A/N 1: Here's Chapter 3, which includes a personal prompt from OQ Prompt Party – Robin and Regina tell the boys about the baby.
Chapter 3: Grenade
"Mom!" Henry nearly knocked her over when she entered the house. He didn't quite realize his height and strength now that he was a teenager but she didn't mind. She loved the fact that he still wanted to hug her and didn't think it was uncool to hug his mother.
She held him close, smiling. "Hello, sweetheart."
"Majesty!" Roland exclaimed, coming out of the living room. She held out one of her arms and he slid in there to hug her as well. "I don't like your partner, Majesty. Can't you get a new one?"
"I can't," she said, knowing how protective both her boys could get over her. "But I'm fine. You two don't have to worry about me."
Henry pulled back, frowning. "You went to the hospital last night."
She rubbed his back as she nodded. "I did. But I feel better now and I promise to take better care of myself."
"Good," Roland said, holding onto her tightly. "I don't want you to go anywhere, Majesty."
Her heart broke, knowing he had to be thinking of the mother cruelly taken from him when he was still so young. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his head. "I have no plans to go anywhere," she assured him.
"We're all going to do our part to help keep Majesty healthy, right?" Robin asked, wrapping arm around her.
Roland nodded. "Right."
"And I think we all got a lesson about making sure we eat all our meals and don't skip any," she added, looking between both Roland and Henry.
Henry grinned. "I don't think you have to worry about us skipping meals, Mom."
"Good," she said, cupping his cheek and running her fingers through Roland's hair. "We all need food, especially healthy food. Right?"
"Right," they both agreed.
Claire left the living room with a smile. "Speaking of food and eating, you two need to have some dinner. I'll go heat it up for you."
"That's okay, Mum," Robin said, moving closer to her. "I've got it. You rest."
"Do you two want to have dessert while your father and I eat? I want to hear all about your day," Regina said, wrapping one arm around Henry and taking Roland's hand with her free one. They nodded and they headed into the kitchen with Robin.
Soon they were all seated around the table, eating and laughing. Regina relaxed, glad to be surrounded by her loved ones. She looked forward to their plan to tell the boys about their new baby brother or sister and continued to push away any thoughts about Percy Pellinore.
Regina would deal with him tomorrow.
"Here," Robin said, setting down some crackers and a cup of tea on the edge of their tub. "Mum swears this is the perfect remedy for morning sickness."
"I hope it works," Regina groaned, curled up by the toilet as she dealt with morning sickness. "I must say, I haven't missed this part of pregnancy."
He sat down next to her and eased her into a sitting position, rubbing her arms. "I'm sorry, sweetheart."
She sighed, leaning against him now. "You should be. This is all your fault."
"Pretty sure it takes two to tango, love," he told her, chuckling. He then kissed the top of her head before handing her a cracker. "Eat."
"Yes, Mom," she told him, taking the cracker and nibbling on it. He then watched as she took a few sips of tea before pulling her against him. Regina closed her eyes and let herself rest for a few moments.
Her stomach started to settle and she blindly reached for another cracker. Robin placed one in her hand and she nibbled on it as he asked: "Is it helping?"
She nodded. "Your mom is right. This is the perfect remedy."
"Mum knows best," he said. She let out a little chuckle before finishing the cracker - Regina had learned to never doubt Claire Locksley on anything. The woman knew the secret to everything.
After finishing the crackers and the tea, Regina felt much better. Robin helped her up as she stretched. "What time is it?" she asked.
"Time to get the boys ready for school," he said, wrapping his arm around her as they walked out of the bathroom. He kissed the side of her head. "I can handle that, though. Why don't you go back to bed and try to get some more rest?"
She shook her head, feeling energized. "I want to at least kiss them goodbye. Then I can get a quick nap before heading to the studio."
He nodded, handing her her robe. "Alright. But if you start to feel unwell, just let me know. I can make excuses for you."
"Thanks, but I don't think that will be necessary," she said, tying her robe closed. She then kissed his cheek. "And hopefully we don't have to make excuses after tonight."
"Yes. My plan is to work on our surprise all day so that we can show the boys when you get home," he assured her, taking her hand. She squeezed his as she thanked him, excited to share their news with their sons very soon.
They walked into the hallway and he let go of her hand. "I'm going to go check on Roland. Why don't you go check on Henry?" he suggested.
"Sounds good," she replied, kissing his cheek. "See you downstairs."
He headed into Roland's room while she went down to the kitchen. She entered, finding Henry at the table eating a waffle with Emma. Claire stood at the toaster, nodding when she saw Regina. "How are you?" she asked.
"Feeling better," Regina said softly. "Thank you for the tea and crackers. They really helped."
Claire smiled, patting Regina's hand. "I'm glad to hear it. I'll make sure we have enough stocked in the house for the next few months. Can I get you anything else now? Do you want a waffle?"
Regina's stomach turned and she shook her head. "I think I'll stick with toast and tea for now, thank you."
"Coming right up," Claire assured her. "Go sit down."
"You don't have to make it for me," Regina replied. "I can do it myself."
Claire gave her a look and shook her head. "You need your rest. Go sit down and do that. I'll bring breakfast over to you."
Knowing that there was no point arguing when Claire went into nurturer mode, Regina nodded and went to join her son at the breakfast table. She had realized that Robin had clearly inherited his stubborn streak from his mother. And given that Regina could be just as stubborn as both of them, it had led to some tense standoffs between the three of them. She had learned to pick her battles wisely.
"Claire is really protective of you right now," Henry said, sipping his orange juice. He narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure it was just low blood sugar?"
"Yes," she assured him, knowing that he would know the underlying cause soon enough.
Emma set her mug down. "Leave your mom alone, kid. She's dealing with that partner of hers. I think that alone deserves extra pampering, don't you?"
"Yeah," Henry agreed, nodding. He then frowned. "And don't you think it's time to stop calling me 'kid'? I'm in high school."
"Nope," she replied. "It doesn't matter how old you get, you'll always be 'kid' to me. Even when you have a kid of your own, I'll still call you that."
He looked at Regina, pleading with his eyes. "Mom, can't you say something?"
She held up her hands, shaking her head. "I am going to be calling you my little prince just as long so I can't tell Emma she needs to stop calling you 'kid'. Sorry."
"Fine," he said, letting out a weary sigh. "I guess I'll just get used to it."
"If that's settled, there needs to be less talking and more eating," Claire said, setting down a plate in front of Regina.
Regina thanked her as Roland wandered into the kitchen with Robin right behind him. Claire looked her grandson over before patting his cheek. "You go sit down and I'll have your breakfast in a moment."
"Thank you, Nana," he replied, wandering over to the table. He sat down next to Regina and groaned, resting his head on his arms.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Regina asked, running her fingers through his curls.
He turned his head to look at her, saying: "Sleepy."
"I know, sweetheart," she replied. "But I'm sure you'll feel more awake after your breakfast."
"Exactly," Claire agreed, setting the plate down in front of him. "So eat up and get some energy to learn."
Roland groaned again but sat up to start eating his waffle. Pleased, Regina turned back to her own breakfast as Robin joined them at the table. "Once you boys are done, I'll drive you to school, okay?"
"Okay," both boys said, though Roland's answer was more mumbled than Henry's. Regina smiled as she took another bite of her toast, loving how much Robin loved to drive their boys to school and drop them off. She also figured that the two main reasons her teenager hadn't yet rebelled against it was because it gave him more time in the morning and because his stepfather was a star.
It definitely wasn't embarrassing to be dropped off by your stepfather when said stepfather was on magazine covers, talk shows and heard all over the radio.
Soon both boys were done with their breakfast and Robin ushered them out to finish getting ready. Regina followed them out, helping Roland with his backpack after he put on his shoes. Kissing his cheek, she told him to have a good day at school. He hugged her back, telling her he loved her.
"You have a good day too," she then told Henry, kissing his cheek. He pulled away, wiping his cheek as he thanked her. Robin then hurried both boys out of the house, stopping to give her a kiss and promising to be home soon.
Once the door closed, Regina headed back into the kitchen and sat down with Emma and Claire again. "When do you have to go into the studio?" Emma asked Regina, sipping her coffee.
"In a few hours," she replied, checking the clock and making a face. "And then I get to talk with Percy. Yay."
Emma made a face. "Ugh. Maybe he'll see all the comments he got last night and decide to just withdraw."
"We both know that I won't be that lucky," she replied. "Hopefully Nimue can convince the network to let him have a graceful exit."
"But will he take it?" Emma asked.
Regina sighed, shrugging. "I hope so but I'm not sure. Otherwise, this is the first time I've prayed for elimination."
"This is probably the first time I haven't voted for you," Emma replied. "I can't force you to keep dancing with him."
"Same here," Claire said, enjoying her own waffle. "I'm with Robin. I want you far away from him."
Regina nodded. "I want to be far away from him myself."
"Robin mentioned last night that you would have security stationed near your rehearsal room for now," Claire said, frowning. "Wouldn't it just be easier to dismiss Percy?"
"Apparently not," Regina replied, sighing. "So now we all have to suffer."
Emma shook her head. "They should try to vet these stars better. I'm sure people knew Percy was a pain in the ass before they signed him on."
"Maybe," Regina said. "But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that white men get a lot more leeway in this industry and can get away with things that would end the careers of most women or people of color."
Claire hummed. "But he must run out of good will eventually, right?"
"One can only hope," Emma replied as Regina nodded.
They changed subjects and chatted for a bit when they heard the door open and close again. Robin entered the kitchen, smiling. "The boys are safely at school."
"Good," Regina said, relieved. She finished her tea and stood. "I think I'm going to try to catch a nap before I head to the studio. I'm going to need all my energy to deal with Percy."
"Would you like some company?" he asked, giving her a little grin.
She paused as she passed him, smiling and reaching out for his hand. "If that company is you, then yes."
"It's too early to watch you two flirt," Emma said, shaking her head. Regina just rolled her eyes as she took Robin's hand, leading him from the kitchen.
They returned to their bedroom, where Regina removed her bathrobe as Robin shucked off his clothes. She climbed into bed, noting that it was still warm from their bodies. Regina curled up in her spot, watching as her husband got in on his side in nothing but his boxers. Unable to help herself, she let out a little wolf whistle.
He chuckled, moving closer to her. "Like what you see?"
"I always like what I see," she told him, throwing her arm around his chest and resting her head in the crook of his neck. She took in his familiar pine scent and smiled, feeling at peace.
Robin kissed the top of her head. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart."
"You too," she murmured, already feeling sleep tug her back into its sweet embrace. And so with a contented sigh, she surrendered to it.
Mal greeted Regina at the studio but she looked somber. "We're not talking with Percy just yet," she said.
"What?" Regina asked, her heart dropping into her stomach. "Why?"
"Nimue got called into a meeting and isn't available," Mal replied, "and Tuck is dealing with a plumbing issue at home."
Regina let out a low groan. "Do you know what Nimue's meeting is about?"
"I hope Percy," Mal replied, "but she didn't specify. Are you okay to go in there and face him?"
"As long as security is on standby, I am," Regina said. "Though I'm sure he's in a sour mood and it will be impossible to teach today."
Mal frowned. "Do you want me to stay with you?"
While it was a tempting offer, Regina shook her head. "That would probably make things worse. He was already calling Robin my babysitter. If my agent sat in on our rehearsals…"
"He'll definitely not treat you with any respect," Mal agreed with a sigh. "Okay, but if you need me, I'm only a phone call away."
Regina smiled, giving her agent's arm a squeeze. "I know. Thank you."
Mal nodded, wishing Regina luck before heading to her car. Regina took a deep breath and continued into the rehearsal building, ready to face her partner. She spotted security hanging by her assigned room and one guard nodded to her, silently reassuring her that they were on standby if she needed them. It comforted her even as she prayed she wouldn't have to need them.
She entered the room and relief swept through her when she saw that Percy wasn't there yet. He likely wouldn't have let her hear the end of it if she had gotten there after him. This would show him that it was a new week and she was ready to be at the top of her game again.
A PA helped get her microphone on and nodded, giving her a thumb's up. "You're ready to go."
"Great," Regina said, adjusting her shirt to make up for the weight of the mic. "Thank you."
Not long after, Percy entered the room. He stopped short and scowled when he saw her. "You're still my partner?"
"Yes," she said, fighting to keep her annoyance at bay. "No one has told me otherwise so we're still dancing together."
He let out a dramatic sigh. "Fine. And how long until I'm dancing with Anna because you forget to eat again?"
She crossed her arms. "I had a medical situation and it's been handled. I anticipate no further problems."
"I guess we'll just see about that," Percy said, throwing his bag down before letting the crew put his microphone on. "So, what are we doing this week?"
Regina took a deep breath as she picked up the envelope waiting for them on a table in the room. "Well, it will be the Halloween show so all the routines will be Halloween themed," she explained.
He rolled his eyes. "Why are you so long-winded? Can't you women just give simple answers or do you all just like to hear the sound of your own voice?"
"I am required to explain this to you," she told him, annoyed. "So you can be quiet for a few more minutes and I'll reveal everything."
Percy opened his mouth to no doubt protest but she jumped in, opening the envelope to see their song and dance style. "We're performing an Argentine tango to Beyonce's song 'Haunted'."
"Beyonce?" he moaned. "Why can't we perform to a song by a good artist, like you know Thriller by Michael Jackson?"
She frowned. "Beyonce is an amazing artist. And everyone wants to dance to 'Thriller' but just mimicking his moves won't get you far in this competition. No one can come close to his brilliance."
"Fine," he sighed. "So we're doing a tango? Doesn't that involve a lot of tricks and stuff like that?"
"This type does," Regina confirmed, slightly concerned. She knew when performed correctly, none of the tricks would hurt the baby. But she was worried that Percy would not be able to handle them and either she or the baby would get hurt.
However, she wasn't going to explain all of that to him just yet. Instead, she said: "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For today, I'm going to focus on teaching you the basics of the tango while coming up with our routine."
"Alright," he said. "Just don't faint on me again."
"Please stop bringing it up," Regina replied, exasperated. "It happened once. It was an anomaly."
He just hummed in response. "We'll see."
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, reminding herself she couldn't kill him just yet. Regina then walked over to the stereo and found a good song to use to teach the basics of the tango. "Here, this isn't our song but it will help," she said, pressing play.
The music filled the room and she stood next to Percy. "I want you to watch me before we work on the steps in hold, okay?"
"Whatever," he replied. "You're the 'expert.'"
Percy put air quotes around the last word and she frowned. Deciding to let it pass, she started to show him the basic steps and prayed that was the worst she had to deal with from him for the rest of the day.
Her gut told her that he was likely just getting started.
"How is Percy today?" Tink asked, sitting next to Regina in their shared breakroom. She opened up the sandwich she had brought and bit into it.
Regina let out a groan as she ate her salad. "He's not as bad as he was last night but he takes every opportunity to remind me I passed out the other day."
Tink shook her head. "He's a jerk."
"I'm guessing we're talking about Regina's partner," Killian said, sitting down with them. He frowned as he looked at Regina. "Is he giving you any problems?"
"Just a lot of attitude," she replied. "But he's been doing everything I said, so that's a start."
Tink nodded. "What style do you have this week?"
"The Argentine tango," Regina replied, spearing a piece of grilled chicken along with some lettuce. "Lucky me."
"Is that safe for you to do?" Killian asked, his eyes briefly going to her midsection before returning to her face.
Understanding his question, she nodded. "I'm going to stick to tricks that will have minimal damage to me if Percy messes them up, either intentionally or not. The main problem is going to be the fact that the only emotions the two of us feel for each other is distrust and intense dislike, which doesn't lay a good foundation for the Argentine tango."
"I think you can harness that intense dislike though," Killian told her. "I've done it several times myself with my partners."
"I suppose it could work," Regina replied, deciding to consider his suggestion later. "I just know there are always high expectations when I dance the tango."
Tink nodded. "Yeah, which is unfair to your other partners. No one is going to have the same connection you had with Robin and they are never going to get anywhere near the magic that happens when you two dance the tango."
"That is true," Regina replied, sighing. "That still doesn't take the pressure off though."
"Well, just do your best and pray that it works," Tink said. "Isn't that what we all do on this show?"
Killian leaned back in his chair, smirking. "I guess that's what some of you do."
Tink and Regina rolled their eyes, knowing that was just his ego talking. "Well, what dance style do you have?" Tink asked him.
"The samba," he replied.
"How do you think Moana will handle it?" Regina asked, knowing his current partner didn't possess the same skill level as his previous partners. But Moana had youth on her side as well as a determination to succeed. It was clear she worked hard to make sure she was the best and was such a sweet, sunny person to be around. Moana seemed to be the complete opposite of Percy.
Killian thought it over before shrugging. "I think she will handle it the same way she's handled everything and I think she'll do well. She seems to like Latin. Maybe you could talk to her when all is said and done. I think she should continue learning the Latin dances, even just for fun."
Regina nodded. "I would love to talk to her. I am always willing to recruit more people to Latin."
"I'm not surprised," he replied, chuckling. "Thank you."
She finished up her salad and sighed. "Time to get back to work."
Tink and Killian gave her sympathetic looks. "Good luck," he said.
"Thank you," she said. "I think I need to revive Hip Boot Camp and I still have to figure out our routine."
"You'll be fine," Tink said. "You're the best and you'll come up with an amazing routine. I just know it."
Regina smiled. "Thank you. And good luck with your routine, Killian. I look forward to seeing it."
"I look forward to seeing yours," he replied before turning back to his lunch. She packed away her empty container and left the breakroom to head back to her rehearsal space.
She got there just as Percy arrived back as well. He frowned, crossing his arms. "Good. You ate. That should mean no fainting."
"Yes," she replied, scowling at him. "So maybe you can stop mentioning it?"
"Maybe you just need to be tougher," he told her, entering the room. She took a moment to take a few deep breaths and count to ten before following him.
It was going to be a long afternoon.
"Hello, darling," Robin said, greeting her as she got out of her car. He kissed her cheek. "How was your day?"
She sighed. "Taxing. Percy would not stop making snide comments about me fainting."
He frowned. "Even knowing that it was caused by your pregnancy?"
"He doesn't know," she replied, explaining about how Nimue had a meeting. "We'll have to tell him another day because I really don't want to tell him by myself."
"I don't want you to tell him by yourself either," he said, rubbing her arms. "I hope you can tell him soon."
She nodded. "Me too. Especially since we have the Argentine tango and I worry he might push me for tricks that he's not ready for and that could hurt all three of us."
He frowned. "I hope you can shut him down."
"Me too," she replied. She then sighed, pushing down thoughts of her partner. "But I don't want to think about him. I'm home and I want to focus on you, the boys and our news. Are we close to making the announcement?"
"Yes, we are," he replied. "I just need a little bit more time and then we can put it out. Can you hang on for a bit longer?"
She nodded. "I think so. Just not too much longer. If we keep sneaking around and speaking in vague sentences, Roland is going to be confused and Henry's going to figure it out on his own."
"He usually does," Robin agreed, nodding. "Alright. A couple more days, at most. I promise."
"Sounds good," she said, going up on her tiptoes to kiss him. He responded eagerly, wrapping his arms around her as they just spent some quiet time together outside their house.
He broke the kiss, gently bopping her nose with his. "You ready to head inside?"
Regina nodded, taking his hand. "I am. I want to get some rest and then later, I want your help creating my routine for Percy, if you don't mind."
"You said you have the Argentine tango, right?" he asked. When she nodded, he grinned. "How can I say no to that?"
"I figured you wouldn't," she replied, walking into the house with him. "You always inspire me when it comes to the tango."
He grinned, closing the door behind them. "So I'm your muse?"
"Yes," she said with a laugh. "I suppose you are."
"Imagine that. I'm my muse's muse," he replied, holding her close. She leaned against him, laughing again.
Claire walked out of the kitchen, smiling. "You two are certainly in a good mood. Everything went well at the studios today?"
Regina shrugged. "We weren't able to talk with Percy and he still made snide comments but it seemed to go as well as I expected."
"I guess that's all we can ask for," she replied. "Can I get you anything?"
"I'm good. Let me just hop in the shower and get changed then I'll come down to help you with dinner," Regina told her.
Claire frowned, shaking her head. "I've got it under control. You rest."
"I can help," Regina said, feeling a bit defensive. "I'm perfectly fine. Sugar levels are fine and you know I like to cook to destress."
"It'll be fine, Mum," Robin assured his mother. "As Regina once said, this isn't her first rodeo. Besides, we haven't yet told the boys and we don't want them to get suspicious."
Claire sighed, nodding. "You're right. Just don't push yourself, okay, Regina?"
"I won't," Regina promised, giving Robin's hand a squeeze. "I'll be down shortly."
She headed upstairs with Robin following her. They entered their bedroom and he closed the door behind her. "You know Mum means well, right?"
Regina sighed, nodding. "I do. And I appreciate having someone be a mother to me at last. It's just...Do you think she's acting like this because of the fainting episode? If we found out the traditional way, would she be less overprotective?"
"Honestly? Probably," he replied. "She was more relaxed when we all had that stomach bug last year or when Roland got the flu."
"She was," Regina agreed, recalling how Claire had cared for them but never had been so smothering. She knew when to leave them alone to rest and when to let them do things on their own as their strength returned.
He stepped closer, rubbing her arms. "It's also only been a couple days. Give her a few more days and she'll probably be less overprotective."
Regina nodded. "Okay. I'll try to be a little bit more patient. If it's not better in a week, I'll talk with her, woman to woman."
"Sounds good," he said, kissing her forehead. "And if you also need me to talk to her, just let me know. Otherwise, I'll let you work it out."
"Thank you," she said, appreciating that he would let her deal with this on her own.
She pulled away, giving him a small smile. "I'm going to take a shower. I'll be out in a few minutes."
"I'll be waiting right here," he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed with a smile. "See you then."
Regina kissed him before gathering a change of clothes and slipping into the bathroom. Within minutes, she stood under the warm spray and let the day wash down the drain. She felt her body relax as she went from "champion dancer Regina" to "wife and mom Regina." It was time to just rest and recharge for the next day with her favorite people - her family.
"You all comfortable, sweetheart?" Regina asked, sitting on the edge of Roland's bed. He nodded and she kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, Roland."
"Goodnight, Majesty," he said, cuddling his Teddy bear dressed as a rockstar, just like his Papa. "I love you."
She smiled as she turned off his light. "I love you too. Sweet dreams."
Regina left his room and went next door to Henry's. She knocked before opening the door, finding her son at his computer. He looked up as she entered and lowered his headphones. "Bedtime is at ten," she reminded him.
"Got it, Mom," he said. "If I don't see you, goodnight."
"Goodnight, sweetheart. Pleasant dreams," she told him. She leaned forward and kissed his head before leaving his room, closing the door behind her.
Regina headed down to the dance studio near Robin's recording studio and smiled as she entered. He stood in the center, waiting for her. "Everyone good?" he asked.
She nodded. "Are you ready to tango?"
"I'm always ready to tango with you," he replied. "What are we dancing to?"
"Beyonce's Haunted," she said, walking over to the music player. "I'm struggling a bit with a theme. Once I get that, I think the routine will really click."
She felt Robin stand behind her. "I'm not familiar with this song. So why don't we both listen and I'll see if it makes me think of anything?"
"Sounds good," she said, glancing over her shoulder to smile at him. "I knew I kept you around for a reason."
"And here I thought it was for my dashing good looks," he replied, posing for her. She laughed, hitting play and letting the song fill the room.
Regina leaned against him as Beyonce's vocals filled the room. The beat was easy enough to choreograph to and she was grateful they assigned her a song that fit the tango. Sometimes they backed themselves into a corner with their themes and so dancers had at times been assigned songs that really didn't lend themselves to the styles they were assigned. With the song being good for a tango, she just needed a theme so she could craft a story for their dance.
My haunted lungs
Ghost in the sheets
I know if I'm haunting you
You must be haunting me
"Hmm," Robin said, his eyes closed as he listened to the song. "I think I'm getting something."
"Something you wish to share?" she asked, watching him.
He held up a finger. "Give me a second, okay?"
"Alright," she said, waiting for the song to end and hoping his idea would be something she could run with and create a great Halloween routine.
The music ended and he opened his eyes. "Okay. I have something. This might be corny, though."
"Corny is better than nothing," she assured him. "Just tell me, please."
He nodded. "What if you two were lovers who were on their way to a secret rendezvous when you both died? And so your ghosts finally meet up for that rendezvous?"
She hummed. "I like the ghost idea but I'm not sure about the two lovers, given the animosity between us. Percy may think he's a great actor but he definitely can't act like he wants me."
"Good point," he said. "Okay, how can we tweak it so it works better for your dynamic?"
"What if we are ex-lovers who died after breaking up and now we haunt each other at the spot where it happened?" she asked. "We're drawn to each other but hate it."
Robin's eyes lit up. "That's perfect!"
"Yes!" Regina held up her hand and he gave her a high five. "You ready to start choreographing now?"
"I am," he said. "But not for too much longer. You should get some rest before the morning sickness starts."
She wanted to argue with him but she knew he was right. Regina nodded. "Alright. If I can at least get a third of the routine choreographed, that'll be good. I'll probably spend all day teaching Percy just that anyway."
"Well, you know I'm always happy to spend time in the dance studio with you," he replied. His eyes twinkled as he added: "Especially if it's the tango."
"Just remember it was another tango that landed me in front of a toilet every morning," she reminded him as she went to turn the music back on again.
He chuckled. "But you enjoyed that tango as well."
She paused, glancing over her shoulder to smile at him. "Yeah, I did."
Regina pressed play and stepped closer to him. "Alright, Robin, let's start with basic hold and see where we go from there."
"I'll follow your lead," he told her, gently gripping hand as he placed his other hand on her waist. "As always."
"Always," she whispered before counting them in. Robin moved with her and they seemed to glide around the dance floor, moving as one.
It still was her favorite feeling and she hoped it never faded away, no matter how many dances they shared together.
"You messed up!" Percy shouted. "Again!"
"I didn't mess anything up! You're ahead of the beat, just like you were during the cha-cha," Regina shot back, resisting the urge to strangle him.
He crossed his arms. "Stop making excuses for your own poor performance."
"Sounds like someone is projecting," she told him, hands on her hips. "You need to follow my count so you can stay on the beat."
"I need a competent partner," he snapped. "The producers should wise up and let me switch to Anna."
She tried not to roll her eyes or scowl, hoping her expression remained neutral. "And what happens when the same problems pop up with her? Because switching partners isn't going to change anything, Percy. You're here to learn…"
"No, I'm here to win," he told her. "Your one job is to make sure I win, not be my teacher."
"Those are not two separate jobs. If you want to win, you need to learn and I need to teach you. Think of me like a coach," she told him.
He raised an eyebrow. "I don't think you know what a coach is."
"I think we need a break," she said. "Let's have lunch and then regroup afterwards, okay?"
"Right. If you don't eat, you'll go face first into the floor," Percy said snidely. He pushed past Regina and grabbed his bag before leaving. A member of the crew raced after him to get the microphone attached to him back so Percy didn't leave the building with it.
Another crew member came up to her and started to take off her mic pack. She sighed. "Is it me or is it him?"
"It's him," the tech assured her. "He's just an ass."
She sighed. "How much longer do you think I will have to put up with him?"
The tech shrugged. "Hopefully not much longer but even if you have to go to the end, it's only a couple more weeks."
"It still feels like a lifetime," she replied.
"I know," the tech replied, stepping back with the microphone. "But for now, you're free. Go enjoy your meal."
Regina thanked him before leaving the rehearsal room. Lunch would give her a brief respite from Percy and give her time to talk something over with someone she trusted. They had yet to find a good time to talk to her partner about her pregnancy and she started to reconsider her decision. She found Ursula in an empty rehearsal space and knocked. "May I interrupt?"
"Of course," Ursula said, turning off the music. "Taking a break from Percy?"
"Yes," Regina replied, sighing. "He's in an even worse mood."
Ursula motioned to the nearby table. "Let's have a seat and we can eat while you vent. I'm all ears."
They headed to the table and Ursula retrieved her own lunch. Regina pulled out the sandwich she had made earlier that day and sipped her water. "So, you're not mic'ed, right?" she asked.
"I am not," Ursula assured her. "Fire away. Say whatever you want about your partner. It will never leave this room."
"Thank you but not why I asked. What I want to tell you first is something only a few people know," Regina told her. "I'm pregnant."
Ursula smiled, her eyes lighting up. "I knew it!"
"What?" Regina asked, confused.
"I had a suspicion when you kept complaining of being fatigued," Ursula explained. "Then there were the other symptoms, especially you complaining about a funky smell in the studio, remember?"
Regina paused for a moment before remembering that little episode before she fainted. "Oh, yeah."
"That was the only one low blood sugar didn't explain away," Ursula said, "but combined with it, it all pointed to pregnancy along with the knowledge that Robin had just returned from tour."
She wiggled her eyebrows and Regina rolled her eyes, even though Ursula was right about them conceiving the baby after Robin's tour. Regina tucked some hair behind her ear as she shrugged. "Do you blame me?"
"Hell no," Ursula said with a laugh. "I've seen Robin shirtless, so I know if I was married to him, I'd probably be jumping him any chance I got. And I've seen you, so I know he probably feels the same way about you."
"Well, now, I'm feeling a bit awkward wondering about how many of you have pondered my sex life with my husband," Regina replied, raising an eyebrow as she felt a little weirded out but mostly amused.
Ursula chuckled. "Not as much as you may be thinking. But at the same time, we're not blind. Robin's fine, you're fine and together, you're a pretty fine couple. We all know what you're doing."
"Still a bit creepy," Regina told her, "but alright. I'll let it go for now."
"Well, let me get this conversation back on course by saying congratulations!" Ursula exclaimed, leaning over to hug Regina. "You and Robin must be over the moon. How are the boys taking it?"
Regina swallowed her bite before saying: "We haven't told them yet. We're working on a fun way to tell them. But they've both expressed interest in having siblings, so we're pretty sure they're going to be thrilled."
"Even though there will be a significant gap between Henry and the baby?" Ursula asked, eating her salad.
"I don't think he minds," Regina replied. "He's asked the most about a new sibling. But I guess we'll see what he's saying when the baby is actually here and crying all night."
Ursula chuckled. "That is true. He may be singing a different tune then. Roland too."
"Probably," Regina agreed. "But I also know that they will be amazing big brothers and absolutely adore their new sibling, even if certain aspects of having one may annoy them."
They lapsed into silence for a few moments before Ursula asked: "Have you told Percy?"
"Not yet," Regina said. "Since we're sure he leaked about me passing out, I wanted to tell him with Nimue, Mal and Tuck there to stress how important it was that he didn't reveal anything about it. But we all can't seem to find a time to be together."
"Wow," Ursula replied.
Regina nodded. "But now I'm not even sure I want to tell him about it at all. I mean, he probably should understand why I can't do certain things going forward but he keeps berating me for my fainting spell. He cannot pass up an opportunity - or even when there isn't an opportunity - to mention it."
"So you're worried that if you tell him about the pregnancy, he may use it to berate you when he messes up rather than admitting that he's not Mr. Perfect?" Ursula asked.
"Are you spying on our rehearsals?" Regina asked, surprised at how accurate her friend was. She then said: "But yes, pretty much."
Ursula nodded. "I can understand your concerns about telling him."
"So do you think I should hold off or should I tell him?" Regina asked, hoping to get some advice from a dancer she greatly respected.
"That is a conundrum. Your partner does deserve to know that you do have some limitations, however minimal they are. But at the same time, your partner has shown he will weaponize any perceived weakness against you," Ursula mused.
Regina sighed. "That's pretty much the debate raging in my head, especially after every little insult he throws my way."
"Which are all on camera, right?" Ursula asked. When Regina nodded, Ursula smiled. "I think that might be the solution."
"His insults?" Regina asked, confused about where her friend was going with it.
Ursula nodded. "Let's face it. Percy is not going to get a great edit this week and you're more popular than him. Combined with his comments last week, it's very likely he won't get enough votes to make it to next week. There's a good chance you'll be eliminated at the end of the next show."
"Oh," Regina replied, starting to connect the dots. "So it might be best for me to wait to see what happens on the next show. If we get eliminated, it's probably best he didn't know. But if we don't, then I might really need to tell him."
"Exactly," Ursula said.
Regina leaned back, thinking it over. "Thank you. I think I need to discuss it with a few other people, namely Robin and Mal, but that might be what I decide to do."
"Well, glad I could help and I wish you good luck," Ursula said. She checked her phone. "Do you need to head back or do you have some time for some non-Percy conversation?"
"I have a little more time," Regina assured her. "What else do you want to talk about?"
Ursula began talking about the students she had started to teach and how talented they were. Regina leaned back, relaxing as she enjoyed some positive stories before dealing with the ball of negative energy that was Percy Pellinore.
Mal agreed with Ursula's recommendation. "I've talked it over with Tuck as well as Nimue. Obviously she can't guarantee the outcome of a show, but she also agrees that it's likely Percy will be voted off this week. Why chance him blabbing your secret if he's not going to advance?"
"Agreed," Robin said, arms crossed. "I could see him blurting it out as revenge for being kicked off."
"I just hope we do get kicked off," Regina said. "I wish I could send a message to my Royal Court not to vote for me this time."
He leaned over and rubbed her back. "I'm sure they want to get you away from Percy as soon as possible just like the rest of us."
"Let's hope so," Mal said. "I'll leave you two crazy kids alone for now. If that prick gives you any more trouble, give me a call, Regina. I'll set him right."
She chuckled, once again imagining her agent beating someone up in a dark alleyway in Los Angeles. "I will, Mal. I promise."
"Good," Mal said. Then as she always did when Robin was on the phone, she reminded him to take care of Regina before ending the call.
"Feel better?" Robin asked Regina, kissing the side of her head.
She nodded. "I do. At least I don't have to worry about telling Percy for now. I can just focus on telling our boys."
He grinned. "You ready to do that?"
"Are you?" she countered, raising her eyebrow. After all, he was responsible for getting everything ready for the big reveal.
"I am," he confirmed. "Shall we do it in the morning before you head to the studio?"
She smiled, kissing his cheek. "Sounds perfect. Thank you, Robin."
He rubbed her back. "So do you want to go back to the studio to keep working on the tango or do you want to go straight to cuddling in bed?"
"The routine is pretty much set," she told him, knowing she had choreographed it all. Now it was just teaching Percy, which was proving more difficult than usual. She rubbed her neck. "I think I want to go straight to cuddling."
"Your wish is my command," he said, standing and holding out his hand to her. She took it, letting him help her up. They headed up to their bedroom, checking on the boys along the way. Both were sound asleep and so they continued until they reached their room, ready to turn in for the night.
Regina washed her face and brushed her teeth before changing into her pajamas. She climbed into bed, waiting as Robin took his turn in the bathroom. He returned to their room, turning off the lights before joining her in bed. They snuggled under the blankets and he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. "There we go," he said.
She sighed happily, resting her head on his bare chest and listening to his heartbeat. "This is my favorite part of the day."
"Mine too," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "It's just you and me."
"Exactly," she agreed, closing her eyes as she felt her body relax. Robin always had a calming effect on her and she loved that.
Robin played with her hair. "So, we haven't really talked much about the baby."
That confused her and she frowned as she lifted her head to look him in the eyes. "What about the baby?"
"Well, a few things," he said. "Do you want to know the sex or be surprised?"
"Know," she replied with certainty. "I definitely want to be prepared. Unless you want to be surprised?"
He shook his head. "I want to know as well. We let ourselves be surprised for Roland and while it was nice and Marian picked a wonderful neutral nursery theme...I really wish I had been better prepared for a boy, you know?"
She nodded, glad they were on the same page for that. "I just have one demand, then."
"What is it?" he asked.
"No gender reveal party," she replied. "If we do anything, it's small and doesn't set the state on fire."
He laughed, nodding. "Agreed."
- "Good," she said, relieved. "Anything else?"
"Not much until we find out the sex, I guess. Then we can start picking out names and designing the nursery," he replied.
She smiled, imagining all the possibilities for their nursery. "That's going to be fun."
"Hopefully," he said, sounding less enthused. "Marian and I almost killed each other setting up the nursery. We almost broke down and hired people to do it but we were afraid they would tell the press about our baby. We managed to finish it but it was a tense time."
"What happened exactly?" Regina asked, curious. "Was she too demanding? Too indecisive? Were you too busy?"
He bit his lip before sighing. "I was too demanding. I went a little overboard on trying to have the perfect nursery and it drove her insane."
That surprised her. She knew Robin had perfectionist tendencies when it came to music and even dance but she hadn't seen it in other aspects of his life. He tended to take a more laidback approach and she couldn't imagine him getting all worked up over a nursery. "Really?"
"Really," he admitted sheepishly. "I was every cliche of an expectant parent rolled up into one person."
"Oh no," Regina replied, cringing. "Poor Marian."
He nodded. "I'm impressed she didn't kill me."
"Well, I hope you're better this time around or I might," Regina warned him, half playful and half serious.
"I'm reformed," he promised, holding up his right hand. "I promise."
"Good," she said, resting her head against his chest again. "I'm glad I'm doing this again with you."
He hummed, playing with her hair again. "Me too. Our little family is just going to get better."
She smiled. "Agreed. I can't wait to tell the boys in the morning."
"Neither can I," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "Good night, Regina."
Regina sighed, closing her eyes as his heartbeat lulled her toward sleep. "Good night, Robin."
And wrapped in Robin's arms, she slipped off to dreamland.
Their plan to reveal Regina's pregnancy was derailed the following morning when they all overslept. It was Claire who woke everyone up and they all rushed to eat breakfast before loading the boys into Robin's car so they could get to school. Regina had an early call and she needed to leave right after them, thanking Claire for being a lifesaver that morning. The last thing she needed was to give Percy any more ammunition to use against her.
He finally showed up almost two hours later. Percy didn't apologize but did explain that he had a last minute interview with some entertainment news show. Nimue also came in to lay into him about letting them know of schedule changes but Percy didn't seem to care. He appeared to be particularly smug that day and it put Regina on edge, though she wasn't sure why.
She managed to make it through their rehearsals before leaving that evening, driving home. Regina arrived back at the house and felt exhausted. All she wanted to do was eat dinner and snuggle with her boys.
As was their tradition, Robin greeted her after she parked her car. He gave her a quick kiss before rubbing her arms. "You ready?" he asked.
"For what?" she asked, her mind feeling like it had stopped working.
"To tell the boys," he reminded her.
She had forgotten about that but she perked up, nodding. "Let's do it!"
He grinned, wrapping his arm around her. Looking up, she found Claire was waiting in the doorway. Robin asked her to bring the boys out and she agreed, disappearing. He rubbed Regina's arm. "I can't wait," he said.
"Neither can I," she replied, leaning against him as they waited for their sons to come out and find out the good news.
Roland and Henry came out of the house. They both rushed over to her and gave her hugs. She happily returned them before holding her boys close. "So, your father and I have a surprise for you."
"What is it?" Roland asked, looking excited.
"Come with us and we'll show you," Robin said, taking his son by the hand. He led him away and Regina followed, her arm still wrapped around Henry. She felt Claire and Emma behind them, both eager to see how the boys reacted to the news.
They arrived at their little corner piled with several bales of hay. Amongst the hay were five scarecrows, each dressed to look like one of the members of the family. Robin's was dressed in button down shirt and jeans while holding a fake guitar and Regina's wore one of her costumes from Dancing from the Stars, something that the wardrobe department was willing to part with. Henry's was dressed in a shirt and pants with his favorite scarf wrapped around the neck while Roland's wore pieces of school uniform that Henry had outgrown. And Claire had given some old pieces of clothes for her scarecrow. They offered to make one for Emma but she declined, choosing to make a pumpkin instead. She had even charmed blonde extensions from the show's hair department and attached it to her pumpkin. It sat on one bale of hay, looking over the family of scarecrows.
Roland frowned as he looked up at his father. "Why are we here?"
"Because your mother and I realized our little family here was not complete," Robin explained. "So we added the missing member."
"Missing member?" Henry asked, frowning as he looked at Regina.
She nodded, removing her arm from his shoulders and pushing him forward. "Why don't you go check it out?"
Henry shrugged, taking Roland's hand as they stepped closer to the bales of hay. Robin wrapped his arm around Regina, whispering: "It's on the bale of hay in front of your scarecrow."
"I see it," she whispered back. "It looks great."
She waited for their sons to find the small pumpkin wrapped in a blanket as if it were swaddling. Robin had placed a little cap over the stem and carved eyes that were closed, as if sleeping. And he had also placed a pacifier in a hole that served as the mouth. It was a baby pumpkin and nothing that would arouse any suspicion if any trick or treaters noticed it, especially given Emma's pumpkin across from it.
Roland found the pumpkin first. He grinned as he jumped up and down. "It's a baby! Wait...why is it a baby?"
Henry put it together first and slowly turned to face them, his eyes wide. "Mom, are you having a baby?"
"I am," she said, smiling. "Surprise!"
Both boys rushed at her, hugging her. She held them close, smiling at Robin. He grinned, asking: "So I take it you two are happy with the news?"
"Yes!" Roland exclaimed, pulling back to look at them with light shining in his eyes. "I'm going to be a great big brother, just like Henry!"
"Yes, you are," Robin agreed, running his hand over Roland's curls. "Your little brother or sister is going to be very lucky."
Regina turned to Henry. "And how do you feel? I know getting a little sibling in your teens isn't ideal…"
He grinned. "I'm cool with it. I've always wanted siblings and now I'm getting them. Besides, I think it'll be fun to be the cool older brother who can drive them places."
"That's still a few years off," she reminded him, her heart skipping a beat when she thought of her son being old enough to drive a car. "First, you have to go through the crying phase."
"I think I'll be fine," he replied. He then frowned as he studied her. "Wait, is the pregnancy why you really went to the hospital?"
She rubbed his back. "Partially. I did pass out due to low blood sugar but the pregnancy was the underlying cause. Now that I know I'm pregnant, I can definitely make sure it doesn't happen again."
"Is that why Claire has been hovering and trying to feed you every chance she gets?" he asked, grinning.
"Yes," Claire said, stepping up. "We should all go back inside so I can do so now."
Roland darted forward, taking his grandmother's hand. "Nana, are you excited about the baby?"
"I am," she replied, leading him toward the house. "I'm very excited to meet your new brother or sister."
Regina glanced back, finding Henry hugging Robin. The two hugged each other tightly before Robin pulled away. Henry kept his arm wrapped around his stepfather and then wrapped the other around her. "We're a pretty amazing family," he said.
"Yes, we are," Robin agreed, moving his hand to squeeze Henry's shoulder. Regina also gave him a squeeze as they started to walk back to the house along with Emma.
Henry glanced over at Emma. "You think you can handle another baby?"
"After dealing with you?" she asked. "Oh yeah."
Regina laughed as Henry let out an indignant sound. She kissed his cheek before they reached the house, ready to enjoy a good meal and celebrate the newest member of their family.
A member who was already very much loved and accepted by his or her siblings. Regina couldn't ask for anything more.
Once dinner was finished and the kitchen cleaned, the family settled into the living room. Regina leaned next to Robin and he draped his arm around her shoulders while flipping through the channel. She rested her head on his shoulder as she said: "I should probably tell Mary Margaret and David next. They are family."
"Absolutely," he agreed. "I'll probably tell the Merry Men as we get closer to going public."
"Are you sure? I know they are family as well," she said, surprised by his decision.
He nodded. "They are but I think they will be okay that we waited a bit to tell them. Besides, they are all off relaxing after the tour. I can tell them when we're all in one room again. They'll be fine."
"Alright," she said, turning her attention back to the TV. She frowned as Percy appeared on the screen. "This must've been the interview he did that made him late to rehearsals today."
"Do you want to watch it or just skip it?" he asked.
She momentarily debated - after all, she got enough of Percy during rehearsals. But maybe he would show a different side to the interviewers. "Let's watch a little and if it's his usual crap, we can just change the channel."
"Alright," Robin said, unmuting the TV and letting them hear the interview.
"So the judges said you were the weakest dancer left in the competition and that there were a couple contestants who they felt should've been there in your place," the interviewer said. "How do you feel about that?"
Percy looked wounded. "It hurts. I'm doing my best but they don't seem to see that. Thankfully the audience at home does and they keep voting for me to stay."
It didn't sound too bad and if Regina hadn't known better, she almost would've felt sorry for him. She curled her feet under her as the interviewer asked their next question. "You were also very critical of your partner, Regina Mills, who was rushed to the hospital after experiencing an episode involving low blood sugar. That criticism was not received well by fans. Do you feel you could've been more empathetic?"
"Empathetic?" Percy asked, snarling. "For a grown woman who forgot to eat? How stupid do you have to be to not feed yourself?"
"Time to change the channel," Robin said, reaching for the remote.
She, though, stopped him and told him to wait as the interviewer started to push back against Percy. "It sounds like something that happens. We know everyone on the show has a very busy schedule and I know I've been so busy that I sometimes don't realize I haven't eaten. Haven't you had those days?"
"Of course not," Percy scoffed. He then narrowed his eyes. "Why does everyone keep trying to defend Regina?"
"Maybe because you're being unduly hard on her for something that can happen," the interviewer replied. "And because you have a tendency to diminish her skills. She is a champion ballroom dancer."
Percy scowled. "Why? Because she won with the man who is now her husband? They didn't win because of their dancing skills but because they wanted to see them get together."
"I was referring to her career before she joined the show. You are aware that you have been paired with a world class ballroom dancer, especially when it comes to the Latin dances?" the interviewer asked, sounding surprised that Percy didn't know about Regina's background.
"I, well, no," Percy admitted, looking annoyed. "I did not know her background. We didn't swap resumes when we met, you know."
The interviewer did not look impressed. "But now that you do, you can admit that trying to paint her as incompetent when she's this accomplished dancer is not a good look, right?"
Percy's jaw tensed up. "Everyone makes all these excuses for women, trying to be politically correct or woke or whatever we're calling it now. Everyone dances around the fact we all know but now can't acknowledge."
"And what is that?" the interviewer asked.
"That women as a whole are just incompetent," Percy said matter-of-factly.
Regina gasped, sitting up straighter, and the remote fell from Robin's hand as his fingers went limp. "He didn't just say…?" she trailed off, unable to believe her own ears.
"He wouldn't be that stupid," Robin said. "Would he?"
Even the interviewer looked surprised. "That was incredibly sexist."
"Oh, please, not you, too," Percy replied, rolling his eyes. "It's just a fact. No matter how loudly women scream about being equals, the truth is they aren't. Men are smarter, men are stronger, men are tougher. Men are just better at everything. Women should stop all this nonsense and go back to doing what they were meant to do - serve the men in their lives and have babies."
"Stop talking," Robin told the screen. He looked over at Regina. "Do you know if his agent or publicist or someone was with him?"
She shrugged. "I'm guessing not because it took production a long time to find him and I believe they were on the phone with his agent. So I don't think anyone knew he did this interview."
"They probably want to strangle him as well," Robin said, watching as Percy continued his rant against women.
"Women just need to get out of the way and stop making mockeries of themselves," he said. "They just aren't as good at things as they think they are and we all need to stop pretending they even come close to men in all respects - athletics, acting, politics, business, etc."
Shifting in his chair, the interviewer. "Well, I think that's it for now. Thanks to Percy Pellinore for joining me today. Back to you in the studio."
Robin finally shut off the TV as he and Regina looked at each other. Fragments of thoughts raced through her head. The show, Percy, the fans, the producers, the networks...it all flew through her mind as she tried to grasp onto one. But all she could clearly think was one thing.
"Holy shit!"
A/N: Well, Percy's certainly put his foot in it now. What will happen next? Find out in the next chapter!
And now the boys know and are so excited! Though it may be difficult for them to keep the secret a bit longer but they are going to do their best.
Have a great weekend!
-Mac