A/N So this is my first time ever writing OutlawQueen and my first time publishing anything in this fandom and my first time writing on so please excuse any mistakes that are all my own and enjoy "Maybe Christmas isn't so bad"! If you want to read more of my works, check out my Wattpad account RosettaQueen. This is going to be posted on there as well. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays and sorry for the long Authors note.
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or any of these characters, if I did Robin would be alive and there would be a lot more angst.
The first time she was him she was intrigued.
Regina was tired. She had stayed up all night going from store to store trying to find everything on Henry's list, and ended up not being able to get him his top item, a brand new book of fairy tales that had been flying off the shelves since its release. She was now standing in line at the mall so that Henry could get his picture taken with Santa Clause. She was done with Christmas and it wasn't even December yet. It didn't help that there was a little boy and a man, who she presumed to be his father, giggling and laughing while the man sung to the little boy standing behind her in line. Between this and the knowledge that her sister and niece plus her best friend and her husband were all coming for dinner in approximately 7 hours didn't help with her nerves either. So, needless to say when a thief came running through the line for Santa and grabbed her purse off her arm while she was talking to Henry certainly didn't help her mood either. What then helped was then the man behind her in line set his son down and began chasing after the thief and proceeded to catch up to him and surprises her even more when he yells, "NYPD! Put your hands where I can see them and set the purse down slowly!" as he shoves the thief into a wall not even 70 ft away from the crowd of parents and scared children.
Minutes later security guards show up and take the troublemaker away. The man's eyes begin to scan the crowd and his eyes quickly set on hers as he came barreling through the crowd. "Here you are, my lady" he greets as he holds her purse out to her. She quickly takes it before seeing everyone start to get in line again, the moment of drama now gone. She quickly rushes to get back into line holding Henry's hand and almost forgets to thank him.
She shouts a quick "Thank you" in his general direction before settling for her newly gained positioning in line. At least she wouldn't be here for another hour and she would have enough time to make her famous sugar cookies now.
The second time she saw him she began to believe in coincidences.
Henry had finally worn her down, this year they were going to get a real tree. Not the fake one she bought when he was 3 years old. Using Google she quickly found the nearest tree farm and helped her persuasive 8 year old son put his hat and gloves on with his red snow boots and matching scarf before piling into her borrowed pick-up truck. Stupid Swan, putting these insane ideas into her sons head. An hour later, pulling into a filled parking lot, she looked at the sign above the entrance Charming Family Trees. SHe smiled to herself as she breathed in the fresh air that you could only get from being outside of the Big Apple.
A while later as she and Henry are looking for what Henry had proclaimed to be "The Most Perfectest Christmas Tree in the Entire World" they finally found it. It passed all of Henry's tests and they now needed to get an attendant to save the tree for them while she pulled her truck to the entrance of the Tree Farm. Regina saw someone and made a beeline for them while holding Henry's hand. Just as she arrived to them and told them she was ready to pay for her tree, she began to walk back to their new tree and there he stood. Trying to take her tree. "Excuse me!" She exclaimed announcing her presence to the man and his child, "What are you doing with my tree?".
He looked at her like she had lost her mind. "This tree is mine, I just payed for it." he said. Before she could reply he then said, "Do we know one another? You seem familiar. My name is Robin Locksley."
She glanced at the man, Robin, and said, "Yes we do. You retrieved my purse almost two weeks ago from the thief in Santa's picture line at Forest Mall. But, don't go changing the subject, this is my tree. It's the only one that my son likes and we will be taking it home." At that a little boy came running towards the man while dragging a worker behind him by the hand.
"Daddy! I found someone to help with the tree!," the child proclaimed.
"Good job Roland!," he greeted the child, Roland, while throwing a sorry look at the worn out worker, who seeing they already had help went off to presumably catch their breath and help another customer.
Seeing the little boy so happy with their find, Henry tugged on his mothers hand and she bent down to his height, "It's okay, they can have the tree, let's just go home and put up that one." he said before letting his mother up and dragging her out towards the exit to the parking lot.
"That was sweet of you," said Regina before helping him into the truck and going home glancing proudly at her sleeping son in the back seat all the way home.
The third time she saw Robin she was sure he was stalking her and asked him as much.
She was entering her and her sons favorite diner two blocks from their apartment and told Henry to find them a booth before going up to the waitress who knew them by name, Ruby, and ordering their usual. As she talked with Ruby, the jingle of the bell above the door went off, singling a new customer had come in. Regina turned to look at the customer and there stood Robin, who directed his son to a seat before coming to the counter, where Regina was, to place his order. She quietly watched him place his order and once Ruby walked away turned to him and said, "Are you stalking me and my son? This is the third time in as many weeks that I have seen you."
"I should ask you the same thing!" proclaimed Robin. "I come here every Sunday with my son to get breakfast at this exact time and have never seen you here before!" he continued. "I don't even know your name so I can't stalk you!" he ranted.
"My name is Regina Mill!" She shouted back in response to the horrid accusation.
As the parents bickered two little boys, ages 5 and 8, saw the snow begin to fall. It was beautiful. The little boys began to talk and then agreed that they both wanted to see the snow so Henry took Roland's hand in his and promised to show Roland something amazing. They slowly stood next to the door and as a group of teenagers entered the diner, the two little boys ran out hand in hand, unnoticed by any of the customers as they snuck out and were too entranced by the adults arguing to see the boys who wanted to see the snow. Once outside the boys ran down the empty sidewalk to Henry's favorite park and were overjoyed to see it empty. The boys began to play games and laughed at each other not even thinking of their parents, only their love for the snow.
Meanwhile the arguing adults continued until Granny, the owner of the diner, finally threatened to call the cops for disturbing the peace. At this both parents glanced around aware of their surroundings once again. Regina began to look for Henry to make sure he hadn't see their fighting, and Robin did the same but for Roland. Both parents were surprised when neither could find their children anywhere. They both shouted their child's name and asked the other patrons if they had seen their child but alas, their children were gone. The adults began to argue, putting blame on one another but finally Granny snapped at them both, "Arguing isn't going to help find your children, now GET OUT!" and with those words she pushed them both outside her diner.
Regina began to run in a mad dash down the sidewalks shouting for both children with Robin racing after her. The parents where in unspoken agreement now, this was both their faults and now they needed to find their children. They ran down the sidewalk before Regina remembered that Henry's favorite park was near. At this she ran faster and once she reached the park noticeably sighed in relief, there on the slide was Henry and Roland playing and laughing like nothing was wrong.
Regina and Robin walked over to a bench dusted in snow and sat down, content to catch their breath and watch the children play as their worst fear, their children being taken, disappeared from their minds, being replaced instead with joy and relief that there sons were okay. Quietly they watched their sons play, their only words being apologies to one another. They then began to talk about each their sons and then themselves, their worries dissolved. In between the two lay their hands and slowly over the course of their children playing and laughing their gloved hands began to slide closer until they touched just slightly and then stopped, before Robin embraced the contact and fully held Regina's hand. Regina didn't say a word and just smiled at the gesture.
Before long both boys noticed their parents and came running to them. The adults quickly separated and the children sat on the bench enlarging the space between them. They began to talk and explain what they played and how much fun they had, each seemingly forgetting they ran out of the diner without any adults. And then Henry asked if they could come to their Christmas party and with one look at both little boys faces she agreed, as long as it was okay with Robin. Robin agreed and it was decided, Roland and Robin could be coming to their Christmas party. At that, both boys announced that they were cold and hungry, so the adults decided it was time to go. The boys stood and began their goodbyes followed by the adults. The adults quickly exchanged numbers, and quickly before Regina could stop him, Robin leaned in and stole a kiss so quick she didn't resist. Robin said goodbye one more time before picking Roland up and carrying him away. Regina quick;y shouted after him yelling, "You thief!".
Robin quickly replies while jogging away, "Liar, all I stole is what you gave to me willingly!" before running fasted until he was out of sight.
Regina sighed and began walking home with Henry's small gloved hand in hers and Henry says something that catches her by surprise, "Is Robin your boyfriend now since he kissed you?".
Regina laughs and says, "No honey, that's not how it works," as they arrive home and she makes him lunch before continuing on with her day.
Later that night as she lays in bed smiling at the text she had gotten minutes earlier wishing her goodnight from Robin she decides in two things: One, maybe Christmas wasn't so bad and Two, Maybe being Robin's girlfriend wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
A/N The End! Merry Christmas everyone!