AN: For those of you still asking, the paternity of baby Robyn will not be changed and for reasons that will be revealed more near the end of story. Baby Robyn will make appearances but she is NOT the focus of this story. I'm sry if this changes your mind about reading this, I think you'll be missing out. As always no beta so all mistakes are my own. Thanks to those who are reading. Stick with me or new readers please give this a try. Thanks so much!

Chapter 9: Week 4 of Operation Fun- Leap of Faith

Oh, why you look so sad, the tears are in your eyes,
Come on and come to me now, and don't be ashamed to cry,
Let me see you through, 'cause I've seen the dark side too.
When the night falls on you, you don't know what to do,
Nothing you confess could make me love you less,

I'll stand by you,
I'll stand by you, won't let nobody hurt you,
I'll stand by you

The Pretenders-I'll Stand By You

With a wide yawn, Regina padded her way down the hallway from her bedroom and poked her head around Henry's door to find her little prince still in "slumberland." Smiling to herself, she gently closed the door and made her way down to the kitchen.

As she didn't sleep well last night, the first thing to do was make a fresh pot of coffee, which she could probably finish all on her own this morning. One of those reoccurring dreams had kept her awake last night. Not nightmares but oh so beautiful dreams that most of the time included her and Robin just living and enjoying their moments together. Other times would include them with their children and it was everything she would dream of. They were beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time as they would always end exactly the same way. Robin would go into kiss her and right before their lips, she would wake up. It was cruel.

Then after she would wake up, she would either cry herself back into a few more restless hours of sleep or stare blankly at the wall until the sun came up. Either way, she always felt this heart wrenching heaviness in her chest with the coldest of chills throughout her body.

Last night was the worst one yet. It was their wedding day and they were both so happy to share their day celebrating their love with their family and friends. Henry, Roland, and baby Robyn had been by their sides as they exchanged vows that had everyone's eyes filled with tears. After they had exchanged wedding rings, Tuck had pronounced them husband and wife before they went to share their first kiss as a married couple. Before their lips brushed, she woke up. It was a cruel joke.

This was one of those nights where she couldn't fall back to sleep. So several cups of cups of coffee were going to be needed to make it through this day and whatever Rob had planned for today. Again, he was keeping everything a secret, which was so irritating.

As she went about making a pot of coffee, her phone that she had brought down with her buzzed on the kitchen island. With a quick click of the button, the screen illuminated with an alert she had a message from the very tight lipped outlaw.

Annoying Outlaw: Rise and Shine! You ready for today?

Regina: How can I be ready when you won't tell me what we are doing?!

With a roll of her eyes, Regina placed the phone on the island to go poor herself a cup of the strong coffee that now was now ready. Just a few seconds later, her phone beeped that she had another message. She went over and frowned as she read his reply.

Annoying Outlaw: You know the rules. And have I let you down so far?

Regina: Not YET but you could still have me killed

Annoying Outlaw: I wouldn't dream of it.

Regina froze and felt shivers down her spine as she read these word and was reminded of the times Robin had spoken them to her in Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest. With a shaky breath, she tried to stop the tears from falling once again. The ping of her cell phone kept her from doing so.

Annoying Outlaw: Where's your sense of adventure?

Huffing out in annoyance, she typed her answer back.

Regina: I have plenty outlaw. More than you could ever imagine.

Annoying Outlaw: Prove it?

Regina: Fine. I'll show you I have more adventure in my little finger than most have in their whole body.

Annoying Outlaw: I look forward to it. I'll see you at 12. Wear a swim suit.

Regina: Swimsuit? Is this some ploy to see me half naked?

Annoying Outlaw: Maybe ;)

Regina: One piece it is then.

Annoying Outlaw: You're no fun.

Regina:I'm plenty of fun. see you later, Outlaw.

Just as she sent the last text, Henry had shuffled down the stairs and entered the kitchen while rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he sat at the kitchen island. "Morning Mom."

"Good morning sweet heart." Regina replied as she walked over and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "Hope you slept well. What can I get you for breakfast?"

"Would pancakes be do-able?"

"Very." After running a hand through his hair, she turned and started to take out the ingredients for said pancakes. "What does Emma and the pirate have planned for today?"

"I think it's just going to be Ma and I today. Which should be nice. It's been awhile since its just been the two of us." Henry replied as Regina set a glass of orange juice in front of Henry and he took it happily, drinking a few gulps. "Are you hanging out with Rob again today?"

"Yes." Regina paused as she mixed the dry ingredients of the pancakes together. "What we are doing, I haven't got a clue though."

"I'm glad you have someone to spend time with when I'm not around." Pausing a moment, he was nervous about his next question. "Are you two…A thing?"

As Regina was mixing the wet ingredients with the dry, she looked up at Henry with a sad smile. "No…" she said solemnly before she turned and placed the bowl of batter next to the skillet before she turned back around and leaned against the counter. "We're just friends. It's too soon and even if it wasn't, I don't think it could ever be more."

"Robin would want you to be happy, Mom."

Nervously, Regina fiddled with her fingers as she looked down. "I know but it doesn't feel possible to ever move on from him. Can someone move on from their true love and soulmate?"

Henry nodded in understanding, not really knowing how to answer that question. "No one should have to lose their First and True Loves. But until you can believe it, I will for you, Mom. You'll find your happy ending."

With a soft smile, Regina looked up and flipped her haie out of her face before she leaned against the kitchen island and cupped her son's cheek. "You're my happy ending, Henry."

With a squeeze of her hand on his cheek, he smiled. "I love you too, mom but there's more to a happy ending than just me."

"How smart you are." She commented before she went back to the pancakes.

"You should invite him over for dinner or something. I'd like to meet the person my mom has been hanging out with so much, even if you two are just friends."

The pancakes sizzled as she poured the batter onto the hot pan. "oh yeah? Since when are you my protector young man?" Regina looked over her shoulder in question.

"Since now, or maybe even since the day you called me your son. Family looks out for one another."

With a flick of the wrist, Regina turned the now bubbling pancakes. "I'm the adult Henry. I look out for you not the other way around. I can take care of myself."

"I'm not 9 anymore, mom." Henry huffed. "Invite him over. Please?"

After Regina platted the pancakes, she slid them in front of her son. "Fine. I'll invite him over for dinner tomorrow."

"Good." Henry smiled before he drizzled syrup on his pancakes and took quite a large bite.

A few hours later…

"Will you at least tell me where we are going?" Regina huffed as she pushed a tree branch away from her face that impeded her away along the trail.

"Nope." Rob replied and said nothing else to elaborate as he continued to talk ahead of her.

"Must you be so stubborn?" she asked him as she continued to walk behind him."For all I know, you could be taking me to the middle of nowhere." To be honest, she was starting to get annoyed. It was a hot summer day with the temperatures inching towards the nineties. As instructed she wore her swimsuit underneath a pair of black shorts and plain white t shirt with a wide neck that hung slightly off her shoulders. Had she known they were going on a little hike, she would have traded her flip flops for at least tennis shoes. "Are we almost there? It's scorching hot out here!"

"Must you be so impatient and complain?" Rob goaded back to her as he stopped and turned around.

"Well maybe if you had told me where we were going, I would have worn shoes more suitable."

"I'm surprised you didn't wear heels, honestly." Rob teased with a grin to which Regina just rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, we are almost there your majesty. Would you like me carry you? Maybe feed you grapes as we go? Fan you perhaps?"

"You're still insufferable, you know that." Annoyed, Regina brushed past him and continued to walk along the trail. Eyeing her as she went, rob just shook his head.

Without a word, the two continued along the trail in contented silence. It wasn't long before the trail merged with another and things started to look familiar. The trees started to thin out and Regina realized they had been here before when they had come riding. "We're going back to the lake?"

"Maybe?" Rob responded with a tilt of his head as he looked at her, again not elaborating.

Miffed, Regina halted and crossed her arms as she glowered at him, making it clear she wasn't going to continue until he told her what they were doing.

"And you call me stubborn?" Rob puffed out with a chuckle as he shook his head. "Fine. It's a hot summer day and I thought we could cool off in the lake and have some fun swimming. You do know how to swim, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Regina replied with slight offence. "It's just peasants like you usually swim and bath in lakes or whatever."

"In this world, your majesty, I have come to learn it's actually a popular summer time activity."

"Do you always have to be so irritating?" Regina groaned as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder. "And I know that! I've lived in this realm longer than you."

"So where's that sense of adventure you bragged about?" he challenged her.

"I'll show you, Outlaw." Knowing where they were now, she jerked by him and made her way towards the lake

It was just as beautiful as she remembered, maybe even more so on this clear, sunny day. The water of the lake was so clear, one could see the rocks scattered at the bottom. Much cleaner than the lake at the park, she thought. Fish were bobbing to the top to catch insects that skated above. Birds chirped above in the branches of the trees as they fed their young. It was all quite peaceful, until she heard a "WOOO HOOOO" and turned to see Rob swinging from a rope and leaping into the water with a splash. She watched as he came to the surface and swan towards her. "You coming in? the water's refreshing. Unless you're scared?"

"I'm not scared of a little lake, Outlaw." With a roll of her eyes, she snapped as she walked over to where he set up a blanket and dropped her bag upon it. After she kicked her shoes off, along with her top and shorts', revealing her 50's inspired retro style black one piece; she balanced herself along the rocks until she made her way to the edge of the water. Pausing at the edge, she looked towards him as he was treading the water, still wearing his swim shirt. "Why are you still wearing that?" she pointed towards his long sleeved swim/board shirt.

"This?" he pulled the shirt slightly away from his chest. "I have sensitive skin."

"Sensitive skin?" she asked with a raise of her brow. "Don't tell me you're a pre Madonna."

"No." he said sharply. "I just burn easily. Now come on, get in. You have to swing from the rope. Lake rules."

"And who made these rules? You?"

"Yes. It's fun.I found this place, now get in before the sun goes down and I'm another day older." Slamming his hand into the water and creating a wave, he punctuated his point.

" I made this town by the way…Fine." Groaning, Regina tottled her way over the rocks to where the rope swing was hanging from one of the willow branches that hung over the deeper part of the lake and balanced to grab it. Holding on tight, she turned towards the lake but paused, looking over to Rob who had swum over to where she was.

"Come on jump in." he punched the water again but with both hands this time. "Just swing and let go."

"ok! Just give me a moment." Exhaling in exacerbation, Regina then starting quickly hopping from one foot to the other in order to ready herself to jump.

"Get in the water woman!" Rob yelled as he pointed down to said water. "Get in!"

"Alright!" Regina snapped back at him. "Get ready for the best cannonball you've ever seen." With that Regina started with a run and leapt holding onto the rope tightly, she wrapped her legs around it and screamed. AS it swung forward, she clutched tightly and closed her eyes.

"Let go!" Rob bellowed in direction to her but Regina didn't listen and the rope swung backwards. " Open your eyes and propel yourself forward, Regina. Just let go. Don't be nervous!"

As the rope began to swing forward again, she opened her eyes and did as directed, letting go on the higher up swing. She flung high into the air before she tucked herself into the ball and crashed into the water below with a big mushroom splash at Rob. After she kicked her way to the surface, she came with a big laugh. "Hah! Got you Outlaw!"

"Indeed, you did." He agreed with a nod and a grin. "You seemed reluctant to let go. Didn't you do this as a kid?"

"No. Mother wouldn't let me. She said it wasn't proper for me to swim in the dirty lake with peasants." She scoffed."I had to have tea time and couldn't ruin my skin with the sun but I wanted to."

"Your mother sounded strict?"

With a sigh, a sad smile crossed her lips as she remembered growing up with her mother. "She was and even worse so controlling. She breed me to live and grow up to have the life she wanted, not what I did…" she paused as she realized how open she was being with him. Why was it so easy?

"To be Queen." Rob replied in more of a statement than question.

"Yes." Regina whispered as they both continued to tread the water and she looked down in embarrassment as she pretended to be distracted by a leaf floating in the water.

"You never wanted that?" Honestly, Rob knew the answer without even needing to ask it.

Looking up, she met his eyes as she answered him. "No. Never."

"What did you want?" His voice was sincere as he asked the question.

Looking up at the blue sky, she took a moment to consider her answer before she looked back to him. "To be Free." She gulped before continuing. "To have adventure. To ride my horse without a care in the world. I didn't care that those other children weren't born royal. I wanted to have fun and friendship. I didn't have a lot friends growing up because mother wouldn't let me. All I ever wanted was family and friends then later on love too."

"You have all of that now." Rob responded with a lopsided smile.

"Most of it." A sad smile came across her lips before she continued. "I've had love twice and lost it twice. It seems like a cruel joke. I want it to be a part of my happy ending but maybe it's just not meant to be."

Rob, unsure at first what to say, reached out and gave one of her hands a squeeze. "I'm sorry Regina. If it helps at all, I'll be your friend no matter what. I'm here for you."

"Thanks." She said softly as she squeezed his hand back. "Now what else did kids do in the lake."

A smirk came across Robs face, one that said he was up to no good. "This." He stated flatly before he splashed her in the face.

"Hey!" she squealed before she splashed him back in retaliation.

For the next hour, the two continued to splash and dunk each other in the lake. They took turns swinging and jumping from the rope. From there they raced each other back and forth before they went onto a game of Marco/Polo. When they eventually tired, they ended up lounging on the blanket under the sun, taking in its warmth. If Regina was honest with herself, she really enjoyed doing something she never got to as a child, even something as simple as swimming in a lake.

"So." Rob said looking over at her from his spot on the blanket.

"Hmmmm." Regina replied without looking at him and kept her eyes closed as she took in the warm summer rays.

"You said you wanted adventure and thrill?" As he asked, he looked up to the cliffs then back at her

With peaked interest, Regina opened her eyes and looked towards him. "What did you have in mind?"

"That." Pointing with his finger, he gestured towards the peaks of the cliffs.

"And what's that?" Mocking him in a low toned voice, she repeated his action.

"You want a real sense of thrill and a rush? I say we take leap off of the cliffs into the lake. It's deep enough further in."

Regina's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you crazy? We could die!"

"I've done it before and I'm still standing here. Are you afraid, your majesty?" Rob taunted her.

Turning her head quickly, she scowled at him, Regina Mills was afraid of nothing. "I'm not scared of anything Outlaw." With a regal lift of her chin, she answered him in her best queenly voice. "Fine. Lets do this."

Both of them got up and made their way over to the rocks and started to scale the walls to the highest peak that just jutted out over the waterfall. It was quite the site once they reached the top. "Wow, you can see the world from up here." As she commented, she scanned the view in awe before looking down to the lake. "Whoa, that's pretty high."

"It's a rush, but a good one. Trust me." Rob replied as he reached his hand out for her to take. "We'll jump together?" He offered to her.

Regina just stared at his hand before answering. "Together." With a little hesitation, she took her hand in his and clasped their fingers together. "Don't let go."

"Never." He responded in earnest as he squeezed her hand. "As a friend, I promise I would never intentionally hurt you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Regina snapped back as she peered back a the lake. Most had eventually ending up hurting her in some way.

" I never make a promise I can't keep, especially one like this." Regina looked back at him and saw nothing in his eyes but him being genuine. "Ok." She said as she swallowed down the lump in her throat. "On the count of three?"

He nodded once. "On Three...One."

"Two." She choked out. God she was nervous and like always he could tell and squeezed her hand in comfort before he continued the count. Why could he tell?

"Three!" He shouted before he stepped forward and she followed in suit. They both leapt together and soared down to the water. The wind whipped through their faces and hair as they tumbled down. The green of the trees turned to a blur. In the middle, things seemed to slow for a moment and everything seemed to come into focus before they continued to fall and they crashed into the water below, their hands still clutched together. The height of the jump caused them to drop deep into the depth of the lake. Once the waves stopped jostling them around, the two swam to the surface and popped up with a gasp. "Oh my god." Regina said breathless as she pushed her hair back from her face and wiped the water from her eyes. "THAT was amazing." She laughed.

"I told you so." Rob replied smugly.

"Oh shut up." Laughing again, she splashed him with a tidal wave of water. "We are definitely doing that again!"

So they did and several more times, along with swimming, jumping from the rope again, and floating casually in the water. Eventually they ended up back on the blanket with towels around them. "So what are you up to for the rest of the evening?" Regina asked him casually.

"Thought I would just have dinner at grannies and browse the wanted section. I've been trying to find a job. Have to make money some how."

"You mean instead of stealing you're going to earn money honestly? I'm flabbergasted." Regina teased him as she nudged her side against his.

"Well I don't fancy spending anymore time in prison and I've heard Granny makes something called lasagna—"

"OH no!" Regina cut him off. "You can NOT have Granny's as your first experience with lasagna. It's frozen." She whispered the last part in disgust as if it was some unknown secret.

"Frozen? What does that mean? It doesn't sound good." He said confused.

"Doesn't matter. What does is that I make one mean lasagna."

"Mean? Why is your food mean? Do you poison it?"

"No! it's an expression." She said with a wave of her hands. "It means its good and if you help me make it I may even tell you my secret ingredient. So what do you say?"

"Are you offering to make me, an Outlaw, dinner your majesty?" He asked her as he held his hand to his chest in mock astonishment.

"I'll take the invitation away, Outlaw. Don't test me." She threatened him.

"What time would you like me there?"

"6 sharp." She answered him.

Later that Evening…

A few hours later, Rob showed up at her door step with a bottle of red wine in hand. Regina showed him around and then the two made Regina's infamous lasagna together, with Regina even sharing her secret ingredient—red pepper flake. Needless to say, Rob was quite impressed with Regina's cooking skills as usually the royals of kingdoms never cooked. This lead Regina to explain to Rob that once she got to this realm she learned the art of cooking and baking to break up the metonymy of her life at the time.

After the lasagna was hot and bubbly and the salad was made, the two sat down together to enjoy food. As soon as Rob took a bite, he moaned how good it was and that he was definitely having seconds, maybe thirds. Regina just chuckled at him as he took a sip of wine. If she were honest with herself, she was glad he was here and that she wasn't alone but she would never let him know that.

Once they were finished eating, the two cleaned up together and then went into her living room to enjoy the rest of the wine. Rob carried a plate with another piece of lasagna on it.

Chuckling, Regina couldn't help but tease him. "Careful, Outlaw, if you keep eating like that you'll get a big belly that hangs over those jeans of yours.

Dropping his fork, Rob grinned as he lifted his shirt, showing off his six pack. "I don't think that'll be a problem."

Regina eyes widened as she gulped. "Doesn't seem like you need to wear that swim shirt."

As rob took another bite of lasagna, he choked out a laugh. "I told you, I burn easily." He then gave her a wink.

"Uh huh. Sure." She murmured, not really believing him.

"So." He swallowed the bite before he continued to try and change the subject. "Tell me, what else does this world have to offer?"

"Well, a big thing in the world is movies. Have you watched one yet?" she asked him.

"You mean that magical box that displays moving pictures?"

"Yes." She laughed at him. "That's called a television and this is like the shows on there only longer."

"ok. Do you have any suggestions?" He asked her.

"I thought we could start with the first movie I watched when I came to this realm." She then proceeded to get up and took a dvd off the shelf and showed him.

"E.T." He read out loud when she turned the box to him.

"It's a classic." Then she spun on her heels to turn her flat screen television on and placed the dvd into the player. "And one I think you'll enjoy." After she pressed play and the movie started, she topped their glasses of wine, returned to the couch, and made herself comfortable on the other end, tucking her toes underneath his legs. "Oh by the way, I was wondering if you wanted to come to dinner tomorrow again? Since we've been spending so much time together, Henry wanted to meet you and he loves lasagna so we will probably be finishing that up tomorrow."

"Ah your boy looking out for his mother, how chivalrous." Regina smiled at him thinking of her son. "Of course and I look forward to more of this." He said pointing to the now empty plate that held his lasagna."

"Good and there may be some dessert this time too—Apple turnovers." She said with a scrunch of her nose that was so Regina.

"Now you're just trying to kill me with food!" They both laughed at his statement before they both focused on the television once again.

As the movie started, she couldn't help to think that she was glad she wasn't alone tonight. Every day she wished Robin was here with her, but she had a feeling Rob came into her life for a reason.

Stick with me! About 6ish chapters left until some answers. Please let me know what you think. Reviews usually mean i update quicker and that means getting to what everyone is waiting for. There are some good things to come before then. Thanks to those who continue to follow, it will be worth it. I'm not Adam and Eddy.I hope you'll be blown away.

Next Chapter: Tattooed on my Heart