Hello lovely readers! winding down now, this is the third to last chapter, so I hope you enjoy! Keep an eye out as I will upload the spin-off chapter after the final one for this story goes up, and hopefully (fingers crossed) the link for the trailer that I'm in the process of making. Until then...happy reading!
-OUATAddict xx
Robin had watched Regina and 'Maria' exit the diner. He'd given them a good half hour before he decided to go and confront Regina. It seemed he had come outside at the right time, as he could see Regina was on the verge of tears, and not joyful ones.
He turned to Maria.
'What did you say to her?!' He didn't mean to sound so angry, but she had upset Regina, and not just long ago they had been overjoyed to see each other again.
Regina turned to Robin, comforted by him as he wrapped his arms around her and offered her his kerchief.
'It's okay Robin. Maria was just telling me why Zelena wanted to cause so much havoc. Apparently our story has more details than the séance revealed.'
He knew Regina wasn't telling him something, he could tell from the tone of her voice.
'There's something else isn't there' Robin murmured softly against Regina's forehead.
Regina looked up into Robin's blue eyes, and he wiped away the last of her tears with his thumb. How she managed to be so beautiful even when she was upset he would never know.
She looked from him to Maria, still seated at the table.
'Robin, Maria is Daniel's mother. Daniel as in...' Regina started to explain.
But she need not finish the sentence. Robin knew. She had told him the night that they'd shared together by the fire. Her fiancé. How her mother had killed him in front of her. Robin had told her about his wife Marian too. How when he and the Merry Men had left her in camp while they went to rob a castle (not hers, he had been adamant about that), they had returned to find the Sheriff of Nottingham holding her hostage in an attempt to capture Robin himself.
Robin had told Regina everything. How he blamed himself...because it was his arrow that killed Marian, the only time he missed his target when the Sheriff had moved so suddenly at the last second.
Somehow telling each other their griefs had brought them closer.
'I know, my love.' Robin said quietly. He kissed her softly on her forehead, squeezing her hand and returned inside the diner. He sensed there were words between Maria and Regina still to be said, and he left them respectfully to talk.
Maria watched Robin go then turned back as Regina sat down again.
'What haven't you told him Regina? I can see something is still troubling you.' Maria said gently.
Regina looked tired.
'I told him about Daniel. I haven't told him about the baby. I suppose I should...even Snow White knows the truth now. I'm scared Maria. I don't want him to think... He's seen how hurt I was over Henry, and how much I love Roland, but my own baby...' Regina sighed, looking away. 'It's different, that's all.' She said.
Maria was confused. Of course, she didn't know about Regina's adopted son Henry or Robin's little boy Roland yet.
'Who are those children Regina?'
'I forgot. I'm sorry. Henry is my adopted son. He lives with his birth mother...Emma, the woman who rescued you. And Roland is Robin's son...Robin is a widower.' Regina quickly explained.
Maria nodded slowly, processing everything Regina had said.
'Okay...but I must ask...why does Snow White know now? About what happened that day? You told me she was never to know.' Maria inquired.
Regina smiled slightly.
'She was eavesdropping on a conversation between myself and Emma when we had to rescue Henry. The truth came spilling out, and then she asked me if that was why I had been sick for all that time after the fall. I couldn't lie to her after she'd already heard me tell Emma the truth.'
Maria took Regina's hands, looking at her seriously.
'Sweetheart, you have come such a long way from where you were. I'm so proud of you. What makes you so scared to tell Robin what happened back in the forest?'
Maria said gently.
A tear streaked its way down Regina's cheek.
'Because I love him Maria. I think I love him more than Daniel. Daniel told me to love again. And I do. I'm just afraid of my future with Robin. What if...what if the chest for Daniel's baby came back to Storybrooke because it knows there's something for my future? Maria, I can't go through that same heartbreak...'
Regina started crying again.
Maria moved around the table to pull Regina into her arms.
'Regina, I know that that man loves you. Telling him would only build your relationship. He has to know if Snow knows. As for the baby chest...I don't know Regina, sweetheart. But I don't believe you will go through the same again.'
Maria said gently as Regina pulled back to meet her eyes.
'Really Maria?'
Maria kissed the top of Regina's head, and smiled.
'This world is different. The happiness you have with Robin won't be tried as you were with Daniel. Now go to him Regina.'