We All Will Be Together
A/N: Hey, everyone! So, my plan was to do this last year but then Old Blue (my laptop) died and I lost it all. I've spent 2018 trying to build it up again (though I'm still not as far along as I hoped) so I could spend 2019 giving you a peek into the lives of the Mills-Locksley family from my story The Christmas Wish. If you haven't read that first, you might want to read it—but you'll probably figure it out without reading it.
I'm reusing The Christmas Wish cover, which was made by glindalovesshoes. Thanks again, Eva!
Happy New Year!
New Year, New Life
Regina was getting used to waking up to a pair of strong arms around her and a warm body pressed against her back. She sighed as consciousness slowly crept upon her and snuggled deeper into Robin's embrace. He pressed a sleepy kiss to her shoulder and then the side of her head. "Happy New Year, Mrs. Locksley."
"Happy New Year, Mr. Mills-Locksley," she shot back, smiling.
He hummed. "If you want to hyphenate, I'm fine with that. Do you want to change the boys' names as well?"
She crinkled her nose, feeling like her brain had short-circuited. "Ugh. I think that's a question to be decided when I'm more awake and not hungover."
"Of course." He kissed her shoulder again before pulling away from her.
She shivered at the loss of his body warmth and rolled over to ask him where he was going. However, her stomach turned over and she clutched it with a groan. "Oh god…I think I'm going to be sick."
"Maybe we shouldn't have had that last round of champagne," he said, his voice sounding scratchy. He then groaned as well. "Or the shots."
"Are you going to lecture me about our drinking choices last night or are you going to help me before I'm sick all over the bed?" She held out her arm blindly, trying to reach out for her husband.
A warm and strong hand closed around hers and helped her helped her out of bed. He then wrapped an arm around her and walked with her toward their bathroom. She knelt and was sick into the toilet as Robin held her hair back.
She moaned as she sat back against him, hearing him flush the toilet for her. He leaned her against the bathtub. "I'm going to get a facecloth, sweetheart. I'll be right back."
"Okay, maybe you had a point about the champagne and the shots," she moaned, pressing her hand to her eyes to block out the little light that was trying to get past her eyelids.
Robin gently wiped her mouth before sitting down next to her. She fell over, resting her head on his shoulder. "This probably wasn't the picture you had in mind when you agreed to stay married to me," she said
He chuckled. "Believe it or not, this is exactly what I had in mind when I agreed to stay married to you."
"Really?" She would've opened her eyes and glared at him but she worried that would've triggered the headache she felt lurking behind her eyes.
"Well, I would've thought you'd have the flu and not be hungover, but I knew that this agreement would mean holding back your hair at some point," he told her.
She let out a wry laugh at his statement, acknowledging that truth of it. "Thanks. I'd do the same for you but I doubt your hair gets in your way."
He chuckled. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm sure you'll take good care of me when I get sick."
They sat on the floor for a bit longer and Regina started to drift off again. She felt Robin lift her into his arms and carry her into their bedroom, lying her on the bed. He kissed her forehead as he covered her with the still warm blanket. "Get some more rest. I'll deal with the boys."
"Thank you," she murmured, rolling over and letting sleep claim her yet again.
Robin was also feeling the aftereffects of too much champagne but he was clearly in better shape than his wife. After shrugging on pajama pants and a shirt as well as his bathrobe, he stumbled downstairs and started up the Keurig. He hoped one very strong cup of coffee would help him feel more human before the boys woke up and needed breakfast.
As his coffee brewed, he leaned against the counter and hung his head. The last bottle of champagne had been too much, he decided. Celebrating their marriage did not need that much alcohol. They could've toasted their new life together with water.
Or at least drank a gallon each before going to bed rather than making love well into the wee hours of the morning.
The Keurig finished and he grabbed his mug, sipping the hot black liquid without adding any creamer or sugar like usual. He needed his coffee extra strong at the moment. And maybe some Advil, once he could shuffle to the medicine cabinet in the downstairs bathroom.
He leaned against the counter as the reality of his new life hit him. He and Regina had made vows to each other and pledged to spend the rest of their lives together as husband and wife. Now that the holidays were over, they were going to have to really start blending their lives together and coming up with new routines. Robin easily adapted but he knew that Regina liked her schedules, something he figured came from living with her mother. Cora Mills-Blanchard demanded pretty much perfection from her daughter, so if Regina could remain a few steps ahead of her, the easier her life would be.
Robin wanted this transition to be as smooth and easy as they possibly could make it. If it meant getting onto one of Regina's schedules, then so be it. Hopefully he would then show her that it was okay to shake things up sometimes and be spontaneous, but it would have to be in baby steps.
"Good morning, Papa," Roland said, shuffling into the kitchen. He hugged Robin. "Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year, my boy," he replied, holding his son close. "Did you sleep well?"
Roland nodded. "Especially once you and Mom told us you were staying together. I like having a mom again and having a brother."
"And you're okay with living here instead of our cottage?" Robin asked.
"Yeah. Santa moved all my stuff and there's more room here," his son replied. "Do you like it here?"
Smiling, Robin nodded. "I like it here very much. But as long as I have you, Henry and Mum, I would be happy living anywhere."
"That's really sappy," Roland said, scrunching up his nose.
Robin chuckled. "I guess so, but it's the truth. You three are all I need to be happy."
"Well, I guess I just need you, Mom and Henry too," his son replied before smiling widely. "And French toast."
"Okay, okay. Why don't you go have a seat and I'll get the French toast started for breakfast?" He gave Roland a gentle push toward the table before turning to gather the ingredients needed for the request.
As he fried up some French toast for his son, he heard the padding of little feet and knew who had just joined them. Without looking, Robin said: "Good morning, Henry. Are you hungry?"
"Yes. Is that French toast?" Henry asked, coming to stand next to him at the stove.
Robin glanced down, seeing only the boy's sleep-tousled brown hair. He smoothed it down, causing Henry to look up. Smiling, Robin motioned to the table. "Why don't you join your brother? Breakfast is almost ready."
"Thanks, Dad." Henry didn't move right away. Instead, he hugged Robin. "I'm glad you decided to stay my dad."
"Me too," Robin said, kissing the top of his head. He then pushed Henry toward the table to join Roland before plating the French toast slices for his sons.
Once the boys had their breakfasts—complete with glasses of orange juice—Robin sat down with his own slice of French toast. Henry looked around, frowning. "Where's Mom?"
"She's still sleeping," Robin replied, sipping his second cup of coffee.
Henry's mouth fell open. "We're up before her? Is she sick?"
"Uh…" Robin paused, trying to figure out the best way to answer that. He doubted Regina wanted their children to know that she was hungover but he didn't want the boys to worry too much.
Clearing his throat, he decided on his response. "We were out really late and I kept your mother dancing most of the night. I think I really wore her out."
"Oooh," both boys said, satisfied with his answer. They turned back to their breakfast and Robin let out a sigh of relief.
Crisis averted.
Regina woke up again and was relieved when her stomach remained calm. While her mouth felt dry and full of cotton, her head was no longer fuzzy and the world remained still. She sat up and spotted a glass of water next to her bed, knowing Robin had left it for her. Touched, she took a tentative sip and then another. Her stomach did not react and she figured she could attempt to get out of bed.
She pushed the blankets back and placed her feet on the floor. After taking a few breaths and realizing all was still well, she pushed herself up until she was standing. She held out her arms but she still remained upright.
Good.
Regina picked up her cotton bathrobe and wrapped it around her, tying the belt with a loose knot. She slid her feet into her slippers and headed downstairs, deciding to attempt a light breakfast now that her stomach wasn't planning a revolt any time soon.
She made it downstairs and heard the TV playing in the living room, meaning the children were up. There was a lingering aroma of coffee in the air and she hoped it would help her feel a little bit more human as she headed to the kitchen.
"Good afternoon," Robin greeted as he wiped down the counters. "Can I get you anything?"
"Is it really afternoon?" she asked, squinting as she tried to make out the numbers on the microwave clock. They didn't get any clearer and she wasn't sure if it was her hangover or if she finally needed glasses.
He nodded, guiding her toward the table. "You must be starving. How is your stomach? What do you think you can handle?"
She swallowed, rubbing her stomach. "Toast and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Just stick it right into my vein."
Robin laughed as she stuck out her arm, indicating where she wanted the IV to go. He raised it to his lips, pressing a kiss there. "I'll get you some coffee but I think water might be better."
"Can we compromise and I'll drink both?" she asked.
He chuckled, kissing the top of her head. "That sounds like a good compromise. Now, you relax and I'll get you your toast."
"Mom?" Henry's voice made her turn around, where she found both her sons standing at the entrance to the kitchen. They both looked apprehensive, as if they weren't allowed into the room.
She smiled and motioned for them to come to her. When they got close enough, she pulled them into a hug. "Happy New Year, my dears."
"Happy New Year, Mom," Henry said, hugging her. "Did you get enough sleep?"
"Yeah, Papa said he kept you up late and so you were very tired," Roland added, leaning against her.
She raised her eyebrow as she looked over their heads at Robin, who was placing her toast on a plate. He shrugged and she knew that he probably had to tell them something when she didn't come down for breakfast. It seemed better than him explaining what a hangover was, so she let it pass and decided to play along.
"Yes, he did," she replied, "but we were celebrating our decision to stay married, so I think we can forgive him this once, don't you?"
The boys nodded as Robin set her plate down in front of her as well as her favorite mug filled with coffee. He rubbed the boys' heads as he smiled down at her. "Do you want jelly with that?"
"Mom doesn't eat her toast with jelly," Henry said, pulling away from her. He hurried over to the refrigerator, opening it and pulling out a jar before proudly carrying it back to the table.
When he set it down, Roland gave it a suspicious look. "You put apple sauce on your toast, Mom?"
She chuckled. "It's not apple sauce but apple butter. And it's really good. Do you want to try some?"
"Okay," Roland said, looking apprehensive.
She cut off a small piece of her toast and placed some apple butter on it, holding it out to him. "Go ahead, sweetheart."
He took it and popped it into his mouth. Regina watched as he chewed and once he swallowed, he smiled. "I like it. Much sweeter than butter."
"Yes, it is," she said. "And you know how much I love anything with apples."
"Alright, you two, why don't you let Mum eat in peace and we'll join you in the living room shortly?" Robin suggested.
The boys nodded, leaving the room as Robin took a seat next to her. He smiled. "Do you want anything else or is that enough?"
She shook her head as she sipped at her coffee, relishing the delicious caffeine as it slid down her throat. "This is perfect. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Maybe once we get you past the worst of the hangover, we can get something a bit more substantial in you," he said, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.
"I honestly think I'm past the worst of it," she told him. "I just didn't want to take any chances. So if this stays down, we can have a nice big dinner."
He nodded, grinning. "That sounds great. What do you want to do between now and then?"
She shrugged. "I guess just crash on the couch with our boys and watch the last of the Christmas movies."
"Sounds like a plan to me," he replied, kissing her forehead. "None of us even have to change. It'll be a nice break before our hectic lives start again."
Regina swallowed another sip of coffee before frowning at him. "We are going to figure out how to mesh our hectic lives now that we're married. This has been like a honeymoon and now it's back to the real world."
"I know," he said softly. Then he smiled. "But before we get into all of that, I do intend on taking you on a proper honeymoon. Maybe after our ceremony in the summer?"
She smiled in return, covering their clasped hands with her free one. "That sounds wonderful. Would we take the kids?"
He shook his head. "I want to take you on a proper honeymoon where we do things we definitely don't want the children around for."
Regina chuckled, remembering how they spent their night, and nodded. "I'm sure Tink or Mary Margaret would be happy to take care of the boys for us."
"Me too," he said, rubbing his thumb over her hand. "Where would you like to go?"
"I don't know. I've never thought about where I would want to go on a honeymoon," she admitted with a laugh. Even when she was engaged to Daniel, they never planned their honeymoon and then she figured she would never go on one. It gave her a lot to think about.
He gathered up her dirty plate and silverware. "Well, you have time to think about it. Now, why don't you take that coffee into the living room and I'll join you three in a bit?"
"Sounds good." She kissed him and picked up her coffee mug, standing from her chair. Regina headed over into the living room, sitting down on the couch. Henry and Roland moved from where they were lying on the floor, each cuddling next to her. She wrapped her arms around them, holding them close as Robin joined them. He set down a glass of water next to her coffee mug, a silent reminder of their agreement, before sitting next to Roland.
They sat together as a family, watching movies as the daylight began to fade into night.
"Can we play a board game?" Roland asked, rubbing his eyes. "I'm getting tired of all these movies."
Robin chuckled, rubbing his son's arms. "Okay. I guess we do need to get up and move as well. So what game do you want to play?"
"Can we play Clue?" he asked. "There's enough of us to play it now."
"I've never played Clue," Henry said, grinning. "That sounds like it would be fun."
Regina frowned. "I don't think we have Clue, though."
"I do! And Santa brought it over when he moved my bedroom. I can go get it," Roland said, jumping up from the couch. He left the room before anyone could stop him.
Robin stood as well, rubbing his legs. "Anyone want a snack to enjoy while we play the game?"
"Popcorn?" Henry suggested, looking hopeful.
Glancing at Regina, Robin waited for her nod of approval. She gave it and he smiled. "Okay. Popcorn it is."
He crossed over to the kitchen as Roland raced down the stairs. Robin held out his hand, halting his son's progress. "Walk, Roland. There's no need to run," he told him.
"Sorry, Papa," Roland said, clutching the board game closer to him. "I guess I'm just really excited. Where are you going?"
"To make popcorn for us to snack on while we play the game," he told him, ruffling his son's curls.
Roland's smile grew wider. "That sounds delicious!"
"I know. So why don't you wait in the living room with your mother and your brother while I go pop that corn?"
His son giggled before growing thoughtful. "I like the sound of that."
"Popping corn?" Robin asked, confused by his son's words.
Roland shook his head. "No. My mother and brother. That sounds nice."
"Yeah," Robin said, smiling softly. "It does sound nice, doesn't it? Now, go on. I'll be there shortly."
"Okay, Papa." Roland skipped toward the living room and Robin could hear Regina greet him warmly. He smiled, heading toward the kitchen to finally get the popcorn he had promised his family.
He walked back into the living room with a big bowl of fluffy popcorn as well as several bottles of water. Robin set them down on the coffee table, which was pushed toward the TV so they could have space on the floor to play the game. The board was set up on the carpet and Robin saw that four pieces were set up already—red, purple, yellow and green. He sank to his knees beside Regina, raising his eyebrow. "I trust I'm Mr. Green?"
"Of course, Papa," Roland said, grinning at him. "It's your favorite color. I'm Professor Plum, Henry's Colonel Mustard and Mom's Miss Scarlet."
"How appropriate," he said, winking at his wife. He watched as she shuffled the cards. "So you're doling?"
She nodded. "The boys agreed it would be best if I do it."
"Mom won't cheat," Roland said, giving his father a pointed look.
Robin feigned indignation. "Are you saying I would? That you don't trust your own father?"
"I trust you, Dad," Henry said, grinning at him.
"Thank you," Robin replied. "I'm glad one of my sons does."
Regina separated the cards into the three respective piles—weapons, places and people. She picked a card from each and slid them into the little envelope marked "solution." Once that was done, she began doling out the cards to them. "So, Roland, Henry's never played Clue before. Care to explain it to him?"
"Uh…" Roland scrunched up his nose before turning to Robin. "Papa? Can you explain it to him?"
Chuckling, Robin nodded. "Gladly. I'll go slowly because it can be complicated. Don't be scared to ask me to repeat anything, Henry."
He patiently explained how they would all get cards and would mark those down on the sheets Regina passed out. "You know anything marked off on your paper is not in the envelope. The goal is to narrow it down to figure out which cards are in the envelope," he said.
"How?" Henry asked, frowning.
"You roll the dice and move that many spaces," Roland said, jumping in. "You want to head to a room and when you get inside, you can make a guess as to who did it and with what weapon in that room."
Robin nodded. "We then all check our cards and if one of us have a card that disproves your suggestion, we'll show it to you. You then check it off on your sheet to help you narrow down what the solution is."
"And if I have it?" Henry then asked.
"Well, you make the accusation and you check the envelope. If you're right, you win. If you're wrong, you are out of the game and we can see your cards," Robin replied. "So definitely doublecheck to make sure you don't have any of the cards before you make an accusation."
Henry nodded solemnly as he studied his sheet. "Okay, I think I've got it. Who goes first?"
"Miss Scarlet," Robin said, handing the die to Regina. "Have at it."
She shook the die before rolling it, scrunching her nose at the outcome. "One. I'm moving at the speed of light, aren't I?"
"Don't worry, Mom. No one goes far on their first turn," Roland said, tapping Henry's arm. "Your turn."
As Henry rolled the die, Robin leaned back to study the scene before him. His family playing a game together in their pajamas as the Christmas tree sparkled behind them. It was everything he didn't know he wanted and everything he couldn't imagine living without now.
It was perfect.
Henry ended up winning the game by accusing Miss Scarlet of killing Mr. Body in the Conservatory with the knife.
"I would've gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you pesky kids," Regina joked before kissing Henry's cheek. "Good job, sweetheart."
He beamed. "Thanks, Mom."
Robin clapped his hands together and he shared a knowing look with Regina. "Okay, let's get this game all cleaned up while Mom starts dinner."
"Anyone have any requests?" Regina asked, wincing as she stood up. Her knees were not pleased with how long she had been sitting on the floor playing the game. She rubbed them as she looked at each member of her family.
Henry grinned. "Can we have some lasagna, Mom?"
"We always have lasagna," she replied. "Why don't we try something else?"
"Like stir fry? Roland suggested hopefully.
She grinned. "Stir fry sounds perfect. I'll go get it started while you all clean up. Then maybe you can also set the table for me?"
The boys groaned but Robin shot a look at them. "Mom's going to make us dinner. The least we can do is set up for her. Right?"
"I guess so," Henry sighed as Roland nodded.
Regina straightened up, kissing Robin's cheek. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."
She headed into the kitchen, stopping at the sink to wash her hands. After raiding her refrigerator for the ingredients needed for a stir fry, she rolled up her sleeves and quickly got to work. It would be an easy dinner to make, which promised even more family time before they had to get ready to return to their normal routines the next day.
Of course, they didn't have a normal routine. Everything was going to be different now that Robin and Roland were living with them. She knew he wanted to spend one last lazy day together but she knew they were going to have to talk about routines and schedules if they wanted the household to run smoothly.
She wouldn't—couldn't—have chaos in her life.
Two arms wrapped around her waist and Robin kissed her shoulder. "Either the stir fry did something to offend you or you are deep in thought."
She sighed. "We really need to talk about meshing our lives together or tomorrow is going to be ugly."
"It'll be fine," he insisted. "Is it going to be perfect? Probably not. But it's nothing we can't handle."
"I won't be able to handle it," she admitted it softly. "I like my schedules and making sure everything is running smoothly."
He pressed another kiss to her shoulder and she held her breath, waiting for his answer. Would he mock her? Tell her that she didn't need a schedule to function? That it was probably leftover anxiety from growing up with her demanding mother and she was free from it now?
"Okay," he finally said. "After dinner, we'll put on a movie to distract the boys and we'll come up with a tentative schedule. We'll have to fine tune it through experience but it will be a start."
She closed her eyes, gratitude filling her. Why had she resisted falling in love with him for so long? Perhaps she would've freed herself from Mother earlier and could've worked on fixing herself sooner.
"You're thinking too hard," he whispered, "and I have a feeling you're putting yourself down. Don't. You're amazing."
"I was just wishing I let myself love you earlier," she replied, also in a whisper. "Maybe I wouldn't be so messed up."
He kissed her head. "Don't think like that. Only happy thoughts today. It's our honeymoon."
She chuckled before glancing at him. "Is everything set up? This stir fry is almost done."
"Yes," he assured her. "The boys and I have the table all set and they are sitting there, waiting for us to serve them."
Regina placed the stir fry into a serving dish with a smile. "They're being really patient. I'm impressed."
"I may have bribed them," Robin admitted.
"Oh?" she asked, picking up the dish. "With what, dare I ask?"
He grew more sheepish. "Extra helpings of dessert."
She sighed. "Well, I guess there are worse things to have bribed them with. I don't believe in using money for rewards. Henry earns his allowance by doing chores."
"It's the same for Roland," Robin told her. "If he gets good grades on his report card, I take him to the rec center to practice archery and he gets ice cream afterwards."
"I make Henry a special dinner when he gets good grades," she said, "and I take him out for ice cream too."
"Great minds think alike," he replied, following her as she entered the dining room.
Henry and Roland looked up from their places, their hands clasped right by their plates. They looked longingly at the dish in her hands and she smiled. "Are you two hungry?"
"Yes!" Henry said as Roland nodded eagerly. "We've been waiting very patiently, just like Dad said."
She chuckled as she placed the dish on the potholder. "I'm sure the promise of double dessert did the trick."
"Did we earn it?" Roland asked, looking up at his father with pleading eyes.
Robin glanced over at Regina, who gave him a slight nod. He then looked back at his son with a smile. "Yes, Roland, you and Henry have earned that extra dessert."
They cheered as he and Regina took their seats. She spooned out some of the food onto their plates. "Before you can have that dessert, though, you need to eat your dinner."
"Yes, Mom," they chorused before digging into their meals.
"Slowly," Robin told them, eyeing them warily. "We don't want you to choke. Right, Regina?"
She nodded, swallowing her own bite. "Absolutely. Besides, you're probably not even tasting it eating it that way."
Both boys did as she said, taking smaller bites and not eating so fast. Relieved that no one would choke, Regina and Robin continued to eat their dinner as well.
"So," Robin said, breaking the silence that had fallen as they had eaten, "are you two ready to go back to school tomorrow?"
The boys groaned and Roland scowled at his food. "I've enjoyed spending time with you and Mom. School just ruins that."
"Yeah," Henry echoed. "I can't wait for summer so we have weeks where we can just play."
Regina chuckled. "School is important. You both know that, right?"
They both nodded before staring at their plates. Roland muttered: "Doesn't mean it's fun, though."
"Ms. French tries," Henry offered.
Roland nodded. "She does. But it can still be boring. Especially history."
"Math is boring to me," Henry replied, scrunching his nose.
"So you agree on English and science?" Robin asked, clearly amused by the conversation.
They exchanged looks before shrugging. "I guess," Henry answered.
"They can be fun. Especially when we study something cool in science, like bugs. Right, Henry?" Roland asked.
Regina watched as her son shuddered and she understood how he felt perfectly. He then shook his head. "Bugs aren't cool. They're creepy. I like when we study the planets though. Those are cool."
"Yeah," Roland echoed, now really excited as he bounced in his seat. "I love when we study the planets too. And asteroids and comets and stars. The whole universe is amazing!"
Robin chuckled, meeting her eyes. "I think we should plan a trip to the planetarium soon for our little space explorers."
Both boys gasped and their heads turned so fast, she was worried they would get whiplash. Two sets of wide, pleading eyes looked at her and she chuckled as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. "I think the planetarium is an excellent idea."
They cheered and Roland gave her a cheeky grin. "Maybe we should go to the planetarium tomorrow rather than school."
She leaned closer, smiling just as cheekily. "Nice try, mister. You and your brother are going to school tomorrow."
Roland groaned but still kept smiling as he shrugged. "Well, I tried."
"Finish your dinner," Robin told him, "unless you don't want that double dessert after all."
Both boys gasped and turned back to their meals, working to clean their plates. Robin caught Regina's eye, winking at her as he sipped at his water. She smiled at him, also taking the last few bites of her meal as a comfortable silence descended on the dining room.
"What about dessert?" Roland asked as he handed his dirty plate to Robin so he could load it into the dishwasher.
Regina looked up from where she was washing the pan she had used to make dinner. "I think you and Henry should let your dinner digest for a bit. You want to have room for the double helpings, right?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Then you can wait a bit longer for it," she reasoned. "Why don't you two go watch some TV while your father and I finish up in here?"
Roland grabbed Henry's hand. "Come on! I know the perfect thing to watch!"
They raced off to the living room, even as Regina called out for them to walk. She shook her head as she rinsed off the pan. "I wish I had half their energy sometimes."
"I know, right?" Robin chuckled as he started the dishwasher. "I could get so much more done."
She set the pan to dry before turning to her husband, wrapping her arms around her. "Can we make a schedule for at least the rest of this week?"
"Of course," he said, motioning to the kitchen table. "You want to do it here or someplace else?"
"Kitchen is fine," she replied, grabbing something off her refrigerator.
They sat down and Robin realized that what she had grabbed was her dry erase weekly calendar. She laid it between them and spread out the different colored markers she owned. "I'm red, Henry's blue. Pick a color for Roland and you'll be the last one."
"He can be green," Robin decided, "and I can take black. How does that sound?"
She nodded. "That's good. Now, we'll go through day by day and figure out everyone's schedule, okay?"
"Okay," he replied. "So we'll start with tomorrow?"
"Sounds good." Regina pulled out the school calendar. "Okay, Monday, January second…New Year's Day observed. School closed."
It took a few seconds to sink in before Robin laughed. "Right. Today is Sunday. I totally forgot."
"Everything has just blended together. Time has seemed to stop since Christmas," she replied, sounding surprised. She then cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. "I still want to plan the week, though."
He nodded. "Of course. Why don't we then go straight to Tuesday and we'll work on tomorrow last?"
"I can do that," she said, moving to the slot marked Tuesday on the board. "I usually have to be in the office by eight-thirty. When do you need to be at the store?"
"Eight," he replied. "I need to do inventory and open since John will be working all day tomorrow."
She nodded, writing that down. "Henry usually takes the bus. Is Roland signed up for the bus?"
He shook his head. "No. We lived too close to the school to be considered for bus service so I usually drove him myself. If I had to be at the store early, Tink usually would come take him for me."
"Well, you should probably change his address with the school and apply for bus service," she said and he could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. "You're already an emergency contact for Henry, though I should make sure that you're his primary, but do I need to add that you're his parent?"
Robin took her hand. "It's up to you. But I plan on putting you down as Roland's even if there's no paperwork that says so, just a certificate that says we're married."
She smiled, lacing their fingers together. "Then I'll add you as Henry's parent as well. He already sees you as his father."
"And I see him as my son," Robin confirmed, though deep down he knew she believed that. "Just as you already see Roland as yours."
"I do," she said, her voice distant. She stared past him, as if she could see their boys watching TV in the living room. It made him love her even more.
She shook her head and turned back to their schedule. "I guess I can drive the boys to school on my way to the office."
"Thank you," he said. "Wednesday, I'll do it and I'll get Roland signed up for the bus."
"You're jumping ahead. Let's focus on one day at a time," she told him. "I'm usually done by four-thirty so I can also pick up the boys."
He nodded. "I'll probably be late that day as I work on all the holiday aftermath."
"So I guess I'm handling dinner," she said, tapping her marker against the table as she continued to think everything out.
"If you wouldn't mind," he replied. "It'll be better than the fast food Roland and I usually live on after Christmas."
She gave him a look that made him feel like he had done something wrong and he shrank back at bit. "I admit it wasn't the best move but I couldn't also cook something nutritious after working all day in the shop. It was all I could do to keep my eyes open."
"I've been there," she admitted, her shoulders sagging. "If you ever need, there's a pizza menu on top of the refrigerator along with a Chinese takeout menu."
He glanced toward the appliance and nodded. "Good to know."
"So there's no extracurriculars Roland may have on Tuesday?" she asked.
"Nope," he replied. "Henry?"
She shook her head. "Looks like Tuesday will be mostly quiet, just busy for you."
"Yep," he said. "I apologize now if I'm cranky."
"I'll just make you sleep on the couch." She looked up, smirking at him. "And since Santa's magic is no longer in effect, I know you'll stay there."
He tried not to grin as he said: "Unless I sneak into bed."
"I'll just lock the door," she replied.
Robin leaned back in his chair, studying her. He was confident as he said: "No, you won't because you'll be too afraid that the boys might need you."
She paused and then scowled. "You have this uncanny ability to read me."
"I like to think I understand you," he said. "That we're not so different, which is why we've ended up working together."
"I like that," she replied softly.
He grinned at her before motioning to the calendar. "Shall we finish this so we can plan what we're going to do tomorrow?"
"Gladly," she said, moving to the next slot on her calendar. "Okay, what does Wednesday look like?"
Once their weekly schedule was made, Regina hung it back up on the fridge. She stared at it, impressed that they were able to organize and combine their lives so far. Thursdays looked bad as Henry and Roland both had scouts at night, so it looked like it would continue to be a night of quick meals. Robin, though, offered to take both boys and let her relax at home. She had been hesitant to give up taking Henry but she realized he would probably have more fun going with his father rather than his mother.
His father.
That still sounded so strange yet felt so right at the same time.
"The boys are sound asleep on the living room floor," Robin said, returning to the kitchen after checking on them. "I'll carry them up to bed in a few minutes. So, are we agreed for tomorrow?"
"Planetarium and then dinner out," she said, nodding. "It sounds like it will be fun and educational."
"Parenting score!" he replied, pumping his fist into the air. When she laughed, he pulled her in for a hug. "Are you feeling better now that we have a plan for the week?"
She nodded, feeling gratitude toward him for working with her without a fight. "Thank you. I know this won't be easy, but we're taking the right steps to working together as a family."
He agreed before grinning at her. "However, I am going to teach you how to be more spontaneous."
"Spontaneous?" The word alone gave her heart palpitations. "What do you mean?"
He rubbed her arms. "I mean that I might surprise you for lunch one day. Or take you and the boys out to the movies another. Maybe even whisk you away for a nice weekend together."
She raised her eyebrows. "With maybe a day's notice?"
"Nope," he said, shaking his head. "I will pack for us and then just pick you up to take you out of town."
Regina broke out into a cold sweat as she shook her head. "No, no. You could mess everything up! What if we have prior engagements? Commitments? What about the boys?"
He pulled her close to him, rocking her gently as he ran his hand over her hair. "I may be surprising you, but it'll be something I'll have somewhat planned ahead of time. I will make sure we have nothing we need to do and I will make sure the boys are cared for. You just won't be involved in making the plans."
"I don't like that," she whispered, clutching onto his shirt. "I don't like giving up control."
Robin sighed, guiding her toward the table and easing her down into a chair. He knelt in front of her, taking her hands into his. "Have you had fun this week? I mean, our fight and your mother aside?"
"Yes," she said, dabbing at her eyes with a napkin.
He nodded. "And how much of this week did we plan?"
"Not much of it," she said, realizing where he was going with this. "We pretty much winged it day by day."
"Was it so bad?"
She gave him a soft smile as she shook her head. "No, it wasn't that bad. It was actually…kinda of nice."
"That's what I want when we're spontaneous," he told her, rubbing her arms. "I want to take you away for a few days where you don't have to think about anything. Where you can just have fun—whether it's just us or we have the boys as well."
Regina leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his. "That does sound nice."
"So, will you trust me enough to be spontaneous with me? To let me plan some trips for us that you won't know about?" he asked.
She softened and nodded, kissing his nose. "Yes. Just nothing too crazy, okay? I'm not jumping out of a plane."
He shuddered. "Neither am I. You have nothing to worry about there."
"Mom? Dad?" Henry wandered into the kitchen, frowning when he saw them. "Is something wrong?"
Regina pulled away from Robin as he shook his head, reaching out to the boy. "Everything is fine, Henry. Your mom and I were planning what we're going to do tomorrow."
"Aren't you going to work?" Henry asked, confused. "While we're going to school?"
"Your mother and I forgot that tomorrow is also a holiday. You don't have school," Robin explained.
Roland raced into the kitchen, his eyes wide as he stared at them. "We don't have school tomorrow? Really? Can we go to the planetarium then?"
"We've already made plans to take you two," Regina assured him, smiling at them.
They cheered and Roland threw himself into her arms. She caught him easily, hugging him as she watched Henry hug Robin. Roland snuggled closer to her, whispering: "Thank you, Mom."
"You're welcome, sweetheart," she said before pulling back. "Why don't we go inside and watch the rest of the movie with you?"
Robin stood and helped her up as the boys hurried in front of them. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her head. "I love you."
"I love you too," she said, smiling as she did so. "And I love saying that. I hope it never grows old."
"I doubt it will," he said as they sat down on the couch. The boys climbed onto after them and they all cuddled together as one last Christmas movie played to close out their night together.
It was evening by the time they got home from the planetarium. Robin parked his truck in the driveway and glanced around at his family. Henry and Roland had keeled over shortly into their drive home and both were sound asleep in the backseat, heads almost touching. In the front seat, Regina's eyes were closed and her breathing even as she rested her head against the window. It was a sweet sight but Robin knew he was going to have to wake them all up.
He reached over and gently shook Regina's shoulder. She jumped and tensed up, as if ready to fight someone off. Her wide brown eyes settled on him and she relaxed, her eyes softening. "Did I doze off?"
"You did," he replied, "but you needed your rest. We're home now so we need to get the boys inside."
She nodded, stretching out as she glanced at the back seat. "I'll take Roland if you take Henry?"
"Sounds like a plan," he said, opening the door and shivering as the cold weather chased away the heat he had had pumping through the truck. Robin quickly stepped out into it and closed his door, opening the back door.
He shook Henry, who groaned and tried to swat his hand away. Robin remained patient as he kept shaking the boy. "Time to wake up, Henry. You just need to be awake long enough to get into the house and ready for bed. Okay?"
"Okay," Henry finally said. He sat up and let Robin unbuckle him as he struggled to keep his eyes open. Robin helped him down from the truck and set him on the ground, holding the boy's hand tightly to keep him upright.
Regina held onto Roland's hand as she closed the door. She headed toward the front door and Robin followed, practically dragging Henry with him. "I'm tired, Dad," the boy groaned.
"I know," Robin replied, "but we're almost inside."
The door swung open and they brought the children inside. Regina crouched down to look both boys in their tired eyes. "Okay, you two, we've had a lot of fun at the planetarium today but now it's time for bed."
"Okay, Mom," Henry said as Roland yawned. "Will you tuck us in?"
She nodded, gently pushing them toward the stairs as she stood. "I'll be up in five minutes. Try not to fall asleep in your clothes."
"Okay," Henry said, starting to climb up the stairs.
Roland followed, yawning before saying: "No promises."
She chuckled before turning to Robin. "You want to come too?"
"Tempting," he said, glancing up the stairs, "but the boys asked for you. I'll just get ready for tomorrow."
"Okay. I'm probably just going to take a shower and relax in bed. Don't take too long," she said, leaning down to kiss him.
He broke the kiss with a soft hum, eyes still closed as he said: "Don't worry. I definitely can't stay away too long."
"Good to hear," she replied, winking as best as she could. "Then I'll see you in a little bit."
Robin watched as she walked back upstairs, noting how she swayed her hips. He swallowed, knowing she was teasing him and trying to distract him. It almost worked but he really had to get ready for the next day. However, he was going to do it as quickly as possible so he could join his beautiful and sexy bride in bed.
After all, they were still on their honeymoon.
Regina looked up as Robin entered their bedroom, smiling as he closed the door behind him. "Took you long enough," she teased.
"I was as fast as I possibly could be," he said, pulling off the sweater he wore to the planetarium. "The boys sound asleep?"
She nodded, sitting up straighter in bed. "I thought Roland was going to fall asleep while brushing his teeth."
"He's done that before," he said, chuckling at the image of little Roland teetering on his stepstool while Robin kept him from falling over. "It's kinda adorable, once the adrenaline over trying to keep him from getting hurt wears off."
"Yeah. And Henry pretty much fell into bed. It's getting to the point where I'm just going to have to leave him and not move him anymore," she said sadly, realizing her baby boy was getting too heavy for her.
Robin sat down on the edge of the bed in his boxers, squeezing her leg through the sheets. "I know how difficult it is to watch your baby grow up. But it just means a new adventure."
She smiled, reaching out to cup his cheek with her hand. "How are you always so positive?"
"Because I have you," he said, kissing her nose. "And I have Roland and Henry. That alone makes my life so much brighter."
"Sap," she told him again. She pulled him down next to her, curling against him.
He chuckled, holding her close as he buried his nose in her hair. "Guilty as charged. Fair warning, I plan to never change."
"Good," she replied, closing her eyes as she breathed in his familiar pine scent. "I would never want you to stop being such a sap."
Robin kissed her head. "I love you so much."
She hummed in agreement. "I can't believe we wasted so much time fighting with each other when we could've been doing this instead."
"I know," he said, taking her hand in his and playing with her fingers. "But maybe it's all about timing. Maybe we weren't quite yet ready for each other."
"Maybe," she agreed quietly, wrapping her arm around him as she pressed her cheek against his chest.
He rubbed her back. "Let's not dwell on that. We're together now and I'm determined to make every moment count."
Regina sighed happily. "I like the sound of that."
"Good." His hand slipped under her shirt. "So, are you too tired to fool around a bit or…?"
She lifted her head, smirking at him. "You have a one-track mind, don't you, Robin Locksley?"
"Only since I've married you," he replied, chuckling.
"Well, I guess that's only fair," she said with a sigh. "I'm afraid I've only had a one-tracked mind since marrying you."
His smile turned into a smirk of his own as his hand cupped her breast, its warmth seeping into her skin as he massaged it. "Is that so?"
She hummed, enjoying the feel of his fingers on her breasts as her hand started to undo the ties of his pajama pants. "You're irresistible, Robin."
"I feel the same about you," he replied, pulling off her shirt and tossing it aside. "Absolutely irresistible."
Regina slid her hand into his pajama pants and began to stroke him through his boxers. She smirked as she felt him harden. "I can tell."
He groaned, his thumbs playing with her nipples. "You don't play fair, milady."
"All's fair in love and war," she replied, giving him a good squeeze and smirking when he groaned. "You should know that by now."
"Well, if that's the case…" He trailed off, his hands moving down her body until he got to her own pajama pants. "I should respond in kind."
They made love as the night continued on. When they finished, they lay together as the clock revealed it to be well after midnight.
"We should go to bed," he whispered, running his fingers along her back. "We both have busy days ahead of us tomorrow."
She groaned, letting herself fall back onto the bed. "Back to the real world, right?"
"Unfortunately," he said, heading back to his side of the bed. He climbed in and pulled her close again. "At least we'll still have each other and the boys when it's done."
"That's very reassuring," she replied, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "Since that's the case, I think I can get through anything that might happen."
He kissed her forehead. "Me too. Good night, sweetheart."
"Good night, Robin." She sighed as she drifted off to sleep, confident that this year was going to be her best one yet.
A/N 2: If you want to read the full sex scene between Robin and Regina, head over to AO3 for it!
Thanks to everyone for reading! I hope 2019 is very good to all of you!
See everyone for Regina's birthday!
-Mac