3.14

Extinguish these miseries,

since no one else can stamp them out;

and may my eyes behold you,

because you are their light,

and I would open them to you alone.

"It's a little much," Robin told Regina.

"It's a nursery. It's where children stay!"

"Regina…"

"You can sleep in the forest, but not Roland," Regina insisted. "He's a child. He sleeps in the nursery. There's a room for the nanny, or, if you wish, for you."

Letting it hang in the air.

The uneasy subject of where to sleep.

And where she would sleep.

"I would like to take the nanny's room, to be close to Roland," Robin said.

Regina nodded. Of course he would.

They hadn't spoken of it since.

And then there was the new "aren't we all one big happy family" issue.

Snow was remarkably eager to move forward and let the past be past.

"Of course she is, Regina," Robin told her, "she murdered your mother."

And Belle?

Regina had always carefully kept a nice distance from Bookworm, but of course she sought her out wanting to see the library. Regina almost sheepishly offered to stock it with whatever she wished.

Belle had thanked her.

Regina had started to speak and then Belle stopped her. "Rumple murdered to get to his son. He manipulated you to cast the curse. How could I condemn you for being something the man I love created?"

The man she loves. Regina almost pitied her. The little girl would never get over him.

Belle picked up a book and causally perused it as she commented, "You imprisoned and cursed me to become Lacey. She's still with me. I know what it's like now." Belle then met her eyes, "I have to forgive you since I forgave him. We all have been cursed, and I cannot think of a worse one than to have an evil mother."

And that was that.

All were guilty, so why not become each other's bffs?

After all, the fact that they had all done despicable things to each other was an odd bond between them now. Maybe more powerful than love.

And her love….he was always with her, standing by her, and when she wasn't with him she missed him horribly. Sometimes she did go to his room near the nursery, and he never commented, never turned her away.

She couldn't be away from him, and apparently he her.

He was her strength. She understood completely what Rumplestiltskin meant when he said that to Belle.

But no more talk of marriage or anything else about the future. All was consumed in concerns over Zelena and how to move forward in defeating her.

Oddly, everything else moved forward too, as more of the trappings of their former court retuned.

When the little Tower Princess returned on Blue Eyes' arm, they were all together, nobles and royalty, she chatting with Robin and Belle, away from the group, yet still a part of it.

It was so normal that sometimes she almost forgot to miss Henry.

But only almost.

Those were the times which they were closest, and Robin would be with her through it, talking, holding her, kissing her, anything she needed. And her Roland was always there too. Her little boy.

She tried to ask Robin what he needed from her since he gave so much, and he would always respond, "Nothing right now."

Maybe later.

Later.