Pairings: Robin/Regina, Ruby/Dorothy

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Regina's heels clicked against the station house floor as she made her way to the bullpen. Once inside she made her way over to Robin's desk and draped the garment bag in her hands over it.

"Your suit," she said as she sat down at her own desk and propped her high-heeled feet up on the desk.

He smiled warmly, "Thanks, love."

She smirked, "Where's Bjorgman?"

Just as he opened his mouth to answer pattering footsteps echoed from behind them as Bjorgman came fluttering into the bullpen juggling a garment bag, diaper bag, carrier, and her eight month old daughter.

"Regina," she smiled widely as she caught sight of the other woman, "Thank God you're here! Things have been so crazy this morning. Kristoff had a emergency at the farm...well not like a fire breaking out, broken limbs, armed thief type of emergency...not the type of emergency we deal with. Irina went into labor. It's her first calf so he had to stay for the birth. It was a boy."

"Congratulations?" Regina asked, uncertain of the appropriate response to the announcement of the birth of a baby reindeer.

Apparently she guessed correctly because Anna smiled at her and said, "Thank you! It meant I had to pick up Hannah from daycare, though, and because of that I am so, so late getting ready! Do you think you could watch her for a minute while I run to the locker-room?"

"Well I-"

Before Regina could answer, though, Anna thrust the infant into her arms and took with a "Thanks!"

Catching the baby, Regina sighed in annoyance and shook her head, "How are you not deaf yet listing to that all day?"

"It's not so bad," Robin laughed, "Besides, I can make it through anything after making it through you yelling at me my first two months in the department."

"I did not yell at you for two months!" she responded.

"Well, okay, maybe one month."

Angrily, Regina moved her feet from the desk to shove his chair with the point of her shoe. He simply laughed in response.

Hannah Bjorgman, however, was less than impressed by the jostling, and started wailing in protest.

With a sigh, Regina stood and began bouncing her against her chest. After a few minutes of gentle bouncing as she paced back and forth between the desks her cries turned into intermittent hiccuping sobs.

As the last few died down, Regina looked back at Robin pensively and asked, "Did you really feel like I yelled at you that much?"

Hearing the seriousness of her tone, he looked up from his computer to meet her eyes, "No, lovely, I was only teasing you."

She searched his face, looking for signs he was being insincere...simply telling her what she wanted to hear.

"Regina, is everything alright?" he asked.

Before she could answer, though, they were interrupted by Leroy Mines yelling, "I don't care! Just get it done!"

As he hung up his phone he gaped at Regina, "What are you doing here, Mills? I thought you had the day off?"

"I thought you didn't," she shot back with a raised eyebrow, "I assume that was a personal call, or has Nolan instituted a radically new public interaction policy that I missed the memo on?"

"Har, fucking, har!" Mines grumbled, "It was about the wedding so it's close enough to work-related!"

Regina rolled her eyes, shifting Hannah to one hip. Before she and Mines could really get into it, though, Anna reappeared.

"Thanks," she said as she took back her daughter. The baby girl immediately started whimpering, and reaching back to Regina.

"Sweetie," Anna sighed, bouncing her for a few seconds before giving up and saying sadly, "She likes you better than me."

Regina smiled as she took her back, and set her down on her knees, "Henry was the same way. I'd spend all day trying to calm him down, and...he'd be quiet the moment I put him in Mary-Margaret's arms."

Anna huffed and flopped down in a chair, her skirt spilling over the edges, "What did you do?"

She recalled Mrs. Lucas' bemused observation of her hapless attempts to comfort her hysterical son.

"Stories," she said nostalgically, her attention being drawn back to the present as Hannah Bjorgman's tiny fists tugged at the neckline of her dress, "Although...something tells me she might just be hungry."

"Oh," Anna blushed, gathering up her daughter and their stuff to headed off to find a private place

As she walked past, Robin hid a smirk behind his hand. His eyes met Regina's once Bjorgman was out of an earshot.

"Whatever joke you're about to make, don't!" Regina warned.

"I'll have you know I'm classier than that, Mills," he argued, feigning an insulted look.

"No you aren't," she stated.

"No, I'm not," he laughed, "But I'll be for you."

It was an offhand statement, but it made her uneasy inside.

"Hey," David's voice came from behind her.

She turned to look at him.

"Do you think you could let Mary-Margaret know I'll be a little late? I have to finish up scheduling for next quarter." he said.

Regina raised one eyebrow, "Is your phone broken or are you just using me to avoid your wife?"

"Neither!" he answered irritably, "I just want to get this done, and not having to have a drawn out conversation will mean I can finish more quickly."

That wasn't a totally satisfying answer, but she finally agreed with a sigh, "Fine, I'll send her a text."

"Thank you," David said gratefully, "I promise I'll be there before the ceremony!"

"Uh huh," Regina grunted as he hurried off to his office.

"Well," Robin checked his watch, "I guess that means I'd better go get ready too."

While, he was gone, Regina took out her phone and relayed the message to Mary-Margaret.

Robin returned around the same time as Anna and her daughter. Mines, having finished yelling at yet another person on the phone, joined their gathering.

"We ready to get to this thing?" he grunted

"Yep," Anna chirped, "Kristoff is waiting outside. We have take Hannah to my sister's before we head over."

Robin slid his hand into hers as they followed the group outside. Anna broke away to climb into her husband's truck

"Did you want ride with us?" Robin asked Leroy, still holding her hand as he lead them to Regina's car.

"Twenty minutes of watching you two all lovey-dovey in an enclosed space?" the small man grumbled, "Think I'll pass!"

Rolling her eyes, Regina let go of Robin's hand to open the door, "We'll mourn the loss of your delightful company, Mines."

She sighed as she slid into the driver's seat and started up the car. Robin made his way around to the other side, and got in, calmly buckling his seatbelt.

"What is his problem?" she thought out-loud as she watched Leroy Mines walking across the parking lot to his rust bucket van, "Doesn't he ever have a thought he doesn't voice?"

Robin laughed, "Forget him. I'm pretty sure he's jealous."

She whipped her head around and looked at him questioningly, but he simply waggled his eyebrows.

After a moment of horrified contemplation, and smile crept across her lips.

"Well he's too late," she purred, watching Robin smile in response. Leaning across the center console, she pressed a kiss to his lips and whispered, "Because while you two would make a cute couple, I don't share, Locksley."

"You're so very cleaver, you know that?" he commented dryly.

"Thank you," she responded smugly, leaning back to the driver's seat and pulling the car out of the lot.

Robin reached across the center console to rub her arm. Using her left to steer, she slipped her right hand back into his.

As she drove through town he rubbed his thumb across her fingers. Her throat clenched, noting that it seemed like he was spending a lot of time on her ring finger.

She pulled her hand out of his, telling herself that he was doing no such thing! That wasn't even the correct hand!

"Everything alright?" he asked, turning to her.

"Yeah," she nodded, gripping both hands on the wheel as if she simply needed them to drive.

She was relieved to note that he seemed to accept that answer.

Regina had long since realized that she'd jumped to some really presumptuous conclusions four months ago when she found that ring in his desk drawer.

To her embarrassment, she'd floated along on a could of bubbling anticipation all the way across the Atlantic Ocean, and it was only after their first night in London that she began considering actual facts.

Namely that there were numerous alternative, and probably more likely, explanations for what she'd seen. He could have been holding onto it for a friend so that his girlfriend wouldn't find it, it could be a family heirloom...it even could have been Marian's old ring from before they got divorced!

That thought still made her mildly sick, but not nearly as much as the embarrassment of recalling herself acting like an excited 20 year old girl!

She didn't even want to get married again...or at least she thought she hadn't.

Robin had made it very clear that divorce has soured him on the notion, though. Another fact that she really should have taken into account sooner!

Shaking off her self-punishing thoughts, she pulled into the lodge parking lot and found a space.

There was no point in dwelling on this. They were together. They were happy. They didn't need a piece of paper to prove that!

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Dorothy Gale and Ruby Lucas's ceremony took place in the woods behind the lodge. It was officiated by Archie Hopper, a local psychiatrist and ordained Unitarian minister.

Regina watched peacefully, clapping in sincere happiness for her colleague as the two sealed their union with a kiss.

Afterward, the two gleefully lead their guests up to the Storybrooke Hunting Club's lodge for the reception. The main hall was reclaimed wood featuring outdoor themed art, and stuffed game trophies. They had been blended with red roses, lanterns, and fairy lights, though, giving the inside a surprisingly romantic atmosphere.

After a pleasant cocktail hour and dinner, the first dance was announced, and Gale lead her wife onto the dance floor.

As the two floated across the dance floor, wrapped up in each other as if they were the only two people in the world. Robin slid his hand across her back, rubbing soothingly between her shoulders. She leaned into him with a contented sigh.

"They look happy."

"Yeah," she nodded, "Hopefully they have a long life together."

"Hopefully," he agreed, "You can never really know."

She frowned, wondering why he was repeating this now?

She'd made it clear she understood his thoughts on the matter when they first talked about it, and he didn't know about her finding that ring...whatever it was. Did he? Maybe he'd figured out that she might have while going through his desk. Though, he hadn't brought it up during their trip.

In fact, there had been a few moments when she felt like...well, it didn't matter, those were just her own assumptions!

Perhaps she'd given herself away, though, and made him realize she'd, for a moment, been expecting something?

Even so...did he have to choose someone else's wedding as the place to reiterate how much never wanted to get married again!?

"Uh huh," was all she said.

Toying with the ends of her hair, he went on, "I guess, in the end, the effort one puts in is what determines if a relationship lasts or not...more than marital status."

She sighed, "Very true."

Hearing the shortness of her words, Robin turned to face her, "I'm just saying..."

"Well," she responded straightening in her seat, "I don't think you should."

He sighed, rolling his eyes hard, "For God's sake, Regina."

Flexing her jaw, she picked up her glass of champagne and took a sip.

"I'm just trying to have a conversation," he informed her.

"I don't think this is the time or the place...or that this is a conversation we particularly need to have!" she hissed.

"Wow," he shook his head.

They paused for a moment to clap along with the rest of the guests as the first dance came to an end.

Once the applause died down, and other couples started drifting toward the dance floor, Regina asked darkly, "What exactly was that supposed to mean?"

"I just don't understand why you have to make a big deal out of this," he answered tiredly.

Her jaw dropped. He had just said that she was making a big deal out of this?

"I'm not," she said coldly.

"You clearly are!" he shot back.

"No, I'm not!" she said insistently, "I just don't see the need to belabor the point! We've had this conversation before."

He sighed, "Fine."

With that he turned away from her and took a sip of his drink.

She stared at him, realizing that he was giving her the cold shoulder. She ground her teeth, anger coursing through her. How dare he?! She hadn't even done anything!

"So now you're going sulk all night?" she commented waspishly.

He slammed his drink down on the table at the dig, "Regina, you were the one who didn't want to talk about this!"

"What I said was that we didn't need to talk about this!" she argued, "Because I get it, alright? You never want to get married again. I understand perfectly!"

"I never said that!" he hissed her her face, "You said that!"

She paused. It was true, she had said that in the past, "How do you know about that?"

"You told me!"

"I didn't say those words!" Regina protested, glad that the music had switched to a song loud and upbeat enough to drown them out.

"You practically did! And you weren't exactly shy about saying them to anyone else!" he shot back.

She scoffed, "Well if we're going with 'practically' look who's talking! You made it pretty damned clear you were over the idea!"

"Well maybe I changed my mind!"

"Well maybe I did too!"

He blinked at her, "What did you just say?"

Gaping at him she opened and closed her lips.

His chair creaked against the floor as he stood, grasped her upper arm, and steered her across the room to the terrace.

"What was that?" he asked as he closed the glass doors behind them.

"I..." she hesitated.

"Regina, talk to me."

Biting her lips, she turned away from him looking out over the railing.

He sighed, "We said we would communicate no matter what."

Turning back she met his eyes, "You're right."

Regina rubbed her hands up and down her arms, shivering in the cold September air.

"I did say that I'd never want to get married again," she acknowledged, "I did, and I meant it at the time."

"And now?"

"Now..." she paused, "...I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" he asked.

"I didn't think I would ever want to but..." she swallowed hard knowing what she'd have to admit to next, "...but just before we left for London I found an engagement ring in your desk."

His mouth dropped open.

"It was a mistake! I had no right to assume, but for a moment..." she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence out loud.

Robin turned away from her, stepping to the terrace railing to stare into the woods.

"I'm not trying to pressure you into anything. I didn't even think for a moment that I wanted something like that myself !" Regina went on, "And I did realize it was probably just Marian's old one, or any other of a million explanations."

"You mean this one?" he asked softly.

Glancing over, she saw the gray velvet box cradled in his hands against the railing, the same ring inside.

Her eyes widened as she looked up at him.

"It's yours, Regina...of course it is! I knew it was the moment I saw it in the shop window," he shook his head ruefully, snapping the box shut and taking a deep breath, "I've been carrying it around everyday for months just waiting for...I dunno some indication you might actually say 'yes' if I gave it to you. I didn't think you would. You said you wouldn't want to, but...I guess I still hoped."

He looked up at her, but she just stood frozen in place.

"Will you please say something?"

She tried. She really did. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no words would come out. Even as her mind screamed at her to say something no words would come out.

With a sigh Robin pushed away from the railing.

The movement spurred her into action, stepping forward she grabbed his arm, "Wait!"

He stopped. Standing in front of him, looking into his eyes she knew what to say. She's done this before...no reason she couldn't do it again.

Taking a deep breath, she straighted up, "Robin, will you m-"

He cut her off with an hard kiss. Pulling back he held her face gently and said, "Don't. I want to do it. Please let me."

"Okay," she breathed.

Leaning away from her he took both her hands in his and brought them to his lips. As he lowered them back down he looked into her eyes.

"Regina, you're my life, my heart, and my partner...always."

He slowly slid to knell in front of her, taking the ring out of the box he slid it onto her finger, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes...yes...yes...yes"

She kept repeated the word even as he leapt up, wrapped her in his arms, and spun her around. The word kept falling from her lips even as he muffled them with his own.

"Hmm," she sighed, finally letting herself fall into the kiss, into him...into everything.

"Ahem!" a voice sounded vaguely in the background, "There may not be any kids here, but this is the only refuge smokers have and we could do without seeing that!"

Robin slowly eased away from her lips, keeping their heads pressed together, "Shut up, Mines, I'm kissing my fiancée."

Stopping mid-way to lighting his cigar, Leroy looked up at them, "What?"

Regina's eyes misted at the words, but she kept staring back at him.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" he demanded, yanking the cigar from his lips angrily. Robin and Regina turned to glance over at him at the unexpected outburst.

"God dammit! You couldn't have waited?" Leroy ranted, "I had the over the two year mark, and NOW you two decide to speed things up?! You couldn't have done that back in the how long until you kill each other pool...now you gotta screw me over in this one too?!"

Looking at each other incredulously, Robin and Regina cracked up, laughing into each other's shoulders.

Leroy sighed, crammed the cigar back into his mouth and shambled off the terrace into the trees with a muttered, "Lucky, SOB."

Regina's gaze shot to him as she caught the words.

"He's right about that," Robin muttered, regaining her attention.

Smiling she shook her head, "Robin, I'm the lucky one."

He cupped her cheeks, "We both are."

Nodding in agreement, she tilted her head up and met his lips.

They were...they really were.

END

Author's Notes:

I was torn about whether or not to have Regina ask Robin or not. On one hand that does seem very like her, but, on the other, she proposed to Daniel in canon so I felt like she deserved to GET a proposal as well. Maybe she still will in canon some day, but we don't know from who, and, as you may have guessed, this is my way of giving OutlawQueen the happy ending it looks like they might be denied.

Also, the idea of 'what if Leroy had a bit of a crush on Regina?' jumped into my head after writing him in the 5 times someone thought they were a couple mini-series, and, considering their dynamic in canon, was just too funny not to do! Hope you liked it.

The final part will be posted before the airing of 5x21.