So I know I said this would be the last chapter, but it turns out it isn't. I slipped and this thing came out terribly long (and you'll notice this particular update is already twice the word count of my usual chapters for this story) so I split it. After this one, there will be one or two more chapters and THEN the epilogue.

I hope you guys are okay with that

See you for another update soon! I'll try to make it before next weekend =)

Chapter 25

Their night was nothing but domestic bliss, the house overcome with the delicious smell of the lasagna Regina cooked for dinner, much to Roland and Henry's excitement. They watched movies and played trivia games until Roland's eyes started to droop and Henry began to yawn. Regina ushered her son to his room, carrying Roland in her arms as they headed up the stairs. They settled Roland on the mattress they'd put him in the night before, and he held on tight to Regina for a moment before he turned and cuddled into his pillow, fast asleep in seconds.

Henry was climbing into bed and beckoning to his mother, making space so she could sit next to him. Regina's hand instantly began to run through his hair, just as she used to do when he was little and had trouble sleeping.

"So you and Robin…" he began, once he was sure Roland wouldn't wake.

"Yes?"

"Is this gonna be a thing now? Them coming over for dinner and staying the night?"

"I don't know, honey. I wish I had a more precise answer for you but we… we haven't really defined things yet, we're sort of playing it by ear."

"Is he still with Marian, then? He told me he was leaving her."

"He did, he spoke with her today."

"Oh."

"Are you alright with all this, Henry? I won't let him back into my life if you're not comfortable with it."

"No, it's not that. I'm happy for you, mom, I really am. I just don't want you to get hurt again."

Regina sighed at that, bending forward to place a kiss on her son's forehead.

"Henry I love that you want to take care of me, but I'm the adult here, it shouldn't be your responsibility to look out for your mother."

"I'm not doing it out of a sense of responsibility, mom. I'm doing it because I love you and I don't want you to go through yet another heartbreak."

"I know, sweetheart, but it's different this time. I'll be alright."

"Good, otherwise he's gonna have to deal with me," Henry said, his face set in a serious expression that cracked the second Regina started to laugh softly at him.

"Hey! I mean it," Henry said, joining in her amusement.

"I know you do," she replied, "Goodnight, Henry."

"Night."

Regina got up to leave, but Henry called after her as she reached the doorway.

"Hey mom?"

"Yes?" she asked, turning to look at him again. Henry chanced a glance at Roland and grinned before turning back to his mother.

"At the hospital, you said you were no one's mother but mine, that I didn't have to share you with anyone, remember?" Henry asked, and Regina nodded, frowning at him.

"Well, I just wanted to say… I'm fine with sharing," Henry told her, looking at Roland again.

"Henry—"

"Honestly mom, it's okay… besides, this place is too big for just a queen and a prince, we need a knight around here," he told her, winking when she smiled at him. Regina walked back to his bed and wrapped him in her arms.

"I love you so much."

"I love you, too, mom," her son said against her shoulder, his arms tightening around her for a second before he let her go, and Regina left the room and closed the door behind her, happy tears rolling down her face.

"Is everything alright?" Robin asked when he saw that she was crying. Regina nodded with a smile, joining him on the couch and sighing appreciatively when she felt his arm wrap around her, his hand playing with the ends of her hair.

"We have wonderful children, don't we?" she asked him, and Robin grinned at her and nodded.

"That we do. I take it Henry is responsible for the tears, then?"

"He is, but they're good tears."

"I'm glad you're happy."

"I am, I really am," she said, her voice muffled against his chest where she'd cuddled against him, basking in his warmth and the strength of his embrace.

"Now, we need to talk," Robin said softly against her head, and Regina frowned but didn't move from her position, merely humming inquisitively at him.

"I believe a picnic was promised, and instead we ended up having dinner in your kitchen with the boys."

"Ah, right, well…" she said, pulling away to look at him, "who says we can't have a picnic of just dessert?"

"Oh?" he asked, swallowing thickly as he took in the way her eyes darkened.

"Have you ever made s'mores, mister Locksley?" she asked, dipping her head down to nip at the joint of his neck and shoulder, causing him to moan his answer.

"No."

"Would you like to?"

"That depends, is one of the ingredients in these s'mores, you?" he flirted back.

"I could be, if you play your cards right," she winked at him.

"Then by all means, milady, let's make s'mores," he told her, his voice low and deliberately sensual, making her rub her thighs together in anticipation before she got up, leaving him staring after her in disbelief.

Once in the kitchen, Regina pulled out the necessary ingredients for their dessert and began to roast the marshmallows with a fireball she created, smirking at Robin as he appeared on the door and stared at her, dumbfounded.

"You're actually making dessert?"

"Of course I am," she answered, laughing at his disgruntled expression. "But don't worry," she continued, throwing a wink at him, "you can have me with it."

Robin growled at her suggestion, walking towards her and grabbing her hips, kissing her fiercely when she extinguished the fireball in her hand and dropped the marshmallow she was roasting.

Regina moaned into his mouth, teeth dragging across his bottom lip as he gasped and shoved at her clothes, eager to get them off, but she stepped away from him, shaking her head with a devilish smirk on her face.

"As much as I like where this is going, I really do want dessert," she said, making him laugh lightly before she said, "come on, let's eat some of these, and then you can ravage me."

They set about preparing the s'mores, Regina telling him about times when she and a younger Henry would camp out in the living room every year on his birthday and eat the delicious treats while she read him bedtime stories. Robin smiled fondly at her, sharing some of his own traditions with Roland as he helped her place a perfectly roasted marshmallow onto the graham cracker and chocolate he was holding in his hand, letting her place the second graham cracker on top and adding it to the plate that already had two more of the treats sitting on it, waiting for them to dig in.

They headed to the living room, Robin holding the plate while Regina spread the blanket on the floor, plopping down on it rather gracelessly and letting her head fall back against the couch.

"I'm exhausted," she said.

"Would you rather go to sleep?" he asked her, concern lacing his tone as he sat down next to her, but Regina smirked and bent forward, removing her shirt and taking one of the s'mores from the plate, catching a dollop of melted chocolate with her finger and smearing it across her chest, right above where the swells of her breasts peeked out from her bra.

"No, I want you to get over here and lick this off me," she told him, and Robin bit his lip as he drank her in, then moved closer and darted his tongue out to lick the chocolate from her chest, moaning at the taste of it mixed with her skin.

"Good?" she asked, grinning mischievously at him. He had no idea what had gotten into her, but he loved that she was being so playful, so free, and so he encouraged it, taking the s'more from her and scooping out some chocolate and marshmallow dripping from it with his finger, hovering it by her face, waiting for her to bend forward and take it into her mouth. She didn't disappoint, sucking and licking his finger clean before she awkwardly shimmied out of her skirt and rested her head against the couch again, and Robin followed her like a magnet, his lips locking with hers as he pulled the top cracker off and proceeded to paint stripes of the filling all over her exposed skin.

Their exchange was hot and sticky, with Regina sporting melted chocolate and marshmallow on her neck, chest and ribcage, Robin eagerly licking it off and nipping at her skin as he traveled down her body, groaning as he removed her underwear and sucked at her clit, smearing chocolate on her inner thighs and licking that off, too, before heading back for her center and plunging his tongue into her, fingers spreading her for him while she thrashed and gasped under him.

Pushing herself back up, she moved to straddle him, landing her bare breasts in his line of sight, her eyes darkening as he dotted small drops of chocolate near her nipples. Robin sucked one of the tiny peaks into his mouth, tongue swirling around it to catch all the chocolate, and Regina's hands went into his hair, pulling a little as she gasped in his ear.

"You know, I quite like this dessert," he muttered against her neck a few heated minutes later, and she huffed out a laugh before she used her grip on his hair to tilt his head up towards her, lips crashing into his, tongues fighting for dominance even as she began to rock her hips over him, seeking friction to relieve the ache between her thighs.

Within seconds, they were both fully naked, gasping into each other's mouths as Robin slid into her, his back leaning against the couch, giving him a perfect view of her breasts as she rolled her hips against him over and over again, her head falling forward, foreheads touching as they moved together, and his fingers were on her clit as his tongue sought passage into her mouth again. Regina arched her back during a particularly hard thrust, and it took everything in her not to scream, knowing if she did, the boys would surely wake.

"I love feeling you like this," he grunted against her shoulder, rutting his hips harder, faster, his hands holding on to her waist as his shoulder blades smacked against the couch, pushing it so he was leaning further back, his arms locking around her waist to bring her with him, her breasts bouncing over his face with every thrust, and he nipped and sucked and kissed wherever he could reach, one hand moving down and between them so that he could toy with her clit again, moving faster and faster, pressing more firmly over it the closer he got to his orgasm, wanting her to come with him.

When the astounding wave of pleasure hit them, they rode it together, Regina clenching around him and breathing heavily, body sagging forward until his neck was within reach of her mouth, and she bit down hard while he came inside her.

They collapsed on the floor, with Regina smiling wickedly at him as they both caught their breath.

"That was…" he began.

"I know…" she replied, and they laughed at each other as Robin dotted kisses all over her face, licked the remnants of chocolate and marshmallow from her chest.

"Robin?" she asked, breath still short, too spent to move.

"Yes?" he acknowledged, still trying to calm his own breathing as well.

"Pass me a s'more," she said, and he laughed, but complied, turning to find the one they'd used on her smudged into the blanket, having been discarded there, forgotten when they got too caught up on each other. Two more s'mores remained on the plate, though, so he grabbed them, handing one to her and taking the other one for himself, biting into it and humming at the taste.

"Delicious," he told her, "though it tastes better on you."

"Does it, now?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him and smirking.

"Definitely," he assured her, spreading melted chocolate on her bottom lip before kissing her, sucking hard at her lip to get all the chocolate off. It was languid and sweet and fun, their sated bodies relaxed and tangled in one another as they continued to share the treats and laugh at each other.

"I'm moving all my things back to the camp tomorrow," he ventured, and Regina gave a hesitant nod.

"How did your men take it when you told them?"

"It was a mix, really, some of them had already known this would happen. John particularly was unsurprised at my decision, it seems even he knew I was in love with you before I realized it myself," he told her, and she grinned, "others were scandalized at first, Tuck most of all, but they've been very accepting, even asked me to invite you over whenever you'd like. So, come with me tomorrow? We can have lunch after I'm done getting us settled."

"Oh," she said, frowning, "do you… you would like me to go?"

"I wouldn't mind them getting to know you better, seeing what I see in you, but they can be a bit much, so I understand if you'd rather not visit. I can just come here instead."

"It's not that, I just… my track record with the Merry Men isn't good, and they all care deeply for Marian, I wouldn't want to make them uncomfortable."

"Regina—"

"It's just a fact, Robin," she said gently, "I'm not beating myself up over my past at this particular moment, but it is true that I wasn't exactly welcoming to them when you moved them into the castle."

"They got over it. You should, too."

"I just don't want them to hate me, I know how important they are to you, and to Roland."

"You're important to us, too, and they know that. They won't hate you, Regina, trust me," he told her, kissing her forehead and stumbling to his feet, extending an arm out to her.

"Now, how about a shower?" he asked, helping her gather her clothes before they raced up the stairs as quietly as they could and locked themselves up in her room, jumping into the shower and exchanging languid kisses, enjoying the feel of each other's bodies and gently scrubbing off any remaining food from their skin. He washed her hair, loving the way her dark, wet tresses moved through his fingers, and she sighed and let herself bask in being cared for by the man she loved. Because despite her being a villain, despite everything she'd done to warrant his hatred, he loved her, he'd chosen her.

Robin would never forget the look on Marian's face as he left the cabin that afternoon, a bag in his hand carrying his possessions and some of Roland's. She was resigned to this new life, this new time, but he knew she was heartbroken all the same, and it killed him, because despite what she'd done, she was the mother of his child, had once been the love of his life, and it pained him to see her so forlorn. But there was no way to help that now, he would never back down from his choice, would never again give Regina cause to doubt his affections, because he loved her so deeply, so intensely, he refused to try to live without her once more.

"I'm sorry for how things turned out," he told his former wife when they stood by the door.

"Me, too," was her reply, and he could see that she was fighting to keep tears at bay, so he left it at that, simply turning around and walking away.

He made his way to Regina's, where she and Roland were waiting, and after she gave the boy one of their special Eskimo kisses and sent him on his way to her car, Regina took advantage of their few moments alone and tucked a small key in Robin's hand.

"Is this what I think it is?" he asked her, and she nodded with a shy smile.

"I know we agreed that it's too soon to live together, and you and Marian still have some things to work out, but I want you and Roland to be able to come in here whenever you want. I want this to be like a home for you, too. Especially now that you've left yours because of me."

"Regina," he sighed, "thank you for the key, it means more than you know, but make no mistake," he told her earnestly, placing the key in his pocket before dropping the bag on his shoulder to the floor of her porch and taking both her hands in his, kissing her knuckles and looking into her eyes, "you are my home."

"Yes, well, that's very romantic," she said, trying to act annoyed at his flirting and failing, "but you have a child and you're both off to live in the woods again like… like…"

"Like outlaws? Like men of the forest? Like we've been doing all our lives?" he asked with an amused smile on his face.

"Okay, fine, point taken," she said, rolling her eyes playfully at him. Robin then cupped her face in his hands and brought his lips down to hers for a few languid moments before he spoke again.

"I meant what I said. I don't care what happens or where I end up, as long as you're in my life. This, us, that's my home," he told her, kissing her lips briefly. "Your heart," he said, placing a hand above it on her chest, "your courage, your strength—" he continued as he kissed the spot his hand had touched, "your scent—" he moved his nose to her neck and drew in a breath, taking her in and moaning at the sweet cinnamon smell of her, "your smile and that spark you get in your eyes when you look at me—" a kiss on her collarbone, "touching you—" a playful nip at the joint of her neck and shoulder when she let her head fall to the side, "feeling you come apart when I'm inside you and the way you kiss me afterwards, when you're all sleepy and warm in my arms, that's home to me. You are home to me."

He planted another kiss on her neck, the tip of his nose lingering against her skin as she sighed, and then they were startled out of their embrace by Roland, who suddenly poked his head out from behind the car where he was waiting for them.

"Papa! Stop kissing Regina so we can go! Little John is making me hot dogs!" he shouted urgently, bouncing from foot to foot as he watched them. Robin snorted a laugh against her skin, and the absurdity of the moment made Regina smile in amusement, kissing him one last time before she extricated herself from his hold and walked over to Roland, opening the car for him and helping him climb in.

She drove them to the woods, stopping near the Merry Men's camp and parking her car, telling them she'd wait there. Robin, however, saw right through her ploy and insisted she come with him. He wanted to make sure she saw that she was welcome, that he wasn't just saying it to spare her feelings, so he tugged at her hand and dropped kisses on it until she gave in, getting out of the car with them and stepping through the fallen branches and pine needles that covered the floor until they reached the tents.

Everyone was busy on their own thing, none of them realizing they'd arrived until Roland screamed "John! Where are my hot dogs?!" and the men turned to them.

Instantly, a loud cheer broke through the camp when all eyes set on the boy, the men taking turns picking him up and spinning him around until he landed in Little John's arms, giggling all the while. Robin smiled at the exchange while Regina stood off to the side, trying to hide behind his frame, but he wouldn't have it, taking her hand in his and bringing her forward so that she could stand by his side.

The men quieted down again when they saw her, and the silence stretched for a few uncomfortable seconds until Roland bounded back to them, smacking into Regina and wrapping his arms around her legs.

"Regina! Come see my tent!" he said excitedly, taking one of her hands and dragging her with him, eager to show her. The second his little fingers were hooked on hers, she lost all apprehension, forgetting her discomfort as she walked through the camp with him.

Robin smiled tenderly at her as he watched her go, too focused on Roland to notice the way his men were looking at her with disbelief and amusement in their eyes. As she and the boy ducked into his tent and out of sight, everyone turned back to Robin.

It was Alan who spoke first.

"She really is a stunner, isn't she? So out of your league," he joked, and just like that, the silence was gone, the men erupting in laughter and clapping Robin's back as they welcomed him back to the forest, and he had to admit that as much as he had liked giving his son a proper house to live in, he was glad to be back amongst his brothers.

Roland had enlisted Regina into helping him decorate his tent when Alan walked in and insisted on needing the boy for a very important mission. Regina nodded and smiled pleasantly, promising Roland she'd stay and keep setting everything up while he helped his friend.

"Your majesty," Alan said with a short bow and a wink, and she shook her head at him.

"Just Regina, please," she said, and Alan smirked.

"Alright, then, Regina," he said as he tipped his head at her. He then grabbed Roland, dumped him unceremoniously over his shoulder and stepped out of the tent, the boy's giggles carrying off through the entire encampment.

"It's nice to hear that again, his laughter," a voice said from the entrance, and Regina looked up to find Little John gazing back at her.

"He's a very special boy," she agreed as she arranged some of his toys in the small wooden chest they'd brought with them from the house. John nodded in agreement.

"I wanted to thank you. Robin told us what you did, how you saved the lad," he said then, and she noticed how his voice seemed to tighten a little when the thought of Roland getting hurt crossed his mind. Regina shook her head at him.

"He saved me first, and I'd never let anything happen to him."

"You love him." It wasn't a question, but she answered anyway.

"Yes. Very much."

"And you love Robin."

"I do."

"They're family to me, to all of us," he said brusquely.

"I know," Regina said, and she suspected she was about to get 'The Talk' from him, that threatening speech where harm was promised to her if she ever hurt Robin or Roland. But John's face softened, a slow grin spreading.

"That means you're family, too, never forget that," he told her then, and Regina's eyes widened in surprise, it seemed she wasn't getting a talking-to after all. She was startled, not expecting the man in front of her to be so accepting considering how awful she'd been to him back at the castle.

"I was horrible to you all," she said, and John nodded, looking amused.

"Yes, you most definitely were, but you saved my godson and protected my best friend, I think that makes us even," he winked at her, offering a hand and grasping hers when she stretched it out for him.

"Regina, I got you berries!" Roland's voice said excitedly as he walked back into the tent, offering up his tiny hand to her and showing her the red fruit that rested there. Regina smiled, moving to kneel in front of him and leaning back a little, so that there was enough space between them for him to throw the berries at her. She caught a few with her mouth, chewing on them and smirking at the boy as he regaled John with the mission Alan had recruited him for.

"I picked berries for everyone!" he happily recounted as he bounced onto John's outstretched arms.

"That's wonderful! We'll make a forest man out of you, yet!" he replied, tickling Roland and laughing right along with him, and the sight warmed Regina's heart.

"Now," he continued, "if I remember correctly, you said something about hot dogs?"

Roland leapt back to the floor excitedly, tugging on John's hand and demanding that he make many hot dogs because he was so hungry he could "eat a house as big as Regina's!"

Before the boy left the tent, though, he suddenly stopped, telling his godfather he'd be right out and turning back as if he'd just remembered something. He then made his way back to her.

"Come eat hot dogs with me, Regina?" he asked, all dimples and sweet innocence.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sure the Merry Men want you all to themselves right now. They've missed you so much," she said, trying to sound reassuring and giving him a nervous smile, but Roland was his father's son, and like Robin, he could sense her apprehension. He took her hand in both of his gently, looking up at her face with a huge smile.

"Don't be scared, I'm your knight, I'll take care of you," he said, sounding so much like a grownup that Regina felt tears spring to her eyes.

"Well, with an offer like that, how can I refuse?" she told him, smiling as she let him hold her hand and lead her out of the tent and towards the hearth where the men were gathered, Robin talking excitedly with Alan before setting eyes on them and stopping altogether, patting his friend on the shoulder and making his excuses before he walked towards her, cupping her face with his hands, thumbs stroking her cheekbones as Roland ran off to join Alan and Tuck.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, having noticed her watery eyes. She nodded, smiling tearfully at him.

"I'm okay. Your son seems to have inherited that ability you have to see right through me, is all," she told him, and Robin laughed lightly, planting a chaste kiss on her lips and dropping his hands to hold hers, leading her further into the group. A hush fell over the men, most of them staring at her while a few others refused to look up from their food, still uncertain about having her there.

"Welcome, your majesty," Tuck said quietly as he stood in front of her with an impeccably straight posture that somehow seemed strange on him. She shook his hand nervously, and then Alan snorted a laugh.

"Take the stick out of your arse, Tuck, she's here to eat, not grant you a knighthood," he said, and everyone began to laugh, Robin included, muffling his guffaw against her shoulder, and Regina's tension eased a little when Tuck smiled at her and shook his head, relaxing his rigid stance.

"Call me Regina," she told him, and then Roland was running towards her, yelling "catch me, Regina!" at the top of his lungs. She had no time to prepare, but managed to catch him in her arms anyway, lifting him up and spinning him around before rubbing her nose against his. Roland giggled in her embrace, Robin coming to wrap his arms around her waist from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Papa, you can sit with John," he told his father, then turned back to the woman holding him, "Regina sits with me."

"Oh? You're not willing to share her, then?" Robin asked, tightening his hold on her.

"Nope!" he declared, laughing at the way his father was pouting at him. Regina leaned the side of her face against Robin's for a moment before he let her go with a chuckle, planting a smooch on her cheek before he followed his son's order and dutifully sat next to John on a log by the fire.

Regina carried Roland to the spot he'd chosen for them and sat down with him on her lap, the smell of the food wafting towards her and awakening her stomach.

While they ate, Regina remained hesitant, though nevertheless gracious, as the men pestered her with questions about anything and everything, and she answered as best she could while still keeping to herself whatever details she didn't wish to disclose. It made her jumpy, how curious they all were about her, and Robin noticed it, moving closer to her and landing his hand on her bouncing knee, the warmth of his touch soothing her nerves.

It was as Robin was wrapping his arm around her that Marian showed up. Everyone froze, staring at her, and Regina saw out of the corner of her eye the way Tuck looked guiltily up at Robin's former wife.

"Mama?" Roland asked when he saw her, and Marian beamed at her son.

"Hi, baby," she said, sniffling, and Regina could feel Robin stiffening next to her.

"This is not what we agreed on, Marian," he said to her, his voice low and emotionless, but they all knew he was livid and only hiding it for his son's benefit.

"I know, but I can't wait any longer," she said with tears in her eyes. Robin made to get up, his skin prickling with anger, but Regina put a hand on his arm, forcing him back to his seat.

"He is her son, too," she reminded him, then turned to Roland, "sweetheart, why don't you go take a walk with your mother? She wants to talk to you."

"Will you come with us?" he asked her, still nervous around Marian.

"I actually wanted to talk to you as well, your majesty," Marian said, so Regina nodded, taking Roland's hand and walking slowly up to the woman who'd threatened her son. There was no chance for nerves now, and she was every bit the queen as she walked towards Marian, head held high as she clasped Roland's hand firmly. Robin watched them go, wanting desperately to follow, but Alan stopped him.

"Leave them to it, mate, if she needs you she'll call for you," he told him, and he knew he was right, so he exhaled, told Regina he'd be right there waiting for her, and let her go alone.

Once away from prying eyes, Regina looked down at Roland.

"Why don't you go get some berries for your mother?" she asked him, and the boy nodded happily, skipping towards the bushes nearby to gather fruit. Marian breathed deeply, watching her son for a few minutes before turning back to Regina.

"I'm so sorry," there was desperation in her voice, a despair Regina knew too well.

"I know," she replied.

"I didn't mean for that girl to harm anyone, I just wanted her to scare you."

"So that I would surrender."

"Yes."

"So that she could kill me," Regina said then, and Marian looked away for a moment, but then admitted it, not wanting to leave any secrets floating around.

"Yes."

"I hope your failure to do so has taught you not to attempt it again."

"It has. I didn't want… my son, he almost… I can't believe I did that," Marian cried.

"He's fine now."

"Thanks to you."

"He saved me."

"Because he loves you."

"And I love him. You may be his mother, but make no mistake, I still have magic, and I am still powerful. I will not think twice next time you put him, Robin, or my son in danger," Regina seethed.

"It won't happen again," Marian promised.

"I'm glad we agree on something," was Regina's reply. She was being harsh, she knew, but here was the woman who had wanted to endanger Henry, had almost gotten Roland killed, and while Regina felt guilty for what her relationship with Robin had led Marian to do, she couldn't find it in herself to feel sorry for her, not anymore.

"Can I ask just one thing?" the woman interrupted her thoughts.

"Go ahead."

"Take care of them," was all Marian could say, tears rolling down her face. Regina gave her a curt nod in return and walked away, giving Roland a private moment with his mother, but she didn't stray too far, hiding behind a tree to keep an eye on them in case Marian decided to do something drastic again.

"Roland, can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked as she took a seat on a fallen log, and the boy picked one last berry and trotted over to her, offering her the fruit. Marian took a few berries in one hand and patted a spot next to her on the log with the other.

"Where's Regina?" he asked, his eyes scanning the woods for her urgently.

"She's with your father," Marian answered, almost succeeding in masking her bitter tone, but not quite.

"Mama, did I make you sad because I told Regina to come walk with us?"

"No, baby, not at all, I just needed a moment alone with you."

"Why?"

"I wanted to apologize."

"Did you do something bad?" he asked, and Marian took a deep breath, moving from the log so she could kneel in front of him and look him in the eye as she spoke.

"I did. You see, I was… jealous, of Regina, I mean. It made me mad that you and your papa had a life with her, without me, so I… I sent the ice queen after her," she confessed, and Roland's eyes widened.

"Mama, that's a wicked thing to do," he said sadly.

"I know, sweetheart, that's why I wanted to apologize to you. You risked your life to save her from Elsa, and then Regina did the same for you. I thought she was still evil, I didn't think you would love each other so much."

"But I do, I'm her knight! I save her and I protect her," he said proudly.

"Yes, you do. I'm so sorry, baby, I was mean and petty and I put you in danger for it, and I am so, so sorry," she said, sobbing now as she sank down and put her head on her son's lap. Roland's little hand moved to her hair, patting her head gently.

"It's okay, mama," he told her.

"It's not, I'm a bad person for everything I did to you."

"Regina was bad once. But she said she was sorry, like you, and now she's good, she loves me."

"I know she does," she said, looking up at him.

"You love me, too, right?"

"More than anything."

"Okay, then you can be good again, too."

"Do you… do you think you can love me back at some point?"

"I love you already, mama," he said with a giggle, as if her proposal was the silliest idea he'd ever heard, but the relief in Marian's exhale, the tremble in her voice as she told him she loved him too, it made Regina's heart clench for the woman, because if anyone knew how much an I love you from your child could drag you out of your own darkness, it was Regina Mills.

"Can you forgive me, Roland? For all the bad things I did?" Marian was asking, hugging her son tightly and carding her fingers through his thick curls.

"I forgive you, mama," he said, his voice muffled against his mother's cloak, and Regina smiled before quietly leaving them to it, making her way back to camp.

"Where's Roland?" Robin asked when he spotted her.

"He's alright, they'll be here soon, just give them a moment."

"Everything alright?" he asked, enveloping her in his arms.

"Yes, nothing to worry about," she said, easing away from his hold when he tried to kiss her. Robin frowned, it wasn't like her to deny him, not anymore. But then, he supposed she felt guilty, uncertain still about being here with his men and the woman that up until two days ago had been his wife lurking about and watching them.

"I'm sorry," he immediately apologized, and a different kind of guilt flashed through her then, guilt at turning down his affections over her own insecurities.

"No, I'm sorry, I… I just…" she felt caught between a rock and a hard place at the moment and had no idea how to voice it, but Robin knew, he must have, because he took her hand in one of his and kissed her fingers.

"I know, I understand. It wasn't my intention to make you uncomfortable," he told her, his eyes sincere and open and so, so blue. Regina swallowed her nerves for the few seconds it took her to lean forward and give him a chaste but reassuring kiss, drawing back and telling him she should get going, she was supposed to meet with Emma so they could figure out how to open the portal back to Arendelle.

Robin watched her say her goodbyes to his friends and to Roland when he popped out of the trees with Marian. After another Eskimo kiss and the promise that they'd eat ice cream next time they saw each other, Regina headed back to her car. Robin walked with her, pressing her against the cold metal and kissing her senseless, unable to resist the heat of her mouth and the sighs that left her when he buried his fingers in her hair. She hummed in satisfaction when they parted, pecked his lips once more, and then sent him on his way back to his men, driving off with a small smile on her face.

I'm working on the final few scenes so hopefully you guys will have the last of this fic posted sometime in the coming week, provided work doesn't exhaust me and I'm able to get some writing done when I get home. Hope you guys liked this chapter!

-B