Regina wakes to the feeling of someone jumping into bed with her. She groans and pulls the blanket over her head. She hears Henry's insistent voice a second later. "What are you doing?" he asks as he pulls the blankets off of his mother's head and makes himself comfortable next to her. "Saturday morning cartoons. It's tradition."

It's been almost five years since the last time Henry climbed into bed with Regina to watch cartoons, and he can see the surprise on her face as he reaches over her to grab the remote control.

Henry feels his stomach flutter with nervousness, wondering whether it can be this easy to go back to what he had before he had spent years pushing his mother away. But then his mom's arm is around him, squeezing him to her side. "Come here my little prince."

Henry sighs with contentment when Regina presses a kiss to his temple, and he snuggles against her. She's smiling at him, and Henry feels warm and safe. So much has changed, but this feels like it did before the curse broke and they had spent every Saturday morning like this.

Henry thinks that it's almost like his mom knows what he's thinking, how much he needs to feel like they can go back to what they once had, because her arms tighten around him and she's kissing him again and looking at him like she always does, with more love than Henry can fully comprehend. So he settles against her with a smile and feels the worry slip away from him.

"What are we watching?" Regina asks while Henry begins flipping through the channels.

"Spongebob."

"Is that really still on TV?"

Henry looks appalled. "Wait, when's the last time you watched cartoons?"

Regina quirks an eyebrow at her son, amused that he apparently thought that she would be watching cartoons on her own.

"We are going to have to watch all morning," Henry tells his mom seriously. "You have a lot of lost time to make up for."

Henry grows quiet as the weight of his words settle over them. Regina rubs his arm soothingly and promises, "We have all the time in the world sweetheart." He smiles at her and leans his head on her shoulder. "I say we pace ourselves. An hour of cartoons, then maybe a break for pancakes?"

"Maybe two hours."

"If you say so, but I bet your stomach will be growling before the first episode is done."

"Thank you Ruby," Regina says when the waitress places a plate of apple pancakes in front of her.

A large plate of chocolate chip pancakes lands in front of Henry next. "Thanks Ruby."

"Sure thing," the woman says before walking off.

Henry is immediately smothering his pancakes in syrup and shoving a huge bite into his mouth. "I forgot how good Granny's pancakes are," he says around a full mouth. He washes it down with a gulp of orange juice.

"Eugenia has always been a good cook. She even manages a decent meal with the ingredients available in the Enchanted Forest."

"What's the food like there?" Henry asks. "You don't talk much about that world."

"I don't have many good memories of my life there Henry. Storybrooke is the first place that ever felt like home."

"But you grew up in the Enchanted Forest."

"I did, but adopting you and creating our family was what really gave me a home."

Henry looks at his mom, and she's smiling at him so genuinely. It is still overwhelming sometimes to realize how much he means to her, how he has a unique ability to hurt her, because she truly loves him more than anything else in the world.

"Mom?"

"Yeah sweetie?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Why didn't you tell me I was adopted?"

"I was wrong not to tell you," Regina tells Henry, reaching across the table to take his free hand for a moment. "You deserve to know where you come from and I kept that from you because I was afraid."

Henry knows what his mother was afraid of, and he feels guilty for making her fears come true. "You were afraid that I wouldn't love you as much if I knew the truth?"

Regina leans forward, places her other hand on Henry's cradling his palm in her hands. "I'm sorry Henry. I was so afraid to lose you, and I let my fears keep me from seeing what you needed."

Henry squeezes Regina's hand. "You know that it doesn't matter to me at all that we aren't biologically related, right? You're my mom."

"I am, and nothing will ever change that."

"It totally won't," Henry agrees. "You shouldn't have been afraid to lose me," he tells her with a little pang about how much he knows he hurt her by pulling away. "Hey Mom? Do you think that maybe we could take a trip to New York? I kind of want you to see where I lived last year. I mean, it's ok if you don't want to, but it's weird that you don't know what I'm talking about when I tell stories. Oh, and there's a diner in Queens that serves the best apple pancakes ever."

Regina smiles and laughs with a little sniffle. "That sounds wonderful. We should go before the school year starts. High school is going to keep you very busy."

"It's still July. Don't remind me about school starting again!" Henry groans, pulling a hand back from Regina to continue eating his pancakes. "Seriously though, you have to try the pancakes in New York. And the bagels."

"I can't wait for you to show me around."

"Me too!"

Emma spots Henry and Regina as soon as she walks into Granny's.

"Hey kid!" Emma says walking over to Henry.

Snow trails behind her daughter, Neal in her arms. "Good morning."

"Pancake Saturday!" Emma says, because she and Henry had made a tradition of this every week in New York. But she watches the way Henry begins to look deeply uncomfortable, avoiding her eyes and looking over at Regina. Emma has to remind herself that even though she has a memory of Saturday breakfasts with Henry through his whole life that those memories are actually Regina's. This had been what the tradition really looked like: Henry sitting in a booth at Granny's with Regina.

"Do you two want company?" Snow asks. It's been a few days since she's seen Regina, and Snow finds herself missing her former stepmother.

It's Henry who answers. "Maybe another time? We're kind of having a mother son breakfast."

Emma looks hurt, and Regina thinks that perhaps that was Henry's intention.

"Ok, maybe another time," Emma says before quickly retreating to a table in the back of the restaurant.

Regina studies her son once Emma leaves. His face is buried in his breakfast. "Henry?" Regina asks softly.

"What?"

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I just wanted to have breakfast with you today. That's all," Henry says, but his Mom keeps looking at him like she understands that there is more whether he tells her or not. "Pancake Saturdays are our thing. Not hers." He's back to his pancakes then, so very not interested in talking about this right now.

"If you want to talk to me about Emma you can. Or if you want to try talking to Dr. Hopper again I can make you an appointment. All that talking we didn't do before that we should have: we can do it now."

Henry shrugs. "I don't really want to talk about it right now."

"Ok, but if you decide you want to talk, we always can."

"I just don't want to talk about Emma now," Henry says, and Regina can hear the tears in his voice.

"We don't have to talk about anything you aren't ready for, honey."

Henry nods and swallows around the lump in his throat.

"I love you Henry," Regina says. Even if he gets sick of hearing it, she will tell her son over and over. He will never again believe that he isn't loved.

Regina follows Emma to the ladies room a few moments later to find Emma leaning over the sink and looking terribly upset. She spots Regina walking into the bathroom, knows immediately that Regina has followed after her.

"I get it," Emma says before Regina has a chance to speak. "I deserve this. I should get a chance to understand how you felt when I took him from you."

And like that Regina's intentions of being sympathetic are so very difficult to hold on to, because the situation is not the same, and how can Emma not understand that? "Listen to me Miss Swan. Henry is not a prize that we are fighting over. He's my son. You put him up for adoption, and you had no right to stride back into his life. What ever relationship Henry wishes to have with you I will support for his sake. But right now he needs some space after a very difficult few years."

"Have you forgotten that you were the reason that time was so hard for him?" Emma volleys back, itching for a fight.

"I haven't," Regina replies, too calm to satisfy Emma, "but that is between Henry and me."

"I'm his mother too."

"You may remember raising Henry, but don't forget that those memories aren't yours."

Emma looks devastated once again, the fight draining out of her instantly. She turns to leave the bathroom.

"Emma wait."

"What now?" Emma asks, "You made your point."

Regina takes a breath and tries to remember why she had followed Emma. She exhales and tries to let go of her anger. "You may not be Henry's mother, but you are important to him. He wants you in his life."

"I'm not so sure."

"He does, but like I said he needs time to rebuild his life here."

"You mean his life with you?" Emma asks, and Regina sees her looking hurt and ready to run.

"Yes I do. Henry may be realizing that you aren't his mother, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you. He will be devastated if you leave Storybrooke or if you choose not to continue to be a part of his life."

"I won't leave," Emma promises, but she doesn't entirely believe that Henry would miss her if she left now.

"Good. Give him time to figure out what he needs from your relationship," Regina tells Emma before walking out of the room.

Regina answers her front door that evening to find Robin holding Roland in his arms, the little boy's breathing heavily, his body shaking in his father's arms.

"It's a bit of a rough day," Robin tells Regina.

"Hi sweetie," Regina says, her hand reaching out to run through Roland's hair. "If you two aren't up for spending time with Henry and me tonight we'll understand," she tells Robin.

"Roland refused to hear of such nonsense," Robin replies. "Isn't that right my boy?"

Roland looks up with a little nod. His cheeks are covered in tears. Regina wipes the moisture away with her thumb and tells the boy. "I'm very happy to see you Roland. I'm sorry you feel so sad today."

"I miss Mama."

"I know you do sweetheart." She leans in and kisses his cheek. "Why don't you and your papa come inside, and we can do whatever you want today."

"Henry too?"

"Henry too," Regina tells Roland as she leads Robin inside.

Henry pops his head out of the living room. "Hey Roland! Hey Robin!"

Robin smiles at the boy. "Hi Henry. How are you?"

Roland is quickly squirming out of Robin's arms so he can run over to Henry. "Hi Henry," Roland says, waving his hand in Henry's face and making the older boy chuckle.

"Hey there little hobbit. Want to come play playstation with me? My mom was playing with me, but she isn't very good."

"Hey!" Regina exclaims in mock outrage, making both children laugh.

"Come on," Henry says, ignoring his mother and leading Roland off to play video games.

Robin feels a weight lifted off his chest, as his son smiles for the first time since waking in the morning. "Henry's so good with Roland," Robin comments, wrapping his arm around Regina's waist and pulling her close.

"Henry really likes Roland, and I think he also likes having someone who looks up to him."

"I should think Henry is an excellent roll model. He's kind and brave, just like his mother."

Regina feels so full of joy at the reminder that Robin truly believes these things about her. Even knowing what she did to Marian in the past, he still believes that she is good. "Would you like some wine or tea?" Regina asks.

"Do you have cider?"

"Of course."

Robin peeks into the living room, where Roland and Henry are playing happily.

"How are you holding up?" Regina asks Robin, her hand rubbing his waist as they walk into the kitchen.

Robin shakes his head sadly. "I haven't been able to do anything to help Roland all day."

"That isn't true."

Robin looks at Regina completely disbelievingly.

"Having someone to take care of you when you're sad makes all the difference in the world. Roland will grow up knowing that he will always have that. I can't think of anything more important that you could do."

Robin looks at Regina knowingly, understands that she had never had that, not as a child and not as a grown woman. She turns away from his gaze, pours them each a glass of cider.

"Do you want to watch them play?" Regina asks, seeing how much Robin is worrying over his boy.

"Maybe they'll even let us have a turn."

"Doubtful," Regina replies. "Henry isn't wrong about my lack of skills."

"Ah, well perhaps they'll let me have a turn later. For now I think I will be content to watch them."

They sit together on the couch, and Robin wraps his arm around Regina's shoulder. He loves so much that she relaxes against him instantly. He pulls her tighter to his chest; he wants her closer to him always. Robin smiles as Regina nuzzles into his neck and lets out a noise almost like a purr.

Robin rubs circles on Regina's back, and she pushes closer, losing herself in the affection, soaking it up greedily.

Robin wonders, as he often does, when the last time was that someone touched Regina like she was worth something. It's a devastating thought that she had spent so much of her life without any love. He squeezes his arms around her tighter and presses kisses against her forehead.

"What's wrong?" Regina asks, and Robin realizes how tightly he's clinging to her.

His smile lights up his whole face when she looks up at him. Robin places a strand of hair behind Regina's ear, an excuse to keep touching her face. His palm cradles her cheek. "Nothing's wrong," he reassures her. "I love you so much."

He watches Regina's brow furrow in confusion for a moment, but he soothes doubt from her face with the stroke of his thumbs and she relaxes in his arms, and together they watch their sons playing happily.

Regina emerges her en suite bathroom, face wiped clean of makeup. Robin loves her like this. She's always beautiful, but without makeup, her face seems so much more expressive, like she's wiped away another layer of protection.

"What are you smiling at?" Regina asks as she pulls back the blankets and climbs in bed next to Robin.

His arms are around her, and it is so different from the comforting, gentle embraces they've offered each other in recent weeks. He's pulling her to him, kissing her with bruising lips and gentle nips of his teeth. Regina's initial moan of surprises transforms into a lower, deeper moan that sets Robin's body tingling and aching with desire for her. His hands snake under Regina pajama shift, and the feeling of her bare skin under his hands after too long is intoxicating.

Robin keeps kissing Regina, unable to get enough of this closeness after so long, as he begins pulling at her shirt. Their mouths pull apart as Robin lifts Regina's shirt over her head, revealing her bare skin underneath. He takes in the sight. She's absolutely stunning.

Regina's hands still in Robin's hair, and she looks at him for a moment. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asks, because he is still mourning his wife and the idea of Robin regretting being with her come morning is too much for Regina to endure.

Robin reaches up to push back the hair from Regina's face, settles his palm neck, and just that touch is enough to have Regina desperate for him to keep touching her. His other hand lands on her hip, and she shivers at the contact.

"I have never been as certain of anything in my life as I am of you," Robin tells Regina with that smile that melts her. She wants to tease him for his sentimental romanticism, but she can't bring herself to deny how much she loves it.

Regina shakes her head at Robin with a smile, and then the hand on her waist is pushing lower, and she needs Robin closer, needs to feel his skin against hers. She doesn't question it when Robin's hands begin pulling at the remaining material covering her body.

Regina wakes up screaming. Though it's happened before, Robin knows he will never get used to the sound of Regina so horribly afraid.

Her eyes are wide and unseeing for a moment, and then she sees him. Immediately she reaches for the blanket, pulls it up to cover her naked chest.

"Regina," Robin whispers, soothingly, still uncertain of what to say or do in the wake of these dreams.

"I don't know why this keeps happening," Regina mutters in frustration. The dreams are so much more frequent now that things in her life are finally so good. "I'm sorry for waking you."

"Don't apologize," Robin says quickly, moving closer, wanting to prove that he's here for her. "If you've had a nightmare, I would prefer to be awake with you if you'll let me."

Regina considers reaching for her clothes, but decides not to, doesn't want Robin to know how terribly unsettled the dream has left her, so she lies back down against the pillow. Robin reaches out a tentative arm, and Regina moves in and leans on Robin's chest, his arm loose around her. She hates how he doesn't want to push her, how he treats her as fragile. She knows that she must have said his name, must have screamed out as she dreamt about the feeling of Leopold's body suffocating hers.

Robin watches Regina struggle to get comfortable with the way his skin is touching hers now. She squirms against the feeling of his chest, seems to pull back from the tickle of the hair on his legs. Robin wants to get dressed so that he can spare Regina this agony. He wants to wrap a blanket around her and hold her in a way that feels safe, but he fears that Regina will reject that, will see it as him believing her to be weak. So he remains paralyzed, uncertain of what to do.

Finally Robin can't take the look of Regina battling herself any longer. "What do you need me to do?" he asks.

Regina shakes her head, as if this is the final straw, this acknowledgement that she is not ok. And then she's bolting from the bed.

"Regina wait."

She grabs her robe and wraps it around herself, Robin's eyes on her as she picks up her pajamas, her cheeks burning with shame. How could she let Robin see her this weak, this terribly out of control of herself?

Robin pulls his boxers and t-shirt on. "Regina please," he begs. He thinks for an instant that perhaps he should give her space, let her leave the room and calm herself down before confronting her. But his instincts are screaming at him that it would be the wrong thing to do. He is overcome with the need to make her understand that these moments where she is vulnerable only make him love her more.

Regina's cheeks are burning and she can't say anything to him. She needs to leave, but Robin is in front of her now, so close, and she doesn't want to look at him because if she does she will break, and she is already so very, very broken in front of him.

"Do you have any idea how much I admire you?" Robin asks, staying right there with her. "You are so strong, Regina."

She stops moving, stops trying to run from him so Robin reaches out and takes Regina's hand. He's so relieved when she lets him. "You have survived so much. Knowing what you've gone through, what you survived, makes me love you even more." Still she won't look at him, and he squeezes his hand. "Look at who you are now. The strength it takes to let yourself feel again and love again after everything in your past makes you so very beautiful."

Her laugh is mirthless, utterly disbelieving and it breaks Robin's heart.

"Regina," he whispers, his fingers rubbing circles on her hands. For a long moment they just stand together, Robin reaching out to cup Regina's cheek in his palm, drawing her eyes up to meet his. "I love you."

"I love you too. I'm sorry," Regina says, and Robin sees the fight leave her. She no longer appears ready to run from the room, relaxes into his touch.

"No apology is necessary. Can we sit down and talk?" Robin asks.

Regina wraps her arms around herself and climbs back into bed. Robin sits next to her, his body facing hers, an arm wrapped loosely around her shoulder.

"I need you to understand something," Robin tells Regina. "I will never think less of you for having a nightmare, and I will never think less of you for the horrors that were visited upon you in the past."

Regina feels like her heart is about to beat out of her chest. He knows. It's no surprise of course. She knows the things she screams in her sleep, knows that her reaction to Robin's touch must have erased any doubt. But hearing him say it makes her feel sick with the weakness and vulnerability.

Regina hates herself for the monster that she became as queen, but it's a persona she learned to embrace, one that she still pulls out when she's afraid. But to be weak, to have been a girl forced into marriage against her will, to be a woman still haunted by the nights trapped beneath her husband all these years later, this is something that she doesn't show to anyone.

"I meant what I said. I think you are amazingly strong. You survived hell, and you have worked so hard to be a person that you are proud of."

"I've done terrible things."

Robin's voice is so strong and unwavering as he tells her, "You did not deserve what happened to you."

Regina is looking at Robin like she doesn't understand the words that he's said. But she's staring at him, hanging on to his words and the caring in his eyes, so he presses on. "You can tell me."

Regina's shaking her head. "I don't know why I've started having these dreams now."

"Maybe part of you knows that you're safe to speak of the past now. You're always safe with me."

Robin's hand moves softly in Regina's hair, and slowly she finds herself adjusting to his touch again. She moves a little closer, her hand falling on his thigh and gripping hard for a moment as a wave of sorrow hits her. It's unfamiliar. Usually when she thinks of Leopold it's with anger and hate, but this makes her feel sick and out of control. Robin's thumb strokes the side of her face, and she can't stop the tears that falls down her cheeks. She hasn't cried over this since she was a teenager.

Robin keeps touching her, wiping away the tears as they fall. She knows that he won't push her to talk if she doesn't want to, but part of her wants to talk about this, wants to try to let it go so badly.

"I was seventeen when I married Leopold," Regina begins. "I was so in love with Daniel, but he worked in the stables and I knew my mother would never allow us to be together. When she orchestrated the engagement to Leopold, Daniel and I planned to run away together. My mother found us before we could leave. She crushed Daniel's heart."

Regina squeezes her eyes closed against the sobs threatening to bubble up.

"Oh Regina." Robin's arms are around her, rocking her. "I'm so sorry." He's rubbing her back and whispering to her. "Daniel's death wasn't your fault. I can't imagine how a mother could ever hurt her child so terribly."

"She said she wanted what was best for me," Regina mutters into Robin's chest. She sounds like a little girl, and Robin begins to understand how much Regina had suffered when she was young. It hurts to know this. If Cora had killed Daniel, he can only imagine what else she had done to her daughter.

"I'm so sorry."

Regina looks up at Robin. "I was still a child when I was married, and all Leopold desired was a baby sitter for his daughter and a warm body in his bed at night." She lets out a shuttering breath, the dream from moments ago pushing in on her again. "Those nights…" Regina trails off, thinks of the pain and the fear and the humiliation, and admits something that she has never before. "I didn't want that."

"I am so sorry you suffered that way Regina," Robin tells her, his eyes wet and his voice thick. "I am so sorry. I want you to know that I think you so brave for surviving." Regina shakes her head. She feels weak even remembering it now. "You were - you are so strong."

Robin watches Regina, her eyes wide and disbelieving, and he thinks that even if it takes years he will help her understand that she has never been weak, even when she had been so terribly abused and so terribly lost, she was so strong.

"How long were you married before he died?"

"Six years."

Robin's chest aches. Six years of a marriage she hadn't wanted. He feels the tears coating his cheeks, and his body shakes with a mixture of sorrow and anger. "And you killed him?"

"I arranged it, yes."

"Good," Robin growls. "I hope he suffered."

"It wasn't enough." Regina had killed him, and still the anger had burned in her. She had held onto that anger so tightly, let her wrap it around herself and hide away the terrified girl she had been on her wedding night. She had killed him, but that girl was still there.

"You won in the end Regina. Don't forget that."

"I don't see how that's true."

"Are you happy now?"

She nods and smiles and lets out a soft cry. "Very happy."

"Then you've won. You survived more than most people could, and look at who you've become. You're a good, kind, strong, powerful woman with the most beautiful heart I have ever seen."

Regina shakes her head, doesn't understand how anyone could look at a heart that dark and see beauty in it. Robin has her pulled so close, their arms wrapped around each other, legs intertwined. He isn't running, isn't blaming her for the pain that she suffered.

"I held your heart in my hands, and it is beautiful."

Regina reaches for Robin's hand, pulling it to rest against her chest, his other arm still encircling her. Robin is so grateful for the comfort Regina seems to draw from him.

"All I could feel for so long was the anger," Regina admits.

"It's ok to feel something else now," Robin says, and he knows that means pain, but he also trusts that she needs to feel that to move forward, to finally be free of the nightmares of the past.

Regina is touching Robin's hand reverently, fingers stroking their way down his arm and over the tattoo that has meant so much. Robin watches her touching him with so much love and care.

"I was still married when Tinkerbell led me to you. I was so angry, and I didn't know how to let go of it. I was terrified of losing the control that came with that anger, and I was afraid of being hurt again if I opened my heart."

"I won't hurt you," Robin promises.

"I believe you. I won't hurt you either." Regina leans forward and presses her lips to Robin. The kiss is gentle and soft, and Regina laughs as she pulls back. "I love you so much."

Robin is looking at her with that smile, his bottom lip between his teeth, and he he looks to Regina like a little kid unable to fully believe his luck. It's still a strange feeling to have such an expression directed at her, but she won't run from it. Robin's here in her arms looking at her with the same love she feels in her heart.

Regina pulls Robin closer to her, hugging him tightly, and finds that there is no further need for words.

Regina and Robin had dozed off in the early hours of the morning, sleeping peacefully in each other's arms. By the time they wake again it's midmorning. The bedroom is barely light and the sound of rain pounding against the windows fills the room.

"Good morning," Robin whispers, a smile already forming on his face. Regina is so beautiful when she wakes, hair mussed, a small smile as she looks up and sees him.

"Morning." She leans up to press a kiss to Robin's jaw.

Robin tilts his head down so that he can capture Regina's lips. She giggles, high pitched and light, and Robin loves that sound so much. He kisses her playfully, nipping at her lip, his hands running through her hair.

"I could begin every morning this way," Robin tells Regina.

"It's nearly afternoon," Regina says before leaning in for another teasing kiss. "Henry and Roland are probably already awake. I'm sure Henry's destroyed the kitchen by now."

Robin laughs, tightens his hold on Regina for a moment. "I suppose we should check on them."

"Come on," Regina says, grasping Robin's head and dragging him from the bed. "I'm starving."

"Perhaps the boys have cooked breakfast."

Regina laughs and shakes her head doubtfully, before leading Robin by the hand to the living room where Henry and Roland are sitting on the couch together watching cartoons and eating out of a box of Lucky Charms.

"Good morning boys," Robin says.

Regina leans down to press a kiss to the crown of Henry's head and then Roland's.

The moment Regina sits down Roland climbs onto her lap and makes himself comfortable. Her arms wrap around the little boy. "Hi Gina. Henry is teaching me all about Pokeman. Have you ever seen it? And we're eating marshmallows for breakfast. Henry said it's better when you make breakfast, but the marshmallows are really good too."

Robin laughs at his son. "I can tell that you've been eating sugar my boy."

"Henry says it's what kids eat for breakfast in this land."

Regina looks over at Henry, who looks quite happy about his influence on Roland. "Sorry Robin," Regina says, still smiling at Henry. "It seems that my son is a terrible influence."

Henry shrugs and holds the box of cereal out to Regina. "Want some?"

"You know I do," she says taking the box and grabbing a handful. "It really is good," she tells Robin offering him the container.

Robin eats his cereal while he watches Regina. She looks so happy. It takes so little, he thinks, to bring Regina joy, to make her whole face light up. But Robin knows how little happiness she has had in her life. He thinks of a teenager deeply in love and dreaming of a quiet life with a poor boy that meant more to her than money or power ever could. Robin had known of Regina when she was queen, had thought of her as the symbol of the greed and power he long fought against, but that whole time she herself had been trapped for so long that she had forgotten what freedom and happiness could look like. Robin promises himself that she will never forget again.