AN. I call these "Interludes." Little One-Shots that happened after the reunion of Regina and Robin before they all go back to the Enchanted Forest in my fic world. Not part of main story, but scenes that just popped into my head. Shameless fluff.
Interlude I
It was her worst nightmare.
The first Christmas with their one big dysfunctional family.
Charming wanted it. The happy family, finally getting together.
Or having a truce?
The one thing that kept Regina sane about the prospect was that Rumplestiltskin would be there and about as welcome as she. They could share the awkward.
Robin of course had become best friends with everyone in the entire town in about thirty minutes.
Surprisingly though, he was a little skeptical about all this too.
The Middle Ages thing.
It started when he kept insisting it was Advent, not Christmas, so putting up decorations was just wrong.
Regina tried to explain it to him, but he got that look in his eyes, so a compromise. Emma would decorate at her house and they would wait until Christmas Eve.
That opened up the floodgates to all of those from Sherwood Forest wanting to celebrate in their way.
So before Regina knew it, her house became the friggin' Middle Ages.
But if she had to put up with that in order to be with Robin, so be it. She knew who had the better end of the deal.
Then Robin had inquired if her cook would be willing to make up some favorite dishes.
"There is no cook," Regina replied.
And so a verbal spar began which ended with a lesson in rhetoric about why people should have cooks and regular servants.
Regina hired a cook.
And a nanny. Why not?
A nanny, but not a wife. Robin wanted the latter, but Regina was not ready for that. It became enough for him that she always wore his ring around her neck.
And there never was a doubt that she was madly in love with him.
Then Robin announced that he would like to spend Christmas Day at the convent's nursing home, giving cheer and visiting the forgotten elderly.
Of course he did.
"It's important to think of those who are lonely and I want Roland to appreciate that all are not as fortunate as he."
Indeed.
"But we don't have to spend all day with the nuns, at least tell me that," Regina asked exasperated.
"Of course not. They're in the cloister."
"No, they're not! They're everywhere."
"Oh, those are the sisters."
Regina's head was starting to hurt.
"Sisters are like the friars and the nuns like monks," Robin explained.
Her head was pounding then.
Robin continued, "Of course when the new spell brought the nuns from Sherwood here, the sisters gave them a place."
"And you helped them, I suppose."
"Of course."
Well, she had fallen in love with Robin Hood.
The whole "stealing from the rich" thing though was something Regina firmly asserted would not go over in Storybrooke.
"It's not because they were rich that we stole," Robin insisted. "We took what," uncomfortable pause, "what you had taken from the people, and gave it back."
Oh. That.
Finally Christmas came, and it was about as painful as Regina suspected. She had to ignore Emma's "*cough* Grinch *cough*" as the entire family gathered to drink eggnog, sing carols, and exchange presents. Regina felt about as comfortable as a cat taking its first bath.
No, worse.
She had the odd company of Rumplestiltskin with whom she could retreat while their significant others mingled with the Charmings, and the other guests.
Though it wasn't entirely like a visit to the dentist's chair.
Roland was doted upon by all, and Henry was happy that they were all together.
And that's really what was most important.
After Roland fell asleep, Regina and Robin prepared to sit up by the fire, and as Robin refilled their drinks, he urged her to go ahead and sit down.
When she did, she saw a dozen roses.
And Robin lingering at the door, watching.
"I thought we'd agreed on no presents?" Regina told him.
"We had," he replied.
She should have known.
Regina opened the card.
Happy Christmas, beloved.
No, she wasn't complaining at all.