Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I still only own the OCs in this story, unfortunately… This chapter was written for Rileyroo22! I hope you enjoy, Rileyroo22!

The night starts off pretty simple and quiet. Roland helps Regina make dinner which consists of lasagna and homemade garlic bread with Regina's famous apple turnovers for dessert. Henry's at Emma's tonight, his first night in the past two months, actually. Regina doesn't need to ask her son why he is spending less and less time with Emma here recently. She already knows the answer. Ever since she announced her pregnancy to her husband and sons, Henry has wanted to remain at the mansion he grew up in. He wants to be there for his mother, wants to assure her she's doing everything right. Nights between just Roland and Regina have been all too rare lately. That's why tonight is special for both the queen and her little knight.

"Roland, sweetheart, why don't you go set the table while I get the lasagna out," Regina suggests, pressing a kiss to his messy, brown curls.

"Yes, Mama," Roland happily answers, going over to the drawer to get out the dinner utensils.

Regina gets the plates and glasses out of the cabinet for Roland, as these dining necessities are out of his reach. She sets them on the counter before grabbing the pot-holder in one hand. Carefully opening then over door, the queen feels the heat escape into the kitchen, warming her slightly chilled legs. February in Storybrooke is certainly one of the coldest months of the year, which means several aspects change in the Mills-Hood household. Regina makes sure the heat is always on to warm her three boys and herself when the temperatures drastically drop outside. Blankets also multiply in the mansion, coming out of closets and from under Henry's bed. Each member of the family now has two blankets on his or her respective bed, with the exception of Cocoa the Labrador. The living room has several throw blankets on various chairs for cold winter nights like this one. When Robin gets home in the evenings, the Mills-Hood family generally relaxes in front of the warm fireplace. Yes, their domestic life really is perfect.

"I'm done, Mama," Roland proudly says, breaking Regina out of her daze.

Regina looks at the table, noticing the nearly perfect place settings on the table. Her eye for detail seems to have rubbed off on Roland.

"Great job, my little knight. Now, why don't you go wash your hands while I fix us both a drink?" Regina tells her youngest son, wiping her hands on a small dish towel before getting out two cups.

Roland nods his head before going into his and Henry's bathroom upstairs to wash his small hands before dinner. The young Merry Man knows that his mommy does not like for any of them to eat with dirty hands. He listens when Mama tells Papa to wash his hands before even thinking of touching the food when he gets home from the woods. That always makes the little thief laugh, as he knows just how the battle will end. Papa will always put up a small fight, but all it takes is one kiss from Mama and then he goes to wash his hands off before dinner. When Roland returns from upstairs, Regina is already sitting down at the table. She has a glass of chocolate milk in front of Roland's plate and a glass of water in front of her own.

"Thank you for your help with dinner, Roland. Now, if you eat a good dinner, remember, we have some of our yummy apple turnovers for dessert," Regina smiles as Roland softly moves his chair backwards from the table.

The little boy smiles as he sits down at the table with his mother. Roland enjoys nights alone with Regina just as much as the queen herself enjoys them.

After dinner and an apple turnover for each of them, Roland and Regina wash the dishes. Well, to be more accurate, Regina cleans them with the dishwashing detergent and Roland rinses them off before putting them into the drain-board to dry. With this task accomplished, Regina tells Roland to pick out a movie while she goes to put on a quick load of laundry. Being a single mother with Henry for ten years has made Regina quite the capable multi-tasker. She gathers up all of the blue and purple clothes from the three clothes baskets in their bedrooms. She and Robin have one in their room, as do each of the boys. One thing Regina has noticed with having three boys living in her house is she now has a lot more blue and green clothes to wash.

"I hope you're a little girl, baby. I'm starting to get outnumbered," Regina softly whispers to the baby that's developing inside of her.

Though it's still six months from the baby being born, Regina is still excited every single day at the knowledge of she and Robin are going to have the chance to bring a baby into the world together. Regina is not sure of the miracle that took place to allow this precious gift to exist, but she will forever be grateful that she has been given this chance. Though she will never admit this to Robin, Regina's been hoping that they will have a little girl ever since she found out they are expecting. She wants to have a baby princess to spoil and give everything and anything to. Now, of course she'll be happy with a boy as well, but Regina thinks it's about time she has a little girl to play with and teach how to be a queen. Little does she know that Robin also feels the same way.

"Roland, sweetie, what movie did you pick out?" Regina calls as she walks down the stairs into the living room.

"The Lion King!" Roland excitedly answers back from his position on the couch.

"Again? Roland, we just watched that three days ago with Papa and Henry," Regina laughs as she sits down beside her son, spreading a throw blanket over both of them.

"It's great, Mama!" Roland assures, smiling as he presses the play button on the TV remote.

Of course, Roland's favorite characters are Timon and Pumbaa, much to Regina's chagrin. They're fine characters when it comes to comedic relief for the ex-Evil Queen, but she wouldn't say they are her favorites. Regina's favorite character would have to be either Nala or Sarabi. Both of them are strong, independent queens who fight for what they believe in. As for Henry, well, his favorite has always been Mufasa. Robin doesn't really have a favorite character yet, as he's only seen the movie once or twice. If Regina had to guess, though, she would guess either Mufasa or Simba.

Once The Lion King is over, Roland has fallen asleep on the couch beside Regina. The queen herself is in a sleepy state, so she almost doesn't hear Robin come in the front door. The thief comes over to the couch and smile upon seeing his wife and their youngest son lying on the couch together.

"Good evening, my queen. Have a nice nap?" Robin softly says with a smirk on his face.

"Hmm? Oh, hi, Robin. Roland and I were just watching a movie," Regina responds with a smile as her husband's face comes into view.

His blue eyes sparkle in the darkness of the living room as he helps Regina sit up without disturbing Roland as he sleeps. Robin then carefully picks Roland up in his arms, carrying his son upstairs to his room before tucking him under his Superman blanket. With that, Robin and Regina head off into their own bedroom to discuss their days and watch a TV show they have taped on their DVR. With Roland asleep in his room and Henry safe at Emma's house, Robin and Regina are free to spend the night watching TV and with no worries, or Hakuna Matata as Roland, Timon, and Pumbaa would say. They soon fall asleep in each other's embrace, not knowing what will come later on in the night.

Someone knocks on the door as the Mills-Hood family sit at the table eating dinner.

"I don't recall us expecting company," Regina says as she stands up to go and get the door.

What the queen sees when she opens the door surprises and scares her quite a bit.

"What are you doing here?" Regina demands as she sees Zelena standing on her front porch.

"Henry invited me," the Wicked Witch of the West answers with a wicked grin on her face.

"Do you honestly believe I'd allow you into my house for dinner after all the threats you made to my family?" Regina cockily tells her half-sister, wanting nothing more than to slam the door in the green-skinned freak's face.

"I didn't come for dinner," Zelena laughs, coming closer to Regina with a determined look.

"Then what did you come for?" Regina asks in confusion, starting to back away from the doorframe.

"YOU! We all did," the green-skinned witch makes known before stepping aside to reveal Dark Emma, Cora, and Rumpelstiltskin.

Dark Emma then casts a spell which flings Regina into the air and into a wall. Telephone wires come from the wall and curl around her wrists and ankles, keeping her restrained as the villains walk closer to her family.

"No! NO! Let me go! I command it!" Regina yells as the three villains reach the dining table where Robin, Henry, and Roland are sitting.

"Someone do shut my sister up," Zelena groans, grasping Robin by his throat with her dark magic.

Rumple uses his newly restored magic to choke off Regina's air supply, making everyone panic.

"Stop it! You can't! You're gonna kill them!" Henry yells from his place at the table as he grabs his father's bow and arrow.

"That's the point!" Zelena roars, using more magic to make Robin gasp more.

"Henry! What are you doing?" Regina barely chokes out in concern as Henry takes the bow and Roland into the living room.

"Protecting the baby, Mom," Henry answers, tears trailing from his dark brown eyes down his face.

"Take the baby, too," Dark Emma says from the dining room.

"NO!" Regina cries out as she hears her baby cry out in a desperate plead.

Regina wakes up in a flash, her eyes stained with tears as she sits up in the bed. Looking beside her, she sees Robin as he softly breathes. Then, Regina goes into Roland's room and sees her youngest son sleeping soundly as the night continues on. It is then that she knows that everything is going to okay. Regina walks back into her bedroom that she shares with Robin, her breath still coming out in slightly ragged gasps. As she slips back into the bed, Regina pulls herself into her husband's arms, not wanting to be parted from him ever again. Robin feels a difference in his wife's position and feels a few tears slip down her face onto his strong, muscular arms. He wakes up in a hurry, not knowing if something is wrong with Regina or their unborn baby.

"What is it?" Robin asks in concern as he wakes up, looking over at his wife. His blue eyes shine in alarm, not knowing what he can do to help.

"I had the most intense dream," Regina confesses, burying her face in Robin's shirt.

"Go back to sleep, Regina. It was only a dream," Robin comforts, pressing a kiss to Regina's dark hair.

"It didn't feel like a dream. It felt like a bad omen," Regina sighs, admitting her fear that her dream may actually come true.

Robin turns to move a little bit to get a better hold on Regina's shaking arms, but Regina mistakes this for Robin trying to leave the bed.

"Don't leave," she says as she looks up at his face, receiving a small level of comfort from looking at Robin.

"I'm not going anywhere, my love. Don't worry. I won't leave your side. I will protect you, our boys, and this baby with my life," he assures with one of his radiant smiles.

Regina feels better now that she's sure Robin and her family are safe from harm. That's when everything changes again that night.

"Aah!" Roland's scream comes from down the hall almost as soon as Robin and Regina fall back asleep.

"Roland?!" they both shout in alarm for their son.

Regina and Robin are soon out of bed and racing into Roland's room. Regina sits on Roland's bed, gathering her young son against her chest while stroking his curls.

"Roland," she whispers, trying to get him to look at her. "Hey. Hey. It's okay. It's okay," Regina comforts, rocking herself and Roland back and forth on his bed while Robin sits not too far away on the other side of the boy's bed.

"Mama?" Roland meekly questions, the tears finally stopping to fall on his face.

"You're okay. You're okay. Mama's here. Do you want to tell me what happened?" Regina softly whispers to her and Robin's son.

Roland nods his head before taking a deep breath and revealing his problem to his parents.

"I- I just had the worst nightmare," he admits in a scared tone.

"It's over now. Okay?" Regina comforts, pressing a kiss to his head before settling back into Robin's arms.

"Okay," Roland answers, looking up and seeing Robin beside Regina.

With both of his parents present, Roland knows he is absolutely safe from harm.

"How about you come and sleep with Mama and Papa, my boy?" Robin suggests, a smile on his face as he knows how much Roland loves to sleep between his parents in their king-sized bed.

"Okay!" Roland happily says, perking up quite a bit.

He's four-years-old, anything having to do with an adventure and snuggling with Mama and Papa sounds great to him. This is especially true after a nightmare.

"Come to Papa, little man," Robin laughs, trying to detach his son from Regina's arms.

"No. I stay with Mama," Roland states matter-of-factly, making Regina and Robin chuckle.

"Let's go to bed, my little prince," Regina calmly says, scooping Roland up before carrying him into the bedroom she and Robin share.

They reach the master bedroom with Roland's tears and nightmares pushed from his mind. Regina gently sets the little outlaw in the middle of the bed before sitting down herself. Robin settles down on the opposite side of the bed, pulling Roland into his arms and giving the boy a kiss on the head.

"Are you all right, little man?" Robin questions, stroking Roland's hair with one hand.

"I'm still a little scared, Daddy," Roland shyly admits to his father.

"Here. This will help," Regina whispers to the young boy before lighting a small candle on her nightstand.

"A candle?" Roland skeptically asks. After all, the four-year-old doesn't know if the candles in this world are imbued with some sort of magic that takes nightmares away.

"Yes. They keep the nightmares away," Regina answers, remembering when she used to do this with Henry.

This also gives an answer to Roland's unasked question.

"Now, talk to me, Roland. What was so bad?" she continues, lying down beside him where she can wrap her arms around Roland.

"You and Papa were at the hospital with our new baby," Roland starts off, tears coming from his eyes again as he starts to hiccup out of fear.

"Hey, don't worry, all right? It was just a bad dream. Now, tell us, sweetheart. What else happened?" Regina soothes, pressing several kisses to his cheeks and head.

"Henry and I were at home with Will," Roland continues, meaning Will Scarlet was looking over them in his dream, something Regina is sure wouldn't happen if she had anything to say about it. "And then, Will and Henry went outside to chop some firewood for the fireplace. I was inside alone, and….- and P—P-Peter Pan's shadow came and took me away!" Roland bawls, pressing his face against Regina's pajama top.

Robin and Regina gasp as their son reveals this to them. They had no idea a child this young could have nightmares this bad. His experience with the Shadow has really shaken him up.

"It's okay, dear. You're safe," Regina tells him, pulling the boy out of Robin's arm and gently placing him on her chest and stomach where she doesn't crush the baby inside of her tummy.

Roland places his head into the crook of Regina's neck, her breathing starting to soothe him.

"Are you all right now, Roland?" Robin questions, his blue eyes looking over at his wife and their youngest son. He can't help but think they look positively adorable like that.

"Yes," Roland admits, which calms Regina and Robin down. "But I'll never sleep again," he vows to both his parents.

"Nonsense," Regina scoffs. "The only way to overcome fear is to face it. Papa and I will always be here to protect you," she explains to the young boy, making him smile.

"Thank you, Mama," Roland smiles, settling down with his head on Regina's chest.

He soon falls asleep, content to be in his mother's arms.

"I see someone used my words from earlier," Robin smirks, pressing a kiss to Regina's lips.

"You wish, thief," Regina grins before falling asleep beside her husband and son.

A few hours later, tiny lips find their way near Regina's ear. A tiny hand shakes her shoulder, waking Regina up instantly.

"Roland, what's wrong? Did you have another nightmare?" Regina asks.

"No, Mama. I just wanted to say thank you," Roland replies, propping himself up on one elbow.

"For what, Roland?"

"For being my Mama and loving me."

Author's Note: And there's Chapter 10! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I'm sorry I've been away for so long, but school's been super busy lately.

Ok, a few things.

Firstly, we all knew that Robin's baby would be a girl in canon OUAT. We've been calling that since what, the third season?

Secondly: No, I have not abandoned this story. It's just been hard to type up new chapters that I don't already have written down.

Thirdly: I am so mad that Hook is now the Dark One! Like, really? Where did that come from?

Ok, end of rant. Until the next chapter, my dear readers! Hope to hear from you all in a review!