For Happy Ending Week Day Two: Stuck in Missing Year

Where Robin uses his son to get close to her majesty.

Robin is smiling as he watches Roland lead the queen (who he cant help but think of as Regina, even with her insistence on being called your majesty) through her garden, telling her which flowers are his favourites and pointing out the ones his papa likes.

Regina bends down next to the amaryllises and tells Roland "these ones are my favourite."

Robin chuckles to himself as Roland decides that they are his new favourite. He hears Roland ask "papa can I please pick one for my majesty?"

Regina lets out a little laugh, her face lighting up. Robin sees that smile far too seldom, but today is a good day it seems, Regina is in high spirits. Robin is glad that she is letting them back in after, she spent all of August quiet and withdrawn. She had put on a brave face but Robin could see how much she was hurting over missing her son's birthday, a feeling he remembered all to well. Robin had wanted nothing more than to soothe that ache, distract her from her pain in any way he could.

She had been pulling away from both him and Roland so, he was pleasantly surprised when she agreed to walk through the gardens with them. Roland had proposed it and Robin suspected if it had been just him the queen would have refused. She had let her guard down around him a couple of times and shared pieces of herself she didn't let the others see. After he felt close to her, that is until the next day when she would go out of her way to ignore him and act like he was the most irritating man she had ever met. It was frustrating but he knew it was her defence mechanism, she was wary of him, untrusting and too afraid of getting hurt again to really let him in. His friends couldn't understand his fascination with the queen but they hadn't seen her like he had.

Like she is now, smiling and carefree, laughing with his son, making Roland light up like he had never seen. They were quite the pair, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to be a part of it. He was interested in her, and the more he learned the more he liked, he was fascinated by her, the former evil queen who was doing everything in her power to save Snow White, all the while quietly, on her own grieving the loss of her son. She was sassy, bold, unafraid to speak her mind and that's all most people saw. But she was also so kind and caring, hurt and vulnerable (though she would never admit it). He wanted to take all of her pain away but that wasn't possible, so he did what he could and reveled in the times when he (or usually his son) was able to take her mind off of things, even just for a moment.

He realizes he's been starring for sometime and looks back to see her arching her brow at him, telling him he's been caught.

"Is there something fascinating over here we should know about?" she asks her eyes daring him to deny that he was looking at her.

"No Milady, just lost in thought." And he will not be telling her what those thoughts were, though he feels like she has an idea. She has the same look in her eye as that time she caught him starring at her ass and he stammered out a pitiful excuse she didn't buy.

"Care to share with the class?" she asks with a smirk.

Robin's confused, as he often is by Regina "Who is this class and why would you share with them?"

She laughs softly at his befuddled expression before saying "It's an expression from the Land Without Magic."

It's so Regina to laugh at him for not knowing while failing to explain what said expression actually means. He knows she wants him to ask, but he's not going to give her the satisfaction, besides, he's not sure he can trust her to tell him the right answer after the coffee incident. She hadn't lied to him per say, something she had been quick to point out to him when he confronted her, but her vague description of it as a drug that helped keep you awake had had him worried for all of his friends. They had laughed, no one more than Regina, when he suggested at a council meeting that they bring a healer to deal with the addiction problem in the castle.

Roland is the one who interrupts their silent stare down proclaiming "I'm hungry majesty, can we go eat?"

They both know Roland means eating together, and Robin can see Roland's hopeful face wearing down the queen who generally prefers to eat alone, if she even bothers to eat at all.

She agrees to dine with Roland and Robin is more than happy to tag along, grateful again that his son managed to charm the queen.

Roland goes off with Little John after dinner to sit by a fire the Merry Men are building. Roland ask Regina to come much to John's chagrin but she politely refuses. It annoys Robins that John doesn't make any effort to hide his relief. He tells John he will be out in a bit, ignoring the pointed look John shoots him for endeavouring to spend more time with the queen.

She's getting up to leave but Robin doesn't want their time together to end so he asks "May I escort you to your room your majesty?"

"I can make my way there just fine thief, I've lived here longer than anyone else, I think I know how to get to my room."

"Of that I have no doubt, I just wanted some company."

She begins to move and throws over her shoulder an "I'm not stopping you"

And that's as good of an invitation he will get from her so he follows. They walk together in comfortable silence until they reach her quarters.

He goes to leave when he hears a faint "Thank you" behind him that causes him to turn back to face her.

"For today" she continues softly, "It was nice."

"I agree, and I know Roland was happy to have his majesty's attention."

"Those dimples are hard to resist" she admits with a slight laugh, eyeing his own cheeks before dropping her gaze.

"I do hear that being irresistible is a family trait." He says giving her a ridiculous wink.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

He steps toward her so they are merely a breath apart and whispers "Are you sure?"

He only intended to tease her, expected a heated retort but instead she inhales his scent, closes the distance between them and kisses him. It's a quick kiss, leaves him wanting more, which was probably her intention.

She opens her door and walks in then tosses her head over her shoulder and says "Make no mistake I could resist you, but for now, I don't want to."

Regina is giving him the opening he wanted and he takes advantage of it, kissing her senseless and pulling her into a tight embrace, resisting the impulse to run his hands down her body, content to let her take the lead on what comes next. He is desperate for her, but he knows if he pushes her too far he may never get this again. That thought is what keeps him in control, stops him from doing all the things he's been fantasizing about.

They trade kisses that grow more and more heated for a while, until she pulls away to catch her breath. She takes a second to wipe her lipstick from his face before asking whether he needs to go collect Roland.

When he tells her the Merry Men will take care of Roland for as long as he needs she smiles before pulling him in for another heady tongue filled kiss. He wants her badly, but knows this is not the time for more. Part of him is relieved when she says she's too tired to continue on, because he's not sure he would have the self control to stop things before they got out of hand.

In a surprising turn of events she tells him he can stay and that is a request he will not deny. They fall asleep cuddled up beside each other and Robin prays she feels the same way in the morning.

Luck is not on his side. He wakes up to a furious Regina jabbing his side, demanding that he leave her room. It's always one step forward two steps back with her, but he's determined to get to the bottom of her sudden mood change.

"What changed from last night milady?"

"You distracted me, made me forget the most important day of my life. Now get out,." Her tone is icy and leaves no room for argument.

Sighing he leaves her room telling her "You don't need to feel guilty for being happy Regina" not knowing what exactly she feels guilty about forgetting, but intent on finding out.

The princess gives him the answer he is looking for, the previous day had been the anniversary of Henry's adoption. At once he understands why she felt so guilty, remembers the first year he didn't realize it was Marion's birthday until Little John told him and the intense guilt he had for forgetting even just for a moment. His heart aches for Regina, but he knows he is the last person she wants to see.

He finds himself telling it all to Will, who he knows won't share with the rest of the Merry Men, as he is still trying to regain Robin's trust. He tells Will how he wishes he had some way to bring Henry here to the Enchanted Forest and that's when Will tells him of his brief stint as genie, and that a genie would be able to grant that wish. Robin remembers rumours of a genie in this kingdom. When Will draws the bottle for him, Robin knows exactly where it is, having noticed it the night before in the queen's room.

Together they break in and get the bottle. When Robin rubs it two shackles come out and Will explains that means the genie was freed.

"So then one of us needs to become the genie?" he asks and the look on Will's face tells him everything he needs to know.

"Bloody Hell Robin, did ya not listen to my story about being trapped as a genie, if you think I'm going to let you do that, you're crazy."

"Will give it to me, you just have to wish Henry here and then wish me free."

"What if doesn't work mate, what if you're trapped what about Roland?" then Will grumbles and says "The things I do for my friends" as he slips on the cuffs and get sucked into the lamp.

Robin is shocked but as the shock wears off he grabs the lamp rubs and thanks god when Will appears.

"Took ya long enough mate, it's not fun being trapped in that lamp ya know."

Robin ignores Will's complaining and asks "So what do I do now?"

"Make a wish and get on with it, the sooner you free me the better."

"Right, genie of the lamp" Robin sees Will roll his eyes at that but he's just trying to cover his bases. "I wish for Henry Mills and Emma Swan to come to this realm."

Tow seconds later a blonde woman and a young dark-haired kid appear.

"You must be Henry" Robin says offering his hand "I'm a friend of your moms"

Henry looks over to the woman Robin assumes is Emma with fear in his eyes "mom who is this and where are we?"

"Where the hell have you taken us?" she demands grabbing Henry tightly.

"You're in the Enchanted Forest, you must be Emma, your parents will be very happy to see you."

"Where the hell is that? And I don't have parents, they abandoned me as baby, and how do you know my name?"

Robin is utterly confused for a moment before he remembers one of his first conversations with Regina, when she told him her son no longer remembers her.

"Genie of the lamp, give these two their memories back"

Robin waits anxiously until recognition passes over both their faces. He lets out a sigh of relief when Henry asks to see his other mother.

"Forgetting something mate?" asks Will.

"Oh right genie as my last wish I wish for you to be free."

When Will is freed he tells Robin "You owe me big time." And Robin knows Will won't be letting this go for a long time.

Robin takes Henry and Emma to the castle as Will goes off to hide the bottle. Snow and Charming are overjoyed but Regina is nowhere to be found. They tell him they haven't seen her all day.

They find her in the stables and her eyes widen when she sees Henry at Robin's side. Henry grabs her into a tight hug and tells her that he loves her. Robin knows he's never seen Regina look so happy before. She asks Henry to tell her all about New York and Robin excuses himself, knowing they need the time alone.

Later that night there is a hesitant knock on his door. He opens it to find Regina. He goes to ask her why she's there but she pins him to the wall, kisses him and he decides he doesn't really care.

She's pawing at his breeches and as much as he wants it - and he does painfully so - he stops her, won't let her do this as some sort of thank you. He wants her, all of her and he will only have her that way if she truly wants it, not out of some misguided attempt at a thank you.

She steps back but looks down at the floor, he can see the hurt on her face that has no business being there.

"Regina, I want this I do, but I don't want to do this because you need to thank me for bringing you your son. I want to court you, be with you, build a future together. I care for you milady, a lot and so I cant do this if you don't share my feelings."

Her face lights up at his confession and she timidly tells him "What if I do, what if I do share your feelings?"

"Well then that would make me a very happy man."

They lay together in his bed and talk between kisses for hours, they share their stories of lost love, then parenting failures to lighten the mood, and it's great. The more he learns about her the more he admires her. They fall asleep in each others arms again, but the next morning she doesn't leave or kick him out. Instead she gives him a soft kiss and tells him she's having breakfast with Henry and will be showing him the garden if Robin and Roland want to join.

Henry takes an instant liking to Roland, which is good because Henry is Roland's new hero. As their two children chat Robin wraps his arm around Regina's waist and she rests her head on his chest, a simple of affection that he savours. He hopes that they can build a life together, the four of them, as a family.

And they do, they spend every night together. Regina defeats her sister with light magic, proving to everyone she has changed. Robin proposes six months later and that night Roland asks him if its okay to call Regina mama. Regina overhears because Roland has not mastered the art of whispering yet and her eyes water when Robin gives his permission. She denies it, but she full on cries the next day when Roland call her mama for the first time. It takes Henry a bit longer but on Robin's birthday, a year and half after Henry had joined in the Enchanted Forest he gives Robin a card that says Happy Birthday Dad. Both Robin and Regina wipe away tears over that card.

There are no villains to defeat or curses cast, most of their days are relatively uneventful, but Robin wouldn't change it for the world.