Author's note: Heeeeeey everyone! So, I did not plan on posting this until next month, BUT then OutlawQueen things happened and the Lovely Jade requested an Anon fic, and well my short stories aren't finished yet so I thought, why not post the first chapter of this?

Chapter One

Fifteen-year-old Olivia Mills-Locksley stepped out into the bright September afternoon from school. Her friend, Paige, was going on about the new boy in class, but Olivia wasn't listening. She was too excited that tomorrow was her family's trip to England to care about whatever his name was. Her dad would be there any moment, and she couldn't wait to get home and start packing.

Her eyes swooped over the line of cars in front, but everyone leaving at once made it hard to see, so she edged Paige over to the side of the stoop while bracing her hand on her friend's shoulder. She stood on her tiptoes to look further down the street, but her face fell to a small frown when she didn't see their silver Jeep.

"I think he smiled at me," Paige said, and Olivia looked down to find her grinning at her like that was some kind of a prize. "And did you see how tall he was?"

Olivia rolled her eyes and pushed her dark hair behind her ears. "I must have missed that," she said with her eyes still searching.

Paige let out a huff. "Something's wrong with you."

Olivia's brow furrowed. "How so?"

"You never want to talk about boys. You're no fun."

"That's not true," Olivia defended. There were plenty of boys she talked about. "I talk about boys all the time. Henry..."

"Henry is your friend," Paige protested, interrupting her with mild annoyance.

"I talk about Chris..." Olivia began.

Paige made a noise of exasperation. "Chris Pratt doesn't know you exist, and isn't he like old enough to be your dad?"

Olivia made a face. "Please don't compare Chris Pratt to my dad."

"Ah, there he is!" Paige hissed, pulling Olivia close beside her.

Olivia gasped at the sudden movement but quickly recovered, joining her friend in watching the new boy walk passed them and down the steps. Her head tilted to the side, and her nose scrunched like her mother's did when she scrutinized something. The new guy was alright, if you were into dark-haired mysterious looking guys, but she was not. Olivia was just fine with letting him walk right on by; Paige however, was not.

"Bye, Ethan!"

Olivia stepped on her friend's foot, but it was too late. Ethan turned and smiled at Paige's weak wave.

"Bye, have a good weekend."

Olivia felt the weight of Paige as she slumped on her, practically swooning from a goodbye. Olivia sighed. It wasn't like she didn't like boys, she did, she just didn't have an interest in them being the focus of her life right now. She watched her friends get tangled up in the boy drama and watched when each one of them got their hearts broken. She wasn't about to give up music for something so silly. Boys could wait. She had a plan and it didn't include getting pregnant like her friend Gretchen. She had to drop out of school, and Olivia never saw her at cello lessons anymore. When she'd told her mother about what happened, Olivia had a conversation with her mom she never wanted to have in her life.

To this day, Olivia wanted to cover her face with her pillow and forget it ever happened.

Her mother gave her the talk.

The talk!

Her face burned with the memory. Sure, she'd known some things, the basic things she'd heard from her friends and her Aunt Emma, but apparently, her mother thought she needed to know everything and just… no. Boys could wait forever as far as she was concerned. Her mother laughed at her, laughed and told her she'd eventually change her mind. Olivia didn't think so.

"Seeeee," Paige squealed. "He likes me."

Olivia smiled and opened her mouth to tell her maybe she shouldn't get her hopes up too soon, but Paige looked so happy. Olivia couldn't bring herself to shatter that. "Why shouldn't he? He'd be dumb if he didn't."

Paige beamed at her, but then her smile fell into a frown. "You don't like him, do you? Because I wouldn't try and go for him if you did…."

Olivia's nose scrunched once again and wondered if her friend ever really listened to her. "Nope, he's all yours."

Her friend jumped up and wrapped her arms around Olivia's shoulders. Being taller than Paige, Olivia was pulled down by the embrace, making her laugh. "Thank you, Olivia!"

Olivia shook her head. There was no reason to thank her. She hadn't done anything. The sound of a honking car broke Olivia from Paige's grasp, and a smile lit her face. "That's my dad, I gotta go."

She took the steps down two steps at a time, and thought, Finally!

"Have fun in England!" Paige called to her. "And happy birthday!"

Olivia looked back just before pulling the car door open, her lips pulling into a wide smile. "I will! Thanks!"

#

"Daddyyyy!"

A piercing scream tore through the downstairs, right before Robin turned to see his little four-year-old daughter charging at him.

Eyes widening, he held his arms out just in time to see her long, blonde hair streaking behind her as she was jumping in the air at him. He caught her, and as he lifted her into his arms, her's tightened around his neck. He heard her giggles in his ear and then his son's voice calling after her.

Roland, now nine-years-old, rounded the corner to the kitchen. His shoulders were slumped, and his long, dark hair fell into his eyes. Robin thought he could use a haircut, but Roland and his mother had vetoed the notion the moment Robin had mentioned it. "Dad, make her stop! She keeps coming into my room and getting in my stuff." His son then raised his skateboard in the air and told him, "I found her playing with this."

Robin turned his head to look at his daughter. Her blue eyes may have matched the color of his own, but they shone just like her mother's, especially when she was caught doing something she ought not to. He frowned at her. "Madelyn, we've talked about this."

Her eyes widened, right before her oh so soft little voice proclaimed, "It wasn't me, Daddy!"

His brows rose, and he hoisted her up higher on his hip. "Oh, and who was it then?"

She twisted in his arms and cupped her small hands around his ear, whispering, "Clarissa!"

Biting his tongue, Robin suppressed his smile. Clarissa was Maddie's favorite stuffed elephant and, as it were, her stuffed partner in crime. It wasn't that their daughter was always getting into mischief, quite the contrary, she only had a curious, inquisitive nature that sometimes had her getting into things or playing with things she wasn't allowed to just yet.

Her brother's skateboard, for one.

"Maddie, sweetheart, you know if you were to play with that you could hurt yourself. What if you were to fall down the stairs? If you want to skate, just tell me and we'll take your scooter and go outside."

Madelyn's face fell into a pout. It was the same face she made when her mother tried to get her to eat peas. "But I wanna skate on one like Ro! Scooters are for babies."

Robin let out a heavy exhale. They'd tried that once. They padded her up with knee, elbow, and wrist protection and a helmet to top it off and set off for the park. Roland tried to show her how to take her time and go slow at first, but she'd had none of that. She jumped on the board and all it did was end with her going one way and the skateboard another before she tumbled to the ground. Robin could still remember how he scooped her off the ground - tears poured down her face, her thumb jammed, her ego a bit bruised, and Robin's heart in his throat.

Truthfully, he and his nerves would rather wait a few more years before trying that again if he could, though he doubted his daughter would have the patience for it. Giving her an encouraging smile, he told her, "I know you do, but let's wait till you're a bit bigger, all right?"

She let out a soft sigh, and her eyes fell. "Okay, Daddy."

That sad face of hers twisted his heart in his chest. "How about we go finish packing, hm? Maybe see if Olivia needs some help?" he asked, trying to get her mind on other things she was looking forward to.

Her eyes raised back up to meet his and her voice went soft and low once again as she asked, "Are we going to see Nan and Pop now?"

Robin chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Not until the morning, but let's go make sure we have all your toys you want to take packed. We wouldn't want to forget anything."

"Okay!"

She twisted in his arms, and he put her on the floor where she took off upstairs. Robin grinned after her then caught his son's gaze. Crossing the kitchen, he put his arm around Roland's shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll make sure she keeps out of it. Maybe we'll get you a locker for your room to keep it in?"

Roland's shoulders lifted and fell. "Sure."

When they started up the stairs, he asked, "Are you all packed?"

"I think so," his son replied, "but Mom said she was going to come make sure I got everything later on."

Robin shook his head and placed a hand on his son's head, ruffling his hair. "All right, well Mum might still be napping, but I'll be up in a few to make sure."

Roland playfully slapped away his hand. "Can I watch some TV before bed?"

"As long as your room's picked up, I don't mind." Roland started up to the third floor at a run, and Robin reminded him, "And no Walking Dead. Not while Maddie is awake."

Roland groaned. "I know, I know. Thanks, Dad!"

Robin started to make his way down the hall, but Robin could hear Maddie's voice upstairs, so he followed Roland up to the attic and peeked into his eldest daughter's room. The sight made him smile. Both of his daughters were sitting on Olivia's bed, Madelyn in Olivia's lap while she folded her clothes then tossed them into her suitcase beside her. Maddie watched her big sister's movements intently.

Robin couldn't believe how quickly time flew by. It felt like it was just yesterday Olivia showed up at his doorstep, and now here she was, about to turn sixteen with her little sister who thought she hung the moon and the stars. His shy little girl had grown up just as bold, beautiful, and loving as her mother.

And thanks to her mother, a sensible head on her shoulders. Always more concerned with her studies and her music, so he hadn't had to deal with any boys just yet. Though his wife reminded him those days were numbered.

"Hey, Dad."

His heart clenched as it had all too often these days. It was about a year ago now Olivia started calling him Dad instead of Daddy. The term had outlasted his wife a while longer, and she had given him lots of sad, knowing looks and pats on the back as she was also no longer Momma but Mom.

"Almost done?" he asked, stepping into her room.

She smiled at him. Her long, dark hair was twisted on top of her head and bits of the sides fell around her face. "Yeah, just about. Do you want me to go help Mom after I'm done?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm going to go help her. Can you keep an eye on Maddie for us though?"

"Sure. She can practice with me."

Madelyn sat up straighter and looked up at Olivia. "Oh, I wanna play the cello!"

"Okay, I've got to put this away first and then you can." Olivia tickled Madelyn's sides, making her shriek with joy.

Robin chuckled, a warmth spreading throughout his chest at the sight of them. He was so proud of how incredibly close and attached they were to one another despite their age difference. "Thank you, darling."

"You're welcome."

Stopping by Roland's room, Robin checked over his son's things. After adding a few more pairs of socks and warm shirts, Robin deemed his son's luggage finished and reminded him to take it downstairs with the others, and lights out by eight at the latest because they had an early plane to catch in the morning.

Back downstairs, he quietly padded his way to their room in case someone was still napping, though he needn't have worried. The sight that greeted him, just like his daughter's on the floor above, drew another smile from him.

His wife was lying on their bed, dressed in a cotton tee and shorts, her long hair was swept to one side while she gazed down into the eyes of their three-month-old. Their little surprise and newest addition. Her tiny hands clutched her mother's finger as she looked back up at her while happily making soft cooing sounds.

He leaned against the door jamb and watched them. Still amazed by the differences between his girls. While Olivia was a smattering of them both, with her mother's coloring, his eyes, and dimples, Madelyn was very much his daughter. Her light blonde hair, blue eyes, and her mischievous little smile, though her nature was so much more her mother's than his.

Then there was their little, Charlotte. Robin could already tell she would be all her mother. From her dark hair, to her warm blue steel eyes that were, if you asked him, darkening just like Regina's.

They had a few scares with Charlotte. Everything had been going swimmingly for Regina with the pregnancy. She had very little nausea, aside from being a bit tired, the baby was easy on her. Then around seven months along, Regina woke in the middle of the night with searing pains. When he helped her from the bed there had been so much blood. He could still remember his heart pounding in his temples and the fog he had to lift himself out of because Regina had been in pieces.

They'd both thought for sure they'd lost their baby.

But they hadn't.

Regina had partial placental abruption. After the bleeding had stopped, she was kept for a week in the hospital for monitoring. The baby was still too small to be born, and Kathryn thought that she could make it a few more weeks but with heavy restrictions. She was put on bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy after that. No work. No going downstairs. The only time she was permitted to get up was to go to the bathroom and shower. And absolutely no sex.

There was lots of cuddling and kissing, but a month in, Regina had been full on tears and angry hormones at the unfairness of it all. Not just the lack of intimacy but not being able to have dinner together or tuck Madelyn in. He sympathized with her, agreed how unfair it was, but despite their frustrations, neither of them would risk their child's wellbeing. He decided that night he would bring as much of the activity in the house up to her. Olivia spent her time doing her homework in bed with her, while Roland and Maddie snuggled into her sides to watch movies.

He worked from home from then on as well, with only occasional trips into the city where he was overseeing multiple projects. Nimue had come over often to take care of the kids when he had to leave, as she no longer lived with them, but moved to Staten Island a little over a year ago with her new girlfriend, Alex. They were opposites in a play about fairy tales and their chemistry had them hitting it off on and off the stage. Alex was great with the kids as well and often went with Roland to the skate park after school.

Despite all their efforts to make it to full term, a little over a month of bedrest, Regina went into labor at thirty-six weeks.

Late preterm, Charlotte came into the world tiny, but healthy, and thanks to shots of steroids, a powerful set of lungs.

After a few minutes, Regina's eyes slid away from their daughter and onto him. The soft smile pulled her lips up he couldn't help but return. God, he loved her. He loved them all. His family.

He really was the luckiest bastard on earth.

"How are my girls doing?" he asked, pushing himself away from the door.

"Good." Her gaze returned to the baby. "She's awake and all smiles."

"Of course, she is. She's well-loved and our child after all." Robin laid down on his stomach on the bed next to his wife. Reaching up, he gently rubbed his tiny daughter's tummy. "Hello, my little darling."

Charlotte's eyes found him and she immediately began to coo and kick her feet at the sound of his voice. He ran a finger over her cheek and she smiled, a lone little dimple in her left cheek peeked out at him.

"How are the kids?"

"All right. Maddie's up with Olivia and Roland's all packed." He tore his eyes from their daughter to his wife's. "When we get back from our trip I'm going to buy him a locker to put his skateboard in."

Her eyes widened knowingly. "She didn't…"

"She did."

Regina let out a soft sigh. "What are we going to do with her? She's going to end up hurting herself again. Maybe we should think about putting her in something she can get all that daring energy out."

"Soccer maybe?"

She shook her head and let out a light chuckle. "Or gymnastics or ballet?"

"That could be good. She's little enough for it."

She hummed a sound of an agreement, but a second later a sigh escaped her.

He leaned over and kissed the bare skin of her shoulder. "What's wrong, love?"

"Nothing really, I just feel so…" she trailed off and turned her eyes on him, "unorganized and off track. It feels like forever since I went on bedrest things have been piling up. Once we get back I want to get back on a schedule."

"What sort of things?"

"The kids, their activities, work… me. I need to get to the gym more and then maybe..." He looked over and found her biting her lower lip.

"Maybe what?" he encouraged.

Her eyes lifted and held his. "Maybe we can make some time for us."

Taking his hand from the baby, he took Regina's. Bringing it to his lips he kissed her palm. "That would be nice."

"I mean it, Robin."

"I know, and we will."

"I'm so out of shape."

He scoffed at the very thought. "You're not."

Her eyebrow arched sharply at him. "Really? Because I don't remember these twenty pounds before Charlotte."

Perhaps they had been there, but even when they were, he didn't see them. Not the way she did. Still she'd taken to the treadmill at home just as soon as Kathryn gave her the go ahead. Six weeks and she was off running. Said she needed it. But it didn't stop him from reassuring her. From whispering in her ear as he lay with her at night how beautiful she was and how incredibly sexy he found her.

It had now been twelve weeks since Charlotte was born. Twelve of the most wonderful, yet heartbreakingly torturous weeks that went by too slow but altogether too fast. He missed his wife. Between work, spending time with his infant daughter, and doing his part to give Regina the time to heal and being with the baby, they hadn't really had much time together.

Hardly at all.

Robin had called their schools after the baby was born and told them they had all come down with colds and would be staying at home. A lie, but one very much appreciated. He and Regina had come home early after being at the hospital for three days on a warm Thursday morning, and when the children woke, they'd come downstairs to hugs, pancakes, and hot chocolate for them all. Robin happily settled in bed with her and watched an obscene amount of cartoons with Olivia, Roland, and Maddie while Regina and the baby dozed in his arms.

"Mom, Dad, I'm all packed." They both looked up at the sound of Olivia's voice. She stood in the doorway holding her sister on her hip. "Do you want me to help get Maddie's things?"

Getting up, Robin walked over to Olivia and took Maddie from her. "That all right, we'll get her."

"Did you remember to pack a few sweaters?"

She nodded, but then glanced over his shoulder. "I did, but Mom, could you come look at my stuff just to make sure?"

He turned to see his wife's brow furrow a moment before she nodded. "Sure." Taking Charlotte in her arms she held her against her chest. Olivia started upstairs but Regina paused beside him to give him a kiss and then Maddie. "Why don't you get her in the bath and then I'll come help you pack her things."

"Sounds good." He watched her go then bounced Maddie in his arms. "You heard your Mum, bath time."

"Can I have bubbles, Daddy?"

Robin kissed his daughter's cheek. "As many as it will make."

#

Regina placed the last pair of her daughter's jeans into her suitcase and then sat down gently on the bed next to her daughter, careful not to wake Charlotte who had fallen back to sleep in her sister's arms. "It looks good."

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure."

Regina tilted her head. Her eyes narrowed. There was something about Olivia today. She wasn't quite meeting her eyes and there was a constant pull of her lips upward that gave her the distinct impression she was up to something. "Olivia, you know you're a lot like your father, and he gets this look in his eyes when he wants something. What is it?"

Sure enough, Olivia's lips pulled up into a guilty, dimpled smile as she looked away. Regina waited while she turned and crossed her legs on the bed in that careful way she had learned with Maddie not to wake her baby sister. "So, I know we're going to Nan and Pop's for my birthday and I couldn't be more grateful… really." Her daughter swallowed.

Regina's head tilted to the side. "But…"

Olivia took a deep breath, and rushed on, "But I saw online today that Birdy is going to be on tour there…" Regina took a breath, about to stop Olivia but she was already going on. "It's not expensive and it's the day before my birthday so it won't spoil the party. I just love her so much Mom, and she's not planning a tour here until maybe next year if she even does…"

"Olivia, okay, hold on a second." Regina held up her hand and laughed. There was nothing getting passed her when it came to her favorite singer, though Regina had hopped this little tour detail might slip by her, and it almost had. But now it appeared she would have no choice but to tell her. "I already have tickets."

Olivia's eyes widened just as her jaw dropped and she sat up fully. Regina reached out and took Charlotte from her daughter, knowing what was to come. "Your grandma wanted to know what she could get for you, and so you and her are going."

"Really? Oh, Mom!" She didn't hug her like she looked ready to do because of the baby but covered her mouth with her hands. "This is the best birthday ever!"

Regina's smile split into a grin, pleased to know that she was as excited about the concert as she thought she'd be. "Just don't tell your grandmother that you know."

Olivia shook her head. "I promise, I won't. I'll act completely surprised."

Regina reached over and pulled Olivia close so she could place a kiss on her brow. "You better. If you can," Regina began fighting a smile, knowing her next words were unlikely, "you should get some sleep."

Olivia's eyes shone up at her. Full of excitement. "I don't think I'll be able to now, but I'll try. I love you, Mom. Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. I love you, too. Get some sleep."

Regina softly closed the door behind her. Charlotte still sound asleep in her arms, she smiled down at her baby and brushed her hair from her forehead. At first, she hadn't been so sure about a two-week holiday for Olivia's sixteenth birthday, but now seeing Olivia as happy as she was, she knew they made the right decision.

The time away would be nice, even as overwhelmed as she felt. She hadn't worked for over six months and though she did run her own business, it wasn't helping her not being available so for long. She lost quite a few booked clients as she did strictly maternity and newborn photography now. Her small studio she shared with another photographer in Brooklyn who was leasing out her space for another month, so thankfully she wasn't losing money, but she wasn't bringing anything in either. But once she got back to work and things started to get back to normal again she would feel better. She just had to get through these next two weeks.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she could hear Maddie's giggles from the bath and stopped by the bathroom long enough to smile at father and daughter as he dried her hair.

"Momma!" she cried out, startling not only her but Charlotte as well. The baby jerked awake and began to cry. Maddie clasped her hands to her mouth. "I sorry, Momma."

Regina pat Charlotte who began to settle easily, her cries becoming less and more of a whimper. She caught Robin's eyes and they shared a knowing look.

"It's okay, sweetheart. She's fine," Regina told her, but Maddie's eyes pooled with tears. Her little chin wobbled, breaking Regina's heart. Robin got to his feet and came over to her, taking the baby from her so she could go to Maddie. "Come here."

"I sorry," she cried.

Regina lifted her toddler easily into her arms, and Madelyn wrapped her arms around her shoulders, clinging to her and burying her face into the crook of her neck. Regina kissed her brow, and eyes on her husband said, "Someone's tired, I think."

Robin smiled, tilting his head down toward Charlotte. "I'll keep her if you want to put Maddie down."

"I think I should."

Her tears quieted further down the hall, and Regina switched on the soft bedside light. They snuggled close together, and Regina pulled the blankets around them both, then reached over and took Maddie's favorite book, Corduroy, from beside her lamp.

With her daughter lying against her chest, Regina began to read. It didn't take long before she was fast asleep, and Regina lingered with her a little while listening to her breathing and smelling the baby shampoo in her hair.

Brushing her blonde hair that had begun to dry away from her face, Regina kissed her brow. Maddie's nose twitched, and she turned on her side but stayed asleep. Regina couldn't quite believe how quickly she'd grown. Four-years-old already. Time went by too quickly.

Regina got up from the bed. The glow from her Avengers night light cast the room in a soft hue. Regina smiled at Maddie who had already kicked off the covers. She was like her father, such a warm sleeper. Covering her daughter with the sheet, Regina closed the door behind her softly before making her way toward their bedroom.

#

After he got Charlotte changed and down for the night, Robin made his way back into his and Regina's room. Their own bags were packed and tucked into the corner beside their bedroom door. He debated taking them downstairs, but knew as early as they were getting up, he would have time for that in the morning. Besides, he was knackered beyond belief.

Between making sure things at work were taken care of for the next two weeks, and packing, and getting all their passports and plane tickets, all while chasing after his toddler and dropping off Ella with Belle and picking up the kids from school, he was a little more than exhausted. By the time he changed and got into bed, he was just about out when he heard Regina come into the room.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She's asleep and her things are packed"

Shit, he was supposed to help do that.

"That's good." He gave her an abashed look as he sat up in bed, but she kept the light out, so he couldn't see if she was put out with him or not, so instead, his arms braced on his knees while he watched her change. "I think she's just feeling a little neglected, what with all the talk of Olivia's party and Charlotte here now, she's not the baby anymore, and I think she's just coming to really understand that."

"I think so, too," she said. He smiled when she pulled one of his own shirts on. Six years and two children later, she was still as sexy in his clothes as that first night they spent together. "Let's keep her with us at your parents. I know they have a room for her, but for the first few days anyway it might help her having us close."

He nodded and sank down into bed with her. With her head on his chest, he kissed her temple. "Sounds like a plan." Robin closed his eyes, but they opened when he felt her lips on his neck and her leg as it hooked around his. He chuckled. "Well hello, Mrs. Locksley. Can I help?"

Her head raised, and his breath left him. The light from the windows cast a glow on her face, and he couldn't help think how beautiful she was.

Her lips pulled into that soft playful smile that he loved, right before she smirked and said, "No, I think I'll help myself."

Her lips locked onto his and he moaned not so quietly. A pang of want hit him in the middle but before he could really do anything about it, the baby monitor on the nightstand filled the room with Charlotte's cries.

Robin let out a sigh that sounded more frustrated than he intended but quickly covered it with a defeated smile. "I'll get her."

"Let's both go."

Another soft kiss, full of promise and apology from not just her but him too. Their foreheads met like they so often did right before he placed one last light, soft kiss to her lips.