Regina woke up with the feeling of being observed. She instinctively put her left hand behind her to protect Robin from whoever it was standing on their bedroom door while with the right one she produced a fireball. The light coming from it illuminated the dark shadow, who was no other than the little ball of energy known as Roland.
She immediatly estinguished it and lighted up the bedside lamp "Roland, what's up, my little knight?" She asked while turning to understand why Robin hasn't woken up . He wasn't next to her anymore, the sheets cold and crumpled.
"I had a nightmare, can I sleep with you and daddy?" he asked, he was ashamed she could tell because he wasn't looking at her.
She smiled tenderly at him "Of course, darling, come to me" she extended her hand toward him and in a second he was in her arms. She hugged him trying to reassure him of her presence and breathed his scent. He always smelt of forest and woods, even now that they were living almost full time at her house. She loved that scent on the Locksley's men.
She lay down on the bed with Roland on top of her for a minute before the little boy noticed his father's absence too. "Where is daddy, Regina?" he asked lifting his head to look into her eyes.
"I don't know, Roland, I just woken up" she answered combing her fingers in his soft curly hair. The more she thought about Robin, the more she got concerned. Storybrook was not a quiet town these days, maybe he got out and someone harmed him, maybe he went to see Zelena in her cell... God, she had to stop that little game. She was not jealous, absolutely not. She trusted Robin, he loved her. But that's what he said months ago, after failing to wake up his dead frozen wife with truelove kiss. She remembered his face, sad and ashamed while he said this to her and she remembered the hope in her chest blooming at his words, thinking that he might choose her. Hope crushed after a few days on the town line, he with his family reunited going away to rebuild his life and she in Storybrook with nothing but Henry, trying to put the pieces of her heart back together. She shook her head, trying to clear it and focused her attention on the matter on hand: Roland.
"Do you think you can stay here a little while? I'll go looking for your father and be back, ok? I'll leave the light on" She said caressing his chubby cheek.
"Ok, but I'll sleep only with you two." He said firmly dropping on the bed and curling up under the covers. Regina smiled at him and kissed his nose before getting up and looking for the missing Locksley.
She checked upstairs before going downstais. All the lights were off, no sound in the all house. She was reaching for the phone hoping that if he went for a walk he brought it with him, before make out a light coming from the sofa.
"Robin?" She asked. She heard the sound of a glass falling on the carpet before hearing his voice curse.
"... Regina, what are you doing up?" He said while she was turning the light on. He found the glass and saw liquid permeate the carpet " I'm sorry, you scared me"
"Well, you scared me too, that make us even, don't you think?" she joked. Robin looked up at her, not understanding "Roland came into our room because he had a nightmare, I saw you were not there and I was already thinking the worst" she smiled at him, joining him on the sofa. She sat next to him and placed her left hand on his knee "Why are you downstairs?"
"I could not sleep... I twisted and turned in the bed and I did not want to wake you, so I came here." he said looking at the glass.
She observed him for a minute. Dark circles were under his eyes, how could she not have noticed before? "You had a nightmare too? Are you sleeping at all?" she softly asked him.
He still wasn't looking at her. "I have trouble sleeping... my mind keep playing the times Roland and I spent in NY...with her"
Regina withdrew her hand, folding it with the other one in her lap "I understand." she said shortly.
Robin's head snapped at this, she misunderstood what he said, he could tell from the little frown between her eyebrows and the sad expression of her eyes. "It's not what you think, Regina. Don't even think about that" he said forcefully, trying to look in her eyes but she was avoiding him. He hated this situation, they were walking on the fine ice these days and he seemed to misstep everytime he opened his mouth.
"No, I understand, Robin. You thought you were living the dream of having back the love of your life and then you understood that it was a nightmare. And it was basically my fault..."
"You fault? How can it be your fault?" he asked incredulous.
She laughed a sarcastic laugh, like she did when she was the Evil Queen in the Enchanted Forest and he hated it. She was not that person anymore. "Well, she hate me because my mother decided to keep me instead of her. She tried to destroy me, taking away everything I had and she managed. She took you and Roland... and now she will have a baby.." she tried to continue with tears in her eyes, but her throat felt tight and she couldn't explain what she was thinking and feeling.
Robin turned toward her and hugged her, tangling a hand in her hair while moving the other up and down her back soothing her "Regina... breathe, my love. " he whispered in her dark tresses. He had tears in his eyes as well but refused to shed them. He had been weak for two whole months in New York, trying to go back to the loving husband for the wife he thought was lost forever while the love of his life was here, fighting to find a way back to him, to save him. Now it was his turn to be strong. "Regina, listen to me. I have, never, not thought of you while I was away. I know it can sound untrue but that is not it. Many times I saw women that reminded me of you in the streets and I panicked, my heart sped up at the thought of seeing you again, having you back in my arms. Those were the hardest times because then I realized it was not possible. I hurt you, I'm still hurting you with this...baby. And I don't know how to cope with everything, I so wanted to have a family with you but I want to raise this child together, I want him or her to see you as his mother because... " he took her head between his hands and looked deeply into her eyes, between the tears of both of them, being sure of having her attention before saying this "because I love you, Regina, I am in love with every part of you and I am falling in love everyday a little more"
Regina looked at him, trying to say it back but words could not describe what she was feeling so she crashed her lips to his, laughing and kissing his beautiful smile back. This kiss was not about lust or passion, this was finally coming home. This was what a soulmate felt. She separated them, laying her forehead on his before caressing his nose with hers like she did in her vault the day after the first time they made love.
"Roland is waiting for us, he was worried for you too" she said.
"I'm sorry, milady, I did want not to upset you." he answered kissing her hand "Let's go to bed"
They made their way to the stairs, flipping the light out before Regina stopped making Robin turn to her "You still didn't tell me about your nightmare... What did you dream about?"
Robin looked down for a moment, before resting his back on the wall "I dreamed about this child... I don't want it to be like her. I had this dream... where I couldn't see its face but I know it was this child because it had the green skin and it threatened our family."
Our family, he said. She smiled at him tenderly, scratching her nails on his scalp and looking how his eyes closed at the motion, his whole face light up in bliss. "I would not allow anything like that. But Robin, this will be your child too. It will have your noble heart and your strength, you loyalty and your cute dimples." She said smiling at him.
"And it will have you as its mom" he added looking at her. New tears formed in her eyes and one fell down on her cheek but he kissed it before kissing Regina slowly and passionately. Lips moving on lips, breath mingling and tongue delicately playing with the other before the need for air was too much. They went upstairs in their bedroom and found Roland asleep in the middle of the bed. Robin reached his arms around Regina, kissing softly her neck while her hands played with his on her stomach. They admired the peace of the little boy for a few more seconds before joining him, one on each side of him.
Roland felt the mattress dip and opened his sleepy eyes. "Daddy?" he asked.
"I am here, my boy." He replied placing a kiss on his head.
"Are you alright?" he inquired, turning to him to assure himself that his dad was here and fine.
"I am, Roland. Regina made me feel better" He said looking above Roland's head in Regina's eyes, receiving a smile back from the beautiful woman.
"I had a nightmare... Regina made me feel better too" he said turning toward her, his eyes closing.
"Sleep, my little knight. Daddy and me are here with you" she whispered on his forehead.
The room was silent for some minutes, before the sleepy voice of Roland spoke again "Regina?"
"Yes, darling?" she laid her arm on his little body.
"Daddy and I are living here, and you say we are a family...Henry too!... Can I call you mommy?"
Regina was speechless, her eyes glistening with tears, her heart hammering in her chest. She looked at Robin who had the same emotion written on his face. He took her hand in his, kissing her ring finger. Her eyes opened wildly and comically. They were trying to kill her, that's for sure.
"You want me to be your mommy?" the little boy nodded making a soft noise of approval, trying to stay awake to hear her answer but his eyes were so heavy he couldn't keep them open. "Of course, Roland. I'll be your mommy" she said shakily.
Robin had tears running on his cheeks but looked radiant. "Good, now I go to sleep. Goodnight Daddy. Goodnight Mommy." he said before finally succumbing to sleep.
Regina looked in awe at Robin, still shaken. "I love you" she said to him.
"And I you, milady" he said back, smiling lovingly at her and interlacing their fingers.
Fourteen years ago she choose Henry to be his son, trying to be a better person for him. Now Roland, Robin's son, was choosing her as his mother.
Love was not her weakness. Love was her strength.