Prompt from Anonymous - THE conversation between robin and marian when they both come to terms that their marriage is a farce and not the same. robin tries to get regina back, but she's too hurt to let him in, so marian has a conversation with her and they make amends with how they hurt each other. oq end ;)
It had been 3 weeks since Emma had brought Marian back to the present and everyone had noticed the change in the atmosphere of the tiny town. Regina was no longer the smiling woman she had been before the second curse had been broken, before Emma and Hook went through the time portal, before Marian came back. She hadn't reverted to her 'Evil' ways, she was just sort of existing, going through the motions. She split her time between home and the office and Henry split his time between her and Emma. Henry was the only light in her life. He had noticed the change in her and so had Robin. He missed her.
He tried to make things work with Marian for Roland's sake as much as his own, he loved having her back but since Zelena everything had changed. He had found his soul mate. But now his soul mate wouldn't speak to him.
Robin was collecting some firewood for the campsite when a twig snapped behind him. He spun suddenly expecting to see another monster that had been summoned by some witch but to his surprise he was greeted by Marian. "Who's watching Roland?" he asked as he bent to pick up the sticks he'd dropped. "He's in the park with Henry. He just adores him." Robin just nodded, he wasn't really sure what to do. He knew he wanted Regina back but he also didn't want to deprive Roland of his mother, which is why he was surprised by what Marian said next.
"Robin, this isn't working. I can see how sad you've been, I don't know what you see in The Evil- in Regina but I don't think you'll find it with me." Robin's face fell as he turned to face the wife he had lost long ago. "Marian, I-" "Please Robin let me speak, I don't know if I'll get through this if you stop me. The past 3 weeks have been amazing. I never thought I'd see you or Roland again, but the Robin I left in the Enchanted Forest isn't the one that's stood in front of me. You used to love me once upon a time but I can see that since I was brought to this place, the sparkle in your eye has gone. The sparkle that used to be for me."
Robin placed the sticks on the floor, took Marian's hand and sat on a nearby log. "Marian I will always love you, but in the years that passed in the Enchanted Forest I accepted that you weren't coming back and that I'd never see you again. Then the curse came and I met Regina. And she changed my life. I never thought I'd find someone to love again, or someone who loved me but she gave me a second chance. She was great with Roland. You've seen Henry. Regina helped raise him into the young man he is. She isn't the woman who imprisoned you anymore. She's changed, Marian."
Marian's face was turned towards the ground so he couldn't see her reaction, but of all scenarios he had imagined, her smiling wasn't one he had foreseen. He was stunned. "Robin if she makes you that happy then you should be with her." Robin was speechless, he hadn't expected this at all. "I still want to be able to see Roland, but if you truly love Regina then I don't want to stand in your way. It's hurting too many people." Marian stood and turned to leave but was pulled into a hug by her former husband. Whispering a thank you in her ear he headed towards the town to find his soul mate.
Hearing a knock at her door, Regina was confused. Henry was with her so who would be at the door? The two idiots were too busy with their spawn to care about her and she wasn't seeing Dr Hopper until tomorrow. Opening the door she gasped. She hadn't expected to see him stood there. "Regina." It was only one word and yet it caused feeling she thought she had pushed away to come flooding back. She didn't want to speak, she knew that if she started she wouldn't be able to stop the tears from falling. Why was he here? "Regina please, I need to speak to you" she took a deep breath and gestured for him to continue.
"I want you back." Four simple words made her heart skip a beat. Forcing her voice to stay calm she replied "I don't think so Robin. Marian wouldn't like it and Roland needs her. I can't open myself up yet again to have my heart broken. My heart is resilient but it's not invincible and I don't think it'll last another round of heartbreak." Turning her back on him she closed the door, waited until she heard his retreating footsteps, collapsed to the floor and started sobbing.
Robin headed to the park where he knew Roland and Henry were playing. He smiled as he watched his son running from Henry who was chasing him pretending to be a dragon. As long as Roland was happy he'd be happy. He felt the bench dip beside him and turned to see Marian. "Was she working?" she asked, already knowing the answer. "No, she's been hurt too many times before to let me in again." She could hear his voice crack slightly when he said no and knew what she needed to do.
Regina was still sat against her door when she heard another knock. "Go away Robin. I don't want to talk." "It's not Robin." Regina froze. What did she want? Didn't she already have everything, what more could she take? Standing slowly she turned to open the door, taking a deep breath she unlocked the door to face the woman who Robin had chosen. "I'd like to talk to you. Is it ok if I come in?" Regina stood aside and gestured to Marian to move into the study.
"Regina I realise I am probably the last person you want to see right now but-" "Actually Miss Swan takes top spot" Regina's walls were up and her snarky defences in full working order. She sat down on the couch next to the fireplace, feeling that considering the woman that was stood in front of her and the conversation she was anticipating it'd be better if she was sat down.
"So do you want to take Robin and Roland away from Storybrooke? Because I'm not sure what the defences at the border are like." Regina took a deep breath preparing herself for the answer. "What? No. I'm here to ask you to give Robin a second chance." Marian was still stood by the door but when Regina didn't respond and was sat stunned she moved to sit next to her on the couch. "Regina, Robin has been miserable since I came to Storybrooke. He acts happy for Roland's sake but I can see it in his eyes. He misses you."
Regina let one solitary tear fall. Taking a deep breath she spoke "I don't want to take Roland away from you, it isn't fair to him he lost you once he shouldn't have to lose you twice." Another tear fell as she remembered Daniel. "Regina he won't lose me. I'll still see him, like you share Henry with Emma. Stop looking for excuses. Robin tells me you've changed and I can see that's true because you haven't tried to kill me in the 3 weeks I've been here." Marian let out a nervous giggle and Regina cracked a smile.
"Everyone deserves a happy ending. I took yours away from you when Emma brought me back and now I'm giving it back to you." Then Regina did something that surprised both women. She hugged her. "Marian I am sorry for what I did to you back in the Enchanted Forest. I was a different person back then, I was angry all the time and I did whatever I could to find someone else to blame. First it was my mother and then it was Snow and anyone who helped her. But I swear to you I have changed. And I will spend the rest of my life trying to deserve Robin and Roland's love."
With some uncertainty Marian leaned over to hug Regina again. The two stayed locked in an embrace for several seconds before Regina let go. Standing up she headed out of the study to grab her coat. "Is Robin still at the park?" answering the questioning look Marian gave her she smiled and said "Roland adores the park." "They're at the park with Henry. I asked Emma if Henry could play with Roland so I could talk to Robin" Marian answered the question Regina hadn't asked.
As they walked towards the park they were both silent, Regina preparing herself to see Robin again and Marian allowing Regina time to think. Arriving at the park, there was a cry of "Mama!" from Roland as both boys ran up to hug their respective mothers, Robin turned confused as to why Henry had run off and gasped upon seeing Regina. Marian nodded at Regina and led Roland and Henry off to give them some privacy.
"Regina I-" Robin started to speak but was cut off by Regina's lips on his. They sank into each other as if they hadn't spent the last 3 weeks apart. When the need for air became too great they broke apart but held onto each other as though they were glued together. "Robin, Marian came to see me and told me how unhappy you've been since she returned, but how you hadn't wanted to take Roland away from her mother. So she took matters into her own hands and explained everything." Regina said all of this with her head pointed down so she couldn't see Robin's face, he lifted her chin to capture her lips again. The second kiss was a lot softer than the first, there was no need to rush anything. They were right back in each other's arms, where they belonged.