"Ah, I mean it. I've no reason to escape."

They were heading down the stairs to the secure unit of the psych ward, and Regina would like nothing more than lock Zelena away and never ever think of her again. She had hardly shut up one second since they left the others, and was evidently thoroughly enjoying taunting her little sister. Or trying to. Some of the barbs hit home, but others were the proverbial water on a duck's back. Was this really how it was like to have a big sister? She didn't know, but the bickering came easy to her, and although she kept quiet for the most part, she did get in a snarky remark or two.

"And with that cuff you won't have the magic to do it either."

The cellar was as gloomy as ever, and the nurse by the desk and the creepy guy mopping the corridor were doing nothing to lift the spirit. They reached their destination, and Regina mock gasped as she opened the door to a padded cell.
"Oh look. Home."

"Mm... Dank." Zelena stepped in and looked around before turning back to face her.

"Isn't it? I'm glad I thought of it." Every instinct told her to strangle the bitch on the spot, but she put on an acidly tight-lipped smile and continued; "And right upstairs our OB Doctor Whale gives the finest care this side of the fictional Alps. It's a prefect temporary home."

"Yes. This home is temporary. But me being in your life is not. Because this," Zelena looked down and caressed her stomach with both hands and continued in a menacingly taunting whisper; "means forever!"

God, make her disappear! I hate her!

"Okay Zelena. You wanna start talking truth? Tell me. Why are you so confident? Tell me what's gonna make you feel safe at night once that baby's born?"

A cold, seething anger was coursing through her, but she was also curious. Zelena's answer was in no way surprising, but yet, it put more wood to the growing bonfire of Regina's hatred.

"The fact that if you kill me, Robin will always know that you murdered the mother of his child."

"You underestimate me Zelena. Enjoy your new home."

With a final glare at her sister, she closed the door and took a step back before sealing it with light magic as a double precaution to keep Zelena inside.

Her anger kept running through her body in a cold, slow stream. If this continued, she would become quite dangerous, and she knew it. Right now, she was able to keep her calm, but as always, she was balancing on the edge of something she didn't quite know, and she was still afraid of what the veiled side of the edge held. She needed alone time. If she was going to keep up the play, she needed to recover, to sleep.

The door to 108 Mifflin Street closed with a thud, and she leaned heavily on it before letting out a strained breath. Putting Zelena away was the easy part. All she wanted to do right now was to go to bed and stay there indefinitely. But she couldn't. She promised Henry she would call him when she was back home. She picked up her phone, found "Henry" among her contacts and let her finger hover for a couple of seconds before pressing "call".

Two rings.

"Mom?"

"Yeah"

"Can I come over now?"

"Yes"

"Be right there!"

She hung up, put the phone in her purse and took of the coat. Henry would be there within ten minutes if her estimates were correct. She needed breakfast, and he probably wouldn't say no to a sandwich and some juice if she offered. Humming to herself she headed for the kitchen. The house was blissfully silent, and the only sound was the splashing of the water as she washed her hands.

Again the water and washing! Why is that so comfortable?

She made the table and prepared the breakfast for the both of them, and for once in a really, really long time, she was able to empty her brain completely. The sound of her working and her humming was all that filled the house, and she relished the peace.

The click of the front door lock told her he was on his way in, and the "thud-thud" of his shoes haphazardly kicked off his feet almost simultaneously as the door was open made her smile.

"I'm home!" he yelled, and she replied "In the kitchen!"

"I'm having breakfast. Care to join me?"

He slumped down on his chair with a lopsided grin.

"Yeah, I'm starving. We growing people need to eat in order to get big and strong, right?"

She chuckled.

"Right."

The table was almost completely set, but they needed something to drink, and she took out the juice from the fridge and sat down opposite him and started filling the glasses; One glass of orange juice, one apple. They both made their sandwiches in concentrated silence and started their meal.

"How long before you start to really show, and not just in a pudgy way, by the way?"

A chocked cough made him furrow his brow, and rather inelegantly, she spit a mouthful of amber juice back in the glass. The liquid burned the top of her windpipe, and she coughed a couple of times to get rid of the irritating residue.

"Can you see any difference?"

Her voice came out like a croak, and she continued to clear her throat.

God, that juice smarts! My eyes are leaking!

He narrowed his eyes and looked her up and down, and made a "stand-up" motion with his hand. She stood up, and he moved his finger in a circle. She turned slowly around before facing him with a questioning look.

"You have changed." He nodded affirmatively. "It's not very noticeable, but I can see it. Don't you?"

She sat down again and nibbled her sandwich and her reply came out rather more sulky than she intended. "No, not really. My clothes seem to have become a bit on the snug side in the chest region, but otherwise, I can't really tell the difference."

She pinched her stomach. "This is just fat. I'm probably not going to show for at least a couple of weeks, if not more. The only time I really got a pronounced bump was a couple of weeks after I had felt movement for the first time." She kept talking, almost more to herself than to Henry, and her hand went from pinching to absentmindedly caressing instead.

"I'm about 12 weeks now, if I've used the tables correctly. The book says foetal movement usually is detectable during week 16 or later. I'm not sure how Enchanted Forest pregnancy months translate into pregnancy weeks here, so I guess week 19 or 20?"

Henry eyed her curiously, as if he waited for more, but she had no intention of delving deeper into the subject and started eating again. They continued to eat in silence for a couple of minutes before Henry stopped chewing and asked "When are you going to tell him?"

She wiped the bread crumbs on her fingers down on her plate and stood up, starting to clean the table of her seating, and Henry shoved the last piece of bread in his mouth and followed suit.

"When the time is right. We need to decide how to coexist. And if we decide to stick together, I need to know it's because of me, and not some moral obligation towards a child. So – after we have decided what we're going to do."

After they had cleaned up the kitchen, they headed for the sofa where she slumped down, and Henry sat down right beside her. He leaned into her and put his ear on her chest and hand on her stomach. She shifted slightly to alleviate the pressure of his surprisingly heavy head on her breast and kept fingering his hair, taking a deep breath before starting to talk again.

"Why are you this cuddly, all of a sudden? It's almost suspicious."

He chuckled but lay still and started a tickling motion with his fingers. "I like it. It's been so long since I heard your voice through your chest."

Her heart swelled, and a warm content flooded her. She simply couldn't contain her wide grin. He was still closing his eyes, and couldn't see what an impact he was making on her, but she suspected he at least had an inkling.

"Mhm. I believe you, but I've got a feeling that's not the whole truth."

He tilted his head to look at her and smiled.

"And I think you like it too."

"Yes, I won't deny that." she murmured.

"You said you needed to talk to someone sane, but I think you need to relax even more. And so far, the most relaxed I ever see you is when we cuddle." His head fell back in its previous position as he concluded; "It's a win-win!"

They just sat there in silence for a while before Henry mumbled;
"I like your pouch. You're even better to cuddle now."

She closed her eyes and sniffed the top of his head, relishing the peace, closeness and warmth he provided, and for a fleeting moment she felt the stab of fear of dying. It came out of nowhere, but it made her think about what her precious son would do if she suddenly disappeared from his life. Right now, she was quite certain he actually found her irreplaceable. The thought was outright terrifying. On instinct, she started humming again, mostly to calm herself, but in turn she could feel him heave a deep sigh and creep even closer.
Oh God, I love you so much it hurts! I can't ever tell you how much, but I hope you will know some day. You are more precious to me than words can describe, and I'm so, so lucky to be your mother. My dearest little boy.

Did someone hit the gong?

She shot up from her slumped position on the sofa, a throw thudding to the floor. Her eyes were full of sand, her mouth dry, and her chin moist with drool. She wiped her mouth and dried her hand on her skirt. That dress was going to get a proper wash as soon as possible. She sniffed under her arms and down her cleavage, and scrunched her face in disgust.

Where was Henry? How long had she been out? Was someone at the door?

The door hammer immediately answered the last question, and she stood up. Groaning she tried to stand up straight, but her lumbar region was stiff as a board, and she knew her gait would not be of the sashaying kind. The first few steps were more of a goose-like waddle, but as she reached the mirror in the hall to check her visage, the back was reasonably loosened again.

She opened the door and God! He had come! She hadn't called, and yet he really came! That alone was enough to make her chest constrict. His posture and face was that of a crawling man, and it certainly helped him worming his way back to her, she thought.

"We need to talk. Are you alone?"

"I don't think so. Henry was here," She craned her neck to check the stairs for a second before facing him again. "but I must have fallen asleep. When I woke up, I was alone in the living room. He's probably upstairs in his room."

Taking a step back, she beckoned him inside, and he gave her a slight bow as he stepped over the threshold.

"Can we talk, even if he is here?"

"Yes."

"Good."

She lead him into the kitchen, and sent an angry thought to whatever deity that had blessed her with uncooperative muscles. In an attempt to relieve the pain that had started to shoot down her butt and thighs, she kept kneading the small of her back with her thumbs. And damn if the interior muscles of the hip didn't choose the right time to throw a party! She needed to sit down in a short while if this was not blowing over.

"Do you want a cup of coffee?"

"Yes, please. Black and strong as your knights, if that's all right." he said as he warily rubbed his eyes and forehead with his left hand. She snorted and started the brewing of the dark brown liquid. The smell of freshly grained coffee beans almost made her take a bean and suck on it, but she snapped out of it and went to get herself a glass of water instead. It was a rotten substitute, but the only other option that was remotely tempting.

"Your back is bothering you?"

His voice was soft and inquisitive.

Are you buttering me up, or are you actually caring? Please don't butter me up!

"It is punishing me for a road trip far longer than normal and falling asleep on the couch." she growled and rolled her eyes while she found a cup for him and put on the bench beside the coffee maker.

"Do you want a back rub? I'm actually quite capable."

She nodded. "Strictly speaking, yes. At the moment a back rub sounds more appropriate than abstinence, to be frank."

He got off the chair and walked towards her, motioning for her to lean over the counter. She did so with a groan, and she could feel him inch in on her. Suddenly all the hairs on her body and head stood on end. Sparks flew up her spine as his hands grabbed hold of her back, and she leaned further down on the counter. In a fleeting moment, she wondered how that exact same spark had the power to make her feel in heaven or hell, like it was balancing on a thin line where the only thing deciding the outcome of the feeling was the setting.

It's insane that something can be so good that it hurts, but maybe that's the beauty of it.

God, those hands were too good for living! He found a knot and kneaded for a few seconds and she let out a strangled grunt just before she felt her right knee give way. Instinctively, he put his left arm around her waist for support, and his hand splayed right over her lower abdomen while the right hand continued its ministrations on her back. She stiffened, and if it wasn't for the fact that he was close to the only thing that kept her in an upright position, she would have bolted. But she stayed put.

"Does it hurt too badly? Did I hurt you?" He let go of the pressure as soon as she went rigid, but she shook her head. "Continue, please. It just took me by surprise. It's so painful, but oh, so good!"

Relaxing, he shifted his supporting grip to his right arm while kneading the left side of her spine, her left leg going limp this time.

"Oh God!" she grunted, all thoughts of him detecting anything suspicious deleted from her mind. At the same time a high pitched and mortified "Oh fuck, MOM! In the kitchen?" sounded from the door to the living room. This time she actually bolted upright, and she would have smashed her head into Robin's chin if he hadn't been equally startled and had jumped away from her. He pivoted towards the sound with his hands good and well tangled in his hair, as if to say he was completely innocent in whatever atrocity was going on. Regina turned on her heel to see her son beet red behind his hands, one over his eyes, the other one clamped over his mouth.

She was too perplexed to even consider being embarrassed, and in a no-nonsense-tone said; "Open your eyes and wash your mouth, young man! How did your mind and mouth get so dirty?"

Reluctantly he removed his hands and looked sheepishly at his mother, still red up to the roots of his hair.

"What did you do if not..."

She let a hand fly up and rub her forehead, while the other one was comfortably resting on her stomach.
"Robin gave me a back rub because my lumbago was particularly vile. Christ, what have I ever done that made you think..."

The hand that was rubbing her forehead continued its ministrations upwards and scratched a couple of times at her scalp before she ran it through her hair and let it fall to her side. Robin just leaned on the counter and sniggered.

"Nothing," Henry mumbled and traced invisible patterns on the floor with his foot. "I just, you know. It looked and sounded really suspicious, and angry make up sex is kind of a thing in all movies and tv shows."

Regina huffed indignantly. "Well, that's not my kind of make up, believe you me. And certainly not with my son roaming the vicinities. I hope I'm a bit more refined than that."

"Yeah, whatever. I think I'll go to Emma's and leave you to to 'talk' in peace"

"Enough with the insinuations!" She was getting a bit flustered. How could he really think she would jump Robin at the first possible time?

Speaking of the sun – he moved towards her and put a hand on her hip and placed himself behind her. She leaned into his touched and let out a soft sigh. It was too easy. It shouldn't be so easy to fall back into old routines. They needed some sort of deal.

Henry went to the door and picked up his jacket.

"See you guys later. And behave!"

He slammed the door shut, and Robin and Regina both let out a strangled giggle.

"In a way it's a bit disappointing to scar him without doing anything remotely improper." Regina said as she brushed away a stray hair from her eyes.

"Yeah, that was far from the worst we were likely to ever do."

They stepped away from each other, and Regina sat down again, while Robin leaned on the kitchen table and looked down at her.

"How do we solve this mess we have landed ourselves in?" he asked, shaking his head.

The question set her off like a firecracker, and she couldn't contain herself.

"We? I've been trying to solve this whole thing ever since Marian got frozen the first time! And you go ahead and move on without a second thought!" Her voice cracked.

Oh God, keep yourself together now! Where's that fighting spirit? Get your anger out girl, not that blubbering mess of an idiot!

"I'm so sorry. But as I said, you agreed!"

"I told you to cross the line with her, not fucking breed her! And on the top of everything, you go ahead and choose to stay with her just because you knocked her up. My sister!"

He looked as if she had slapped him around the head with a frying pan, but she continued without mercy.

"I know this isn't easy for you, but God Robin, this isn't my idea of an ideal situation either." She drew a deep breath, and he just stood there and took it all in.

"I know I said I can't be without you, and that is a fact, whether I like it or not. But I don't need to be your lover or hoe or wife or anything." Wow, Regina. Keep yourself together now! You said you had it under control. Prove it!

She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly before looking at him. "I'm sorry. But I need to be able to talk to you, to have you in my life. In the end, you are my soul mate, and I am physically ill when you're not around."

Well, that might be because of something else entirely, but.

Not knowing where to look, he lowered himself down on a chair to be on her level. He put his head in his hands, and after a couple of seconds he looked her straight in the eyes.

"Yes, I know. I shouldn't have yelled at you. But I really thought you had lost your mind. And with you threatening my wife, and in turn my baby... I sort of lost it." He shook his head and looked down at their feet.

"But that part remain; I don't want any harm to come to my unborn child. He or she is not at fault for this, and no matter if I was tricked and used in a way I would rather not relive in my mind, I will never ever not want a child of mine. I don't expect you to understand or forgive, but that's my main concern other than you. Believe me, you are so high on my list of priority I don't think you even know."

She scoffed, not at all convinced.

"I don't need your words of comfort, and I certainly don't want to be second best. You are full of contradictions, and for once in my life I want something stable and good when it comes to my love life. We need some ground rules if this is going to work."

He nodded.

"Okay. Got one to start with?"

"I have very mixed feelings about you at the moment, and you need to back off if it's getting too weird. First rule – no means absolute and definite NO until I revoke it."

"Yes, that should be easy, and frankly, quite self-explanatory. I think I want to add that to my own list too."

"We are not in a relationship, but we might be in foreseeable future if everything works out. We'll see."

"I want to be a part of my child's life."

God, I want that too! But most of all, I want your child to not have a sibling born around the same time by my bloody sister.

"I understand. But I really don't want you to be near my sister!" She didn't look at him.

"You know, I don't want that either. If it was not for the fact that she's the mother of my child, I wouldn't want to see her again for as long as I live!" he said in a small voice as he zoomed in on a dent in the table, not wanting to look at her.

"Oh God, Robin!" she exclaimed in a hushed voice, and she tentatively put a hand on his knee, trying to catch his gaze, but he kept avoiding it. She was almost afraid he would shun away from the touch, to get away from physical contact, but he made no move. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think! I should have thought about..." her voice disappeared into nothingness.

"Please, Regina. Don't leave me alone."

It was a plea.

"I won't. I promise. But don't you dare leave me again, Robin of Locksley, or I will fry your sorry ass into oblivion."

He raised his head, and she could see the tears streaking his face. She leaned forward and carefully wiped them away with her thumbs, before she bowed her head and let their foreheads touch. They stayed like that for a few seconds before she tipped her head up and kissed his nose.

"We'll need time, and we need to talk. This isn't going to be easy, but for the time being, I think it's the right thing to do."

He nodded and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"I love you, Regina. I love you so bloody much!"

"Yeah, I know" she admitted. "I love you too. That's what makes this so much more complicated. I don't think soulmates are supposed to be separated when they first have met each other. At least not the two of us."

He nodded again and reached out a hand. She took it, and he dragged her down on his lap. His hands sneaked around her waist, and he looked at her as if to ask for permission before softly putting his ear to her chest. All restraint was gone for the moment, and she allowed herself this moment of closeness and feeling of things being right. Who was she to deny herself what she had craved for the better part of nine weeks? His head rose and fell with her steady breath, and the more she thought about the implications he had let slip, the hotter her anger coursed through her veins. Nobody hurts her loved ones! This particular, slow, white anger that could melt steel was traditionally reserved for matters concerning Henry, but her heart overflowed with disgust of what Zelena had actually done to him. Her mind started to whirr again, and suddenly an idea struck.

She hugged him a bit tighter and put a kiss to his temple before getting up from his lap.

"Stay here. I just remembered I have some business to attend to."

He let go of her, but said nothing.

She needed to find the author, and quickly!

A/N: This chapter is second to last. This story was supposed to be finished before the première of season 5 aired, but as you see, that's not the case. This will be a strictly season 4 story. Thanks again for reviews, favourites and followers. Much appreciated!