❃
|Granny's, Two Days Later|
❃

Belle and Gold had taken the Charming's idea of hosting a naming ceremony at Granny's for their new daughter. They invited the entire Hood-Mills family, the entire Charming family, Killian, Mulan, Dorothy, and Merida. Ruby was already at the restaurant, but Granny gave her the night off so she could celebrate with Belle and not have to work.

Ruby shouted to get everyone's attention and everyone focused on Belle and Gold.

"I couldn't ask for a better group of friends," Belle began. "It's a miracle I'm even holding my daughter right now and it's only thanks to Regina, Emma, and Dorothy that we still have her. I know you guys made sacrifices to keep her safe and I could never ask for anything more from any of you. And Meg, I promise that this town will learn to love you as much as it will Rumple and I's daughter. ...And on that note, I am proud to introduce you all to Evelyn Mae Gold."

Everyone cheered when Belle announced the name of Baby Gold. As the night went on, Belle found herself passing off Evelyn to many people who wanted to hold her. Even Meg came up and asked if she could hold the infant and thanked Belle for not holding a grudge because of who her mother was.

❃
|The Asylum, Three Days Later|
❃

The door to the asylum opened and the lady at the desk looked up, surprised to see Regina and a teenager she didn't recognize. Regina never checked on anyone in the asylum just because she had some free time.

"I need to see my sister."

The woman nodded. "You know where she's at."

Regina led Meg down the hall and opened the door to Zelena's cell. The former Queen stepped in first and Meg hesitantly followed. Zelena stood up when they arrived and she was instantly confused. "What is Megaera doing here?"

"She's your daughter," Regina answered. "Did you think we let what Hades did to
Megan go?"

Zelena shrugged. "Why wouldn't you?"

"Because she's also Robin's daughter and I'm not one to judge based on parents. ...But I'm also not one to keep parents from their children because I know very well what that feels like."

Meg shily stepped out from behind Regina and met her mother's eyes. "H-Hi."

"...Megan?"

Meg nodded. "It's me."

Zelena pulled her daughter into a hug and Regina felt a bitter taste rising in her mouth, but she swallowed it down and forced herself to think what it had been like when the Charmings had kept Henry from her.

"I can't believe it's really you," Zelena muttered. "You... you're perfect. Perfectly... wicked.

Meg backed up and bumped into Regina. "N-No. I don't want to be wicked."

"Oh, but it's in your blood, my dear."

"No! I don't want to be like you! I don't want to be a villain."

"You already are."

"NO!" Meg shouted and the lights flickered.

Regina stepped between Meg and Zelena. She turned to face the former fury. "Go back to the main part of the hospital." Meg nodded and left the room.  Regina then turned back to Zelena. "What is your plan?"

"To get Meg on my side. I'm her mother, I have rights!"

"Maybe you should start by not trying to convince her that she's wicked."

"She killed Robin," Zelena reminded her half-sister.

"I know. I was there. But it's not her fault Hades had been feeding her lies for the past who knows how long. Robin forgave her, and so have I. I gave you your chance to reconcile with Meg, Zelena. But I hope you know that she will be the one not giving you a second chance this time, not me." With that, Regina left to go find Meg.

❃

"She's right!" Meg exclaimed once they were out of the hospital. "She's right, I'm wicked, I'm just like her!"

"No, you're not," Regina assured her. "You didn't know any better. Zelena knows that her decisions are wrong. You had no idea that Hades was lying to you. There's a difference. And you, Meg, have changed. Zelena has not, and I'm not sure she ever will at this point."

"Are you going to make me visit her again?" Meg asked quietly.

"No. If you want to visit again, I won't stop you, but I won't make you do anything you don't want."

"Thank you."

❃

When the door to Regina's house opened, Roland jumped up and ran to greet Regina and Meg. "Mama! Meg!" he hadn't quite wrapped his mind around the fact that Meg had gone from being a nine-month-old baby to a teenager in an hour, but he still accepted Meg as his older sister, and that was the main thing.

"Hello, Roland!" Regina picked the young boy up. "What have you been doing while we were gone?"

Roland mocked zipping his lips. "Papa said it's a secret."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Did he now? Well why don't you go play with Meg for a bit so I can talk to your Papa, okay?"

Roland nodded. When Regina set him back on the ground, he grabbed Meg's hand and drug her to the living room. Regina entered the kitchen to find Robin standing in front of the fridge with a smirk on his face. "Hello, Milady."

Regina scoffed. "What are you ad Roland hiding?"

"Nothing. How did the meeting with Zelena go?"

Regina sighed. "Not well. She decided a reunion was the perfect time to comment on how wicked she thought Meg was. I don't think we'll have to worry about taking Meg back to visit. Part of me is glad, but I know that it's not right to keep Meg from her."

"We can try again in a few months," Robin said. "Let Meg recover from this first. Zelena is the one jeopardizing the relationship, not you or Meg or I."

Regina nodded. "You're right. We'll try again someday." Robin stepped towards Regina and pulled her into a hug. Regina wrapped her arms tightly around Robin, not wanting to leave his embrace.

"Why don't you call the kids for supper?" he suggested. "Roland and I have a surprise for you."

❃

Since Henry was at Emma's house for the night, it was only Robin, Regina, Roland, and Meg. Robin and Roland's "surprise" came at the end of dinner when Robin pulled a tray of buckeyes out of the fridge. "Since I've been getting better with the microwave, I decided that Roland and I could at least make these," Robin explained.

Regina laughed. "I see you didn't leave the spoon in this time?"

Robin felt blush creeping into his cheeks. "No I did not."

❃
|Three and a Half Weeks Later|
❃

Regina flicked the light switch on when she entered the house, wondering why Robin and Meg weren't home. Roland and Henry were with the Charmings, but Meg and Robin hadn't said anything about leaving.

Regina got her answer when she entered the living room and was assaulted by voices shouting, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" That was when Regina remembered that it was the first of February. Her birthday. She had never had much of a celebration for her birthday, so the surprise party came as, well, a surprise.

Emma, Mary Margaret, Henry, and Robin had organized most of it while Meg added her input every once in a while. There was plenty of food (mostly junk food that Regina would regret letting Roland and Henry eat later) and plenty of games played with everyone.

After the party ended and everyone left, Regina sent Henry, Roland, and Meg to bed. Meg and Henry both protested, but Regina was firm and they ended up both going to bed when they were told. After the kids were asleep, Regina joined Robin on the couch.

"Happy birthday, my love."

Regina smiled. "Thank you." She placed a kiss on his lips. "Only two months until the wedding."

"I don't see what would be so bad about a winter wedding, honestly," Robin admitted.

"It's cold. And we couldn't do it before winter because Belle is going to be a bridesmaid. You can wait two more months."

"Do I have to?"

Regina rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hold back a smile. "Yes."

"Well then," Robin touched his lips to Regina's, "guess I'll just have to be okay with you being my fiancée for now."

"Guess so."

~

Author's Note: Don't worry, this is still not the end. And that's all I'm going to say...