So this is kind of a semi-song fic and kind of a thought that wouldn't leave me... Another early moment in Alice and Robin's relationship/friendship...

...

Robin was taking a moment for herself. Her mother was wearing her down and she needed a break. She was settled in the Enchanted Forest now but there were still some parts of her old life in Storybrooke she clung to. There was only about a months' worth of charge left on her old 2024 model phone (Mom had refused to let her buy the latest one-year charge models) but she craved some music. Her taste may be considered a little old fashioned, her playlist including songs from the last century, but she didn't care.

Robin lay under a tree plugged in her headphones and closed her eyes, taking herself back to her childhood.

"…You're just too good to be true… Can't take my eyes off of you… You'd be like heaven to touch… I wanna hold you so much…"

Robin found herself thinking about Alice as she sang along… and thinking about herself. She knew how she felt about Alice, and any moment spent with her blonde friend warmed her heart… if she was braver she would just take the girl in her arms and kiss her… Oh to be brave enough to kiss Alice on her soft smiling lips…

"At long last love has arrived… and I thank god I'm alive… You're just too good to me true… Can't take my eyes off of…"

"Robin?"

Robin's eyes opened in alarm and there was said girl smiling down at her.

"I heard you singing." said Alice smiling. "I didn't know you could sing."

Robin sat up and pulled her headphones out of her ears, blustering as she desperately tried up to cover her thoughts… and her feeling… and the lyrics of the song she'd been singing.

"Alice!" she spluttered. "I was just listening to my tunes."

"Tunes?" Alice asked, she was tipping her head trying to hear the music Robin mentioned.

"No." said Robin pulling out her phone and handing her one of her earbuds. "The music's on my phone."

"You're magic picture box?"

"It's not magic." said Robin. "And it's not just for pictures…"

Robin put one of the earbuds to her ear; Alice followed suite and gave a gasp of surprise.

"There's a whole orchestra in there." She whispered.

"It's just a recording." said Robin with a laugh. The laugh was to try and hide her embarrassment. Alice's face was very close to hers. Robin could feel her breath on her cheek and her earlier thought's where making her heart beat faster.

Alice wore a cute frown of concentration as she listened to the music. Dammit if the song wasn't right. Robin couldn't take her eye off of her; watching every micro expression and loving every second of it.

Robin, trying to find something else to focus on other than the way Alice's nose just crinkled, started wondering what Alice's voice might sound like when she sang. She pictured her having the voice of an angel, as sweet and pleasing as her smile.

"Do you sing?" Robin asked, removing her earbud and leaning back. Creating some much-needed space between them.

Alice handed her headphone back and leaned away too.

"I'm not really a singer." Alice admitted.

"Nonsense." said Robin. "I can imagine just how you sound…"

Alice shook her head and looked down embarrassed.

"Come on." insisted Robin, "You've heard me sing… it's only fair."

"You're sure?"

Robin gave her a broad confident smile.

"Nothing would make me happier."

"Okay." said Alice reluctantly. "My Papa used to sing me a lullaby…

…She stepped away from me,

To turn for the fair

And friendly I watched her move here and to there…"

Alice sang like a child.

I don't mean sweet and innocent.

She sang like that little kid in the choir who had decided early on that volume was much more important that rhythm, tone and staying anywhere near in key. Growing up alone in the Tower, she had clearly never learnt about restraint or moderation.

In short, Alice couldn't sing at all. It was excruciating.

Robin's smile became a rigid grimace as she tried to cover the horror. What she couldn't do was hide the twitch when she fought the urge to cover her ears when Alice hit a painful flat.

Clearly noticing Robin's strained expression Alice stopped abruptly.

"So do I sing how you pictured?" she asked, teasing Robin with a toothy grin. "I did try to warn you."

Not wanting to hurt her friend's feelings, Robin thought fast,

"No, I think the way you sing is very you… full of enthusiasm and… um… character."

Both girls shared a long serious look and then burst into playful laughter at such a painfully obvious white lie.

They leaned into each other as they were giggling so hard they needed the support. Robin's cheeked flushed from the contact as she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, a part of her rejoicing at the chance to hold Alice in her arms.

As the humour subsided Alice drew back.

Robin let out a big breath as the space grew between them again, as much to centre her thoughts as recover from the laughter.

As she watched she noticed Alice's smile grow shy, as she looked up at Robin through her eyelashes.

"I think the way you sing is very you too…" said Alice softly. "…You sing beautifully."

Robin swallowed and felt her ears grow red… Dammit Alice why do you keep doing this to me?