Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Once Upon A Time.
Authors Note: I really hope you all enjoy this story. I kind of lost my writing muse for a while but have really started to get back into it so hope to be uploading more soon and continuing with Saving Hope 3 Reviews would be great :)
Italics = Memories
He Let Her Go
Robin pulled one of the faded pink roses off the floral arrangement delicately decorating the chairs perfectly lined up on the road of Mainstreet, besides the clock tower. He brought it to his nose inhaling the light scent before crumbling it in his hand and falling heavily into one of the seats. He adjusted the jacket of his black suit before settling his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes. Robin knew today wouldn't be easy and as much as he dragged his feet that landed him on this day, it had arrived in full force. Today, he would give her away.
Robin swept the fine raven hair across his daughter's forehead, his ocean blue eyes fixated on her own as she whimpered out a cry. "Don't cry my darling, here we are." He holds the bottle to her perfectly pursed lips and smiles as she eagerly begins to feed on the nourishment her mother has provided. Nothing could compare to this...to the love that enveloped him as he watched his daughter snuggle into his arms and feed. He felt the shift in the bed and the small yawn that came from his beloved awakening besides him. Regina looked over as the sleep faded from her eyes and smiled. She got on her knees and pulled herself behind him, placing her chin on his shoulder and reaching over to stroke their baby's soft suckling cheeks. Robin turned and pressed his lips to hers, "Look whose finally woken up." Regina smirked against his lips, "You should have woken me." Robin kissed her forehead before turning back to their baby, "I might have actually already been holding her before she became hungry." Regina grimaced and shook her head, "Robin! You'll spoil her." Robin leaned down and kissed his daughter's forehead, 'Everyday of my life if I'm so lucky. You'll be Papa's little girl forever." Regina smiled and winked at him, "Until she finds her own thief who she'll love as much as I love you." Robin's eyes widened and he shook his head, "Why would you say such a thing? That...will never happen." He turned his attention to Hope, "I'll start working on your tower tomorrow." Regina chuckled and shook her head, "Robin..."
"Robin..."
Emma walked over to Robin balancing herself on the chair as she adjusted the red heels on her feet, "Robin...!" She broke him from his trance as he lifted his head from his hands and turned to look at her, "Emma, sorry...I was just...having a seat." Emma offered him a sympathetic smile before reaching over and taking the crumpled rose from his hand, "Regina told me you would have a hard time with today? Pretty sure she'll zap you a good one if you ruin all the flower arrangements though." Robin furrowed his brows before chuckling, "I have many ways of keeping myself in my wife's good graces no matter what I do." Emma groaned placing a hand over her eyes, "Thank you for that visual."
"Is that so? What ways are these exactly Mr. Locksley?" Regina smiled with a small smirk angling her lips as she walked towards Robin and Emma. She was breathtaking. Her red dress accentuated her curves perfectly, not to mention the crimson laced lips that smirked knowingly at him. Robin reached his hand out for her, "By being honest my love, of course. In understanding that I have married the most stunning woman that has ever graced this realm and all others." Emma rolled her eyes as Regina smiled and took Robin's hand, sitting in his lap and placing a kiss on his lips. "Honestly, you're worst than my parents any day...I'm going to go check on Neal...or...just find something else to do." She muttered the last of her words as she fumbled with the treacherous heels on her way inside the clock tower.
Regina placed her forehead against Robin's, running her fingers over his tie, "How are you holding up?" Robin rubbed his hand over her hip and sighed heavily, "Tell me again why we're not taking our daughter and locking her in the clock tower until she's fifty." Regina smiled placing her hands to his cheeks and pulled her head back with a smile, "We both know we can't do that. Our daughter's in love Robin, true love. Would we ever keep her from having what you and I have...no matter how much we'd like to keep her our baby?" Robin leaned up kissing Regina's lips and sighing, "Perhaps a spell then...go back in time when she was a toddler." Regina laughed against his lips and shook her head staring at him with love in her eyes, "You're impossible." Regina looked at him seriously, "She deserves her happy ending Robin. We deserved ours...that's why we named her Hope. Happy endings always begin and end with hope." Robin smiled at his wife rubbing the pad of his thumb over her lips, "I know my love. You're right...and have also spent a lot of time listening to Snow." Regina laughed, kissing the pad of his thumb, "Well, we are family after all...but...tell her that and I'll deny it with every breath I have." They both gave a laugh before their foreheads touched, sharing in what would be the happiest day of their daughter's life; however, one of the hardest of theirs...this spoke mountains as we were speaking of the former Evil Queen and Prince of Thieves after-all.
Robin leaned against his bedroom door spying on the sight that fell upon his eyes. Regina, his beautiful wife, sat at her vanity, her head tilted as she put on her favorite pair of diamond earrings. She smiled into the mirror at their ten-year old daughter who sifted through her make up in awe. "Mommy?" Regina leaned down and kissed her daugther's forehead, "Honey?" Hope smiled as she found Regina's signature crimson lipstick and handed it to her, "Is Papa your prince just like David is Snow's prince?" Regina smiled at her daughter and winked, "I like to call him my thief but...this will just be our little secret?" Hope nodded enthusiastically inching closer as Regina blotted her lips on the tissue her daughter held up for her. "He's my Prince of Thieves and stole my heart the moment I saw him...though, I never told him that. I like to let him think I gave it to him." Hope giggled, picking up one of Regina's lighter shades of lipsticks and handing it to her, "Mommy?" Regina took the pale pink lipstick and applied the faintest of shades on Hope, "Honey?" Hope blushed and shrugged before rubbing her lips together like her mother, "Will I get a prince one day too even if we don't live in the Enchanted Forest?" Robin rubbed his hands over his face when he heard the question but continued to watch as Regina leaned over, touching her forehead against her daughter's, "You'll find your prince sweetheart. It's all about timing...which means,Papa and I get to keep you to ourselves for quite a few years to come. Until then, I'll share my prince with you." Hope smiled before leaning up and rubbing her nose against her mother's, "I love you Mommy." Robin adjusted himself at the doorway loosing his footing and falling against the doorframe, interrupting the private moment. "Papa! Look, Mommy let me wear some lipstick." Hope ran over to him and lifted her face to show him. Robin knelt and held her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, "You look beautiful my darling." He swallowed a knot in his throat as she wrapped her arms around him. He held her close and whispered, "Stop growing would you." Regina smiled over at her prince, and the other princess in his life.
"Robin!" Regina spoke louder to try and break him out of the trance he seemed to be in. She had her hands on either side of his cheeks now as he blinked and furrowed his brow, "Sorry love." Regina smiled knowing he was caught in his own thoughts of their daughter today, just as she had been all morning while helping Hope get ready...her first cries, first walk, first 'i love you', so many firsts...firsts that she would now share with her very own prince. "It's okay. I still love you," she teased before placing her hands on his chest. "Hope wanted you to go to her now. That's actually what I was coming down here to get you for before I had to find out your manner of pacifying me." Robin swallowed thickly before running a hand over his jaw and sighing, "She's all ready then...all dressed, hair done, umm...perhaps we forgot something at the house, I could always tell everyone we're running behind." Regina clutched his jaw in her hand to still him and raised her eyebrows, "No more dragging your feet Locksley. She's ready. It's time to...to let her go." Regina swallowed at her own words past the knot in her throat as the tears formed in her eyes. She stood in front of him and held out her hand to him. Robin took her into his arms and they shared a chaste kiss before looking into each others eyes, "I love you milady." Regina smiled against his lips and swallowed, "I love you thief. I'll let you have some time with her while I check on the boys."
Robin pulled her to his side threading her fingers with his and bringing them to his lips as they walked into the clock tower parting ways only when he went to climb the steps leading him to the tip of the tower where their princess was confined to until it was time. Even then, Robin held on to her hand until it became impossible for their fingers not to part making Regina give a quivered smile, remembering years ago when the brush of their fingertips felt like the end...only to be the true promise of a beautiful beginning. She winked at him as she walked backwards, "Spend time with your girl." Robin smiled before looking up the stairs, climbing them slowly...the slower his pace the longer he could keep her his little girl.
Robin walked up to the door of the Belle's office, turned bride's dressing room for the day. Placing his hand on the door handle, he took a deep breath before twisting it and guiding it open. The sight before him stole his breath as he leaned against the door. There she stood, a vision in white, smoothing her hands over the romantic lace of her mermaid styled wedding dress. He watched as she nervously adjusted the pale pink satin sash around her waist, setting it in the perfect position...again. Hope brought her hands up to her hair gently pressing her fingertips to the diamond jewels that adorned the clip she had borrowed from her mother. Her fingers traced the calm curls that floated against her shoulders as she took in a deep breath and gently released it. She was oblivious to her father's presence, lost in her own world. Robin felt the tears he was holding back trail down his cheeks as he took in the image of his daughter, his little girl.
Robin walked past Hope's door pausing when he heard a groan followed by the thud of another pair of shoes that failed to make the cut. He walked up to the door, reaching up his hand and knocking on the door. "Come in!" He carefully entered the room having already been lectured by his wife about their teen daughter's need for privacy just that morning. "Are you alright my darling?" Hope turned away from her standing mirror and sighed. Robin smiled taking in the image of his daughter in a formal blue gown, hair curled with diamond encrusted clips adorning it. "I look awful...just awful." Her forehead furrowed with frustration, in much the same manner Regina's did when she wasn't pleased. Robin shook his head and reached his hands out, turning his daughter to face the mirror. "You my darling, are the fairest and most beautiful in all the land...just like your mother." Hope sighed looking at her reflection in the mirror, "Why did Mary Margaret have to choose a formal ball theme for prom?" The corners of Robin's eyes creased as he smiled and whispered, "You may take a lady out of the Enchanted Forest but you'll never take the Enchanted Forest and its traditions away from a princess." Hope couldn't help but smile as she shook her head. "There it is. There's that smile that's had me wrapped around your finger since the day you were born," Robin placed a kiss to his daughter's forehead as she looked up at him and scrunched her nose. Hope nibbled on her lower lip and tilted her head looking back into the mirror, "Do you think Neal will like it?" Robin groaned hearing the name of the Charming who would be arriving shortly to escort his daughter to their first prom together. Hope shook her head smiling before scoffing , "Papa...
"Papa..."
Hope pressed her hands on her father's cheeks, using her thumbs to wipe away the tears that rested their. "Papa..." Hope whispered, smiling at him and shaking her head softly, "You and Mom today...you'll both be my undoing if you don't stop with the tears. Belle's already done my make up twice." Robin covered his daughter's hands with his own, curling his fingers over them and bringing both hands to his lips. He pressed kisses on both of her hands and shook his head in disbelief, " My darling, you are absolutely stunning, in every way...just like your mother." Hope swallowed back tears before releasing a shuddered breath of relief, "Papa, do you really think so?" She slipped her hands from his and turned to her standing mirror making minor adjustment's here and there. "You're beautiful my darling. Breathtaking." Her hands went to her raven black hair again, adjusting the clip that held a curl gently along the side of her face. Hope's ocean blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears of nerves and love. Allowing her hands to fall to her side, she looked at her father's eyes in the mirror and sighed, "I'm so nervous Papa. My heart feels like its running a marathon down Mill Creek Road."
Robin shrugged slowly and placed his hands on her daughter's shoulder's, "Well you know my darling , if you'd like me to rig together the horse and carriage, we can be at Granny's sharing our infamous ice cream sundae's faster than you can say Papa get me out of here." Hope turned slowly before her lips broke into a knowing smile. She walked the three steps into her father's arms and hugged him tightly, "I'm ready Papa...nervous but so ready. I love him." Robin held his little girl closer before looking into the mirror and seeing the image of their embrace. Before him was the silhouette of his daughter, his little girl who before his eyes had turned into a woman. His eyes flashed through images of her first steps into his arms, their first dance in front of the fireplace on a particularly rainy day when she was two, every bump and bruise that sent her running into his arms...all the moments that summed up the time when he was the only prince in her life. Now, he would give her away.
The bells from the clock tower rang causing Hope to pull away and take a deep breath, "It's almost time." A gentle knock on the door before it opened caught their attention as a raven haired teenager walked into the room wearing a pale pink knee length cocktail dress. "Mama sent me to make sure Papa didn't take you through any time portals and Blue's ready to begin the ceremony whenever you are sis," Raven smiled sweetly at her father as he pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. She pulled away and stood before her sister excitedly, "I wasn't at Mama and Papa's wedding so I can officially say, you're the most beautiful bride that's ever graced the realms."
Robin watched his daughters perfect their images, giggling like always about memories of their past. Moments later, he carefully escorted his Hope down the stairs. If he walked her a little slower than previously discussed down the isle, nobody could really blame him. If he shifted his eyes away from the private smiles his daughter and her soon to be husband shared as she neared him, well nobody would notice. When he placed Neal's hands over his daughter's as he gave her away, he gave Neal the 'i'll be watching you look' ...everyone couldn't help but chuckle. If he sniffled back the tears when they were pronounced man and wife, nobody would remind him later that the Prince of Thieves had been reduced to tears at a wedding.
That evening as Robin slowly danced with the one he would never let go at the reception, his beautiful wife, he couldn't help but smile as Hope happily danced in the arms of her husband. Neal would whisper things in her ear that would make her laugh and he sighed with relief. If he had to let her go, at least it was to true love something he himself had fought tooth and nail for. However, as he skimmed the crowd and saw his eighteen year old princess dancing in the arms of a man she'd introduced to him and Regina as Flynn Ryder, he couldn't help but kiss his wife's lips and whisper, " Can't we attempt perhaps just one spell...turn Raven back into the sweet little boy hating girl she once was?" Regina laughed, "You're asking me to curse the land...so our girls would forget their true loves. You do realize, I'd have to use the heart of the thing I love most and as much as I love my children. That would be you." Robin's eyes creased at the corners as he smiled, "Why do I have to be so darn lovable?" Regina smiled as she stopped dancing and placed her hands on his cheeks, "Because my heart was made to love you. Just like Hope's was made to love Neal and maybe...just maybe our Raven's belongs to Flynn. But..." Regina raised her eyebrows and pointed to their girls who were both now standing together smiling over at their parents. She blew them both kisses before looking back at Robin, "They'll always be ours."
