What up, fellow and loyal readers? ;) I am currently taking a break from my stories for a while since my school will be starting up in a few days. Yikes! Anyway, I didn't want to leave nothing behind and I'll be sure to check in Fanfiction as soon as I can.
This idea popped into my head after I finished Season Three of Once Upon A Time. I absolutely love, love, LOVE that show! :D So I decided to write a one shot for it.
Rating: T for language and other themes
There will be various pairings in this stories and it is slightly AU since it's after the season finale and I made my own changes to the timeline after that. And please forgive me if this sucks or any OOCness and mistakes.
Pretty please read, review or AT LEAST favorite but most of all, enjoy! ^_^
Emma Swan flipped back her long mane of pale blonde hair over her shoulder as she reached up high to hang a shiny red sphere shaped ornament on one of the way up there branches of the freshly cut down evergreen tree.
It was now Christmas Eve and everyone in Storybrooke was happily celebrating. All of the friends were invited to the Nolan's apartment and only Emma, Regina Mills, Captain Hook and the Nolans were home right now.
"Need some help there, Swan?" asked Captain Hook from the couch he was currently slouching on. The light of the glowing golden lamps gleamed off the clean silver of his hook as he gestured to the enormous tree hogging up space in the living room.
"Oh, now you ask?" she muttered back, standing on her tip toes and cursing the height of the tree. "How very thoughtful of you."
"You could always use your magic to lift all of those wretched ornaments," suggested Regina Mills, strutting into the living room. She crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. "Saves a hell of a lot of time, Emma."
"Thanks, but no thanks," replied the blonde woman. "I'd rather do it the old fashioned way."
"Hey, Mom," greeted her young son, Henry Mills as he entered through the front door. He carried a load of packages in his arms, almost falling over with the weight of them. Emma turned for a moment to greet him back with a smile and a nod and tried not to lose her balance on the stool.
"Hi, Henry," Regina said with another smile that only flashed out in front of her beloved son. She placed a kiss on his cheek and took the pile of bags out of his hands. "No worries. I'll go get these over to Mary Margaret." She walked away towards the kitchen and straight past David Nolan, who entered the room.
"Hey, guys. Emma, sweetheart, what are you doing?" her father asked in suspicion, casting her a confused look complete with a raised eyebrow.
Emma was currently almost off balance as she desperately made short lunges around the top of the tree to hang up more ornaments. Henry's face was slightly pink from holding back a lot of laughter at his mother's ridiculous posture right now and Hook's cerulean blue eyes were sparkling with raw amusement.
"Just . . . decorating," she grunted with each lunge and Henry released a small wheeze of a chuckle. David sighed at his daughter and walked over.
"Here, let me," he said gently, removing her away from the tree and setting her down onto the couch, where Hook flashed another grin at her. She, in return, slugged him on the arm in an almost playful manner.
"Cut it out or I'll wipe that grin off your face," she threatened the lazy pirate and he just raised his eyebrows. Henry let out his laughter and flipped on the television with the remote, watching the cartoons intently.
"Well, I doubt Hook could decorate this tree better than I could," boasted Emma's father proudly, slinging an ornament along the bottom and slowly making his way upwards.
Hook, however, a man—a pirate—who never backed down from a challenge and was always annoyed whenever his manhood was in question. He sat up immediately and pinned David with a glare. "What was that, Charming?" he demanded quietly and Emma rolled her eyes good naturedly at the man next to her.
"I believe I said you can't decorate a tree faster than me," David repeated without looking at him, trying to cover the whole tree in a matter of minutes.
"Oh, really, mate? I have been the captain of the famous Jolly Roger, sailed over the seven seas, survived Neverland and the Wicked Witch of the West and gone to the past and back to the future," argued the hotheaded Captain. "In fact, without me, you would have never have met Snow White."
"Ahem," Emma cleared her throat with a smile. "I think Princess Leia had something to do with that as well."
"Mm hmm, but never forget the dashing Prince Charles." Hook grinned again and winked at Emma suggestively, who didn't know whether to giggle or throw a pillow at him.
"Whatever," harrumphed David. "I'm still going to beat you anyway."
"Oh yeah? Then you're dead wrong, mate." Hook jumped to his feet and rushed over to the tree and quickly slinged ornaments around the tree's branches.
"Whoa there! I may have been a prince, but I'm the King of decorating!" David exclaimed as he sped up his decorating. Emma watched with heavy amusement and she propped her chin up with one closed fist.
"Sure, mate! Hey, give me that!" the pirate bellowed and tried to snatch back the ornament they had both grabbed at the same time.
"It's mine!"
"No, I grabbed it first!"
"Whoa, girls, girls! Settle down!" commanded Ruby as she rushed into the room. "We all know Chris Hemsworth belongs to me."
"Hey, Ruby," said Emma in relief. "Maybe you can watch these two while Henry and I can fill up the stockings. Come on, kid." She ushered Henry away from the television and towards the hallway when Ruby interrupted.
"Yo, sister! Fresh cookies from Granny's!" she shouted out and David and Hook momentarily stopped fighting to get a good whiff of the delicious scent of warm chocolate chips. Of course, they resumed fighting after two seconds of halting.
Emma came back, retrieved the bag from Ruby's outstretched arm and quickly dropped them off in the kitchen, where Regina, her mother, Mary Margaret and Tinker Bell sat in, baking away tasty treats.
Ruby started to watch television, but it was soon blocked out by David and Hook's constant bickering. She sighed and clapped a hand over her forehead, dragging it across her eyes.
"Ugh. God, what did I get myself into?" she muttered under her breath.
Meanwhile, Regina sat near the kitchen island with spoon in her hand and a small vat of vanilla ice cream. She quietly nibbled on some of the sweet dessert, silently brooding over her true love, Robin Hood. Everything with him had been so perfect. She had felt so happy, happier than she had been in a very, very long time. The outlaw man made the woman feel alive again and cared for and he slowly opened her heart up. In fact, she had trusted him so much that she entrusted him with her mother's heart. And she had let him lose it, because his child, whom he loved more than anything in the world, was in danger. She had definitely developed a soft spot for him before completely falling for Robin.
And now she showed. Maid Marian, his wife who was supposed to die over a hundred years ago. The woman who was the mother of his son, Roland. The woman who believed Regina was still an evil bitch of a queen.
It was all Emma's fault, said a dark part of her. Why did she have to bring back anyone from the past? It would have to have consequences. And, yes, this was selfish, but those consequences made Regina's life a living hell now.
Robin was now so preoccupied with Marian, fawning over her and guiding her around the future world and Roland was so happy to have his mother back that he probably forgot Regina entirely as well as his father.
Regina believed what she and Robin had was love, but apparently not since he bounded straight back to Marian in a heart beat. And now she was alone and heartbroken and devastated and he didn't even care.
When Robin wrapped Marian in his arms, his eyes nearly watering with emotion and they just stood there, embracing so warmly, it had made Regina's finally fixed heart shatter again.
This was why she had been so afraid to love again. To have the love of her life ripped away from her yet again was too much for her to handle. She had considered to remove her heart, to relieve some of the pain but decided against it. It was like what Rumpelstiltskin said: Pain is strength.
"Tell me what's wrong, Regina," Mary Margaret said as she cradled her newborn son, Neal Nolan. The little baby was now thankfully quiet and not wailing like a recently alarmed siren. Regina sighed. No one knew about her and Robin being an official couple, so no one noticed the crestfallen expression on her face when Marian was being cradled in Robin's comforting arms. Arms, she had thought, that were meant to protect her.
"It's nothing," she said for the umpteenth time. She did not need—actually, want—the princess's outrageously famous sympathy right now.
"It can't be," cried Tinker Bell, shaking her head so vigorously that some of her golden hair strayed out of her bun. She was almost done with baking the chocolate cake. All she had to do was finish with the batter. "No offense, but you always act like a grumpy grouch. This time, it's way more prominent."
"Thanks so much, Tink," responded the Queen in a sharp and sarcastic voice. Great, two goody two shoes to get off her back. This was going to be a night to remember.
"This is exactly why I found the man with the lion tattoo." Tinker Bell stirred more and more of the batter inside the bowl. "He's your soul mate, remember? How come you haven't, you know, made a move?"
Regina had to push down an enormous blush that was hotly creeping up her neck straight to her cheeks. She had made a move. The night when she finally kissed him in the forest was still burned in the back of her mind, and God, was it magical, the feeling of his soft lips against hers had sent a jolt of electricity through her bones straight to her (metaphorically) heart, if it had been there, she meant.
"Well, uh, it just doesn't seem like the time yet," the black haired woman quickly lied, the lie coming out sort of hoarse from her red lips.
Tinker Bell rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. I could make a move faster than you can."
"Like there's a man out there who could deal with you," joked the Queen sarcastically. Tinker Bell shot her an emerald green glare and Mary Margaret laughed softly, trying not to wake Neal.
"How's the cake coming along?" the princess asked, her green eyes shimmering with happiness.
"It's good," responded the blonde fairy and added in a grumble, "I just need Belle and Rumpelstiltskin to come back with the rest of the ingredients and the presents, of course."
"Whose idea was it to leave all of those vulnerable presents at the pawn shop anyway?" Regina said, raising an eyebrow. "People like Hook could have peeked or Rumpelstiltskin could have switched all of our gifts up to mess with us. Or worse, turned them into what we don't want."
Mary Margaret smirked. "Oh, Regina, don't be so dramatic."
"I'm being perceptive."
"So will Belle show up on time or will we have to delay?" Tinker Bell asked, anxiously glancing at the clock, silently cursing its unbearable speed.
"Of course she'll come on time," Mary Margaret reassured.
"Nope," said Regina simply and bluntly at the same time. The two other women shot her a strange look. She shrugged. "If Rumpelstiltskin's with her, she's going to be delayed, all right."
"Gold is not going to mess with our presents." Mary Margaret rolled her eyes.
"I wasn't talking about our presents." Regina raised both eyebrows in amusement and a devilish grin spread across her tanned face. Mary Margaret soon got the message and she threw a glower at the other dark haired woman.
"Don't be disgusting, Regina."
"Whatever," Regina dismissed and was about to slide off the stool when a small weight slammed into the side of her leg.
"What the—" Regina looked down at the tiny thing wrapped around her leg, its dark head buried in the curve of her hip. It was . . .
"Roland?" she asked in disbelief, her slowly sinking. If he was here, that meant—
"Hello, Your Highness," a cocky voice greeted from the door way of the kitchen behind her. Her dark brown eyes widened to the size of saucers. No, it couldn't be . . .
But it was. Robin Hood had arrived.
Regna had had a pretty good idea of what could have been delaying Belle and Rumpelstiltskin. In fact, she was completely right. Right now, they were walking back to the house through the forest.
The snow was floating and drifting along the small gusts of wind down to the ground in a softly packed blanket. It was covered with many footsteps, which led up to one of the several tall trees. The owners had been strolling slowly towards the house until the male had gently pushed the woman up to the face of a tree and passionately kissed her. She had responded positively and they stayed there for a while, their lips moving against each other's softly.
"Rumple," breathed his loving newly wed wife, Belle between kisses. "We have to get back."
"Why, Belle?" Rumpelstiltskin asked and she adored the way he said her name so softly, delicately, and almost musically. She pulled away momentarily to look deeply into his dark brown eyes that were lit up sharply with a scalpel like intelligence. "They haven't noticed we're late, have they?" He leaned in to kiss her again and she pressed her rosebud pink lips back, only to pull away, pushing her body away entirely.
"Well, if you're not going to be the responsible one, then I will be," she said with a sweet smirk and snow began to tumble down her chocolate brown curls, melting into their warm richness. She picked up the bag piled with presents that had been long forgotten there half an hour ago.
"Oh, Belle," the man murmured, grabbing her arm and pulling her into him and his arms embraced around her again, soft lips finding her own, and her hands absentmindedly trailed up his strong arms to tangle in his straight and smooth dark hair. Her fingers momentarily fumbled along his warm and scratchy stubble, but soon found his hair's softness. He may not have been the best man or that attractive, but he was one hell of a kisser. The way his lips traced over hers as their mouths battled for dominance, him soon winning and his tongue entering her mouth and tasting her sweetness. How close they were, warm bodies pressed together against the biting cold of the wind, snow covering them almost as much as the leaves. His hands wrapped around Belle's waist and pulled her even closer, their mouths hot against one another-
"No!" she exclaimed in a breathless gasp, breaking away from him. "No. No, no. There is no way seduction is going to get me to give in to your desires, Rumple." She planted her small and delicate hands on her dainty hips and fixed a sharp glare with her sky blue eyes, a frown present on her Cupid bow shaped mouth.
"There was no seduction about it, dearie," smirked Rumple, leaning against a tree and ignoring the dirty look she was throwing at him. "And you're talking about my desires? Oh no, I believe you kissing me back were your desires." The woman was speechless and didn't know what to say as a come back, since this was Rumpelstiltskin she was talking to.
"Whatever," she dismissed finally with a wave of her hand once she found her voice and bent down to pick up the presents that had spilled across the ground. She had picked all of them up when she realized one was missing. a very important one that only she would notice that was missing. Her eyes were wide as her head lifted up Rumple's dark frame and saw the small box wrapped in shiny golden wrapping paper being twirled around in his fingers.
"Well, well," he teased with another smirk, his dark eyes bright with amusement. "Mind if I have a look at this?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," Belle replied and scrambled up to her feet and attempted to snatch the box away, but he held it up high and out of reach, a laugh escaping his mouth. She narrowed her pale eyes at him dangerously.
"Come now, Belle. What could be so special inside this box?" He brought it back down to read the label and she chased after him while he walked in circles in the snow, reading the tiny card out loud: "'To dearest Rumpelstiltskin. Love, Belle.' Interesting," he hummed. "You left three Xs, which are kisses, right? Why don't you do them now? Putting them to waste on paper would be a shame."
"Rumpelstiltskin," she breathed out hotly. "If you don't give me back that box, I swear I'll-"
"You'll what?" he asked in challenge, both eyebrows raised.
She then relaxed, a brilliant yet wicked idea coming to her mind. "Nothing," she shrugged, moving closer to him. "But do you really want to ruin the surprise of your gift?"
"Hmm," he said thoughtfully, looking up at the pitch black sky. "Sure, why not?"
"Because I'm your wife. And shouldn't husbands listen to their wives?" She was now a few inches away from him.
"Of course they should."
"Well, then. Glad that's settled." Belle then leaned in, her eyes half lidded by her smooth eyelids. "And besides, why don't you stop worrying about that gift when I could give you one right now?"
Rumple blinked, taken aback by the allure of her accented voice. She was so close, her face now centimeters distance from his. "And what would that gift be?" he asked and she laughed, a soft and musical sound. Her hands snaked down his shoulders, sending shivers down his skin and their lips were so close and pressed together, but not enough to call it a kiss. He gasped and Belle sucked that breath in. If only she'd come a bit closer-
Rumpelstiltskin was definitely not a man easily surprised, but Belle took him by surprise when her hands took his and suddenly snagged the present out of his grasp and the brunette woman quickly backed away with a triumphant grin on her face, her eyes alight. She pushed down into the bag out of his reach and picked up the bags.
"Now that, dearie," Rumple pointed out smugly, "is seduction."
Belle just sweetly smirked in response. She tried to start walking, but Rumple grabbed at her hand. His eyes wandered down her fingers toward the golden wedding band circled around her ring finger. The moonlight gleamed along the shiny surface and he stroked his thumb along the curve of the ring silently.
"Rumple?" inquired Belle softly.
He looked up and smiled at her, then scooped up the rest of the bags. They continued on to the house, arms interlinked.
"Wh- What are you doing here?" stammered Regina in a weak voice, sitting back down on her stool for support. Wait, she needed to calm down. What had happened to that tough woman who took no shit from anyone? She sucked in a silent deep breath and focused on Robin, no matter how hard it was. And it wasn't really, but why did he have to be so damn handsome?
"I happen to be a resident of Storybrooke and last I heard, there was a Christmas party I was invited to," he replied with a smile, his beautiful blue eyes twinkling. Regina fought the urge to run out of the room and rolled her eyes, followed by a turn of her head.
"But shouldn't you be with Marian?" she inquired, but she couldn't stop the venomous and bitter tone that flew off her tongue when she said the name of the woman who stole Robin from her. The man peered at her with a confused expression and opened his mouth, probably to call her out but was interrupted by his toddler son.
"Why aren't you around anymore, Regina?" asked Roland innocently, gazing up at her with big, dark and sparkling chocolate brown eyes. He was still clinging to her leg and Regina scooped him up in her arms and seated him on the seat next to hers.
"Well, uh, Roland, you need to spend time with Mommy now, right?" She tucked another dark and curly strand of hair behind his tiny ear as he looked at her.
"I can't," he replied simply, pouting.
"Why not?" Regina said in a questioning tone, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and a shadow fell across Robin's brilliant blue eyes as he raked a hand through his light brown hair.
"Roland-" he said gently, trying to stop his son, but the child still spewed out the words.
"Mama and Daddy have been fighting and Mama is gone," Roland said in a rush without a single breath and Regina's confusion further deepened, staring at the two males in front of her.
"Uh," Robin stuttered, his usual self confidence now vanished into thin air. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about." He now had an awkward tinge to his demeanor. Regina's dark eyes met his and Mary Margaret and Tinker Bell immediately knew something was up.
"I just remembered . . ." trailed off Tinker Bell, setting down the bowl and exiting the room.
"Yeah, I should go help her," Mary Margaret agreed, standing up and gesturing to Roland to follow her. Regina stared dumbfounded at the two women who had just abandoned her in the company of her supposed ex. Wait, were they still together? Oh, this was beyond frustrating.
"So," started the dark haired woman after a long pause of silence, the tension almost palpable. "What was Roland talking about? What do you have to tell me?"
"Well," Robin said, obviously feeling awkward too. "The thing is . . . Uh, I can't tell you if you're staring at me like that."
Regina had absentmindedly widened her eyes in anticipation of his words and leaned forward as well, so she probably looked like a goldfish. "Oh, sorry. Continue."
"The thing is, Marian and I haven't exactly been good together now like back then. We had been fighting so much and Roland was fought over too, but mostly, it's because I let it spill that we are dating."
Are? Well, that was certainly good to know, but Regina dared not show it on her face.
"She became furious, blamed me for falling for the woman who apparently was going to execute her, but I told Marian you weren't like that anymore. She didn't care, so she left me. She didn't even take Roland. I think all of this future stuff is too much for her to handle. I admit, I was overjoyed to see her at first, but she didn't like that I am now a changed man. Marian was my first love, but you're my true love."
Looking deep into his lovely blue eyes, Regina couldn't feel so overwhelmed. She had never even considered being someone's true love, not after Daniel, but now all she could do was smile, a rare gesture for her. "But still, what happens to Marian?" she asked in spite of herself.
"Honestly, I have no clue. She's a strong woman, so she can deal on her own, all right. I just wish things hadn't ended so badly between us. I mean, I don't want Roland thinking his mother abandoned him. But you were a good mother to him."
"I was, wasn't I? I mean, I did raise Henry and everything."
"Exactly, and look how perfect he turned out." He smiled at her and she returned it again. But something just felt strange all of a sudden.
"But Robin, maybe we should take things slow," she suggested carefully. "Just give us some time."
His face fell for a moment. "But . . . do you love me, Regina?"
"Of course I do," she replied immediately, taking his hand briefly, feeling the familiar sensation of his warm fingers interlocking with her cold ones. "It's just that . . . Marian was a surprise for all of us."
Robin still looked crestfallen, but his face suddenly lit up and his wonderful cocky grin spread his lips again. "Oh, but I know something. Something that ensures that you can't resist me."
"Oh really?" she asked in a challenging manner, crossing her arms with an infamous smirk of her red lips. "And what would that be? I have magic on my side, just you remember."
His grin only grew further and he raised his hand from behind his back, revealing what was pinched between tow fingertips. A small, dark green cluster of leaves tied together neatly with a small red ribbon. Her eyes widened once again at the sight of . . .
"Mistletoe?" she asked incredulously before the full impact took place. "Oh, no," she protested with a hand outstretched and backing away from Robin. It then turned into a full out chase around the kitchen.
"Come now! It's a tradition and you can't betray tradition!" exclaimed Robin before finally grabbing her hand and pinning her to the island with is body. She smiled.
"Okay. I let you catch me."
"Sure you did." He then wiggled the mistletoe above their heads and Regina didn't stop him from leaning in and pressing his lips to hers, her heart singing in completeness in the process.
"Hey, Mom," asked Henry as they filled the stockings. "What's going on with you and Hook?"
"Excuse me?" Emma asked, staring at her son, horrified.
"It's kind of obvious," Henry replied and when Emma looked at him with a pressing look, he added, "Plus, David told me."
Emma rolled her eyes with a sigh. Way to go for her father to jump to conclusions. In fact, even she wasn't sure what was going on with her and Hook. They had kissed a couple times before and they teamed up many times to take down their enemies. She didn't know if Hook wanted it to go to the next level. "I really don't know, kid."
Henry just raised an eyebrow.
"I'm serious," countered the blonde woman. Henry was about to say something in response, but the door burst open and Rumpelstiltskin and Belle waltzed into the hallway, suppressing laughs.
"Oh, what is so funny?" Regina questioned, walking in as well with Robin Hood, whose arm was draped across her shoulders. "Or should I just tell you to get a room?"
Rumple scowled while Belle just laughed. "We got the presents, didn't we?" She held up several bags.
"Yes!" cheered Henry and he helped Belle hurry the gifts into the living room, just as Hook burst into the room, his sky blue orbs blazing as they met Robin's frame.
"You!" he exclaimed, pointing at the outlaw. "You stole my-" He cut off abruptly when he saw Emma, whose fair eyebrows raised up in question as she crossed her arms. "Uh, never mind."
"Do you mean this?" Robin then held up a small piece of mistletoe and Emma's mouth dropped open as Hook attempted to look anywhere but the incriminating scrap of plant. Regina rolled her eyes.
"I can't believe you stole that," she sighed. "Of course, I should have realized that before. Never mind."
Robin just smiled with a twinkle in his blue eyes as he planted a kiss on her temple. Emma couldn't help but smile at the two lovers. She had been the one to cause a rift between them and she was glad that it closed up. Of course, she had better things to deal with, such as murdering Hook.
Everyone sensed the predatory glare she was sending the pirate's way and began to file out of the hall way, Rumpelstiltskin calling out, "It's a gold watch!" and Belle crying out in response, "Confound it, Rumple!"
Hook grinned sheepishly as Emma continued glaring at him. He opened his mouth to say something and she muttered, "Save it, Killian."
"It's Captain Hook, if you will, Swan," he corrected, still trying to charm his way out of a lecture.
"Emma, then. No more of this surname calling business."
"Okay. Emma," he added and she smiled. Then he interrupted by the moment by saying, "So, um, what did you get it for Christmas?"
Her smile fell and she cocked her head to the side in a dubious manner. "You seriously think I'm going to tell you?"
"Well, I was hoping."
"In your dreams, Hook."
"Oh, I have big dreams, Swan," he replied with a devilish grin. He may have called her 'Swan' again, but she let him. She also let him to step closer to her, closing the distance around them, but she was the one to lean in and plant a firm kiss on his soft lips. He quickly reciprocated, cupping her face in his hands as their mouths explored each other's.
He then whispered as he took her hand, "Merry Christmas, Emma Swan."
Well, how was that? Good? Bad? Please leave your opinion in a review, but if you liked it at all and have the heart to care, PLEASE favorite! Anyway, thanks so much for reading and check out my other stories if you like. :D xoxo -N