Author's note: Hello, hello! I know I said I'd be posting this a couple weeks after The Book Tour ended but that turned into a couple months. Life got in the way of writing. But I'm back, and here's the first chapter of the sequel. Rated T for now, I will be changing it to M when needed (Don't worry it won't be nearly as long of a wait as The Book Tour was seeing as they are already together). As always, thank you to my beta Temera for the quick turn around. And thank you all for sticking with me through this. Enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Robin looked into her eyes and frowned a little, "Everything okay?"

"What did Neal have to say?" Mal added.

"The trial is reopening." Regina answered, the two of them sharing a look quickly before looking back at Regina, who was doing her best to not think about it at the moment. The nightmare was about to start up again and she needed to keep living her life for Henry's sake and for her own, but the thought of having to go through that, having to testify, it made her stomach turn.

The Trial

Chapter 1

Regina had spent the better part of Saturday telling people where to put what as her friends helped her settle into her new apartment. There was a lot of work but they were able to get it all done that day getting something off her plate.

Emma had been keeping an eye on the kids while the rest of them were working on the apartment. She brought them over to the new place when she had gotten a call saying it was ready. By the time she arrived, the place looked like a home. Regina had ordered pizza to feed her troops that helped out. They all sat around the living room with boxes of pizza and bottles of beer on the table.

Jeff, Neal and Emma were sitting on the sofa with Mal on the floor in front of Jeff. She was holding Lily on her lap while the little girl played more than she ate. Robin and Regina were snuggled together on the recliner she had gotten. She had tried to feed Henry to no avail, he wanted to play with Lily.

"Thanks for helping out, I don't think I would have ever gotten this done if it weren't for you guys," Regina thanked her friends.

"We were just here for the pizza," Jeff teased.

"Of course you were," Regina mumbled.

Neal nudged Mal slightly getting her attention and motioned to Jeff, "I like him."

"Too bad, he's taken," Mal smirked.

"That is not what I meant," he narrowed his eyes, "Trying to be nice and give my approval…"

"Approval?" Mal raised an eyebrow, "Who said I needed your approval?"

"Considering I was always the one to beat up your ex-boyfriends, I think I deserve that right."

"Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart."

Regina rolled her eyes watching them.

"Speaking of approval," Neal started looking up at Regina, "I…"

"Don't even start." Regina cut in.

"Women …" Neal muttered slinking back into the couch causing everyone to start laughing. The children looked at the adults not knowing what was going on but wanting to join and and started laughing too. "Wonderful, your kids are laughing at me."

"Of course they are, we had to make sure they knew not to take anything their Uncle Neal said seriously. Isn't that right, Lily bear?" Mal bopped her daughter's nose lightly making her giggle more and nod.

The group soon started to wrap up and get ready to leave. It was getting late and the kids bedtimes were getting closer.

"Thanks for the pizza, Gina," Emma said as she slipped into her red leather jacket, "Monday at 9:00?"

Regina nodded, "Yup, 9:00 is perfect."

"I'll be here." She crouched down to Henry's level, "I'll see you later, squirt."

"Bye Emmy." Henry wrapped his little arms around his nanny's neck giving her a sweet hug.

Regina was watching the exchange with a smile on her face when she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders.

"You did good, kiddo." Neal said, "With everything."

"Thanks," Regina smiled turning slightly to give him a hug goodbye.

"Don't worry about the case okay, let me do that. I'll let you know everything I find out along the way."

She nodded slightly, "Thank you." She turned gesturing to Emma, "Henry likes her, don't do anything stupid okay?"

Neal laughed, "I'll try not to." He grabbed his coat and walked out with Emma.

Robin and Jeff were off talking in one corner while the kids were now back in the living room with Mal. She turned when she saw Regina walk back towards the room. "We should probably get going too, Lily bear needs her beauty sleep," she said giving her daughter a look that said don't argue.

Regina bent down and opened her arms up for Lily, "Come here, princess." She pulled her in for a big hug and whispered, loud enough for her mother to hear, "You gotta look after your momma, baby girl, she's not going to be able to do everything on her own," Regina winked at her best friend.

"Har, har." Mal replied stoically. She bent down to pick up Henry and twirl him around a little.

Lily pulled back and placed her hands on Regina's cheeks and frowned a little, "Auntie Gina, you no coming home?"

Regina kept her arms around the little girl, her heart broke a little but she put on a smile to brighten up Lily, "No sweetie, Henry and I are going to be living here now. So you get your own room, isn't that exciting? No more sharing."

"I guess so."

Regina poked Lily's belly lightly, "We'll be over all the time, honey, and you're welcome to come over and have sleepovers whenever you want."

The idea of sleepovers perked up the little girl, "Sleepovers?"

"Uh huh, we can make blanket forts and watch movies."

"Okay!" She let go of Regina and ran over to Henry just as Mal placed him down to hug him and start talking about the sleepovers they were going to have. Regina watched and shook her head a little.

"Does that invite for sleepovers extend to me too?" Mal asked slipping her arm around Regina's waist.

"I don't know, I'll have to think about that one." Regina countered turning towards Mal and sobering up a little, "Thank you for everything, Malerie. I wouldn't have made it this far it wasn't for you."

Mal shook her head a little, "No, this" looking around at the people and the place, "all of this, is all you, Regina. You're the strongest woman I know, and I couldn't be prouder of what you've accomplished with the hand you were dealt." She looked over at Lily for a second smiling, "I'm so glad that Lily has an aunt like you to look up to. Lord knows, I'm not exactly the role model she needs."

"What are you talking about Mal?" Regina asked tilting her head, "Your strength is what got me to keep fighting, I wouldn't have been able to do half of this if you weren't in my life. Lily is blessed to have a mother like you to teach her ropes. Even if you spoil my kid when I try not to."

"Someone has to spoil Henry," Mal reasoned.

"Everyone spoils Henry."

"True," Mal laughed, "I'm going to miss you, roomie."

"I'm a couple blocks over, Mal, I didn't move across the country."

"Still."

"I know."

Mal pulled her best friend in for a tight hug, kissing her cheek as they parted, "Call me if you need anything."

"I love you, Mal."

"Love you too, Gina." She turned and walked over to Lily picking her up and taking her to get her shoes on.

Regina hugged Jeff goodbye and watched the three of them leave. She closed the door after them and leaned back up against it. Robin walked over to her after a moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned onto her tiptoes to peck his lips, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For helping today. And for accepting me, flaws and all."

"Always, milady." Robin leaned down to kiss her again, "I should probably go too. You must be tired."

"Stay."

"It's your first night here with Henry…"

"Henry will be asleep in another half hour and then I'll be alone with nothing to do. Stay."

Robin chuckled, "Alright."

The three of them ended up playing with Henry's toys for another 15 minutes before Regina got him up to brush and get ready for bed. She tucked him in, read him a story and slipped out of his room when he was fast asleep. Robin had been waiting in the living room to give mother and son time together. She walked over to him and plopped down on the couch next to him. Robin wrapped an arm around Regina and kissed her forehead.

Regina snuggled against him, laying her head on his shoulder as the TV played in the background. Robin was running his fingers up and down her spine as they sat in silence watching the television.