A/N: Hello, everyone! Here's the 10th chapter, and I think it's the middle of the story! I want to thank every single one of you for sticking with me for so long, thank you for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing!
I hope you still enjoy it!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own OUAT characters
(...)
On a quiet Sunday evening, Regina finds herself curled up on the couch in the living room with a book she's got from Robin and Roland for her anniversary of living with the Locksleys men for three years. She enjoys reading so much, found that out at the early stage of her new life with Robin.
Every evening she would make sure that Roland is asleep and then she would go to the balcony or on the very cold winter nights she would use a couch in the living room and read a book. And after three years of such a routine – there were many nights when she didn't read at all like the ones she spent in the hospital – she's already lost count of the books she's read.
So while Robin and Roland are out in the store, she reads.
However, her reading is interrupted by the door opening. There's no usual sound of laughter or a very loud conversation between father and son, it's way too quiet for them. Anxiously Regina puts the book aside, already thinking the worst – there are so many things that could happen.
But when Roland walks into the room, the situation turns upside down, all her fear forgotten. Her jaw drops open in surprise as she takes in the boy: he's dressed in a small black tuxedo with a white button-down shirt, holding a single red rose in his hand. He looks so cute, it should be illegal.
Roland walks further into the room and bows in front of Regina like a real knight. "Ms. Regina," he says, giving her a rose, "I would like to invite you to a date."
Regina's eyes widen in surprise at Roland's words, she's stunned for a moment, looking at the boy with confusion written all over her face. She wants to laugh at him and ask what's he's doing but then she wants to ask where Robin is and what's the hell happening here.
At the end, she ends up muttering, "What?"
"We have only half an hour to get ready until the car will be here," Roland explains when Regina finally brings herself to move and takes the rose from his hand. He walks to the couch and climbs on it, then turns to her and says, "Papa asked me to be good and let you get ready." His announcement makes Regina smile a little even in her shock. Roland smiles back, turns on TV and goes through the channels in order to find some cartoons to watch.
"Where's Papa?" Regina forces herself to recover and asks still very confused. The two of them went out for groceries shopping, dressed in their casual clothes with a promise to bring her her favorite ice-cream. And now, out of a blue Roland appears dressed in a tuxedo with a rose and an invitation to some unknown date.
Is she dreaming?
"Papa will meet us there," Roland replies not turning his attention from the screen. "Oh, I almost forgot!" The boy exclaims, this time turning to Regina with wide brown eyes, "Papa said your red dress will be fine for this date!"
A small smile appears on Regina's face. Although the dress is nothing fancy or very beautiful, just a simple red dress covering most of her skin, Robin's told her time and time again how good she looked that night in it and that it's a shame she wore the dress just one time.
Shaking her head to herself, Regina forces herself to come back to reality. It's obvious that Robin's thought of everything and that he wants to have a real date with her – he's told her that millions of times, that if Regina would let him, he would take her on a date every single evening but he'd never got a permission, just an assurance that she doesn't need dates, she's happy just like this – but at least he could tell her. There was no need to make such a big deal out of it.
But well, if he insists.
She turns to the clock and shit! She has less than 30 minutes to get ready!
Not wasting another minute, she tells Roland to wait her there and rushes to the bathroom. Suddenly she's so nervous and confused and happy at the same time, she has to stop doing everything and just breathe for a moment to get her emotions under control.
Her shower is a record – it doesn't take 5 minutes. After drying and brushing her hair, Regina puts on mascara and lipstick, then rushes to the bedroom to find the dress. She finds the shoes that she wore for Robin's birthday too; they're high-heeled but if he dressed his son in tuxedo, she thinks that it should be rather fancy date and her heels shout fit just fine.
When she's ready and emerges from the room, she finds Roland right where she left him: in front of TV, watching "Spongebob Squarepants". Roland grins when he sees her, tells her that she's very pretty and then they turn off TV together, lock the door and walk down to find the car already waiting for them.
She expected a cab.
Once again, she was wrong.
Will that man ever stop surprising her?
A black luxury car is parked in front of them – she's doesn't know the mark, she's not good at that yet – and there's a driver who holds the door open for her. Regina cannot help but let out a small chuckle at the absurdity of the situation, feeling so silly but so happy at the same time.
She greets the driver and sits inside, Roland following right behind her. The door is closed behind them and the driver is back in the car in no time, telling them to put on their seatbelts and enjoy the ride. The peaceful music surrounds the atmosphere and the driver starts the car.
"Where are we going, Roland?" Regina asks, turning away from the window to look at the boy who's looking at her with big, wide eyes filled with happiness. Her own eyes fill with tears as she takes Roland's hand and squeezes – she's never seen the boy this happy.
"Oh, it's a surprise," is all what Roland says, offering a huge grin in return. Regina chuckles at him and turns to look out of the window again.
She feels like a queen.
(…)
The ride isn't too long, it doesn't take longer than 10 minutes and the car stops in front of one of the most expensive restaurants in town. Regina makes a mental note to give Robin a talk about wasting his money on a car even though she could just walk here and another talk about wasting his money on restaurants when they can have very delicious homemade food.
But Robin likes surprises, she's known it for a long time.
Regina snaps back to reality and thanks the driver. When the car is driven away, she sighs and looks down at Roland, who's smiling from ear to ear, it looks like he's going to explode from delight. Why is he so excited? What did Robin think when he arranged all of this? What's it all about?
The train of questions is ceased by Robin's quiet and very welcoming voice. "Good evening," he says in a greeting. Regina looks up from Roland to find his very handsome father standing in front of her, dressed exactly the same as Roland – a black tuxedo, a white button-down shirt. The only difference between their appearances is that Roland was holding one rose and Robin's holding a whole huge bouquet of them.
"You look stunning," he tells her as he walks closer to her making a blush cover her cheeks. "This is for you," he gives her flowers and Regina takes it automatically, all words stuck in her throat as she stares at him not even blinking.
She feels dumbfounded, confused and over the moon. What's happening? Did she miss an important occasion or something?
All of a sudden Robin's lips are on hers and she's stunned for a moment, they don't kiss in front of Roland much, the boy's still very young and he thinks that it's yuk but it looks like the rules have changed. She kisses him back, wrapping her free arm around his neck in order to hold him closer.
When they pull away, tears are threatening to fall down her cheeks but she tries to keep them at bay, tells herself to breathe. She's so happy, there are no right words to describe how she's feeling right now. And damn it, it's a very good feeling.
"Thank you," she says in a shaky voice, tightening her arm around the flowers.
"I love you," he leans over and kisses her again. This time the kiss is short because Roland is getting tired of their affection, groaning and looking away from the adults.
"What's it all about?" Regina asks when she finally puts her emotions under control and is able to talk without a shaking voice.
"We just wanted to have a nice dinner with you at some very fancy place," Robin shrugs in answer making Regina chuckle quietly. He takes her hand then, bows a little, "Milady."
Regina rolls her eyes at him but lets him walk her to the table, Roland walking beside her with a small pout for Robin is holding one of her hands and her other is occupied with flowers and he has no hand to hold. She feels bad for a moment but then they reach the table and Roland is sitting beside her, grinning now, and it's all forgotten.
The table is round and not huge with three chairs. There's a vase for flowers and Robin puts them into the water for Regina, telling her to stop thinking about everything and just enjoy their evening. She nods at him, though there are still millions of questions running through her mind.
They order the food and talk about everything and anything, joke and laugh and smile and Regina still doesn't understand what's it all about but it looks like Robin's not giving her any answers tonight so she silences her thoughts and concentrates on Robin, Roland and this amazing conversation they're having.
When they finish eating, Robin orders a dessert and Regina doubts she could even take a bite of it. She doesn't remember the last time she ate that much but the food was so delicious. Okay, maybe they could come here from time to time.
"Is it time?" Roland asks curiously, shifting on his chair.
Confused, Regina looks at the boy, when at Robin who nods his head.
"I want to talk first," Roland announces, almost jumping on his chair from excitement. Robin nods his head again – there's no way to stop Roland now. The boy grins, takes a deep breath and starts, "We like to live with you very much, Regina," he inhales, all of a sudden he's nervous, and continues, "and you cook very delicious meals and play with me and teach me things and love me and read to me and sing. You're like a mama to me. I love you, Regina."
Regina has to blink her eyes to stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. "I love you too, my little knight," she says, giving him a watery smile.
"What Roland is trying to say is-" Robin stops mid-sentence, now he's the one shifting on his chair nervously, takes a deep breath, "-we cannot imagine our lives without you. You became a part of our family the very same minute you stepped into our apartment." He stretches his hand out to touch her hand over the table. "I love you with all my heart and I love to watch you every morning while you sleep. I love when you're angry at me because you look so cute then or when you're sad and all you need from me is a hug to make you feel better. I simply cannot imagine my life without you."
Regina's eyes are full of tears again and she curses herself for being such an emotional person but what other reaction can she have when she hears the man she loves so damn much tell how that he loves her just the same.
The waitress chooses that time to come with the dessert and puts it in front of Regina. She blinks the tears away and takes the plate of ice-cream and other very tasty things to push towards Roland – he's the one who always likes to eat these things – when she spots a ring on the middle of the plate.
Her hand falls away as she looks at Robin with wide eyes and he grins in response.
"Will you marry me, Regina Mills?"
Regina's whole world stops turning.
Everything stops.
Everything becomes silent.
All she can see is the man she loves standing in front of her, and then he's on one knee, taking her shaky hand from her lap and waiting for an answer. Tears start rolling down her cheeks, her whole body shaking as she forces herself to kneel beside him. She throws herself into his embrace, kissing his cheek and lips and shaking and smiling, whispering 'yes' over and over again.
People from the restaurant are looking at them, whispering and applauding when Robin puts a ring on her hand, his hands shaking just as much as hers. He pulls her into a tight hug them, kissing her and telling her that she's just made him the happiest man alive.
In a moment Roland is with them, and they pull him into a hug and then he's crying too and that's the tears from happiness.
They're going to be a real family.
Regina's life couldn't be more perfect.
(…)
Eavesdropping isn't Henry's thing. Well, he has done that many times with Regina when the town was still under the curse in order to get some answers and now he's glad that he has some practice in this. He needs to do it again since everyone keeps the truth from him and he doesn't know what the hell is happening with everyone.
He presses his body against the wall, his breathing labored – he has run the whole way here and almost been caught by Grumpy – as he tries to make out what Emma is saying. She says something about Zelena who's threatening them again, this time to take not only Snow's baby but also Henry just because she can, when she says something about her practice with the blue fairy and then she says the words that breaks Henry's world.
"And am I right to say that we're giving up the idea of coming back to Storybrooke and finding Regina?" Emma asks, her voice confident.
"Yes, we don't work on it anymore," David assures. "We'll come back to it when we beat Zelena and our child is safe. Until then, we need to forget about her and focus on more important thing."
More important things? Regina was forced to leave her own town because of them, because of Henry, and they think that it's not enough? He feels burning anger filling him as he listens to others agree that the Queen would make it worse than it already is with her shows and dramas.
"What?" Henry cannot keep quiet anymore while these people talk horrible things about the woman whose life they made a living-hell. He walks into the council room, anger burning in his eyes, palms turned into fists. "You think she's not important? You're giving up on her?"
"We gave up on her many years ago," someone says from the room and Henry feels his anger burning even more, his eyes filling with tears.
"Henry-" It's Snow who, as always, tries to make the situation better. But no, this time Henry's not going to listen to her lies, he won't let her fool him.
"No!" He shouts, shaking his head. "I HATE YOU ALL!" he screams at them and then turns around and runs from them as far away as he can.
Tears are running down his cheeks when he locks himself inside her room, pressing his back against the door. He pulls his knees to his chest, wraps his arms around them and rocks himself back and forth, trying to stop that destroying pain of betrayal.
After an hour, he's still sitting on the floor but the tears are no longer rolling down his cheeks, he's sitting there emotionless, looking around the room which used to be his mother's prison, feeling like he should just stay here forever so he could be close to her.
But then his eyes catch something on her dresser, it's a bottle with something and that's it. Henry knows how to come back to Regina.
(...)
Thoughts?