

"Then where the hell were you after he died?!" said Lydia, her voice wavering as she levels her with a cold glare.

The question she hurls causes Regina to shrink a little on the inside. "It's complicated," she tries to argue, despite the ball of shame slowly swirling up in her gut.

Lydia continues to glare at her. "Sure it is."

A tension-filled silence grows between the two women before Lydia gives Regina one last look of disdain before giving her head a little disbelieving shake. Something in her must've decided that their conversation was no longer worth her time because she begins to turn away from her. At the sight of her leaving something inside Regina breaks.

"Wait! Don't go!" she pleads, desperately stepping toward her.

Lydia just shakes her head as she continues to walk away from her.

Regina's heart pounds, her breath goes short and she blurts out, "I had a baby!"

Lydia stops in her tracks. Everything goes still. Regina's heart beats three times and then she sees Lydia stiffly turn back to face her.

"What?" she hisses.

"I have a son," Regina breathlessly repeats. "He's Daniel's."

Another beat passes and Lydia starts to frantically shake her head. "No," she says. "No, I don't believe you."

"It's the truth," promises Regina, reaching for her purse. "His name is Henry. Henry Daniel Mills. He's nine-years old."

She pulls out a small picture of Henry from her wallet, the one she always carries with her and hands it to Lydia.

She stares at it and Regina sees a million different emotions pass through her eyes. The only ones she can truly recognize are shock and disbelief. Lydia is stunned. And silent. Can't take her eyes off this photo of her brother's only child.

"He was born in early August on the fifteenth," Regina informs her. "He looks like him. And talks like him sometimes. I swear they walk the same-"

"Stop!" Lydia orders. Her voice has gone watery and so have her eyes. Her body has gone stiff as she holds the photo in her hand so tightly that her knuckles nearly go white. "Just please… stop… talking."

Regina immediately stops. She lets the silence between them return, thick and murky with emotion. Even without the sound of her own voice she can tell that it's still too much for Lydia. Without a word Regina reaches into her purse once more and pulls out one of her business cards.

"This is my number," she softly says, holding it out to her. "Would you take it… please?"

Lydia finally tore her eyes away from the picture in her hand to the card in Regina's. She clenched and unclenched her jaw before finally snatching it away from her. Without saying anything else she stuffed it into her pocket, turned on her heel and walked away.

Regina watched her go, frozen in place. She didn't move for a solid minute, too stunned to take a single step. She'd asked Daniel for a sign.

Was that supposed to be it?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It's midafternoon and things are slow at the Drunken Monk. The lunch rush had ended, the dinner rush had yet to come and the bar was practically at a standstill.

Normally that fact wouldn't bother Robin but today the lackluster crowd is something he truly laments. He stood behind the bar, cleaning out glasses, eyes lingering over the empty tables in disdain. When he'd offered to cover the bar for Hook he'd really hoped the day would've provided a bit more action in terms of business. Or at least distraction.

Ever since he'd made the decision to tell Regina how he felt he'd rarely been able to think about anything else. Every day he woke up wondering would today be the day? Would the moment finally come when he could just say what he was feeling? It was like he had a tight ball of tension growing in his chest and the only thing that would relieve it was an all-out confession of his feelings. But the moment had yet to come.

He'd had various false starts over the past few weeks. Moments where things almost felt right, where he almost felt like he could tell her how he felt but things had never panned out. Sometimes it was because the kids were there, or she was in a rush, or he wasn't prepared or there were people around. There always seemed to be something that threw the moment off and forced him to keep his mouth shut.

How was he going to tell her?

God, it was all he could think about.

"Hey there stranger."

Torn from his own introspections he sees Mulan sitting in front of him with a knowing smile. His lips pull into a smile of his own as he takes her in. He's hardly seen her since the holidays and he welcomes her presence.

He greets her with an enthusiastic Hey and immediately sets down a clean glass on the counter. She's not in her uniform so he can tell she's off duty and expecting a free serving of her favorite beer.

"When did you get here?" he asks.

"About ten minutes ago but you were so deep in thought you didn't notice," she smoothly answers, her eyes fixed on the glass in front of her as he fills it with her favorite ale. "Something on your mind boss?"

Robin smirks at the familiar moniker she's yet to take away from him. "More than you know," he cryptically replies.

She arches an eyebrow at him, clearly intrigued. She takes a small sip of her ale and lets out a satisfied sigh before gamely tilting her toward the dart board. "Tell me about it over a game darts."

Before he can even refuse, she's already lifted her drink from the counter and made her way over to the board to snatch out the remaining darts. Rolling his eyes he follows her without protest, grabbing a waitress on the way over and ordering a burger and fries for Mulan, also on the house of course.

By the time he reaches the table where Mulan has set her drink and the rest of the darts, she's already lining up her shot at the board. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed in concentration. It was a familiar sight to Robin. He and Mulan used to be the bar's best darts players. As a duo they'd won many a competition but as competitors things used to get fierce between them. Both bets and respect had been lost.

Robin flexes his fingers as he watches her let loose a dart, aiming at the center of the board. A disappointed hiss escapes her when it lands in the third innermost ring. She glares at him when a smirk appears on his face.

"I'm just warming up," she warns.

"Sure you are," he smugly chuckles, picking up a dart of his own. Taking a quick second to gain his bearings, he lets it sail toward the board, landing in the center ring.

He hears Mulan grumble before taking another sip of her beer. "I fucking hate you sometimes."

The light bitterness in her tone causes him to laugh as he hands her another dart. "Don't take it personally Lani. Some skills you just have to be born with."

She rolls her eyes as she snatches the dart from his hand. Twirling it in her fingers she asks him, "So what had you so deep in thought before I walked in?"

Robin clenches his jaw as she throws the dart at the board, landing right next to his. "Personal things," he answers.

"Personal things like what?" questions Mulan, spinning on her heel to face him.

Her almond-shaped eyes carry their usual spark of curiosity as she stares him down. It's a clear sign that she won't let up until she gets the whole naked truth from him. On another day he might've have let her squirm and interrogate a little more before opening up, but today he just didn't have the energy to fight her on it.

"Things like… the fact that I have feelings for Regina," he reluctantly admitted. He let another dart fly. It landed in the second outermost ring.

Mulan continued to stare him down. "Feelings?" she probed. "Feelings like… you're in love with her?"

Robin nodded his head. "Yeah."

For five seconds her face remained blank before twisting up in a gleeful snort. "Took you long enough to admit it."

She throws another dart at the board, it lands dead center next to his own as she grins. Robin just stares at her with a bewildered look on his face. "You knew?"

"Of course I knew," she scoffs.

"How?"

She rolls her eyes at him. "I'm a police officer Robin. I'm trained to have keen observation skills."

Robin narrowed his eyes at her. "So Hook told you?"

"Yup."

An annoyed grunt rose up in the back of Robin's throats. "Perfect," he gritted out.

Mulan snickered at his attitude. "What? Are you embarrassed?" she sang.

"No!" he said, swiftly pointing a finger in her direction. "I am not embarrassed. Just irritated."

"Understood," she mumbled, picking up another dart with a smug smile still on her face. She threw it at board, and it landed fairly close to the center. "So… are you gonna tell her how you feel?"

"I am," said Robin, as confidently as he could. "It's just that…"

"Just that what?" prompted Mulan.

"The timing never seems to be right," he finished, throwing another dart at the board. "Every time I try to talk to her about it something always comes up and throws me off. It feels like the moment is never right."

Mulan snorts and rolls her eyes at him. "Pussy."

"Hey!" Robin's jaw drops at her insult. "Uncalled for."

"Disagree," she calmly replied, sauntering over to the board and pulling out all the darts for round two. She turns back to him with a fierce, knowing look in her eye. "You're scared."

Despite the blush he could feel rising in his cheeks Robin shook his head. "Not true."

"Oh yes it is," laughed Mulan. "You're shaking in your boots at the thought of coming clean to her. Admit it. It's why you're making up all these excuses to keep your mouth shut."

"That's… ridiculous," Robin protested weakly. To be honest it wasn't as if he had a strong argument against her accusation. Whenever he even came close to letting her know how he felt it was like his heart couldn't stop pounding. Before he knew it he was overthinking and… it just felt better to wait for another time.

"Robin listen up and listen good because what I'm about to say cannot be ignored." Mulan dumps the darts onto a nearby table before seriously staring into his eyes. "There is not going to be a perfect moment. The stars are not going to align. A light bulb is not going to go off. There will be no magic neon blinking light that's going to tell you when it's the right time. So if you want to tell her how you feel… just do it."

Robin sighed. "It's not that simple."

"Yes! It really is!" she said, sending him an incredulous look. "You just need to pull her aside for a private moment and let her know the truth. Preferably in a place that's on neutral ground for you both."

The waitress arrived with Mulan's order and she happily thanked her before immediately munching on a fry. She shrugged her shoulders as she chewed. "It really is that simple Robin. You know… unless you're scared."

Both her tone and eyes held an unhidden challenge, one that Robin, despite all his reservations, felt like he couldn't ignore. Narrowing his eyes at her he declared as firmly and confidently as he could, "I'm not scared."

"Good," drawled Mulan, a clear grin appearing on her face. "Then the next time you see her just tell her how you feel."

"Fine," Robin said gamely, with a smirk. "The next time I see Regina I will tell her how I feel."

"Great!" said Mulan, with extra enthusiasm. She pointed towards the door. "She just walked in the bar."

Robin's smirk immediately dropped from his face. He whipped his head toward the bar door to see Regina heading toward the bar counter. The sight of her filled him with surprise and terror. Surprise that she was even there – Regina hardly had time to make it to the bar these days. And terror that he was actually had to follow through on what he'd just agreed to with Mulan. He turned back to his smug darts partner and glared.

Mulan just continued to grin as Robin stared her down. "Fate's a bitch, isn't it?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well. Guess you better hop to it then."

Robin let out an annoyed, seething breath. "I hate you," he softly hissed.

Mulan only chuckled and offered him a mock salute. "Go get 'em tiger!"

He rolled his eyes at her and started walking back towards the bar where Regina sat. His heart pounded harder with every step he took. Could he really come clean to Regina about his feelings today? Right now in the Drunken Monk? It was neutral territory for them both. It was where they'd first become friends. It might be the perfect place for them to start becoming more. Just pull her aside for a private moment and let her know the truth, he heard Mulan in his head once more.

Could it really be that simple?

He reached Regina's side and tapped her shoulder. Her head turned to face him and the minute he locked eyes with her he knew things would not be as simple as Mulan made them out to be.

Her brown eyes are rimmed in red and the edges of her nose look irritated. She'd clearly been crying. A fact that was punctuated when she forced a smile on her and let out a husky, pathetic Hey as a greeting. She spoke as though her throat was still tight with emotion and Robin instantly knew that his feelings would not be the main topic of discussion that day.

Immediately he pulls her behind the bar for a little more privacy. "What happened?" he asks without preamble.

She hesitates, pressing her lips into a thin line and sighing before answering, "I saw Daniel today." She pauses. "I went to his grave and… his sister was there. I told her about Henry."

Robin's eyes went wide. She hadn't told him that she'd planned to go see Daniel that day but he did know that she'd never met any of Daniel's family nor told them about Henry's existence. Her arms were crossed as she stood in front of him, her fingers practically clutching at her elbows. A clear sign that she was barely holding it together.

Robin comfortingly rubbed his hands down her arms. "Go upstairs to my office. I'll get someone to cover the bar and I'll be up to talk in a minute."

Pressing her lips together once more she gave him a short nod and a barely audible okay before heading toward the stairs. Robin watched her go feeling a strange mix of relief and concern.

He took a deep breath before asking the nearest waitress to keep an eye on the bar counter before ducking out of sight and pulling up a martini glass and a bottle of vodka. No sooner had he set them on the counter did Mulan show up her eyes blazing with curiosity.

"I saw Regina go upstairs," she said, the excitement clear in her voice. "So you're finally gonna tell her?"

Robin scoffed as he pulled out a small bottle of apple schnapps. "I talked to her. She just got back from seeing Daniel's grave for the first time."

Mulan's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Daniel, her fiancé Daniel?"

"Yep," Robin said with a nod. "She just went to see his grave for the first time and she ran into his sister, who she also met for the first time, and blurted out that she has a son that none of his family ever knew about."

"Oh," Mulan drawled, her eyes wide in shock. She paused for a moment before adding, "So basically you're gonna keep your mouth shut?"

"Pretty much."

She sighed before nodding her head in agreement. "Good choice."

Robin went back to fixing his drink. Perhaps Mulan might've been right in pointing out that there would never be a sign to show him when it was the right moment to share his feelings but in terms of knowing when it was the wrong moment the signs were obvious and numerous.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She didn't remember how she got there.

Honestly, it was a blur. The last thing she remembered was standing at Daniel's grave watching Lydia walk away from her, feeling like everything was a dream. A heart-wrenching, volatile dream that she just wanted to wake from. Next thing she knew she was at the bar, staring into those warm blue eyes that she knew so well, telling him what happened, letting her fear seep out against her will. It was almost like magic. She must've driven there. Gotten in her car and made her way to the Drunken Monk. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that she'd felt unsteady and then she'd ended up right where she needed to be, with him. Everything that happened in between was inconsequential.

She was sitting upstairs in the office now. The sound of the music from the bar was drifting up through the floorboards as she sat on the couch across from his desk, eyes closed, two fingers placed to her temple as if she was trying to physically stop her rapidly approaching headache in his tracks. She took a deep breath to try and temper her anxiety.

The door opens and so do her eyes. Robin walks in with a martini glass in hand. She sees the green shade of the liquid inside and a small smile tugs on her lips. "An appletini?" She playfully tilts her head. "Really?"

He shrugs sheepishly. "Apples are your comfort food. And this is the closest thing I've got to one." He holds it out to her. "Besides you look like you could use a drink."

A small puff of agreement rises from her throat. He's not wrong.

She takes the glass from him. It feels cool in her hand as she takes a sip of the sweet drink inside. The apple taste is obviously manufactured but it does its job. She feels herself calm down. Not by much but it's a start.

She feels Robin sit down on the other end of the couch, can feel his eyes on her as she takes another sip.

He sighs before speaking. "So… what was it like there? At his grave."

She pauses before answering. "It was… a little hard at first to see him, to know that he was buried there. That he wasn't going to go any further than that one spot but… once I started talking it got easier. I was able to talk to him like he was right next to me. Told him everything I wanted to… and a little bit more."

Her throat went dry as she remembered telling Daniel about her feelings for Robin. She took another sip of her drink.

"Then Lydia showed up and things… kind of went to hell." She tucks her hair behind her ears. "She thinks I never loved him."

"Did she say that to you?" Robin speaks up, and she can immediately hear the protectiveness rise up in his voice.

"Yeah she said it," answers Regina. "And she believes it. I mean she really does. Robin if you could've seen the way that she looked at me. It was…"

"Like the way Marian's parents used to look at me," he said softly. It had been more than a decade since he'd seen Marian's parents up close but the way they'd looked, glared and stared at him would forever be etched into his memories. In all his life he'd never felt so very small and unwanted. Like a nuisance or a virus they just prayed would go away. He didn't want to imagine anyone making Regina feel the same.

"That couldn't have felt good," he says to her.

She shakes her head. "No… it really didn't."

She swallows another gulp of her appletini and leans back into the couch, her black hair falling against the cream-colored fabric. She could feel the tension slowing leaving her, aided by the swift hand of vodka and Robin's calming presence. He sets his hand on her knee. A swift spark of electricity runs through her at his touch. She takes a deep breath trying to ignore it.

She turns to look at him and sees that he's staring at her, the concern obvious in his blue eyes. "Why did you tell her about Henry?"

She blows out a breath and shakes her head. "I'm not really sure. I guess… because I felt like it was my only chance."

She pauses before sitting up a little straighter, as if it would help her gather her thoughts. "I told you that I never met Daniel's family before this. I wanted to but after Daniel died, and Henry was born so much was going on that it just felt like it was never going to happen. I was on the run and somewhere along the way I just accepted that I was never going to meet them and they were never going to meet me… or Henry." She sighed before continuing. "And seeing her, Lydia, walking away from me in the cemetery, seeing me, leaving me and still not knowing about him… it didn't feel right. So I yelled at her back that I'd had a baby and that it was her brother's."

"Sounds like quite a scene," commented Robin, with a soft chuckle. "How did she take it?"

"As well as you could imagine," replied Regina, a wry smile on her face. "She couldn't even look at me but I ended up giving her my card though. In case she wants to meet up again."

Robin hesitated before speaking up. "You know you don't have to meet up with her again if you don't want to."

Regina slowly nods her head. "Yes… I really do."

"Why?"

"Because if what she thinks is what his entire family thinks then I have to let them know they are wrong," Regina explained firmly. "I cannot let them think that their son was just a… passing fancy for me. He was the love of my life and they deserve to know that as well as the existence of his only child."

There was no arguing with her. Robin could see that in the steel present in her brown eyes. She'd made up her mind about this. And he wouldn't dare attempt to change it.

"Do you think she'll call?"

"I hope she does," said Regina nervously. "I want her to. And I want Henry to meet his father's family."

Robin nodded his head thoughtfully. "She'll call."

A line appeared between Regina's eyebrows as she scrunched them curiously in his direction. "What makes you so sure?"

"Because she lost her brother," Robin said solemnly. "And now she's learned there's another piece of him in the world. She's not going to ignore that. She couldn't possibly."

He leaned back in his seat, suddenly lost in thought and it was Regina's turn to stare at him in concern. The way he spoke, his words so full of certainty, was not lost on her. "What about you Robin?"

"Me?"

She nods. "Have you heard from Roland's grandparent's lately?"

And with those words Robin finds himself wishing he'd had an appletini of his own. He sucks in a hissing, annoyed breath when he thinks of the two people who could call themselves Roland's grandparents due to blood and blood alone. Unfortunately, he has to nod his head and answer "Yes, they've called."

Regina's eyes go wide. "When?" she bluntly asks.

"A few times over the years," he vaguely answers, waving off her concern. "I never pick up and I never respond."

"Really?" she asks in a small voice.

"No," says Robin, his voice firm and unwavering. "When he was born Marian and I decided that Roland does not need them in his life. And as of right now I see no reason to go back on that decision. My son has more than enough family without them."

Regina just nodded in agreement, even though she felt a slight twinge of apprehension settle over her at Robin's words. She didn't disagree that Marian's parents had been awful people. She'd experienced that first hand. And it was clear to anyone who knew him that Roland was one of the most loved children in the world. Love came at him from all corners, including hers. But she had also known Marian. And she knew that her friend had always lamented the fact that her parents had chosen not to be a part of their grandson's life. And if she was here and knew they had reached out then she would want Roland to meet them. At least once.

But she didn't say those things. As close as she and Robin were, she knew that wasn't her place.

Instead she focused on her own situation. She began to wonder just how differently things would've gone if she'd gone to his family earlier. If they'd been in Henry's life from the beginning. She wondered if they would've accepted him? Or her? She wanted to believe that they would've. Daniel had always said that they would love her. But he obviously never expected for her to meet them like this.

Robin sees that she's retreated into her mind again and speaks up to bring her back. "Hey… everything's going to be alright."

"I know," she says, taking in another breath. "It's just that I imagined meeting them so many times…this was never what I pictured."

Robin pauses for a moment before sending her a cheeky smile. "Well, to be fair, is anything in life as you pictured?"

Regina tilts her head and playfully rolls her eyes before replying, "No I suppose it isn't."

"Exactly," said Robin. "But isn't it still good?"

Regina thinks over his question, remember all the amazing and unexpected turns her life has taken thus far. Every time she thought she knew where she'd end up something always pushed her to a place that was just a little bit better. She thought over all she had, all she knew and all the love she had in her life. Locking eyes with Robin she nodded her head.

"Yeah it's still good."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It takes three very long weeks for Regina to finally hear from Lydia. She'd called in the middle of day and Regina felt her heart begin to pound the minute she'd heard her voice. Their conversation had been short. She'd wanted to meet up and talk. She told Regina when and where but didn't say much else. Though the call only lasted two minutes it left her feeling unsteady. Still, two days later she found herself sitting at a table in the corner of a coffee shop waiting for Lydia to show up.

Her foot tapped against the ground as she stared at the cooling cup of tea that she'd ordered. She'd tried to force herself to stop several times but she couldn't help it. She was nervous. On the one hand, she was relieved that Lydia had reached out but she still felt apprehension at the thought of their future conversation. Their first hadn't exactly gone that well. She could only hope that in the time since their first meeting Lydia's attitude toward her had cooled some.

She tried to distract herself by observing the coffee shop where Lydia had asked her to meet. It was a nice place. One she could see herself coming back to if the opportunity presented itself. It sat at the end of an old historic block in downtown Santa Barbara. The shop was small. It barely held room for the counter, a few tables and a small sitting area but it gave off a warm feeling when you stepped inside. The couches looked well-worn and cozy. And the coffee table in the middle of the seating area was stacked with oversized books. It seemed like a nice place to spend time with friends. Looking around Regina wondered if Lydia spent a lot of time here by herself or with others. For a brief moment she wondered Daniel had ever come here. If he and his older sister had met up here to catch up over coffee when they got the chance. She hoped they had. He would've liked it here.

Regina didn't have to wait long for Lydia to show up. Her tea had barely turned lukewarm before she saw her walk through the door. Regina's breath caught in her throat at the sight of her. Again, she found herself surprised by just how little she saw of Daniel in her. They differed in more than just looks. It was the very air of them. When Daniel walked in a room all you could see was his light. But with Lydia… all she could see was walls. It showed in the subtle clenching of her jaw and the rigid way she held herself. It was just… defensive.

She scans the room and spots Regina within seconds. Regina feels a shiver run down her back when Lydia's gaze falls on her. She tries to swallow her apprehension and raises her hand in a timid greeting that Lydia doesn't return. She stalks over to the corner table where Regina sits and pulls up a chair, eyeing her warily as she does so.

As she takes a seat Regina notices that she's wearing some sort of double breasted all black uniform. When Regina sees the stains covering her middle she remembers that Daniel had once said that his older sister was a professional chef. She must work at one of the restaurants nearby.

For a moment neither of them says anything. They sit at the table in silence taking each other in. It's a bit unreal, sitting across from a stranger who loved someone who you loved. It's almost as if by looking at each other they see another side of Daniel. A side they never thought they'd get the chance discover. One of them is pleased by this prospect. The other is not.

Regina is the first to break the silence.

"I'm glad you called," she says timidly. "I was afraid you were going to ignore me."

Lydia just narrows her eyes at her. She opens her mouth as if to say something but then closes it as if she'd thought better of it. Regina notices that she's fidgeting – rhythmically tapping her fingers against her thigh – but not because she's nervous. It's more likely because she's trying to keep control of herself.

Lydia takes a short breath before finally speaking. "Did my brother know you were pregnant?"

The bluntness of her question throws Regina off. She shakes her head before replying. "No, I didn't get the chance to tell him." She pauses before adding, "I found out too late."

Regina's sees a flash of pain go across Lydia's eyes before she's steeling herself again. "And you're sure that your son is his?"

Regina feels a blush rise up in her cheeks as a spark of anger is lit in her gut. Clenching her fists beneath the table she firmly answers, "Yes. I am sure."

"There was no one else?" interrogates Lydia.

"No! There was no one else!" she hisses, thoroughly offended by this point her tone is short and clipped yet still quiet. With time and perspective she would later come to admit that Lydia's question was valid. She was as good as a stranger and Daniel's sister certainly had no reason to trust her. But in the moment, as she sat in that coffee shop hearing the sister of her child's father doubt his paternity, all she can feel is insulted. And it makes her bristle in response. Lydia hardly seems thrown off by her anger. She simply nods her head in acceptance. "Okay."

An awkward silence grows between them then. The air grows tense as they stare each other down both of them equally distrustful of the other now.

Lydia breaks the silence with a reluctant sigh. "My mom wants to meet him," she reveals. "Your son, I mean."

Regina feels herself go a little breathless at the mention of Daniel's mother. She knows about her grandson now. About Henry. The thought of it makes her palms go sweaty. What that woman must think of her.

"Our family is meeting up on the 23rd," says Lydia. "The twenty-third is –"

"Daniel's birthday," Regina quickly interjects. "I'm aware."

Of course she's aware. She and Henry lit a candle for him every year. It was their own little tradition and she wasn't surprised to find out that Daniel's family had their own.

"Will you bring him?" Lydia asks. Her voice sounded tired and a tiny bit desperate.

A part of Regina considered saying no but she knew that would never happen. She had to meet the rest of Daniel's family and so did Henry. At least once. She wouldn't let Lydia's rudeness and lack of tact deny him that opportunity.

She nodded her head. "Yes, I will bring him."

Lydia gave her a curt nod. "Good. I'll text you the address."

And with that she was gone. Mumbling that she had to get back to work, she walked out of the coffee shop without so much as a second glance back at Regina. Once she was gone Regina let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Well, she'd made it to the talk no worse for wear. And she was finally going to meet Daniel's family.

She ran over the conversation and in her head and was suddenly paralyzed by what she'd just agreed to. The 23rd was less than ten days away.

In less than ten days she and Henry would be meeting Daniel's family.

Anxiety began to bubble up inside of her.

NEXT CHAPTER: Henry and Regina meet Daniel's family.

I hope you enjoyed it! Please read and review!