Shadowed Memories

I Choose You

"Regina, how could you not tell us that you were sending Zelena over the line? What if she finds a way back?" Snow asked Regina. Regina had just watched her sister leave town. Then found her way to Snow White's apartment, while Robin went to check on Marian.

"She won't. I took care of it." Regina said and sat at the bar in Snow's kitchen. "She's gone, trust me." Regina sipped the coffee that Snow handed her.

"So what now. How's Marian?" Snow asked.

"I don't know. Robin went to check on her. I hope Roland wasn't too much trouble. I know you must have had your hands full with the baby too." Regina smiled admiringly at Snow White, she knows how much of a handful a newborn can be.

"He was fine. But he kept asking when his new mama would be coming over to play with him."

"New mama?" Regina teared up and mumbled the words.

"Yes." Snow smiled. "And when I asked him who that was he said-"

"Regina!" Roland's happy little body bobbed down the stairs. He ran up to Regina and hugged her. "Can you play with me today?" His small brown eyes sparkled, and Regina beamed at him.

"Of course dear." She smiled at him. And waved her hand. Roland found a small plane in his hands and ran around the room making the plane fly.

"Hey mom." Henry said following Roland. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, Henry. Everything is fine." She hugged him. "How was babysitting Roland?" she asked and they both looked over at Roland.

"He was alright. He loves comic books, which was a plus." He laughed and held up a copy of Captain America. "And mom, he really missed you." Henry looked up at her.

"I know." Regina smiled.

*****

"They look happy." Regina said smiling. She was sitting with Robin on a bench in the park, and they were watching Roland and Marian play together next to the pond. Feeding the ducks that swam in the water.

"Having Marian back in his life means so much to Roland." Robin said, still watching them. Regina took a deep breath.

"I understand. At the end of the day, our children come first."

"Regina-" Robin looked at her.

"She's his mother." Regina cut him off, thinking that his choice was already made.

"I choose you." he said. He knew that she needed to hear him say that. And he was right. Regina laughed. She couldn't believe what she just heard him say.

"But, Roland. What would this look like to him?" She asked and looked over at him. Robin followed her gaze.

"It's going to look like a messy, complicated situation. Which it is." He looked back to Regina. "But if I went back to my life with Marian. I'd be living a lie." Regina looked down and smiled. She rested her hand on his knee and looked back up at him. "The best example I could set for my son is to live truthfully. To follow my heart." he smiled. "To you." all Regina could do was smile. Robin pulled something out of his pocket. When he unfolded it, Regina saw it was a page from the story book. It was page 23, but it was changed. Instead of it showing Regina walking away from Robin that night, it shows them together. It showed them hope. Regina took the page and looked at it. Tears started rolling down her cheeks. Could she really have him, and her happy ending? She thought. What about Marian?