Another long very long chapter with some cute filler material for you all! Please enjoy reading as Regina and Robin's relationship grows and becomes stronger than ever! Thanks so much for all your reviews! Can't wait to read more!


"Yoghurt and granola?", Regina offers as she pads around the kitchen in her bare feet, collecting the necessary items to make just that. Robin nods, watching eagerly from the kitchen table as she moves about the space. Innocently, the brunette grabs two bowls, and a large quart container of plain Greek yoghurt and some fresh blueberries. She sets them down on the small center island before plodding over to the coffee machine.

"Coffee?", Regina asks with a gesture towards the appliance. Robin nods enthusiastically, never even once keeping his eyes off her. Regina too nods before starting up a new batch of coffee before turning the teakettle on for herself. Upon making her way back to where she has set out the ingredients for the yoghurt, she starts on preparing two bowls of yoghurt topped with granola and fresh fruit; all the while under the watchful eye that is of Robin.

"I like seeing you this domestic," Robin comments, breaking the calm silence between the two.

Regina chuckles, shaking her head as she dumps the granola on top of the yoghurt in both bowls. "What kind of a lady would I be otherwise?", she retorts, keeping her gaze focused on the task before her. "According to my mother."

Robin laughs. "Your mother does seem like a piece of work," he remarks with a shake of his head.

"Oh she is indeed," Regina says with a slight sigh. She grabs two spoons and places them on the table along with the filled bowls before taking her seat across from him. "Were you comfortable last night?", she asks, digging her spoon into her own bowl.

"Yes thank you," Robin replies, starting in on his breakfast as well, "Honestly, I must admit that was the best sleep I've had in years."

Regina flashes him another one of her shy smiles, biting the corner of her lower lip. "Yes…well…me too," she murmurs, "It was nice to be able to sleep so warmly for once. There was always a cold draft coming through my-"

"Regina!", a high pitched voice rings out into the open space of the apartment flat, followed by a heavy clomping down the stairs. Regina frowns, turning towards the sound to find Tink emerging in a disorderly state. "Regina," the voice whines, "I can't find my pink leotard, you know the one with the pretty velvet trim, and I've been looking everywhere and-" The blonde doesn't even finish her sentence as her eyes suddenly meet those of Robin's. Her mouth suddenly drops to the floor as all previous thought concerning the lost dance item have flown out the window.

"Tink this is Robin Locksley," Regina says with a slight roll of her eyes, "Robin, this is my friend Tink."

Robin clears his throat before standing and starting towards the blonde, now frozen on the spot, staring agape. He extends his hand, accompanied by a dazzling smile. "Pleasure," he greets.

Regina watches as her best friend shakes herself back to reality and grasps the hand tightly, shaking it firmly. "Oh—uh—pleasure," Tink stammers glancing behind Robin towards the blushing brunette. Regina can already see as excitement suddenly takes over the previous shock. "Well!", the blonde huffs, clapping her hands together, "This most certainly is a surprise and a half to say the least. So you're Regina's new boyfriend I've been hearing about so long. I've been wanting to meet you for a very long time. It's about time I must say."

Regina slaps a palm to her forehead a little more loudly than intended, causing both to turn and gaze peculiarly at her. Just when the brunette hadn't thought she couldn't get any redder, she suddenly feels as if she turns a deep shade of crimson. She blinks rapidly, straightening herself before glaring past Robin at the ecstatic blonde who can hardly contain her joy.

"I didn't know you would have company!", Tink continues in a squeaky voice.

"Well you would know if you weren't out gallivanting with Killian and doing God knows what nowadays all hours of the night."

"We had fun!", Tink protests with an exaggerated huff before smiling so widely the sun would have to run and hide. "As I'm sure you two did too."

Regina groans, wanting nothing more than to curl up in a tight ball. "Okay, okay, that's enough," she states quickly, waving her hand at Tink in a way to dismiss her. "And check in my laundry. Your stuff always gets magically thrown in there somehow," she adds in desperate attempts to sway the conversation from her embarrassment.

"Hey!", Tink exclaims, "You know just how awful I am at doing laundry." She giggles before twirling on her heel. "Pleasure to meet you again Robin," she calls over her shoulder before skipping out of the room.

"Lord have mercy on my soul," Regina murmurs, "I've never seen her so-" She shakes her head fervently. "-She must still be high from whatever she was on last night. That has to be it."

Robin laughs. "It's all right. If you ever get the pleasure to meet Will, the same will happen to me, or worse. Don't worry at all."

Regina chuckles nervously. "Yes well, that just shows how much my best friend loves me. Come on, let's eat. I need to head to warmup class for nine."


"Have a happy Friday," Robin bids, placing a hand on the small of Regina's back as he walks her up to the front door of the studio. "Do you have everything you need?"

Regina smirks at him, shaking her head fondly at his kind concern. "I've done this before a few times."

"I know," he replies, smirking widely.

"I got this," Regina whispers.

"Yes you do," Robin agrees, meeting her lips in a soft peck. "I'll see you at lunch." And with that, the brunette enters into the studio, feeling as light as a feather.

Her ankle is still sore, but danceable. Surprisingly, it is the least of her worries. Because for the first time ever, she finds it hard to concentrate for an entirely different reason than before. All through barre, Regina finds herself dreaming over and over about the night she shared with Robin not twenty-four hours ago. Whilst getting lost in her reverie over and over again, she finds she has to follow others in order to execute the steps of each and every combination given.

All the while, she can't even seem to bother herself with Graham who attempts to approach her. No. Nothing will tarnish her happy mood today. Nothing. She waves him off, keen on establishing only a working-partner relationship with the man once she must have eye to eye contact with him when rehearsing their pas de deux later that morning. When Graham moves to speak to her after rehearsal, Regina dodges him quickly, shaking her head at him before heading to gather her things. After all, it was he who walked away from her the last time. Therefore it isn't fair that he should be the one to come crawling back.


By lunchtime, Regina is just about to head out the front door of the studio and down the street to meet with Robin when suddenly the man catches her attention, standing just around the corner of the building.

"You know we agreed to meet at our regular place for coffee," the brunette states, smirking as she approaches the man poised against the brick building.

"I know," Robin says with a shrug, "But I figured I couldn't wait any longer."

"The coffee shop is literally a block away," Regina retorts, crossing her arms, "Come on. What's the method to your madness?"

"Well, I just figured I've heard and read just how beautiful a dancer you are, but never had the chance to see it myself."

Regina smirks. "You know that's not the kind of research I meant when I told you that you must look up more on dance. Aren't you going to do that anyway? In three weeks?"

Robin shakes his head. "I can't wait until Swan Lake. You know that."

"I'm sensing you are a very impatient man."

"As you are a very impatient woman."

"Excuse me, but I am very patient," Regina defends, her smirk growing.

"Haha sure," Robin replies with a cute and charming smile.

Regina rolls her eyes. "So what, you just were trying to break into the studio?", she asks, gesturing towards the front door.

"Well no," Robin answers, "I went to the front desk and asked if I could watch a rehearsal, but apparently I couldn't."

"Well of course not, silly," Regina laughs, "These shows are highly copyrighted. They are afraid you'll take videos or something. But more importantly, you could go off and tell other people what happens in the show and spoil it all. It's private."

"Forgive me," Robin says with a huff that proves to be quite endearing. The two continue to stand and stare at one another before Regina is heaving a large sigh in defeat. She rolls her eyes again before taking his hand.

"Come on," she says, beginning to tug the man towards the back entrance of the building.

"Where are we going?"

"I can't believe I'm doing this for you," Regina murmurs, "You owe me big."

"You don't mean-"

"Yes I do mean, now hush up and walk." The brunette pulls the man through the back door, swiftly heading down the corridors. She barely allows the man to look around and marvel at the space before she is pulling him left, down another long corridor and into a small empty studio. Once inside, she shuts the door.

"Wow," Robin breathes, gazing around at the pristine white walls of the interior, and the built-in wooden barres that extend three quarters across the length of the room. At the front lies a large wall-to-wall mirror that is necessary for a dancer. "So this is where you spend your days."

"Cozy isn't it?", Regina teases, heading towards the stereo to the left of the front of the room and plugging her Ipod into the dock.

"Are you going to dance for me?", Robin asks with the tilt of his head, his face lighting up with another dazzling, excited smile.

"What does it look like?", Regina returns with a flirtatious shrug. Robin laughs. Soon, the sound of a neoclassical instrumental piece flows from the surrounding speakers, filling the room with its dark, melancholy melody of the cello and piano combined. Satisfied with the adjustment of the volume on the speakers, Regina sheds her jacket, socks, and shoes before making her way proudly to the center of the studio whilst Robin stands up at the front. "This is just a little something I've been working on privately, something I've choreographed myself," Regina explains, "It's a contemporary modern piece of dance, so no ballet or pointe shoes. But I've wanted to perfect it and was hoping I'd be able to perform it in a dance concert next year, but now I'm not sure if I'll be given the chance." She smiles shyly. "You're the first to see it."

And with that, she takes her position and begins. Her body flows gracefully to the mournful ballad. Within seconds, she embodies the very desperate-filled nature of the song, her face suddenly wrought with raw emotion and angst to compliment the very hopelessness that which the vocals suddenly add.

"Through dark and light I fight to be.

So close.

Shadows and lights mask you from me…"

Her arms and legs move in perfect integration, working to portray her emotion. Regina glides fluently across the floor, her movement clear and crisp; her body mimicking the slow drawl of rhythm and melody. Her movement is perfectly executed, effortless and alive despite the dreary tone of the piece. It's beautiful choreography, one that allows her body to express the passion and feeling that pours from the very core of her soul.

When the music finishes, it takes her a moment to recover from the emotions that which she has fully immersed herself during such a piece. It was as if Robin hadn't been present. But upon gazing into his astounded expression, Regina brings herself to smile softly, walking towards him slowly. The man stands frozen, his back against the mirror, blue eyes wide; completely and utterly in awe at what he has just witnessed.

"Regina," he breathes, shaking himself from the trance, "You dance—your dancing—it's breathtaking…Just the way you capture those emotions—it's incredible." Regina can only smile humbly, gazing down in her shyness and modesty as she tucks a strand of hair that has come loose from her bun behind her ear. "It's absolutely mesmerizing…"

"I can tell," Regina whispers, avoiding all eye contact with the man in front of her.

"Hey," Robin murmurs, shaking his head as he touches a finger to her chin, lifting it so that she meets his deep blue eyes. "Don't be ashamed. It was beautiful. You're so beautiful."

Regina gazes quietly back at him, her eyes shining. "When Daniel died, I began working on this piece." She sighs an unsteady breath, shaking her head softly. "I drew from the darkness that I felt was trapping my body, circling around my throat, choking me. I was in such a dark head space…"

"But you overcame it. You won."

"Because I found you," Regina states with a small smile.

To this Robin smiles gently, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to her lips. To this Regina melts, moving her lips with his in perfect time, and pressing her body up against his, wanting nothing more but to feel him, to have him, to be a part of him as he has become so much a part of her. And perhaps in this moment, comes the inspiration for another piece of choreography, one that is lighter, more promising, more hopeful than the last.


It's a half hour later when Regina finally pushes Robin out the back door, hastily kissing him goodbye before rushing to her one o'clock run-through rehearsal of the first act in Swan Lake. She has to restrain herself from grand jeté-ing into the studio, feeling even more of the Robin Locksley Effect. Of course, everyone around her gives her strange looks as she struggles to tamper her brilliant grin, but Regina can't bring herself to care.

"Someone's smitten," Tink whispers to her as she sets her belongings down at the side.

"Go away," Regina states, waving her friend away, "I'm not talking to you."

"Is it because I embarrassed you this morning?"

"Um, yes!", Regina hisses, narrowing her eyes at the blonde.

Tink laughs, rolling her eyes. "Good. Because you need it at least once if you are to be in love. That's all part of it." She slaps the brunette on the back. "Now go kill it being Odette."

Regina smirks at her friend, shaking her head endearingly before making her way towards the center of the studio; pointe shoes tied and ready to go.

The interaction with Graham does unfortunately put a damper on her mood however. But Regina manages to manage as she dances her part with him, doing her best to act accordingly to the character she is to portray despite the nasty air between the two. And despite the sour vibe, Regina is impressed at how much Graham has improved his lifts and the two are strangely more in sync than they ever were before. However this just goes to show just how eager the two are to throw their frustrated emotions into the dance that which they are to execute. Nevertheless, the both of them dance beautifully, nailing each and every step to the tee and rehearsing the best they've had this far. The two float across the floor effortlessly in perfect rhythmic synchronization, dominating the studio like they would the stage, and impressing their peers as well as the instructors who sit in to watch the spectacle. And by the end of this rehearsal, their pas combined with all of the other smaller sects that include the corps de ballet and other soloists, Act One of Swan Lake is finally coming together.


"I saw you with him," Graham murmurs as dancers begin to file out of the studio. Regina who had been trying to hustle out as fast as she could, was woefully trapped by the sea of people that flooded the doors to the hallway.

She turns her head, sighing softly as she looks into his cool grey gaze. "So?", she bites.

"You brought him into the studio," Graham states.

"So now you're stalking me?"

"No, I was going to use that space during the break to practice my solo," Graham informs in a monotone. "You two were in it."

Regina shakes her head. "Well I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Regina, you know you're not allowed to bring people back here," Graham says coldly.

"You're just saying that because you're jealous of Robin."

"No I'm not, Regina," Graham resists, "It's policy."

"And what are you going to do about it?", Regina challenges, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "Are you going to turn me in?"

"I would."

"You wouldn't," Regina hisses, "You wouldn't do that."

"And why wouldn't I?"

"You're a weak man," Regina sneers, curling her lip at him, "Graham you are a weak, weak man and I feel sorry for you. I really do. You need to stop clinging to me and grow a pair and learn a lesson because you know what? If you do this to me, you will do this to any other woman should you ever find one. You will push her away just as you have pushed me away. And in the end, it is you who will be alone. Not me."

And with that, she turns on her heel, storms towards her belongings, picks up her bag, slings it over her shoulder, and stalks out of the studio; not even bothering to take her pointe shoes off.


It is around eight at night when Regina, after completing the dishes and picking up other odds and ends around the flat, finally finds herself relaxing on the couch in front of the television just at the start at the hour program. There's nothing terribly interesting about this certain sitcom, so upon finding nothing better to do, the brunette resorts to Jane Eyre, using the television as background noise. It's a nice, quiet, and peaceful Friday night all to herself. And Regina wouldn't have it any other way, that is until her phone rings with a rather unwanted caller ID.

"Mother I can't talk right now, I'm busy," Regina sighs, knowing she had to have answered the phone, lest she be subject to thirty missed calls within the next hour.

"Regina dear," Cora greets in that sickly sweet tone, "I noticed you haven't made moves on sealing the deal for the apartment I emailed to you. What gives?"

"Nothing, Mother," Regina responds in a huff, "I've been busy."

"Busy with what, may I ask?"

"Rehearsals. You do know I have a show coming up before all of this happens."

"Indeed, but I do think that you are avoiding this."

"What would the point be in avoiding this? You already threatened me…twice."

"True, and I would hate to go through on my word should you not do this. Don't you realize that I'm doing you a favor? I'm helping you."

"Mother I don't need your help."

"I told you before. You don't see it now, but you will."

"I don't believe you."

"Oh well you should. Because I know what's best Regina. And I know for certain that your dancing, and your new boyfriend are most absolutely not in your best interest."

"Don't talk about him," Regina snaps.

"Don't talk to me like that, Regina," Cora shoots back, "You and I both know that he is the real, true reason as to why you are holding back. Of course I may be able to force you away from dance, but from love-" Cora sneers. "-Well that is an entirely different situation for you."

"I only just met him," Regina tries to reason.

"Don't you think I know my own daughter? You and your fantasies, believing in love at first sight?"

"It most certainly was not love at first sight," Regina mutters.

"Despite whatever you call it, Regina," Cora continues, "He is not good for you in all sense."

Regina frowns into her cellphone. "What do you mean?", she questions slowly.

"Aside from the fact that this low-life is holding you back, this man won't work in your best interest. Trust me dear. He's not who he seems to be."

Regina grits her teeth, clenching her jaw. "You're lying," she growls, "You don't know him."

"I know about everything and everyone concerning my daughter. You should know that by now. Please trust me when I say this that I'm doing all of this for you. Have faith in me for once. Have I not once lied to you?"

Regina inhales deeply, gazing around the room with uncertainty. Immediately, she thinks back to the time when she found out that Robin had lied to her about the apartment, about his identity as a man who lost his job and his home. But certainly the man had to do what he had to do. Honestly if Regina was in the same place as he, she most certainly would be as forthcoming about such, truthfully, embarrassing subjects. However now that her mother mentioned this type of…warning…she can't help but feel as if Robin isn't telling the whole truth. Maybe…No. Regina shakes her head fervently. She will not let her mother's words twist and turn her thoughts and manipulate her into thinking Robin is something he is not. She's seen him. She has seen the way he is so kind and compassion towards her, towards his own son. It can't all be a farce.

"No," Regina sighs, "You haven't lied to me. But that doesn't mean I believe you. I don't. Leave Robin alone. He has nothing to do with this."

"He has everything to do with this, Regina, and if you don't see it now, you will in the future. And I fear that with it, there will come the time where a very hard lesson must be learnt. Love is not only weakness. But it is blindness. Remember that."

Regina groans, tossing her phone to the side before shifting her focus back towards her book, forcing herself to keep from thinking about what her mother had said about Robin too much. Not ten minutes later, her phone begins to ring again.

"Hello?", Regina answers with another groan of annoyance.

"Regina please I need to-" comes the voice of Graham. But the brunette hangs up frustratedly, slamming her phone back down beside her and continues on reading.

Not five minutes later, her phone rings again and Regina throws her hands up in the air. "Oh my god, what is this?", she curses aloud, "Annoy the fuck out of Regina with phone calls day?" She answers her phone without checking the caller ID, assuming it is Graham again. "Look, I am not in the mood to talk so if you don't mind hanging up, it would be much-"

"Regina, it's me," a more soothing, gentle voice echoes from the other end of the line.

Immediately Regina's demeanor softens. "Oh, Robin," she declares guiltily, "Sorry I just…"

"It's all right," Robin answers, "Having a bad night?"

"I wasn't until my mother called," Regina sighs exasperatedly.

"Really? What did she say?"

"Nothing," Regina murmurs, shaking her head, "Nothing of importance. She's just pushing my buttons as usual."

"She won't budge?"

"Nope. She has an apartment for me and everything."

The brunette listens as the man heaves a long sigh. "Look, how about I come over tonight and we can do something to cheer you up?"

Regina nod, smiling a little at the offer. How could she ever resist? "Sure I suppose," she answers, standing from the couch.

"Great. I'll be there in twenty."

"No problem. Take your time."

And she rushes out of the room to ready herself for his arrival.


"Oh my—what—what are these?", Regina exclaims, eyes widening as she has found herself to open her front door to none but a giant pot of purple orchids and a pair of legs underneath.

"Too much?", Robin asks, his dazzling smile peeking around the flowers.

"No, no," Regina declares, taking the pot into her hands, "They're beautiful. What's the occasion?"

"The occasion is to cheer you up, divert your attention to the prettier things in life," comes the innocent answer.

Regina laughs. "Can you get any sappier?"

"Probably not," Robin chuckles. Regina shakes her head, smiling endearingly at him as she pushes the door closed with her foot and heads towards the windowsill in the living room.

"You know purple is one of my two most favorite colors," Regina states, placing the pot of orchids on the sill and stepping back to admire them sitting there in the soft glow of moonlight.

"And what is the other?"

"Black," Regina says as she turns towards Robin, "Black is my color."

"I wouldn't have been able to guess," Robin teases.

"What's yours?"

"Green," Robin states, "I like a nice forest-y green."

Regina nods, looking the man up and down. "You do wear a lot of green," she states, looking over his dark green t-shirt underneath a down jacket of the same color and a maroon scarf.

"You wear the same kinds of clothing all the time practically."

"Well, not much else I have," Robin dismisses with a shrug, "Is that a bad thing?"

"Only if you don't smell."

Robin laughs. "Trust me milady, I don't. Or at least I hope not."

Regina narrows her eyes, stalking towards the man before leaning close to him, hands on her hips. The tip of her nose brushes his neck. "You smell like forest."

Robin shrugs. "It's a woodsy type of cologne."

Regina's eyes widen as she lifts a brow, stepping back and rocking from one foot to another. "Cologne?"

"It's old. Something my wife gave to me," Robin replies with a small smile, "It was her favorite scent."

Regina nods respectfully. "She chose well."

"That she did."

Robin offers a gentle smile before heading for the couch, plopping down on one of its plush cushions. Regina watches quietly as he takes a look around before suddenly eyeing her book that lays open beside him.

"Jane Eyre I see," Robin declares, picking it up.

"A favorite of mine," Regina explains with a shrug.

Robin flips through it quickly before placing it back where it was. "I'm not much of a reader."

"You don't strike me as one."

"Let me guess," Robin says, "It is another one of your tactics of escaping?" He glances at Regina with a lift of his brow.

Regina shrugs nonchalantly. "Perhaps."

Robin sighs, shaking his head before standing back up again. He walks towards the brunette and takes her hand into his. "Come on," he says, abruptly pulling Regina towards the door.

"Wh—what?", Regina stammers, teetering after him, "Come on where?"

"Out."

"Out? Out where?", Regina demands as she watches the man lets loose of her hand to open the door and slip outside. "Robin wait!", she exclaims as she hurriedly grabs her coat and hastens after him.

"Excuse me!", Regina calls, hurrying after Robin who chuckles lowly as he continues to follow the dim haze of the streetlights. "You're lucky I'm not in my pajamas," Regina huffs, jogging up next to him. "Where are we going?"

Robin looks over at her and smirks cutely but mischievously, taking her hand into his once more. "You'll see," he states simply. Regina frowns, rushing after Robin as he flies down the street towards the center of Covent Garden.

"Seriously, can you just tell me-"

"Taxi!", Robin calls out, holding his hand into the busy street as a taxi rolls by, pulling over to the side in front of the couple.

"Robin…"

"Just get in," he says, pushing her playfully towards the car.

"You're not kidnapping me are you?", Regina huffs, sliding into the backseat.

"Perhaps," Robin teases as he gets in beside her. "To Westminster Bridge please," he commands the driver who nods before taking off and merging back into the flow of traffic. He glances over at the perplexed brunette, smirking deviously.

"Why are we headed there?", Regina asks with a frown.

"I just figured it is a calming place to be. I want to show you something," Robin answers. Regina sighs, sitting back in the seat.


A fifteen minutes later, they arrive, the cab letting both of them off just before the bridge. Robin grins at Regina, taking her hand once more and leading her out onto the footbridge.

The night is another calm and peaceful one as they walk towards the middle of the bridge. The moonlight shines its soft glow down upon the couple as they stride forward hand in hand. Below them are the rippling waters of the River Thames, sparkling under the light of the moon and stars. There's not a cloud in the sky. A soft, gentle breeze ruffles both Regina and Robin's hair and brushes against their cheeks like a soft caress. All around are the flickering lights of the magnificent towers of London that stand tall and proud over the city.

"It's beautiful here," Regina comments, gazing out at the city horizon.

"That it is," Robin agrees.

"I don't come here much."

"Neither do I. But tonight is a special one."

Regina furrows her brow, turning towards the gentle blue-eyed man. "How so?"

Robin shrugs simply. "You'll see," he replies cryptically before sneaking an arm around the brunette's waist, pulling her flush to his side. Regina sighs softly, breathing in deeply as she inhales his scent, resting her cheek on his shoulder as she continues to start out at the flickering lights of the city.

"It's so peaceful," Regina murmurs, closing her eyes for a moment.

"That's why I wanted to take you here," Robin answers, "Your life seems to be none but chaos at the moment."

"Tell me about it," Regina says, "It's all piling up…"

"Becoming too much," Robin finishes.

"Exactly."

Robin sighs softly, "I think part of it is that you don't let yourself relax."

"But I do," Regina insists, "Like tonight, that was my fullest intent, that is until I receive calls from my mother and Graham."

Robin nods. "Graham…he's…"

"Not too thrilled about this new arrangement but it's all right. He'll get over it," Regina shrugs, taking her cheek off Robin's shoulder to face towards him; keeping both her arms wrapped around his waist.

"I feel bad…"

"Oh please don't," Regina states, shaking her head, "Don't feel bad for him. Honestly, I've been trying to push him away for the longest time."

"But you did have feelings for him."

Regina closes her eyes, sighing once more. "I did but…"

"It's all right, Regina."

"I know. It's just. Yes, I may have had some affection towards him, but none like what I've felt when you arrived. Between Graham and I was just playful, friendly banter, maybe a bit of drama here and there. I realize that now because once I met you, you awakened a deeper level of emotion that had long laid dormant. You awakened me." Regina opens her eyes, lifting a hand to cup Robin's face lovingly. She allows herself to be lost forever in his gaze. "It was that emotion, that love that forever laid buried under years upon years of darkness. After losing the one person I had loved, had ever loved, I convinced myself I would never love again, and that no one would ever love me. I was afraid." She shakes her head softly. "But I'm not anymore. I love you Robin," she whispers softly, as if like a prayer, "I love you."

Robin looks upon her, adoration overflowing in his gaze and overcoming his features. His eyes shine like a billion crystals and show Regina's vulnerable expression and demeanor so clearly in their orbs. "I love you too, Regina," Robin breathes, a gentle murmuring as he lifts his hand to her cheek to mirror her gesture.

Regina smiles gently, leaning forward to press a passionate kiss to his lips, holding him closer than she'd ever done before. And in that moment, she feels her heart slowly begin to open, pouring out the love she has kept tucked away for all these years; pouring past her plump and luscious lips into the man next to her, filling the both of them with a sense of warmth and light.

The two only pull away from each other at the sudden sound of fireworks bursting through the still night air. Regina gasps softly as she gazes upward over the water to find an array of red, silver, and blue sparks shooting through the air, exploding brightly outward against the navy blue sky, at the center of the canal. Before she knows it, a widened smile spreads across her features as Regina glances at Robin and back up at the display.

"You knew," she breathes, grinning delightedly at the sky.

"Of course," Robin answers, beaming proudly up at the fireworks whose explosion of a sound reverberates throughout their bodies. Regina laughs happily, clapping her hands together as the introduction concludes. She turns to Robin, beaming widely as she takes his face once more and connects their lips in another profound, passionate kiss; adoration exploding from the epicenter of her heart like a firework. He is exactly who she thinks he is. Sweet, gentle, thoughtful, kind, loving, passionate.

The couple gazes back up at the sky as more fireworks burst and crackle through the air. Their arms are around each other. Regina's head rests on Robin's shoulder as she stares gleefully into the bright lights of the display. She has never felt so happy. She has never felt so peaceful as she does in this moment; this moment that which she shall cherish deeply in her very heart of hearts for a very, very long time.


Thanks all for reading! I hope you liked it! I'd like to credit a few people.

Firstly, I'll credit Ólafur Arnalds and Arnór Dan, whose music and lyrics I have used as the song to which Regina dances for Robin. (Which by the way, please by all means check it out on Youtube. It's an incredible song called So Close and you'll really understand the emotion Regina had felt and expressed.) Also, if I may, the whole scene was drawn from inspiration I received from a piece I once danced in, to that same song.

Lastly, I'd like to credit the one and only thequeenregina, my best bestie, for giving me the idea of Robin taking Regina to see the fireworks over the Westminster Bridge. Thanks so much love! Your idea was practically perfect! Also I believe it was her idea to pair Tink with Killian. Good call! ;)