Hello my pretties, how are you holding on? Well, hopefully you're okay... I know everyone's still freaking out about the pregnancy situation and it looks like A&E are gonna have this pregnancy canon, unless something changes. There's a lot of controversy, but I'm just thankful we get to see more of Zelena... I'm an ER and Hoodie, but I'm also a huge fan of Zelena... Anyways, Enjoy!

For That I Am Grateful

She slept so soundly, yet she still seemed so solemn. The muscles in her face were tight, her lips pressed together into a thin line... Robin wanted to wake her, she had been sleeping long enough. He thought the better of it. As soon as they went home, there wouldn't be any sleep. No doctors to help keep baby Merida calm. No... It would be long hours of staying awake, long hours to think about what it might have been like, had he stayed with Regina. Robin sighed. He couldn't change what he'd done... What Zelena had done. He had been so sure it was Marian until Regina had showed up at the apartment... Zelena really hadn't even tried denying her true identity. She knew he would have to stay, if only for the baby. It wasn't all bad... She was occasionally kind, a bit snappish at times and sarcastic in her own way. When he thought about it, there really wasn't much difference between Zelena and Regina. No, thoughts like that would send him to Dr. Hopper's office. Of course, maybe that wasn't such a bad idea... Roland obviously needed counseling and the drama between him and Zelena needed fixing. He thought about those months... Months where Regina and Zelena bickered and Emma had gone... Well, she wasn't well.

"I can help..."

"You've already taken care of Roland these past months... For that I am grateful, but there's not much more I think you can do".

She rested her head on his shoulder and per the usual, her smelled of apples. That was the thing, she always smelled of apples. He'd noticed it when he first met her... Of course, the first thing Regina noticed was that the thief smelled like forest. Their history together had been complicated. She had known that they belonged together, back before she became the evil queen, but she had been too frightened to go to him and introduce herself. Sometimes he wished she would have, it would have saved them so much trouble, but then he thought of Roland. Had Regina met him, he wouldn't have the boy, nor would Regina have Henry. Fate. It was a strange thing, of course, now he knew the Author could change things, but he had disappeared once again. That Author was always on the run... Zelena began to stir and slowly she woke up, batting her eyes so she could see more clearly. Robin greeted her with a weak smile. It was terribly weak, but at least he wasn't trying to kill her. She smiled back...

"Merida. When can I have her?"

"Well, it's a bit early to-"

"I want to see her."

Zelena didn't mean to sound harsh, but she had grown tired of being in the hospital. She rarely seen her newborn child and it irked her. It shouldn't have, but it did. She meant to give the babe a better home and now she would bring Merida with her and Robin. Two unsuitable parents. Two unsuitable parents who needed to go home. She sat up slowly, wary of the garment the doctor had her in. A gown of some sort, that didn't seem to fully cover in the back. Regina decided to leave the room, she probably wanted privacy to change... Robin however stayed behind, she was so weak, he knew it was up to him to help dress her.

"Are you sure you want to leave so soon?"

"What? You haven't spent enough time with your True Love? I'm sorry if I'm inconveniencing you."

There it was, that snappy and sarcastic tone Robin very much disliked. Regina had been sarcastic and snappy, but never to Zelena's extent. Zelena had her own personality and she wasn't afraid to show it... The drugs may have made her more tolerable, but now they would soon wear off. Of course, Zelena tried to make herself more tolerable to other, but she always had come off as whiny in the past. She vaguely remembered her father and how he would holler at her for whining or crying, things of that sort. He wasn't a kind man, but he did teach Zelena almost everything she knew... That is, until she met Rumpelstiltskin. She had been enchanted by the strange man and though she knew he would never love her, she listened to him, wondering if she learned enough, would he too begin to fall in love? On the contrary, he didn't think anything of the sort. She had wanted to cast his curse and to do that, she would have to give up what she loved most, and that just wouldn't do. Either way, Zelena was positive that Rumpelstiltskin had never felt anything for her... Too much baggage and his history with the Mills had been a bit too complicated.

"I'm sorry, I' just want to see Merida..."

''It's okay."

Okay. He was always okay. At least that's what he'd always told her. He had been okay with her pregnancy, okay with the Author and it drove Zelena mad. She was the exact opposite of okay, she was raging and broken, much worse than the others knew. She had a baby to raise, a man in love with another woman, and the Charmings to deal with. Snow and David would act so kind, trying to redeem themselves, especially after what happened with Lily and Maleficent. They'd practically be on their knees, trying to do good. It would be hard, of course... Zelena had once posed a threat to baby Neal and a mother could be unforgiving towards such things. Zelena didn't need a child to know that, she had seen it first hand. After all, she killed Baelfire and look what happened to her! She wondered if she would be anything like that. Probably. She would raise Merida to be good, but gods-forbid someone threaten her child, she wouldn't have any problems returning to her old ways. It was motherhood that had softened her. If you took that away, you'd be left with the old Zelena. The Zelena no one could ever learn to love. Zelena knew she was hard to love anyways, but this baby was her chance to make things right. This baby would be her chance at happiness.

"You ready to go?"

"More than you know..."

Robin helped Zelena up. She was changed back into the apparel she was used to, not something that felt like it would stick to your body. The two began to walk towards the door and Regina must have heard because she opened it for the both of them. So polite. Zelena wasn't sure if she was doing it for her or for Robin, but either way, she was grateful she even bothered. Zelena knew that had she been in Regina's shoes, she'd make them open the doors for themselves. She'd be bitter and angry... She was already an expert in both, she was surprised that Regina hadn't acted on her past. It would be the perfect excuse, even Henry would understand if she did.

"And where are you going?"

"Away from here. Far, far away."

"I'm afraid you still need to fill out a form, just because this is a magical town, doesn't mean everything is magically free, I run a business."

Zelena sighed. Dr. Whale already expected them to pay... She vaguely remembered as a little girl, living in Oz that her parents would have to pay great amounts to be healed. Of course, after she discovered how to control her magic, she hadn't any need for a healer. The wizard had been a fraud anyway... But before Merida's birth, Robin had asked her not to use magic. Something about the beauty of giving birth? It had been painful. She's taken medicines and they barely lessened the pain. She took the forms from his hand. Except they weren't bills.

"... A psychological evaluation? You're mad if you think I'm going to talk to a cricket about my problems."

"Unless you need to be court-assigned, Zelena, you will be starting the psych. eval. tomorrow morning."

Tomorrow morning? Who would take care of the baby? Would Robin be going with her? Maybe Regina would take care of baby Merida. Though she knew Regina wouldn't do the babe any harm, she didn't really want to part with the baby. It was an irrational thought, but what if the baby grew to love Regina more than her own mother? No. Zelena pushed those thoughts away... Merida would love her without Zelena forcing her to. She would know that her mother loved her just as much and even if her mum wasn't perfect, Zelena would always be there for her.

"Sister, would you mind looking after Merida tomorrow? I don't want to inconvenience you bu-"

"No, it's fine. I haven't held a baby in awhile... That may not sound reassuring, but I promise no harm will come to her."

"It better not..."

So I didn't put it in italics this time, because I know that some people get headaches, so this is me attempting to make your life better and free of headaches! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know in the reviews if there is anything in particular that you'd like to see... For those of you who read my other FanFic (The Chronicles of Stable Child) I will still be working on that one, but I'm taking on two project at once, so wish me luck! They are both fwritten so differently and it's been a little weird, eh? Anyways, see you soon for another chapter of Your Best Chance.