This is it, the final installment.

Thank you for reading, favoriting and not giving up on me when I got stuck and let this story negleted for long periods at a time.

Happy ending, of course, and no mention of the canon that still makes me frown.


Epilogue


Regina felt butterflies in her stomach and a heavy weight on her chest. Her throat was dry and her head buzzing, sweat staining her hands in a most unladylike fashion. She could honestly not recall being this nervous since gazing at Henry's prone form on the bed, few seconds before her curse had been broken, and not really knowing if he would come back from her desperate, misdirected use of a poisoned apple.

Sighing, she straightened her back, ignoring the people rushing by her with amused smirks on their faces. Their lack of fear was also something greatly adding to her discomfort. When had that happened?

"R'gina!"

The excited voice of the five-year-old pierced her odd and uncomfortable thoughts, bringing her focus back to the real world and his bouncing, smiling figure. She felt a smile bloom on her own lips, sure that his adorable dimples could melt any heart of ice. His small hand was firmly attached to his father's larger one, the man's grip bellying the bad experienced of having the boy chase off into traffic in his excitement. Regina recalled the horrified look on Robin's face as he had revealed that to her some days before.

He had seemed to adapt so well to Storybrooke's more modern and strange world that sometimes she forgot how different things had really been in the Enchanted Forest. No matter her latent memories on his mind, surely some things only became real when you had direct contact with them. Racing cars faster than any carried pulled by horses were one of them.

Finally at a safe distance, Robin released Roland's hand and the boy shot towards her, crashing into her body and instantly wrapping his hand around her waist. No fear, no hesitation. Surely she had been something to fear back in the old world, even if only as an idea, The Evil Queen, all capital letters and horrific tales to go along with it. Children didn't need to really see her to fear her evil self.

Roland seemed oblivious to it.

She hugged him back, hand on the back of his curly, soft head.

She also narrowed her eyes at Robin's amused smirk. "What?"

"Did you know, milady, that Roland actually met you in the Enchanted Forest, a few weeks before your capture and subsequent failed execution?" It was strange to hear him talk about it so easily, no hidden meanings or judgement in his voice. His acceptance of her was also something she failed to understand, even if she remained incredibly grateful for it.

"No… I didn't know." She paused and really thought about it. "I don't remember meeting him,"

"Apparently, he saw you in the market, waved at you and used his dimpled charm, before Little John realized he was interacting with the Evil Queen and whisked him away."

How strange. How familiar. "I… I think I remember now. The odd little boy who wasn't afraid."

"I remember!" Roland added, pulling away from her, only enough to smile widely, though not relinquishing his hold on her waist. He turned serious for a moment. "You looked sad".

His seriousness was short lived, though, a new smile overtaking his cheeks as he again bounced on his feet. Bless short attention spans. "R'gina, can we get ice-cream. Please?"

She would definitely have to work on resisting his charms. As a mother, she was extremely against ice-cream every day. "Sure, honey. What is your favorite flavor?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't tried all the flavors yet", he told her seriously and she laughed.

"Shall we see what today's flavor is going to be?" She pulled away, offered him her hand and he easily accepted it.

Robin was all smiles as he came towards them and slipped an arm around her waist. She was still getting used to this open and very public shows of affection, but she couldn't quite convince him or her that she didn't like it. "Have we met before, as well, thief?"

Her tease brought a serious glint to his eyes as he faced her, though their strides never faltered. "Apparently, almost. Several times."

Regina frowned at his reply and tilted her head. "I don't understand. I know I had a prize on your head, but I never actively chased you like I chased Snow. Did I narrowly missed capturing you more times than I had realized?"

"No. Us meeting was bad business to the Dark One, I'm told. He prevented our meeting even before you were queen."

Regina was sure she would never lose the impetus part of her that wanted to drop everything and go make crescent moons on Rumplestiltskin scrawny neck. She had known her life had been manipulated to serve his needs, but she hadn't known the extent of it. Robin's arm was around her, Roland was chatting and bouncing by her side and somewhere in the ice-cream shop, Henry was waiting to meet them for some family time.

The Dark One had taken enough of her time and her life, she decided.

Smoothing her wrinkled forehead and allowing the tension from her shoulders to ease, Regina gazed into Robin's eyes and was grateful to know that, despite everything, he was there with her now. The town didn't hate her much anymore, Henry was calling her mom and always eager for their time together, even when she had to reprimand him for dropping his shoes at the stairs, Emma and her were on semi-good terms. Life was filled with possibilities and years, a future for once bright and real within her grasp.

This was it, what she had always desired. And for once, she could say without hesitation or false cheer, that she was happy.

Regina was happy.

She smiled and climbed the steps to the ice-cream parlor - the only one Storybooke had -, teasing him with a lustful gaze as Robin opened to door for her and Roland to go through and he fumbled in response. Henry's voice calling to them was the last cheery in the perfect sunday of her life right then.


THE END