A/N: This is a Regal/Outlaw/Peanut story. Don't like; don't read. Everyone else, I hope you enjoy the story.
Robin wakes up and for a moment he is uncertain of where he is. He feels the soft pillow under his cheek, and he can't quite understand until he opens his eyes and sees Regina sitting beside him, her face illuminated by the light of the full moon shining in through the bedroom window. They're back, had only been gone for a few days, but time had felt different there, and he had wondered if he would ever make it back to the children he left behind.
Robin heaves a sigh of relief and reaches his hand out to squeeze Regina's thigh, needing desperately to reassure himself that she's really here, that she made it through the ordeal safely despite the horror that was her mother's return. Regina weaves her fingers through Robin's hair, and he practically purrs at the feeling of her fingers massaging his scalp. He looks up at Regina. Her eyes are warm, creased around the edges with a smile that lights up her whole face.
"Did we wake you?" she asks, her fingers continuing to massage through his hair and down the back of his neck.
Robin looks up and only then realizes that his daughter is resting on a pillow on Regina's lap, her tiny head in the crook of Regina's arm, and her blue eyes wide open and staring up at Regina.
"I didn't hear her cry."
"She didn't." Regina looks back down at the baby, grinning at the child before continuing. "I just couldn't bring myself to put her down."
Robin's heart aches with love at Regina's words. He had been afraid of Regina's reaction to his daughter, had spent weeks wondering whether she would be hurt by the constant reminder of Robin giving up hope and of Zelena's actions.
"I barely had time to hold her before we went to the underworld. We just needed a little time to get to know each other, didn't we sweetheart? It's worth missing a little sleep to cuddle with this precious girl."
"She looks so content," Robin whispers, his hand reaching out to stroke his daughter's wispy blonde hair.
"I love her so much." Regina says suddenly turning to him, her expression so vulnerable. Robin can't understand how she thinks he could be anything but elated at her words, and he thinks he must have done something wrong if she has any doubt.
Robin sits up so he can look at Regina properly. "That makes her the luckiest girl in the whole world. And I am the luckiest man."
Regina shakes her head. "I'm the lucky one." Her hand moves to cup Robin's cheek. "I have you and our three babies. You are all so much more than I ever could have imagined."
Robin pulls Regina to him gently so as not to disturb the baby. Robin presses his lips to Regina's and she returns the kiss, soft, slow caresses that make Robin feel so loved.
Regina smiles at Robin before leaning into him and resting her head on his chest. Robin wraps his arm around Regina, taking in the reassuring weight of her on his chest, feeling so relieved to have both of his girls safely in his arms. Robin looks down at Regina, watching her brow furrow, and he knows her, understands that she is searching for words. So he presses a kiss to her hair and holds her and waits.
"I love her so much." Her voice cracks as she speaks, and Robin sees the tears start to fall. "I was afraid I wouldn't love her how she deserves, but now that she's here…" Regina shakes her head. "I just love her so much."
"Our daughter is pretty amazing isn't she?" He can finally say it, has wanted to since before the baby was born. Regina gasps and sits up to look at him. "She is ours Regina. Only parents sit up at night to stare at their children. You love her, and you've chosen to raise her with me."
"You want me to be her mother?"
"Of course I do, my love." Robin buries his hand in Regina's hair, his thumb skimming across her cheek. "In my mind you are as much her parent as I am."
"She feels like my daughter," Regina whispers. "The whole time we were in the underworld, I just wanted to come home to her and Roland. I never want there to be a day when this girl doesn't know that she is loved and safe and that we would do anything for her. I was so afraid we wouldn't be here to give her that."
"But we are. We made it back, and all three of our children are safe."
Regina's smile widens. "I haven't thanked you for properly for taking care of Henry like he's your own."
"It is my pleasure. You raised an incredible young man, and I am very grateful to have him in my life. You and Henry are my family, and I will do anything to protect you."
"You know I feel the same way about you, Roland, and this little girl, don't you?"
"How could I not? You're everything I could want for our children. Our daughter is going to grow up knowing you as her mother every moment of her life. That makes her the luckiest girl in the world."
Regina rubs the baby's belly making the little girl kick her feet and reach out uncoordinatedly with her arms. Regina offers the baby her finger, lets a tiny hand engulf it. "My sweet girl. I'm the lucky one." Regina picks up the baby and settles her against her chest, nuzzling her nose to the soft skin of her baby's cheek. "I love you sweetheart. I love you." Regina kisses the girl and whispers so softly that Robin can barely hear her. "I'm your mama." She's crying, tears streaming into the baby's soft hair. "I don't know what will happen with Zelena, baby. But I will always be your mommy no matter what the future holds. Your daddy and I will always love you so much."
Robin wraps his arms around Regina, one palm falling on his baby's back, as the girl snuggles into her mother's neck. Robin rests his forehead against Regina's temple, pressing his lips to her wet skin. "Even if Zelena returns, you are her mother. You are the woman who has put this child first, you are the one offering her unconditional love. We gave Zelena a chance. She looks at the baby as a toy she can use to hurt you, or as this thing that's just there to give Zelena love. That's not what a mother does." Robin feels himself once again overcome with anger at Zelena. "You are an incredible mother. I've loved that about you from when we first met. Our daughter truly is so lucky to have you. I love you so much."
"I love you too," Regina whispers, her voice raspy and thick with tears. Robin wipes the wetness from her cheeks. Regina is smiling at Robin, her eyes wet with tears, as her smile lights up her whole face, her eyes crinkling with her smile. Robin knows Regina's expression, the familiar look she gets when she feels overcome by finally having the love that life has denied her for so long. She looks down at the baby in her arms and her smile grows. Regina giggles as she kisses the baby, who reaches up to touch Regina's face. She takes the tiny hand and kisses it. "Mama loves you."
Robin is overcome by love for Regina. He squeezes her tighter in his arms and presses a kiss to Regina's cheek as she kisses their daughter. "I couldn't love you any more, my love. We have a daughter." Regina looks up at Robin with awe in her eyes. "What is it?" Robin asks.
Regina swallows thickly. "You really don't care that I wasn't the one to give her to you?"
"Of course not." Robin is so angry with himself. In all the chaos and all his fear of truly talking to Regina about the baby, he's failed to tell her what she really needed to hear. "You are perfect exactly as you are Regina. Having a family with you is my happy ending. But family is not formed by blood; it's created through love. I know you believe that. Did you fear I would feel differently?" Robin holds Regina's cheek in his palm as she looks at him with wide eyes. "In New York you told me that you were afraid that Zelena and I would be tied to together in a way you and I couldn't be."
"I shouldn't have said that. I was upset, but I should never have said that after what she did to you."
"You're allowed to be hurt, my love. And we should have talked about it."
"There hasn't been much time."
"Nonetheless, I'm sorry you ever felt that way. I feel closer to you than I ever have to anyone in my life. And now we share this little girl. It doesn't matter whose blood runs through her veins, what matters is that she is ours. She's our daughter, and I swear to you it makes no difference to me that you didn't give birth to her. You are choosing to be her mother and that is the only thing that matters. I didn't know it was possible to love you more, but I see you with her, and I love you even more."
"I love you Robin, and I love your children. I will do anything for Roland and for this sweet baby. I will precious," she whispers against the girl's hair. The child is fighting sleep. "Rest sweetheart. Daddy and I are here, and we'll always keep you safe."
"We will keep our daughter safe. I never want you to doubt that she's yours just as much as mine. Zelena can never change that. No one is going to take our daughter away from you. Nothing can make you any less her mother. You're going to raise her, and she is going to know what it is like to be loved by you every day."
"She is," Regina agrees, looking down at the child in her arms, her breathing now deep and even. "I'm sorry I was scared."
"I was afraid too," Robin whispers. He presses his lips to Regina's forehead. "This hasn't been easy, and I would have understood if you didn't want to stay."
"Robin! Don't you ever think I would leave you because Zelena violated you." Regina reaches up to caress his cheek. "I love you, and I am not going anywhere."
"I know that. I'm just saying that I would have understood."
"Well you shouldn't. Nothing that happened was your fault. Nothing."
Robin leans in to press his lips to Regina's. He blames himself still, knows how terribly he hurt her. But they've been through this before, and he knows that Regina doesn't blame him.
"Hey," Regina whispers. "We're here Robin. We have each other and our children. I'm here, and I will do whatever you need to get through what happened to you. We'll be ok. Together."
"Together," Robin agrees. "How did I ever get so lucky?"
"Most people wouldn't consider having the Evil Queen for a soulmate lucky." She says it lightly as though it's a joke. But Robin knows better, knows that her self-doubts have been amplified after their trip to the underworld.
"That's because they don't know you. I know your heart and your soul. So beautiful." Robin presses his palm to Regina's chest, right next to their child. "Not everyone would embrace this baby the way you have."
"I can't help but love her. She's so perfect."
"I know you can't. I was right there when you first met her. I know you were scared and trying to be strong and happy for me. But then you looked at her and I saw how you loved her. All you've done since then is try to protect her and do what's best for her. You have so much love in your heart, and our children and I are so lucky to know that love."
Regina presses her forehead against Robin's. She breathes him in with closed eyes and a shaky smile. Robin folds his arms around Regina, their daughter snug between them, he sighs contentedly, closes his eyes, and breathes in the combined scent of his love and their child. Regina presses her lips to Robin's, a quick peck. He opens his eyes and sees Regina smiling at him. She kisses him again, her lips warm and soft, her eyes open and watching him. He stares back at her, their lips breaking apart as they both smile. "I love you," Regina whispers against Robin's lips making him grin widely.
"I love you," Robin returns, his thumb tracing the outline of her smiling lips. They're home, together and smiling, their baby between them. And Robin thinks that Regina was right, it is worth every moment of missed sleep to savor this moment of joy and love with each other and their daughter.