I Remember

Secrets and Promises

Regina

I walked back into the house and found Emma and her parents trying to change Penelope's diaper. I sighed and walked over to them, quickly changing her and scooping her into my arms. "Shh, it's okay sweetie, mama has you." I murmured, she whimpered and fell asleep on my chest. "We have to get Roland from Ruby, she's watching him, we can't risk him going around Robin right now, he's too unpredictable." I whispered, they all nodded and started grabbing their coats.

"No, I'm only taking Snow, Roland knows her the best." I said calmly, strapping my infant into the car seat. "Be careful mom." Henry said hugging me, then gently kissing Penelope's forehead, I smiled and nodded, kissing his cheek back. "Let's go."

Roland

Three Days Ago

"DON'T DIE GINA PLEASE!" I cried, clinging onto Gina's leg, she looked down at me then squatted so she was level with my face. "I won't ever leave you Roland, I love you too much." She promised, I had to be strong, she asked me to be strong for her. She smelled so good, and I loved when she hugged me, the twins getting in the way, but she held me tight, her grip becoming stronger around me. My mommy never hugged me, when she came back I wasn't allowed to talk to Gina, I wanted my mommy to go away because I missed Gina's hugs, they were warm and tight, and I felt safe, but mommy's were different and they weren't warm or tight, and I didn't feel safe when she held me. I had to be strong for Gina because I love her so much.

Present Day

"Roland honey, wake up." Ruby said shaking my shoulder slightly, I stretched and emerged from my warm bed in Granny's, my pajamas nearly making me trip. "Guess what honey! You get to see Regina today!" She said lifting me into her arms, I squealed and begged her to help me get dressed. After a whole night of waiting I finally got to get my hug from Gina!

Regina

I just didn't need Emma getting in any trouble while she was with me, her parents just got her back and I can't let them lose her, and now, her baby.

"Regina what are you doing here?" Ruby said, a bitter undertone to her words. I looked at Snow who gave her friend a questioning look. "Roland, Robin doesn't have his heart and he flipped out at Henry for no good reason, I came to get Roland to avoid that happening to him, I know how sensitive he is." I said peeking over her shoulder, I heard a commotion and my concern started to rise, she pursed her lips and moved out of our way.

I came in and found Roland sitting on the floor with his grey monkey that I gave him, he squeezed it close to his body and had his face buried in it. Little sobs coming out of his mouth, I started to walk towards him when Snow took my car seat and went into the other room. "Honey, someone is here to see you." Ruby said trying to lift his mood, he just continued crying and held his toy tighter.

"Hey munchkin, it's me, Regina." I said gently, he looked up and his tear stained face killed me, making me want to hurt whoever harmed him. He gasped and then started crying harder, his little dimples soaked with tears. "Sweetheart what's wrong?" I asked scooting towards him, I lifted him into my lap and brushed his curls back softly. He shook in my arms and then looked up at me.

"Daddy said you left me! He said you weren't ever coming back. But you promised me that you wouldn't ever leave me Gina and I wanted to see you last night but I couldn't because I'm not a big boy and I thought that I would never say goodbye to you! I wanted to give you a hug because you smell good and they're tight and I feel safe in them. I thought you left me like how my mommy left me! You said you wouldn't leave me Gina and I thought you lied to me, and you didn't even say goodbye to me." He sobbed, he struggled getting the words out between his crying but I was able to understand most of it.

"I'm ready to say goodbye Gina. You asked me to be strong, now I'm doing it. I'm ready to say goodbye." He whimpered, his body stiffening as he wiggled out of my grasp and stood in front of me, my brave little boy shook from the crying he was trying to keep in. He remembered, I asked him to be strong when he thought I was dying.

I lifted him off his feet and held his body against mine, kissing his face repeatedly. "Roland I will never leave you, as long as I live I won't ever let you go. It's complicated right now and your papa told you a tiny lie, I'm not going to leave you. I love you too much to let you go. Thank you for being so strong for me my little knight." I said moving the curls out of his face, his face lightened up and he clung to me closely, burying his face in my shoulder. "I love you Gina." He cried, clinging to my shirt, I hugged him and then gingerly lifted him off of the ground.

Roland was asleep and Penelope had finally gone down for the night, Henry came in with Emma and rushed up to his room, his arms bandaged from earlier.

"Regina." Emma whispered, I looked up from my mug of cold tea and faced her, the fatigue of the day hitting me. "Hmm?" She crossed the room and sat across from me.

"Do you think that when the baby comes... Well, will you stay with me?" She asked quietly, I smiled and looked at her, she showed me something that she never showed anyone, especially me, fear.

"Yes. I will stay with you and hold your hand the whole time. You won't be alone this time Emma, I can promise you that."

She smiled then got out of her seat and slammed me with a hug, squeezing me tightly. "Thank you." She whispered, grabbing her coat and exiting the door.

Rumplestiltskin

Foolish thinking, it was all very simple, this baby was magical because she was born out of true love, the only way for me to get this strong magic is for me to stop the idiotic couple from being in love. The minute they stop all of the magic will leave the child and will just be sitting like a large full glass, ready to quench my thirst for power.

I grabbed the heart and blew into it, awaking the sleeping thief, I saw in my looking glass that he was sleeping in the forest, secluded from his Merry Men, bitter expressions on their faces from my earlier deeds.

His eyes fluttered open and he sat up, turning and facing me. I shrilled and waited for him to come to terms with what was happening.

"Now go. Kill Henry."