Storybrooke - Present Day
She sat across from him, watching intensely while his eyes seemed glued to his little video game. He had always liked them, but she never remembered him being this engrossed. That new personality and the two years with Emma really changed Henry more than Regina had expected it to.
Looking at the thirteen-year-old, she seemed a bit nervous. "Henry," she said, hoping that he'd at least look up from the electronic device in his hands. He did, a very curious expression on his face. With a smile, she continued, "Your mom," it was still a bit painful to say it, "told me that you really enjoy reading." Taking a moment to dig through her large bag, she then pulled out his book. "I found this in the library yesterday and thought you might like it," she said, holding it up for him so that he could see the golden lettering.
As she slid the book to his side of the table, Henry seemed pretty uninterested. "Yeah. Sometimes. But," he gave the book another glance, "I've never really been into fairytales. Thanks, though."
Regina continued trying to convince him, "Well, these aren't just ordinary fairytales." She had a feeling that the book had appeared in her basement for a reason; it had to be the answer as to how to get Henry's memories back, if only he'd just look at it. "And," she said as she reached over to take the baby out of his high chair, "how do you know that you're not interested in something until you try it?" She set the curious baby boy beside her in the booth, her hand remaining cautiously on his back as he stood up and looked around.
"It's just that fairytales are for kids," he made another excuse.
Regina smirked as the baby bent down to his knees, placing his hands to her stomach and patting it lightly. She replied to the stubborn boy sitting across the way, "Why be in such a rush to grow up?" She caressed the toddler's soft head as he tried speaking a few slurred words. "Being a kid can be some of the greatest moments of your life. You're still innocent; you have a beautiful and creative imagination," she looked to the teenager and smiled, "and you truly believe that anything is possible."
Henry wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that. He stared at the book, a bit more curious than before, but still hesitant to open it and take a look. Before he could respond in any way, a man and young boy met him and Regina.
"Hey," was all the man said as he stared down at the pregnant woman and small child beside her.
Regina glanced up with a meek sort of smile on her lips. "Hello." This was incredibly awkward. She wasn't sure what to say or what to do; it was almost like she was frozen in her place. "Oh," she realized, looking over at the teenager at the table, "Henry, this is Robin and his son Roland."
"Hi."
"It's nice to meet you, Henry," Robin greeted kindly. He looked to the infant who was curiously playing with the placemat. "And who is this?"
The brunette grinned. "This is Mary Margaret and David's son. I am just watching him for the rest of the day while they are out with Emma, working on the case."
"What's his name?" Robin asked curiously and watched as Regina's eyes widened slightly.
"Uh," she hesitated. "O- Ol- Oliver," she replied with the first name that came to her head. Though, she was somewhat embarrassed by how much she had stuttered.
"Cute," he laughed. "I- I was wondering how you were feeling; you know, after yesterday and all of that?" He was cautious with how he worded it, trying to show his concern for her but also trying not to push her again.
"Better," she answered with a nod and smile. "Thank you."
The brunette gave him a look silently. Robin could see by her expression that she was sorry for the way she acted. He replied in turn with an understanding nod of the head. She appreciated that.
As the baby started to squirm around restlessly and uncomfortably, Regina looked up to Robin. "I should probably go change him."
"Sure," Robin replied with a grin as the woman struggled trying to both hold the wiggly boy and slide out of the booth. "Here," he offered, taking the child into his arms and holding his free hand out to help her stand.
"Thank you," she replied as he pulled her up and then handed the boy back to her. She smiled at him, the expression lingering longer than she expected. When she finally snapped out of it, she asked, "Would you mind watching Henry just for a moment?"
"Of course," he replied with a returned grin before she walked away.
Robin glanced down and noticed how Roland was curiously staring back and forth from the book on the table to Henry. Only the boy's eyes and nose reached above the table.
Roland continued to stare a bit longer, until he finally asked, "What's that?" He brought his arm as far over the table as he could and pointed at the large brown fairytale book.
"Just a book," Henry replied.
"Can I see?" The teenager shrugged his shoulders as if to state that he didn't really care and then watched as the younger boy began to climb into the booth with him. Roland knelt up and pulled the book closer to them. Pointing the cover, he looked to Henry and asked, "What's that say?"
He read it, "Once upon a time."
Roland smiled as he opened up the cover. Staring at the first page, he pointed to a picture and then to the large wording on the other side. "I can't read," he said.
"Well, do you want me to read it for you?" the teen asked. The younger boy nodded softly and then stared down at the book as Henry began the story.
0-0-0
When Regina returned from the bathroom, Robin was at the counter while Henry and Roland were at the table reading through the fairytale book. She approached the man with a smile and then glanced over to the boys.
"Remind me to thank Roland for actually getting Henry to read that book."
Robin laughed. "I know from experience that it is not easy to say no to that boy."
The brunette nodded. "I had the same issue with Henry at that age."
"And soon you'll see what it's like with a little girl," Robin said, gesturing toward her.
With a soft chuckle, Regina replied, "If she is anything like me, she will be incredibly difficult and stubborn when she gets to that age."
"Well, if she's anything like you, then she'll be just as lovely too," Robin commented with a gentle gaze.
Regina grinned softly. She felt as if she were just falling in love with him right then and there. Granted that was impossible, knowing the man for as long as she did. However, she was still curious. As they continued to speak and stare at one another, her eyes occasionally drifted to his right arm. She just wanted to know if it was him, if the tattoo that David had described was the one she had seen all of those years ago, if Robin was the man who gave her that wedding ring, and if he was the father of her child. She wasn't sure how to do it either. Should she trick him in just rolling his sleeves up then take a look, or should she just ask him straight out?
Robin could see the look of confusion and contemplation in her eyes. "Regina?" he asked. "Are you alright?"
"Huh?" She looked back up at him and remembered where she was. "Oh, no. I'm fine. I was just thinking about how I was going to bring the boys back to my house until their parents came to pick them up." She stared over at Henry and Roland. "I was wondering, considering how well those two seem to be getting along, if you and Roland would maybe care to join us?" She really wished for him to say yes, hoping that maybe they could talk more in private.
Robin began to smile as he nodded his head and replied, "We would love to."
0-0-0
The Enchanted Forest - One Year and Seven Months Earlier
She moved swiftly down the corridor, Snow's words repeating over and over in her head. Your heart will find its way to happiness. She felt herself walking faster and faster, growing more confident with each step she took. Don't let anything hold you back.
And she wouldn't this time. Snow was right in saying that they had spent their last day being haunted by the past. Regina was done being afraid; she was through with running away. She had spent months fleeing because she feared the feelings that she might have held inside of her. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life like that.
She could feel the nerves creeping up within her as she turned the corner, drawing closer and closer to his room. For months she had been avoiding him; afraid of how she felt about him, and then afraid of the truth when she had seen the lion tattoo. But what was the point of being afraid of everything? She had gone down that path years ago and where had it lead her?
Finally, she came to a stop, standing directly in front of the door. She felt as if she couldn't breathe, her hands shaking and palms sweating. With a deep breath, she pulled herself together and knocked on the bedchamber door. Moments passed until he finally opened it, shocked to see her standing there.
"Regina?" His voice was groggy. "What is it?"
She was silent for the first few seconds, just staring at him and allowing her own fear to slip away. Then, with a shake of the head, she let out a deep sigh and replied, "I'm tired of running from you."
With that, Regina then stepped forward, planting the most passionate kiss upon his lips. Robin instantly awoke from his tired state. He placed his hands to her cheeks and slowly parted their lips. He needed to know that this was real, that he wasn't just dreaming. He stared into her dark eyes and noticed the honesty lying within them. She was finally ready to let him in, to stop running.
Robin smiled at her and she grinned with him. He kissed her back, pulling her in by the waist with his right hand while the left remained resting on her cheek. Regina wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in so as to lead him back into the room. Finally, she wasn't afraid anymore.
0-0-0
Storybrooke - Present Day
"Hey," Robin greeted as he joined Regina in the kitchen.
"Hey," she said softly so as not to wake the sleeping baby boy in her arms. As her hand rubbed the infant's back soothingly, she smiled. "How are the boys?" she asked.
"Still having a grand old time together," he laughed. Robin watch the way the baby moved around in her arms, turning his head and nestling his face comfortably in the crevice of her neck as she rocked him from side to side. He grinned. "He seems incredibly comfortable."
Regina let out a soft chuckle. Raising her brow, she replied, "A few years ago, I would have rued the day I became Snow White and Prince Charming's personal babysitter. But I can't deny that I've quickly fallen for this little guy." She smiled as she placed her hand on the sleeping boy's head, caressing her thumb back and forth comfortingly.
Robin couldn't help but grin at the affection Regina was giving to the child. She was an incredibly loving person; it was one of the things that he really liked about her. Watching as she slowly leaned over, placing the sleeping boy into Henry's old playpen, Robin said, "Oliver is a very sweet name. Do you know how they came up with it?"
As Regina stood back up she laughed. Shaking her head, she replied, "His name isn't Oliver. I just said the first thing that came to mind when you asked. Unfortunately," she said, glancing back at the sleeping babe, "no one remembers it because of the lost years. I just had to make something up for Henry's sake."
"Oh," Robin replied, feeling slightly embarrassed for not realizing it earlier. "That is unfortunate." They stood together in silence for a few moments. It was awkward; neither knew what to say. Finally, Robin decided to break the silence with small talk, "Speaking of names… Have you thought of any?"
Regina found herself a bit stunned by the question, which brought up a lot more thoughts. She stared down, placing a hand to her swollen stomach. She had never even thought about names; so many other things had been on her mind. "No," she replied honestly. Looking back up at him, she admitted, "I… I didn't think it'd be fair to decide without the father."
As she said that, the way she looked at him changed. Was this the right time to ask him about the tattoo, to admit that she might think that he was the one? She kept looking back and forth from his covered wrist to his face like she had been doing at Granny's earlier. She wanted to know, but at the same time she feared what would happen if it wasn't him.
"Have you… found anything?" Robin asked hesitantly, unsure if he really wished to know. It was clear that he still had feelings for her. His efforts to suppress them where not working as well as he wished. He watched as Regina nodded before digging through her purse to retrieve a golden wedding band. Robin wasn't entirely sure what to say. Truthfully, he couldn't be happy for her about this revelation because, in his heart, he still hoped that they could have a chance. Now, it was impossible.
"I found this lying in a jewelry box in my basement yesterday." Regina shook her head, staring back at the inscription on the inside of the ring.
"You know who he is?" Robin asked, noticing the look Regina had.
Shaking her head again, she replied, "Not exactly. It's… it's a complicated story." She let out a sigh, almost frustrated with herself for making this so much harder than it had to be.
Robin gave her a sincere look. "Try me," he said, knowing that it would comfort her to reveal it to someone.
She looked up at him. The calmness in his gaze put her at ease. She glanced back down at the band, trying to prepare herself for this. "See this?" she asked, holding the ring up for him and showing him the word "soulmates" clearly.
She didn't notice how Robin's expression changed slightly, the single word practically breaking his heart.
Regina continued, "When I was younger, I was visited by a fairy who, during one of the darkest moments in my life, told me that she could help me find my soulmate." Regina looked to Robin and saw a glimpse of sadness in his eyes while she held anxiousness in her own, but she had to continue and do this. "She… brought me to this tavern… to a man who she said I was destined to be with." Shaking her head, she could feel a pang of guilt rising up within her. "But I was too scared to approach him. I… never saw his face, but… I did see his tattoo."
He stared at her curiously, questioning what she was trying to get at. She glanced down at his wrist, as if she knew about his own tattoo. He hadn't seen it before, but as he looked into her eyes once more, he began to understand why she telling him this story.
Regina let out a sigh, and finally mustered up enough courage to say it. "David told me about the tattoo on your wrist. I-"
Robin stopped her, "You- You think it's me?"
"I don't know," she replied with a shake of head.
Their eyes remained locked on each other, different thoughts going through their minds. Maybe they did have a chance, Robin wondered. It might have been a one-in-a-million shot, but it was something. Slowly, he held out his right arm. His eyes never left her though. He knew in this moment that there was a large chance that it wasn't him and that he was getting his hopes up only to have them crushed. But he also knew that she wished to know. And if it helped her, then the fact that it might hurt him didn't matter. He watched Regina gently take his hand with her left, the right very hesitantly reaching to pull back the sleeve. He could feel his heart racing, unaware that hers was beating in time with it.
Regina began to slide the fabric up his arm, the dark ink on his skin becoming visible. Robin listened to her let out a sigh as her hand brushed over his wrist. As he noticed the instant tears fall to her cheeks, he felt his stomach drop. For a short moment he believed it was over; it wasn't him. But suddenly, her lips stretched; she was smiling as she brought her gaze back to him. He looked back at her, his hope returning quickly.
Letting out a cheerful yet soft laugh, Regina spoke, "It's you." She brushed her thumb over the familiar lion tattoo and gripped his hand tightly as she stared up into his glorious blue eyes. "You were right in front of me this entire time."
Robin stared into her dark eyes and her beautiful bright smile. She was happy about this; she had wanted this as much as he did. With his free hand, he hesitantly reached toward her face. For days he had longed to caress it, to touch her, and to show her how he cared for her. Finally, he could. He cupped her cheek in his hand, feeling the softness and warmth of her skin. She leaned into it, placing her hand above his.
Finally, Robin, unable to hold it in any longer, leaned forward so as to capture her in a kiss. The very second he did, the couple felt a powerful burst. Memories started flowing back into their heads. They parted quickly, each gasping before looking back at the other.
Regina stared into Robin's eyes and smiled, placing her hands to his cheeks. She could feel the tears falling even harder as everything was finally coming back. Brushing her thumbs over his stubble-covered chin, she whispered, "Hi."
Gently placing his forehead to hers, Robin replied in a whisper, "Hi."
She let out a tearful chuckle, her smile as wide as it had been the day she married him. "I've missed you."
"I told you I wouldn't go far," he whispered back, wiping the tears from her pink cheeks. As she looked back up at him, he laughed. "I find it amazing how I have managed to fall in love with you all over again," he said, reaching over and picking up the golden band sitting on the kitchen counter. "But I suppose," he began to slide the ring back onto his wife's hand, "that's just how fate wanted it."
"I guess you're right," Regina whispered as she drew closer for a second kiss. But it wasn't much longer until the couple was forced to part again. Regina pulled away quickly letting out a short, breathless moan.
"Regina?" Robin asked frantically as he watched his wife place a hand to her large stomach. He could feel how she gripped hard onto his shoulder, grimacing from pain.
Regina let out another soft cry, trying to breath through what she was suddenly feeling. Looking up to her husband, growing fearful, she whispered between breaths, "The baby."
A/N: I thought mentioning Oliver would be cute just because the baby's name isn't revealed yet. I have received a few reviews concerning Snow and Charming's son's name. The way I did it was that he was born in the Enchanted Forest; however, Neal passed away in Storybrooke. I did that on purpose because- now this is just my personal opinion- Snow and Charming naming their son Neal didn't really make sense to me. I understand that he was important to Emma, but Neal was barely acquainted with Snow and David. It was also a really predictable move in terms of writing and I'm not really fond of predictability unless it really works well.
I do already have a name planned for him that I personally think means a lot more to Snow and a relationship she has with a certain someone. And I have also finalized a name for Robin and Regina's little princess too. Wonder if you guys can guess either of them?
Hehe Thank you for reading!