A/N: Hi all. So I got a few more questions that I thought I should answer. Firstly, some people were confused as to why Robin had to take the baby. He took the baby so that Zelena would go after her and take her, then the prophecy in which the baby girl would be the Wicked Witch's undoing would happen all over again, like it did at the barn in the first place. It was supposed to sort of give the hint that Robin explained the plan to Regina before the baby was born but Regina was still hesitant.
Secondly, someone asked if we will be seeing any more flashbacks to the lost years. Unfortunately the flashbacks to those two years in the Enchanted Forest are finished, but in a few chapters, we will be seeing flashbacks to much farther back exploring into the backstories of a few particular characters. You will find out soon.
Enjoy the chapter!
He moved swiftly down the corridor, the tiny newborn nestled safely in his arms. His heart was beating fast. For some reason, he still worried that it would end up like last time; that he would enter the room and once again find out that his wife had met her tragic end. A few more steps and he would know for sure; he would discover whether or not he truly could change Regina's destiny.
And as he stepped through the door, he stared over at the image before him. The beautiful brunette sitting comfortably in bed, smiling up at him, while their two boys sat on either side of her. Henry sat at her left while Roland snuggled up on her right.
The moment his eyes met with hers, he smiled. She was alright; no harm had come to her. As he walked toward his family, Robin reveled in the thought that his journey and his efforts were not in vain. He was able to get her back; he was able to have this moment and watch his sons meet their new sister without having to also mourn their mother. This was the way it was supposed to be.
With a smile, he handed the baby back to her mother. They listened to her fuss slightly until finding a comfortable position nestled against her mother's chest, her hand resting in a tiny fist and reaching upward.
"Henry," Regina began. "Roland, meet your new sister. Sara."
The older boy smiled, happy to welcome the little one into the family. The younger one stared curiously, leaning forward to get a good look at her. With a hand on his mother's shoulder as he peeked over, he reached forward and gently touched the baby's small, wrinkled hand.
"She's really tiny," Roland commented, invoking a chuckle from his father.
"Believe it or not, my boy, you were once that small too," Robin replied. He laughed again at the way Roland lifted his brow in disbelief.
As the light-haired man sat down at the end of the bed, Henry looked to him and asked, "So, what happened with Zelena?"
Glancing at his wife and then back to the boy, Robin answered as simply as he could. "We were able to defeat the Wicked Witch and now Emma and Hook are bringing her back to the Sheriff's Station."
"What are you guys going to do with her?" The teenager asked curiously.
"I honestly don't know, my boy," Robin replied truthfully. "I'm really not sure that I care either." Watching his family give him an odd look, Robin continued, "Because all that matters now is that our family is safe and sound, and that we are all happy and healthy." As he finished, the family listened to the baby in Regina's arms let out a cry. Robin chuckled. "Well, at least most of us are happy."
The brunette, with a loving smile, patted the baby's bottom as she shushed her. It seemed that the child simply needed a reminder that she was safe and surrounded by her family. As soon as she realized that, she began to calm and settle down again. Once she did, a young nurse entered the room announcing that she wished to take the baby to the NICU just to be checked on. With a nod, Regina passed the infant over to the nurse and allowed her to exit, leaving the rest of the family.
As soon as the young nurse left, Robin stood up. He looked to the boys and said, "I think we should leave your mother to rest a bit. It's been quite a long day." Robin watched both boys say goodbye to Regina, giving her loving kisses and hugs before exiting the room. As they did, Robin took a moment to lean forward and kiss her tenderly. With a smirk as their lips parted, he commented, "Now maybe we can finally have some peace in our lives."
With a chuckle, Regina replied, "Dear, we just had a baby. Don't expect for things to become peaceful any time soon." She reached forward and caressed his cheek as they both let out soft laughs.
"We'll figure it out." Placing another kiss on her lips, he then whispered, "Goodnight."
0-0-0
A Few Days Later
"I'll be just a minute," she explained to him.
Robin stared at her with concern. "Are you sure you wish to do this?" he asked.
She nodded. Staring at the set of glass doors before her, she replied, "I have to do this." With a sigh, she continued, "She is my sister after all."
Robin responded. "Just be careful."
Regina rolled her eyes slightly. The woman was locked up and her magic was gone. She was nothing but ordinary now and she couldn't really hurt her. But Regina knew how he worried, so she nodded her head and kissed his cheek lovingly before stepping inside the Sheriff's Station.
As she entered the room, Regina glanced over at the redheaded woman locked up in the right jail cell. She just sat there, wrapped in the only wool blanket that had been provided. Regina could see the bitterness in her expression. She just stared at the wall, perhaps contemplating something, but she didn't move a muscle. She didn't pace the stall furiously; wasn't trying to find a way to escape. She was simply sulking like a child who had just been scolded by its parent.
Regina placed a chair in front of the cell, sat in front of the other woman, and crossed her legs with her hands set comfortably on her lap. "Zelena." She broke the silence. "I want you to talk to me."
There was no response for the next few moments. The prisoner refused to even turn her head and look at the brunette. Listening to her say her name once more, the woman finally said, "Why, Regina? Why do you want me to talk to you? So I can be apart of your gloating and your bragging? Well, it's already news to me. You won. Now leave me alone."
"Leave you alone for what?" Regina refuted. "To sulk some more? What would be the point in that?" With a sigh, Regina continued, "And for your information, I didn't come here to gloat. I came here to try to help you." She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head slightly. "I've been where you are now."
With a scoff, Zelena rolled her eyes and commented, "I'd rather you just kill me and get it over with than be forced to listen to this bloody nonsense."
"I'm not going to kill you. On the contrary, I'm going to give you something that not many people in your position get."
"And what is that?" the woman replied with attitude.
"I'm going to give you what I got. A second chance." She watched her sister chuckle in disbelief. "Believe me, you'll want it. Because if I hadn't been given a second chance, a chance to be better, to be good; if I had killed Snow White as I intended, I would have never come to this land, I would not be with these people, and wouldn't have my family."
Zelena glared at her sister, furious with the way she was smiling. She may have claimed that she was not going to gloat, but this sure seemed like it. Zelena felt herself clenching her jaw tightly, grinding her teeth. "What if I don't want it?"
Shaking her head, Regina replied, "I suggest you not be stubborn in a moment like this. Don't make that mistake." Standing from her seat, she continued, "I want you take it; use it. Give yourself a new destiny."
As Regina stared at the woman in the jail cell, something suddenly hit her. She remembered that moment; that time when it was she who was confined to a cell, and Snow was the one trying to convince her to take that second chance. She wondered if it would work as she stared down at the lock. Perhaps Zelena just needed that chance, that push, which Regina was once given too.
The witch watched the brunette shuffle through her purse for a second before pulling out a set of keys. She stared curiously, not entirely sure of what Regina was doing. As she went to unlock Zelena's jail cell, the redhead asked, "What are you doing?"
Hearing the click of the lock, Regina began to open up the door. She replied, "I know you're not going to do this without a little help."
Zelena looked at her seemingly startled. Was Regina really doing this, letting her go? It seemed to be that way, but the other woman couldn't help but suspect that something else was up. "Are you trying to trick me or something?" she asked, discarding the blanket and getting to her feet.
Regina shook her head. She explained, "There is a celebration for your niece happening over at Granny's in about an hour. I thought perhaps you would like to join us." She couldn't believe she was doing this right now, really taking this chance. But she continued to hold the door open, hoping that some good could come of doing this.
Zelena found herself conflicted. She stared at her sister, still suspicious of her intent. But at the same time, did she really want to be locked up in that cell forever? With a quieter tone of voice, she said, "They will all just want to kill me."
"I won't let them. But I can assure you it's not going to be easy." She paused. "There are always consequences to your actions… but with time, they will forgive you and move on. I have."
"You have?" Zelena asked with some attitude.
"I learned a long time ago that it is better to just forgive and forget than hold grudges and remain miserable," Regina replied with a grin. She noticed how Zelena bowed her head, thinking just for a moment. "So, are you coming or would you rather stay here?" Without a reply, Zelena stared up at her sister and managed a grin. It may have been an act, but Regina remained confident. As her sister began to walk past her and out of the cell, Regina quickly took her hand and stopped her. "But," she warned, "if you attempt anything, especially anything with my family, I will not hesitate in taking you down."
Zelena looked into the brunette's dark eyes, nodded, and replied, "Fair enough."
0-0-0
Robin's eyes grew wide the moment he saw the Wicked Witch emerging freely beside his wife. Instinctively, he stepped in front of his children in a protective manner, which made Zelena stop in her tracks.
"Regina, what are you doing?" He asked with great concern.
The first thing she said in return was, "She's not going to hurt anyone. She's powerless; you know that." The confusion in her husband's eyes remained. She then answered his question, "I'm giving her what I was given a long time ago. She deserves a second chance as much as anyone else, Robin."
"Love, she tried to kill us only a few days ago." Directing his hand toward her, he continued, "Don't you think she should as least be restrained?"
"You know I can hear you," Zelena chimed in.
"It's a valid question considering the things you've attempted only recently," Robin refuted.
"I'm not restraining her. I feel the loss of her magic is enough of a restriction. And she won't leave our sight." Regina could see how Robin was still incredibly hesitant to allow this. She could understand why. She used to be in Zelena's place, noticing the same expressions in the Charmings and most of the town.
She stared straight into her husband's eyes, not just sympathy resonating inside of her for her sister, but clear empathy. It took him a short while, but eventually he could see that. Regina had no other living blood relatives; her mother, her father, they were gone. He could see that, though she knew it would take a while, she wanted to have that connection with her sister because she had never had that before. She had that hope.
Gently placing one hand on Henry's back and the other on Roland's head, Robin remained protective but no longer in fear of what the other woman might do. "Boys," he finally said, "I suppose you should meet your Aunt Zelena."
"Hi," Henry said.
"Hi," Roland followed.
Awkwardly, Zelena just nodded her head in response. This was strange and, believe it or not, a bit uncomfortable. As Regina mentioned that she was going to be joining them for the party at Granny's, the younger boy approached her, holding out his hand. It took the redhead a moment before realizing that he wished for her to take it.
As she finally complied with the boy's request, taking his small hand in hers, the boy spoke to her, "We are going to get ice cream first," and then began leading her down the sidewalk. Henry walked on the other side of the woman.
"Do you really think this a good idea?" Robin asked his wife.
Regina placed her hand in his and replied as they followed along, "I do. She's not going to change without a little push. I couldn't without Henry and Snow and you. She won't be able to without us. It always starts with one person trusting her and believing that she can do it."
0-0-0
They walked side by side. Henry and Roland each with ice cream cones in their hands, Roland still possessing a good grip on Zelena's, continued to question their long lost aunt. Knowing that their mother and father found some trust in her, both boys felt that they could do the same.
On occasion, Regina and Robin would glance back to check on the three. It even seemed that, with time, Zelena was becoming a bit more comfortable, though it was clear that she was apprehensive about the rest of the town. She wasn't sure if Regina really was truthful when she vowed that no one would go after her, or if she was currently being lead to her death.
Regina could see that hint of anxiousness in Zelena's light green eyes. She couldn't blame her; she had once felt the same. But as she had said to her in the Sheriff's Station, it was surely not going to be easy.
As she glanced back at her husband, Regina noticed how he too seemed anxious. "You're still not sure about this, are you?" she asked him, though the answer was already clear.
"In all honesty, Regina, no, I am not." He shook his head, staring down at the sleeping infant in the stroller as he pushed it down the sidewalk. "You cannot expect me to trust her after what she tried to do to us, to you."
"You know what I said before. She—"
He cut her off. "That doesn't mean I welcome her into my family."
"Our family," Regina corrected firmly, as if trying to put Robin in his place. "You're not the only one who has a say."
"Neither are you, Regina," he refuted. He noticed the look of slight insult on her face. He continued, "Do you have any idea how afraid I was when seeing that woman, free of her bonds and walking right beside you as you left the station? She tried to kill you; she tormented you for months, and she took our daughter from us. How can you expect me to trust her around my family, in my home?"
"Because I thought you trusted me enough." Her dark eyes painfully stared into his.
She was hurt; not even by the fact that he clearly didn't trust her word, but by the fact that even after she corrected him and tried to make him see that they were equals in their marriage and their home and family, he continued to act as if it was only he who possessed them. He had never acted that way before. He was always the one who made sure that she knew that she was his equal. What had become of him?
She didn't want to know. With a single nod of her head, Regina just turned away and remained silent as they continued to walk.
In the midst of the silence, the couple suddenly heard a scream from behind. As they both turned, they noticed Zelena crouched over in pain and clutching her chest. Regina quickly went to her. As she tried to help her by placing her hands to her shoulders, Zelena quickly shrugged her off.
"Don't touch me!" she exclaimed, still not partial to her sister in any way.
"Then just tell me what is happening," Regina demanded, concerned for the woman.
"My medallion," Zelena replied with a deep breath as she finally felt the pain decreasing. With a sigh, she continued, "It's been destroyed." Her eyes panned upwards, glaring at Regina, as if blaming her for it.
"Don't look at me like that."
"You were the last person who had it!" Zelena refuted angrily as she stood up straight.
"And then I put it safely in my vault so that no one could get to it," Regina replied.
"Well, it appears your bloody vault isn't as impenetrable as you originally suspected," Zelena commented snidely. "Now my magic is completely gone!" Instantly, the entire family found themselves shaken about by a large unknown burst.
Robin's eyes widened though, for he knew what had just occurred. Turning his head towards the direction of the farmhouse, there stood the large beam of magic coming from Zelena's time portal. It didn't make sense, though. Didn't she have to be dead for the thing to have opened up?
"What is that?" Henry asked.
With a raised brow, Zelena commented, "Well, it seems to be my time portal." Even she seemed confused as to what was going on. After all she had suffered through, the destruction of her pendant was all that was necessary?
Regina, hearing Sara let out a loud cry, quickly went to her and lifted her into her arms. "What do you suppose we do about it?" she asked.
"Well we can't just leave the bloody thing there," Robin claimed. "No telling who might take advantage of it." With that comment, the thief received a wicked glare from the redhead. "Come with me," he said to her.
"What?" Zelena asked confused.
"This is your mess and you are going to help me clean it up. Regina will stay here with the children."
With a raised brow, the woman replied, "What makes you think I won't do as I intended before?"
"Because if you try anything, I'll be right there to stop you," Robin replied firmly.
Though it was a little hard to take him seriously, Zelena shook her head slightly and shrugged her shoulders. "Fine." Together the witch and the thief headed out to the farmhouse in hopes of ridding of the time portal before anything worse could occur.
0-0-0
When they finally arrived at the barn, the time portal had ceased, ruining Zelena's hopes of fulfilling her plan and making Robin more anxious as to what might have occurred to make it stop.
"Well, I suppose we should take a look," Zelena commented, beginning to head into the barn.
Instantly, Robin grabbed her. "I don't think so," he replied. He was not taking the chance and allowing her to go inside first. He stepped in front of her, still holding her arm firmly, and entered the barn.
The sudden sight made the man's eyes widen. There, carved into the wooden wall, was his name: Robin Hood. He was speechless, confused. How could this have happened? What exactly did happen?
"Well," Zelena couldn't lose this opportunity to tease the thief. "Looks like a friend of yours."
"How?" Robin finally managed.
"If someone doesn't go in, eventually someone, or something, will come out," Zelena explained. "No telling who, except for the fact that he or she apparently knows you."
Robin could feel his heart beating rapidly. Someone from his past had just emerged from the time portal, and he had no clue who that might be.
So, a lot of people requested that I not bring back Marian. And though I originally intended to bring her back, I thought it would be a bit of a challenge and more fun to do something completely different. So rather than having Marian return, someone else from Robin's past has made his/her way into Storybrooke (the Frozen theme will not exist in this story). And Zelena actually lives and is given her second chance. What do you suppose is going to happen there?
Thank you for reading! And I hope all of my readers who celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday this week had a wonderful time! Thanks again!