The Castle of the Queen of the United Worlds.
Regina was hovering near the mirror and was a little nervous. Robin was looking at her, lying on the bed and smiling. His gaze lingered on her stomach a couple of times, which Regina sometimes stroked. The tummy was barely noticeable.
— Tell me, am I fat? — She asked.
— No, my queen,— Robin came over and hugged her stomach. — You're beautiful.
— Honey, — Regina put her hands on his. — Tell the truth, I won't be offended.
— I'm telling the truth, — he kissed her cheek. — You will be a wonderful mother to our baby. Look how wonderful Henry has grown up.
— Well, Emma helped me with Henry. And also his grandparents are the Charming couple. And I had one child. What if there are two of them?
— Now I will help you, — Robin put his head on Regina's shoulder. — And Henry and his grandparents. If you want to.
— Oh, Robin — She turned to face him and stroked his cheek. — I love you.
— And I love you, — he kissed her, and his kiss did not go unanswered.
After that, Regina pushed Robin slightly away from her.
— That's it, I have to run,— Regina said. — I promised Dr. Whale I'd come for a routine checkup today. And me will also need to solve a couple of problems on the affairs of the kingdom.
— Are you going to work? — Robin was surprised.
— Of course. I'm just pregnant, not dying,— Regina replied.
— Good. But promise me you won't be nervous,— Robin said. — Or at least less.
— I'm going to the doctor, with a Snow. Imposed on my head,— Regina said. — So I can't promise that.
Robin smiled. This eternal friendship of theirs-the struggle amused him.
— Have you heard anything from Alex? — he changed the subject. — How is she? A month has passed since she left.
— No, — Mills sighed. — If I had found Henry, I would have talked to him for a couple of weeks, and then he left… I would have died of boredom. I can't imagine how Gina is holding up.
The World of Desires. The Evil Queen's Castle.
The Evil Queen was sitting near the mirror and combing her hair. Her gaze was distracted. Robin came up behind her and hugged from the back. He held out his hand with a clenched fist.
— Look what I brought you,— he said, and slightly unclenched his fist.
The pendant slipped out of his hand and would have fallen, but the man held it by the chain. It was a beautiful pendant, bright red in the shape of an apple.
— As soon as I saw this, I immediately thought of you. Cool, right? — he asked.
— Yeah, — said Gina, not even looking in his direction and continuing his occupation.
— So! I'm tired of that! — Robin dropped the pendant near the mirror and walked away. — You don't go on outings, you don't react to gifts. Finish with this shucks!
— With "shucks"? — His gaze suddenly shifted to Robin. — Do you think this is shucks?
— Honey, listen. I'm sorry your daughter left, too. But it's been a month, maybe stop being sad?
— She's my daughter! — Gina exploded. — I miss her, okay? I miss communicating with her.
— And I'm your husband! — Robin shouted. — I also miss communicating with you!
— You don't understand, — Gina snorted. — You're not the father.
— So let me become a father! Let's make a baby. It will be ours!
The hand that was combing her hair stopped halfway, and the Evil Queen slowly turned to Robin.
— What did you say? — she said softly.
— I said,— he sauntered over to her and sat down next to her. — Let's have our own baby. Alex is gone, Regina is pregnant. I can see how bad you feel. So let's become parents too. Maybe I'll figure out how to be a father.
Gina put down her comb and looked into his eyes. Robin held that gaze, waiting for an answer. The Evil Queen was silent, and then she into his lips and began to kiss him. He responded to her caress with all the passion.
Somewhere in the World of Desires.
— Dad, — Alice ran her hand over Killian Jones' shoulder.
The pirate sat motionless, staring at the portrait he had drawn, and did not react.
— Dad, can we go to our place? — Alice said. — Robin cooked a delicious dinner.
— Eh? — the pirate turned to his daughter. — You said something, I listened.
— Wow, — said Alice. — Nice beard, Dad.
— Thank you, — the pirate smiled. — I'm fine, you're worrying for nothing.
— You haven't been out of the house for a month, — Alice sighed. — And you're staring at this portrait. You're definitely in love.
— No, I'm just, — the pirate ran his hand through his beard. — I just didn't have time. You see, she kind of saved my life, and I couldn't even give her a gift. And then she just left, and that's it.
— So, maybe she'll come again? — Alice asked. — He will surely come. She's got her mom here.
— Oh, yes, — the pirate smiled and touched the left side of his chest. — That's for sure.
— Dad, — Alice looked in the same direction.— Is it still there? Is it beating?
— Is it beating, — confirmed the pirate. — Her Majesty has somehow cooled down to this heart.
The pirate laughed at the successful pun, but still did not take his eyes off the portrait.
— Dad, let's go for a walk. Well, how long can you stay at home? — Alice began again.
— "Starfish". You... — the healthy hand pointed in the direction of the daughter. — I think.
— About what? About the portrait? About the girl on it? — Alice couldn't stand it.
— What to do with him now, — the pirate sighed.
— It not a problem. You'll give it when she arrives and that's it, — Alice shrugged.
— When? — The pirate looked at his daughter again. — How long should I wait for her arrival?
— If you don't want to wait, go to her, — noticing how her father frowned, she couldn't stand it. — What are you watching? You yourself almost went there, into the world of people, more than a month ago. And now what has changed? You afraid?
— Me? — Jones got up. — I'm Captain Hook! I've been to places that are hard to find on the map! I'm not afraid of anything!
The city of Boston. A month ago
Alex entered the hall and habitually dropped her bag near the bench. She went up to the punching bag and touched its leather side.
— Well, hello, honey,— the young girl said and lightly hit her with her fist. — I've missed you.
— Here she is! — Alex heard the coach's voice. — Have you returned, traveler?
— Coach! — the girl hugged the man in joy. — How glad I am to see you!
— Oh, — the man said in surprise and patted her on the back. — Tell me better, where have you been? What did you see?
— I found my parents, coach, — Alex smiled shyly.
— It can't be! — the man was genuinely surprised. — And where?
— In Storybrooke, — Alex replied. — You know, my mom… She's an unusual woman. And Dad... he's dead. We only managed to talk for a couple of days.
— I'm sorry, — the coach squeezed the girl's fingers slightly. — But you arrived on time. I have news for you too. What do you know about Brooke Howard?
— The fact that she is also a welterweight, like me. And she's going to have a fight soon, with Lea Woods.
— No. It won't,— the coach said. — Lea Woods broke her arm riding a bike.
— Sadly, — Alex scratched her chin. — And what, the fight was canceled?
— No, — the coach smiled. — Because she's going to fight you.
— With me? — Alex rolled her eyes. - "Mad Brooke"? Wow… But the fight should be... in a month and a half.
— Five weeks. Yes, — the coach nodded. — That's why you don't have time. We start training tomorrow. Now let's go to my office. Let's look at her fights, you need to know her technique.
He turned around and walked, but the young girl was standing, thinking about something.
— Alex? — the coach turned around and looked at the ward. — What happened?
— I've been thinking...— Alex bit her lower lip. — I wish Mom could see. And friends. I found friends there.
— So call, let them come, — said the coach.
— Well, what are you! — Alex waved her hand. — It's such a remote place. It's impossible to get calling there. Damn!
— Well, the conversations, — the coach sighed. — Did they teach you to swear like that there? Let's go. You don't want to lose, do you?
— No, I don't want to. — Alex shook her head. — Let's go.
The Castle of the Queen of the United Worlds.
Henry came into Regina's room. She was sitting at the table with glasses on and flipping through some papers. Robin was sitting on the windowsill, one leg dangling over the sill.
— Mom, can we talk? — Henry asked.
— Yes, of course, — Regina replied without looking up.
— In private,— Henry said.
Regina looked up at him, put down her papers, and took off her glasses. She looked at her son with slight anxiety and said, without turning to the window.
— Robin, please come out.
He looked at Regina with surprise, then at Henry, but nodded and left the room.
— Is something wrong? — Regina finally asked and took her son's hands.
— I'm going to go to Boston. But to come back, I'll need some magic thing to cross the line when I come back. Storybrooke is closed to ordinary people, — Henry sat down on the edge of the table.
— Wait — Regina put her hand on his chest. — Why are you going to Boston?
— I want to change the environment. I'm suffocating here, — Henry exhaled. — I tried to write today, nothing comes out.
— Honey, you're a teacher at Storybrooke High, — Regina patted her son on the shoulder.
— Mom, I'm a writer, — Henry replied. — And teach children literature… Lately, this work has been depressing.
— Maybe... — Regina leaned back in her chair. — Why couldn't Robin be present?
— Because it doesn't concern him. It's a family matter, — Henry replied.
— Isn't Robin family? — Regina was surprised. — Henry, I don't recognize you.
— He will be a member of the family when you get married. You will have a baby soon. Own. How long has he been here? A couple of months? I proposed to Ella a week later.
— So you're jealous,— Regina patted her son's knee. — Honey, when I have a baby, I won't stop loving you less. Is that why you're running?
— I'm not jealous, Mom. I just want an adventure, — Henry shrugged. — As long as I can remember, my whole childhood was full of them. One spell, then another. Greg with Tamara, Neverland, Camelot, the Underworld…
— So. I get it,— Regina said. — Are you going to go alone?
— No. With a Hook from the Desire World. I'd take you with me, but, — Henry pointed to her stomach. — I don't want to risk my future brother or sister.
— With a Hook,— Regina smiled. — I see. Give her my regards.
— To whom? — Henry was almost genuinely surprised.
— Here you go — Regina clenched her fists for a second, and when she unclenched them, there was a small pendant in each palm. — This is to go back.
Henry took both of them and got up from the table. Regina also got up and hugged her son.
— We'll have a wedding when the whole family is here, — Regina said and kissed him on the cheek. — Good luck, boys.
The city of Boston. A large sports arena.
The hall was full of people. Alex knew that the fight would be difficult. She exhausted her opponent from the beginning of the fight. All four rounds. At the end of the fifth round, the young girl, dodging the blow, shifted her gaze slightly and saw ...
"This can't be," the young girl thought. Killian Jones was sitting on the stand, with his invariable stubble. He noticed that she was looking in his direction, arched an eyebrow and waved his good hand. And Henry Mills was sitting next to him.
The blow flying straight into her face, Alex noticed in the last seconds. She jerked her head away from him, but still got a tangent. The glove of the rival, having passed over the face, struck above the eyebrow, cutting the skin. Alex blinked and moved away from her opponent, fully focusing on defense. But the gong sounded, ending the round. Alex retreated to her corner and sat down on a stool, breathing heavily.
— What the hell was that? — the coach asked. — How did we agree? Don't give her a break! The last round. Pull yourself together.
— Glue it shut,— Alex replied. — Is it leaking much?
The trainer washed off the blood, soaked it and applied ointment to glue the edges of the wound. Alex gave a barely audible shushed. The ointment stung terribly for the first few seconds, but the blood did not flood the eyes now.
— Coach, tell me. A blue-eyed brunet in a leather jacket is sitting on the south stand? Next to him is another brown-eyed brown-haired man in a stupid green jacket? — Alex asked.
— So, are you looking at guys? — The coach chuckled. — I see.
— Coach, please. Yes or no? — Alex said.
The man, fanning the girl with a towel, casually looked around the hall.
— Yes, they are,— he confirmed. — Do you know them?
— These are my friends. From Storybrooke, — Alex explained. — It's not clear: how did they find out?
— It doesn't matter anymore. Now you have to win this fight! — The coach said firmly. — Do you hear?
— Yes, sir,— Alex replied.
After the gong, she entered the ring and completely focused on the fight, boldly rushing into the attack. She yanked with her left hand, forcing her opponent to jerk to the right, and immediately hit her with her other hand. The opponent fell, the referee immediately ran up to count the seconds. The young girl raised her head at the count of seven, but dropped it back. The referee waved his hands, awarding the victory to Alex. The hall exploded with a roar of approval. Killian and Henry jumped up from their seats and even hugged in joy.
Alex's locker room. After the fight.
Alex was a little nervous while the doctor was putting stitches over her eyebrow. And when he finished, the coach and two guys came into the room. Alex jumped up and came closer.
— Killian! Henry! — The young girl opened her arms and hugged both at once. — I'm so glad to see both of you!
— So are we, — said Henry. — That was great!
— Yes. It was amazing,— Killian said. Alex put her hand on the left side of his chest.
— Killian. Everything okay? — Alex asked.
— Yes — Killian put his hand on top of hers. — Everything is fine.
Suddenly the door swung open as if from a blow and a woman unceremoniously entered the room.
— Let me go already! — she said. — My daughter is here!
— Mom? — Alex was surprised and stood in front of Jones, covering him with herself. — What are you doing here?