Oh my lord. I am so sorry I haven't updated in like a year. My mom had some health problems and major heart surgery which took up about four months of my life. I also hesitated because I was very insecure about the quality of the story. But! After reading it again, I realize it's not too bad. So here ya go! It's a relatively short update, but I'm just getting back into the swing of things. I really hope to have chapter 10 up by Sunday. Stick with me Swen, SQ times are coming! I promise.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"Are you awake?"

Regina rolls over and mumbles something, still very much asleep. Robin sighs and rolls over, planting his feet on the floor before rubbing his face roughly, then standing to stretch.

It has been five days since Emma and Henry left and nothing seems to be changing with Regina. She hasn't really eaten since then, hasn't been in to work, and definitely hasn't been keeping up her usually-immaculate appearance, only showering out of necessity... and Robin is at a loss. He doesn't know if he should stick it out and support her or tell her to leave, go find Emma, anything to make her happy. Luckily, the search for Gold has kept him too occupied to really dwell on it.

He walks softly across the hall and into the spare bedroom in which Roland now sleeps and finds him sitting atop the comforter, playing with some of Henry's old dinosaur toys.

"Hi, Papa!" He smiles and says cheerfully.

"Good morning, my lad. Did you sleep well?"

Roland nods and makes room on the bed for his father.

"Will you play with me?"

Roland stretches out his little hand to give his father the large T-Rex toy.

"Of course I will."

It's times like these Robin imagines them as a happy, complete family, though he knows it's all in his head. At times like this, he imagines Regina downstairs, making breakfast for them while humming happily. He smiles a bit and allows himself the luxury of getting lost in the daydream until a scratchy, hacking cough pulls him back to reality.

"Papa, is Regina okay?"

Robin swallows the lump forming in his throat and answers shakily "She will be."

His dark, innocent eyes search his father's. "She misses Henry."

"That, she does. You're very intuitive for one so young."

Roland grins and agrees as though he understands what that word means.

"Good morning."

The two of them turn their attention away from the plastic toys to the doorway where Regina stands, her arms folded over her chest protectively, her eyes red-rimmed and heavy.

Robin shoots his son an apologetic look before standing to cross the room to her. She puts her hands up to stop him.

"No. No, I'm okay. Spend time with him."

He places his hands on her upper arms and bends to be at her eye level. "You're sure?"

She nods and looks down at the floor. "Yeah. I'm just going to take a shower and get ready for work."

"Work? Are you su-"

"I need to."

"As you wish." He places a gentle kiss on her forehead and watches her go back down the hallway.

_.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._

New York

"Henry? Henry. Henry! HENRY!"

"What? I'm sleeping."

Taking a page out of his childhood playbook, she jumps up onto the bottom of the bed and starts bouncing up and down, saying his name over and over until he finally sits up, his hair a mess and his eyes barely open beyond a squint.

"Mom, you are so annoying. What do you want?"

She drops to her hands and knees, then rolls over to her back onto the pillow beside him and lays quiet for a moment. He watches a brilliant smile take over her face.

"What is it?!"

She finally rolls over to face him. "Well, I was thinking... what do you say about getting out of this cramped apartment?"

"Uh, sure? Where were you wanting to go?"

She flops back over onto her back and looks at the ceiling, feigning contemplation.

"How about somewhere outside of the city? Maybe a house? With a yard."

Henry furrows his brow, confused. "Are you okay? What are you talking about?"

The smile returns. "I got the job, Henry. They just called about an hour ago. I let you sleep as long as I could, but I was so excited to tell you!"

He stares down at her, his eyes wide.

"You got it? For really real?!"

"Yeah. I for really real got it. And I'll be making a lot more than I am making now. At least enough to get us a bigger place, a quieter place. More family-friendly, whatever that means."

Henry, ever the logical one, grows quiet. "But won't the drive be really far?"

She shrugs. "Not too bad. Nothing I can't handle."

"And what about my school?"

"Well, we could pay for you to stay in the same school or we could check out another."

He nods. "I guess that would be okay. But mom?"

She sits up when she hears his voice take on a more serious tone.

"Yeah?"

"What kind of dog will we get?"

She pushes him back down on the bed and starts to tickle him. "A dog?! Are you crazy?"

"Mom, stop it! Quit it. I can't breathe," he says through his laughter.

She abruptly stops her assault and grows serious. "Well, I've always liked dalmatians for some reason."

Henry raises an eyebrow. "A dalmatian, huh? I can deal with that."

The two lay back down on the bed, dreaming of all the things they will be able to do with a little more financial freedom. Not wanting to let the feel-good mood go just yet, Henry jumps out of bed and goes over to his bookshelf, stretching out to reach the very top.

"What's the matter?" his mother asks, sitting up on the side of his bed.

"Nothing," he smiles, turning to face her with the heavy storybook in his grasp.

She smiles fondly and pats the bed beside her. "Come on, little prince."

Henry rolls his eyes, smiling, and joins her on the bed.

"Once upon a time..."