A heartfelt thank you to Brandi (Bolt41319) for putting up with the writer crazies, giving me the motivation to finish and helping make this the best it could be and for convincing me not to cut the smut. It wouldn't be half as good without all of her support :).

She comes every year, same time, same weekend to get her tree, it's like clockwork. Every year since he took over this place from his uncle, 15 years ago, Regina Mills has come the Saturday after the Thanksgiving weekend to get her tree. He knows the kind she likes, and he already has a couple of trees in mind for her. There's one he placed at the back of the display area, hidden a bit from view and marked, so it won't get sold before she can take a look at it.

It's a blue spruce, but it's not too blue, she goes for a white spruce if the blues are 'too blue' (a product of higher aluminum sulfate). Some people like them 'too blue' and he tries to have a mix, and had learned from his uncle what fertilizers to use to create the different effects while still cultivating healthy trees.

The tree he has marked for Regina is very symmetrical, it's the colour she likes and he didn't see any holes in it. There's a white spruce she might like too, if she decides to change it up. Then there is another blue he noticed, one that is perfectly symmetrical, but it has a couple of holes, and he knows that's usually her biggest turn off.

He prefers a balsam fir for himself, loves that traditional Christmas tree fragrance it has. They are his most popular trees, then the spruces Regina loves so much.

She's one of his favourite customers and not just because she's so loyal to his business, it's more than that. Unlike a lot of people he vividly remembers her first visit. His Uncle Tuck made a point to introduce a young couple to him, Regina Mills and Daniel Colter. His uncle had a real soft spot for Regina's husband Daniel. As they toured around and Daniel chatted him up, asking in depth questions about the trees and how they were cultivated, Robin understood why. She didn't say much of anything, in fact they didn't say a word to each other, but still she was memorable.

He had laughed when Marian came around the corner as they were paying and did a double take, her eyes fixated on Regina's ass. It was a feature he too had noticed, but in a much more subtle manner than his wife.

After they left Marian had proclaimed them the hottest couple in Storybrooke as his Uncle Tuck shook his head at her.

The next year they came with baby Henry. He and Marian had oohed and awed over him as Marian told Regina how excited she was to have kids. It them a while, and many disappointments, but Marian did eventually get her wish some eight years later, only to die days after Roland's birth from complications.

That first Christmas without her was terrible, he wasn't himself, the light had left his eyes. Marian had loved Christmas, it was their season and he seriously contemplated selling the farm. It was Regina who offered him some of the only helpful advice, which made sense because she had experienced the same thing.

He's expecting her soon, had confirmed when she and Henry came for the Pumpkin Patch that they'd be coming for their tree at the normal time. He spent a lot of time with them, well her mostly that night because Henry was busy picking and carving his pumpkin for the contest. Henry won the contest for his age group this year, his skills having improved tremendously, after weeks of practicing.

Henry is one of the first kids he's watched grow up. He's been seeing him more and more as he increased the holiday events that happen on his farm. Henry will be fourteen next year and Robin thinks he'll talk to his mum about offering him a job. Henry's great, very polite and very friendly, and he's smart. A lot of their little town loves him so Robin has no doubt Henry would be a hit with his customers.

He can use extra help, mostly at Christmas, but the other holidays perhaps, if Henry wanted. The Pumpkin Patch for sure, especially if next year he finally goes through with his corn maze idea that he's been considering and putting off for the last three years. It's a fifteen acre farm and that space at the front is already set aside for displaying the cut trees, a corn maze would easily fit there, he would just have to cut it down right after Halloween to make room for the Christmas trees.

Will enters the storefront, loudly making his presence known. "Mate, the Gold's just pulled and ya know how much he hates me, because we dated way back when, so I'm gonna go to the back…"

Robin just shakes his head, there are many things he likes about living in a small town, but small towns also make it hard to avoid your exes. That's a problem he doesn't have, but his employees and best friends Will and John do, and the latter in abundance. Sometimes Robin swears John only works for him so he can pick up women.

"Sure, but get John to grab me if Regina gets here, I have a tree I think she's really going to love."

Will gives him a pointed look, "When are ya going to admit ya fancy the lass and just ask her out?"

That... came out of nowhere, he likes Regina, she's friendly and yes she's beautiful, it's hard not notice, but he's not interested.

Before he can protest Will adds. "And don't try to tell me ya don't because I saw how ya were flirtin' at the pumpkin patch, it's time ya moved on mate."

Will's wrong, they weren't flirting, Henry was there for the pumpkin carving and he didn't have much to do. She always is good to talk to so he went over and talked to her, plus she was one of the few parents there alone. As a single parent himself he knows how lonely that can be, being in a room full of couples when your kid is occupied.

He's not going to argue with Will though, there's no point, so he just walks off. He throws on his jacket and exits to the display area, to greet the Golds and see what they need.

He'd been manning the front for a bit, warming up after a long trip through practically the entire farm with Cruella De'Vil. A trip that ended with him cutting down a tree for her, even though the 'Cut Your Own's' are supposed to be just that, so that she would finally leave. She stared at him the whole time he cut it down and made more than one inappropriate comment about his ass and how he looked holding a saw that he ignored. They have a chainsaw, but when it's just one or two trees Robin prefers the manual labour, minus the commentary of course.

When he brought her in to pay she tried to give him extra to deliver it tonight, with a promise she's make it worth his while. He refused and she sighed deeply, then called her butler to come and get it, so she wouldn't damage her car tying a tree to it. After she left business was slow so he stayed inside, avoiding new customers for a while as he shook off the awkward encounter.

Normally, no one is inside unless they're serving a customer. They stay outside so they can advise on trees and then follow people inside to take their payment and help load the tree into their car or arrange for delivery.

As he walks to the entrance, which is really just a pathway he keeps cleared of snow from the parking lot, he thinks this shouldn't be quite as bad as his latest encounter. He doesn't like Mr. Gold, but Belle is nice, and usually the talkative one. She hosts children events at the library that Roland enjoys so he sees her fairly regularly. He knows her well enough that he knows she's pregnant, a fact that is getting harder for her to hide as her bump grows. He also knows the reason she hasn't been telling people is because of strife with her husband.

He's surprised they came together but it seems Mr. Gold is trying to make things right, probably because he doesn't want a second estranged child. Robin knows he's a bit biased toward Ralph Gold because he was very close with his son Neal Cassidy. Robin had witnessed what happened to his friend after his dad kicked him out, leaving him broke, homeless and alone at sixteen.

Still, his job is customer service so Robin greets him warmly. Ralph Gold just waves him off telling him, "We'll grab you if we need you, thanks."

And well Robin's not complaining about that, especially because he sees a Mercedes Benz pull up into the parking lot. It's dark so he doesn't know for sure, but he believes it's Regina's car. She is one of the few people in town who drives such a car. He also has the money for such a thing, courtesy of the life insurance policy Marian talked him into, but he doesn't see the appeal of a new car that others do. He still drives his beat up sixteen year old truck he bought off of his uncle for $2000 ten years ago. He'll probably just buy the same one, but slightly newer when his can't run anymore, even though John has a bunch of trucks picked out for him, for when he's ready.

He can't fault John really, car sales is his main job, so Robin puts up begrudgingly with the sales pitches he'll never actually fall for.

As they approach he can see a little better and it's definitely Regina and Henry. He hears their voices before they come into the light enough to actually be able to see them.

When they do his jaw almost drops. She's in black coat with a scarf that matches red leather gloves. She must have had something before this because her coat covers a dress and all that's on her legs are tights and heeled boots. Not the most practical for the weather, but at least it isn't snowing anymore. God she's beautiful, and he wonders what's underneath the coat, bets it's sexy, like the boots. Wait where did that come from? Stupid Will.

He's always known she's gorgeous, anyone can see that, and she's definitely his type, but he's not, or he wasn't interested in her in that way. It's been a while, so maybe that's it, his hormones making themselves known after a lengthy dry spell.

She smiles brightly at him as Henry asks, "So do you have one picked out for us yet?"

He returns her smile, his face flushing a little under her gaze, which he'll blame on the cold, and then turns to Henry to tell him, "I think I have the perfect one, we will have to see if it actually satisfies your mother's high standards."

She mocks offence, "I do not have high standards."

Henry's quick to disagree. "Yes you do. Remember the year John was helping us, and Robin had to come over because you hated everything John was showing us, and he said that Robin was the only one who could figure out what you wanted."

Her response is exactly as he expects, "Who says I'm the problem, maybe John just doesn't know what he's doing."

"Hey, that's not a very nice way to talk about my employees, milady."

The sass he gets back is also anticipated, "Well perhaps you need better employees."

He takes this as the perfect opportunity to ask about Henry. "Perhaps. Maybe I should hire Henry next year."

"Awesome!"

Regina doesn't react, prompting him to ask, "Assuming it's okay with his mum?"

She looks at him quizzically, "You're, you're serious?"

Crap, he's gone and messed this all up. He turns to Henry, "Can I steal your mum for just a minute?"

Henry nods happily, and he hopes Regina will say yes because he can see how excited Henry is and he would hate to be the cause of his disappointment.

Once they're out of earshot he apologizes. "Sorry, shouldn't have brought that up in front of him, I meant to ask you first before I suggested it."

"Oh that's okay, it just uh, took me by surprise is all. It's Henry's decision, I want to say he's too young but he's going to be fourteen next summer, and if he wants to do it, which he clearly does, I won't stand in his way."

"Should we go tell him the good news?"

She laughs and tries to give him a conspiratorial wink, but can't quite wink, and it's adorable.

He laughs too, more at how cute that attempt at a wink was. She must sense he's laughing at her because she asks, "What?"

He responds without thinking. "You're cute when you are trying to wink."

And shit he didn't mean to say that. Shit, shit how's he going to explain that?

She ignores the cute comment, to his relief, and arches her brow, challenging him, "Trying to wink? I wasn't trying, I did wink."

He shakes his head emphatically, "Actually you're mistaken, that was decidedly not a wink."

She glares then but he sees just how not serious she is from the mischievous glint in her eye, "Well you're wrong."

He chuckles, knowing she's not one to admit defeat, but then neither is he. "Well perhaps we will just have to agree to disagree."

She smirks at that, and he's entranced. "I guess that's acceptable."

They make their way back to Henry, who looks looks at them anxiously and Robin almost feels bad when Regina says, "So where that's tree you were telling me about? I guess we will see if it's up to my high standards."

"Mom," whines Henry. "Don't you have something to tell me?"

"Oh you're right, I wanted to tell you that…" she throws a playful smile at Robin as Henry taps his foot impatiently. "We really need to find a tree, because I'm getting cold."

Henry's face falls and they both laugh before Regina takes pity on him. "If you still want to next year you can work for Robin."

"Yessss!" Henry exclaims punctuated with a dramatic fist pump that makes Robin chuckle and Regina shake her head.

He begins to lead them toward the back, where her tree awaits. She comes up beside him, Henry trailing behind and whispers, "That's his new thing, it drives me nuts."

He can relate to that, Roland has just discovered bathroom jokes and has embarrassed him more than once in public with his toilet humor. It wouldn't be so bad if his jokes were actually funny, Robin can appreciate a good joke, but hearing his son tell Granny he wants poo for breakfast, or suddenly yelling out fart in the middle of the library and then laughing hysterically is just not his cup of tea.

"Roland's recently gotten into toilet humor, if I hear one knock knock, who's there, poop hahaha, I may go insane."

She smiles knowingly with a touch of sympathy and amusement, "Ah yes the toilet humor, so much fun."

"Does it get any better?"

She laughs, "Henry stopped pretty quickly so I guess I was lucky."

"God I hope Roland is the same."

They near the tree so he stops them and points to it. "Now I know it's a little smaller than your ideal tree, but it is within a size range you've bought before."

She takes a second to walk around the tree, inspecting it as he holds his breath, hoping this is the one. Not that he would be offended if it isn't because then they can spend more time together.

She's smiling as she comes around, "You were right, it's perfect, I'll take it."

He looks around and there's only a few customers, and both Will and John are working so he offers, "I can wrap this up and follow you home, so you don't have to wait until tomorrow if you'd like."

"You don't have to do that, I can wait until the delivery tomorrow."

"I know I don't have to, but I want to. Besides, then we can test out Henry's skills and see if I made the right call."

"When you put it like that I guess I can't say no, can I?"

He sends Regina in with Will as he hacks a little dried chunk off of the stump and then gets Henry to help him load the tree into his truck.

She meets them back outside as they are tying it off. Henry begs to be allowed to ride with Robin because it's so much cooler, and Regina rolls her eyes but relents.

Henry peppers him with question about the job, when he can start and what it entails the whole ride. It's nice to have someone so enthusiastic about what he does, it reminds him of the questions Daniel used to ask his uncle.

They pull in the driveway behind Regina and she unlocks the door as they untie the tree. She holds the door open when they are ready and he and Henry bring it in.

Henry's not paying enough attention and hits the tree off of a corner. Simultaneously, Robin and Regina both remind him to be careful as they move into the living room, this time accident free. They prop it up against the wall, where it always goes.

He takes a second to take in the room, he's always admired her style. Her home is warm and inviting, while also elegant and well styled, like her.

He should get back to work but he's reluctant to leave, is enjoying her company. Plus, she's taken off her coat revealing a tight blue dress he'd like to look at a little longer. She's turned away from him, hanging her coat in the closet as he gawks at her. The dress has a bit of an open back that two black ties hang down onto, and a tantalizing zipper from her mid-back down to her mid-thigh. Her ass looks fantastic in this dress, even more so when she leans into the closet arching her back.

For a brief second he imagines what it would be like to feel it in his hands, to grab it while planting kisses down her neck, but then she's turning back toward him and he needs to stop his inappropriate thoughts. He's not supposed to be lusting after her. He blames Will for it, for putting the idea in his head, because now all he can think about is how sexy she is, how nice it would be to kiss those lips and other things he should not be thinking about in front of her and her son.

He should leave before he embarrasses himself and says something stupid again.

"Can I get you some coffee or something?" He shouldn't, he should get to work, that's what responsible business owners do. As if reading his mind she suggests, "To go? I know you should get back to work."

He's an idiot shouldn't agree but, "That would be lovely, thank you."

He follows her to the kitchen and tries to keep his leering to a minimum as she prepares the coffee. He's not entirely successful but she doesn't call him on it which he appreciates.

When it's done he's sad to go. He doesn't know when he'll see her again but has no reason to stay.

"How will I get this back to you?" he asks dumbly pointing to the mug.

"Oh, um, you just keep it, I don't actually like that one and have way too many as is."

"Oh… okay."

Then there's a weird silence that he breaks by saying, "Well um, thank you so much, goodnight Regina."

He's halfway out the door when she cries out, "Wait."

He turns back around to see her scrawling something out on a sheet of paper that she then passes to him. "Our phone number, so you can reach Henry, if you ever want to talk about the job."

He tries not to get too excited because it's just for Henry but still he sings along to the Christmas songs the whole drive with a big smile on his face.