A/N: There it is, the final chapter to this story.

I know some of you might be disappointed with the fact that the baby's birth and Regina and Robin's wedding won't be told. The explanations for my decision are in this epilogue.

You're a few to have guessed where I was heading with this epilogue, so congratulation!

A huge thank you to all the people who contributed, reviewed, helped, supported me with this story. And who coped with my incredibly slow writing (I promise I'll do better in the future XD) I couldn't have gone through this without you! Special mention to Audrey and Nani for the brainstorming and unwavering support!

With that being said, I let you read the last part of Regina and Robin's journey in Chase.

Merry Christmas to all, and stay safe!


Twenty-seven months later

Robin nods his head firmly, observing as the carriage approaches and comes to a halt the second Little John extends the rope that blocks their way. Fear can be seen immediately on the driver's face, but he has no time to react as Robin and his men jump out of the surrounding bushes, encircling the carriage, their swords, crossbows, and bows in hand.

The driver raises his hands immediately in a sign of submission, and at a glance Robin makes sure he is under the control of Alan and Eric before approaching the still-closed door. The furious look of the nobles inside doesn't surprise him, and he can't help but grin from underneath the cloak hiding his face.

"Well, well, what have we here? Mr. and Mrs. De Gisborne, it's been a while since our paths have crossed. I hope your pockets are as full as they were last time."

"You are a pitiful thief, Robin Hood!" Marian de Gisborne spits, spontaneously stroking the curve of her six-month womb. "Not even brave enough to show us your face! You should try to find yourself an honest job, rather than take money from those who tire to earn it."

"Of course, fair lady! Except that, you see, people of your rank don't tire of earning their money. They simply pay a misery of poor buggers who tire themselves out to earn you ten times as much as you pay them, which is barely enough to feed their children."

"We are of royal lineage, you thief!" An old magpie facing the couple bites. "We will not stoop to sharing our money with the scum that roam the streets."

Robin can't help but exchange an amused smirk with Little John. The ritual is the same for each mission, and the reaction of those noble people, so full of pride, never fails to make them laugh.

"Dear Madam, know that you are no more than any of us, for we are all made of flesh and blood. The fact that you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth does not make you superior to those who had nothing more than their mother's breast to suckle. Now, please: Give us your jewels and money of your own free will. Not that I'd like to shut you down properly, but we all have other things to do, don't we?"

"Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham will catch you and make you swallow your pride, Robin Hood!" Guy of Gisborne exclaims furiously, throwing at his feet the purse hanging from his belt, which he knows will end up in the hands of this lowly thief anyway.

Robin sneers as he collects the jewels and purses, passing them to his men, the Merry Men, behind him. A group he founded with Little John, Alan and Eric, whose sadness at seeing their kingdom fall into the hands of a man more attached to his privileges than to his role as regent led them to reconsider their projects for the future. Many of the mercenaries agreed to change their way of life, opening up to a world they were never a part of, and joined the robbery of the rich in favor of the poor. They united against Prince John and his tyrannical reign over King Richard's kingdom, still in the midst of a crusade and unaware of the situation he left behind. They chose a life in and around Nottingham, to settle in and even start a family. Therefore, they created a band united by friendship and a strong will to fight against injustice and inequality.

After a handful of minutes that suffice for the Merry Men to empty the nobles' pockets, they let the carriage set off again, relieved of the treasures of its occupants.

"Well, another fine spoils!" Little John exclaims when he takes a look inside the contents of the large burlap bag that Eric and Alan are in the process of closing.

"You said it! Ready to go home?"

A general agreement echoes through the forest, and Robin hops on his horse, eager to find the two women of his life. He gallops at full speed towards their homes, in a secret camp that they've moved to the cover of Sherwood forest to protect themselves from the soldiers who are always on a constant hunt for them, abandoning their previous houses to families in need.

Once there, he leaves it to his men to hide the booty in the reserve, and greets them with a wave of his hand before pushing open the door of his house, smiling broadly.

"Daddy!

A blue-eyed brunette, just 34 inches tall, knocks over the chair she was sitting on and leaps towards him. Robin squats down, arms wide open to welcome the apple of his eye, the flesh of his flesh, his beautiful little girl named Raven, exactly two years old today, his greatest joy and pride.

"But..." he pulls back slightly, frowning at the black stains half covering his daughter. "What's-"

"Raven?"

The little girl stills and Robin's head snaps up, noticing Regina coming out of their bedroom, dropping a bucket of water and wiping her hands with a more than dirty cloth.

"Before jumping into your father's arms, did you tell him about your latest achievement? Does he know why you are grounded?" she asks authoritatively, although she never raises her voice.

"Why, my daughter grounded?" Robin widens his eyes almost comically, pulling back from his child and looking back at her. "Surely, there must be a mistake. I don't remember my princess being covered with black stains."

He watches his daughter drop her head with what could be considered an adorable pout, and only then notices the extent of the damage, how her dress and shoes are partially ruined by what he still hasn't identified and that covers her skin and hair as well.

Robin gets up when Regina joins him, kisses his wife's lips and lifts an eyebrow expectantly.

"She found the ink in my drawer..." Regina sighs as she ruffles their child's hair tenderly. "And she decided it would be the best idea to draw 'like Daddy'," mimicking the quote with her fingers. "except she did that on the floor and with her hands." She glances at their daughter before looking back at her husband. "Well, you see her. Imagine the mess she made in her bedroom."

Robin can't help it: He laughs. Tries to contain himself in front of Regina's pointed look, but fails.

"Robin!" Regina pokes his arm, unable to miss the way Raven shyly looks at them, removing a strand of hair covering her face with her hand, spreading out even more ink on her forehead. "This is not funny. I just spent thirty minutes trying to remove the ink from the floor. I ended up using magic to remove the last stains that wouldn't go away so the wood wouldn't be completely ruined."

"I'm sorry, Regina, but I'm trying to picture our daughter doing that, and I see the state she's in and it's just..."

He bursts out laughing, the image imprinted in his mind, Regina's serious face and... his wife cracks a smile as well. His laugh must be contagious, because Regina finally relaxes, and at the sight of her parents, Raven does as well.

"You've won a good bath, sweetheart! And you, you take care of it." Regina swats at Robin's arm with the cloth playfully. "Let's see how much fun it's going to be when you have to take the ink out of her hair and clothes."

With a smirk, she lets Raven know that the punishment is over, and Robin grabs his daughter's hand, leading her in the small barn behind the house where a large barrel will allow him to give her a proper bath.

"What an idea to have used your mother's ink to draw on the floor, my princess." Robin says as he helps his child remove her dress and shoes. "I hope we'll be able to save your shoes and dress, and that you'll be presentable for tonight. You don't want to show up for your birthday with your face full of ink, do you?"

He lifts her from the ground, using a moment to hug her against him, feeling a strong, pulsating love and well-being invade him like every time he makes physical contact with her.

Maleficent was right when she predicted that Raven was one of her kind. If the connection he and Regina shared with their daughter while she wasn't born yet was any indication, the day she was born brought a new round of surprises. Although the first wave of magic she caused to warn Regina of his near death was already something strong, her birth created a pulse of pure love that engulfed the entire kingdom, penetrating the heart of every living being, magical creatures but also non magical ones this time, spreading a sense of temporary happiness to anyone whose mind was open enough to receive it. And that's when they understood that their daughter, the first of her kind, was not going to be an ordinary human being.

The first time Regina took her newborn in their arms, she was invaded with a mixture of fear and confusion so intense it almost threw her off, especially after hours of labor. Yet, her crying and agitated daughter calmed down almost immediately when she found the warmth and comfort of her mother's embrace, and the fear and confusion were wiped away and soon replaced by the deep love and happiness Regina was full of.

Once more, it was Maleficent who lifted the veil on her niece's powers of empathy. Raven, whose name is a tribute to her aunt, is able, with a single physical contact, to perceive what other people feel, but also to transmit the emotion she is full of. Whether they are the uncontrolled feelings of a newborn, or the love of an infant for its parents.

From then on, realizing the double-edged of their daughter's magic, Robin and Regina fiercely protected Raven from any emotional outburst, stubbornly coating her with love and joy, keeping any sadness or anger to a minimum. Against their will though, they realized that Raven was able, despite her very young age, to calm even the most painful of emotions, soothing Little John's sadness when Amelia left with Malefic to travel for several months. Healing completely, much to Regina's surprise, Cora's bruised soul, which convinced the woman to put her heart back into her chest in front of her astonished, but nonetheless satisfied, daughter and son-in-law. The combination of her heart regularly thumping in her chest with Raven's empathy and naturally good-nature, brought back to her grandmother's face a smile that no one, not even Henry, had witnessed until now.

That's how they understood the extent of Raven's abilities. On a daily basis, however, she lives the normal life of a two years-old child, cared for by her parents or her grandfather, Henry having decided to stay near his daughter despite the possibility of taking over his land. Playing with Hansel and Gretel, who have grown up well. Petting the farm animals while Hannah looks after them. Sometimes even having the silly idea of playing with the pigs and rolling around in the mud, which drives her mother nuts. Every day, Raven reveals herself to be an alert child, joyful, curious about everything, a true happiness that fills him and Regina with infinite love and happiness, even now that 'No' has become her favorite word.

"Raven beeday!" the little girl beams at him, her hands splashing the water from the barrel all around her, including on him.

"Yes, my princess. It's your birthday! And you look like a mess right now." he laughs, grabbing the soap and rubbing his hands with it. "Do you know what your birthday means?"

Raven happily shakes her head no, her long dark hair sticking to her chubby face.

"It means that there's going to be a party tonight."

"A pa'ty, Daddy?"

Robin washes his daughter's face, then tries to vigorously scrub her hair as best he can, despite the fact that she fidgets around and makes washing her more than complicated for him.

"Yes, a party. Raven, stop moving for a minute, please." he asks when she begins happily splashing her face –and him on the same occasion- with the water. But the little girl catches sight of a butterfly flying around, and soon she's turning her back on him, trying to catch it. "Raven." he calls again, but she is having none of it, making a mess and not listening to him as she begins to jump around in the barrel.

Robin sighs, wipes his face with his hand before realizing that his hands are soaked and full of soap, which makes him startle and groan. He tries to clean himself and remove the soap stinging his eyes with his sleeve, all along keeping an eye on his daughter still messing around.

"Raven, please!" He sighs after he managed to clean his face. "Come on, my princess. Let me give you a bath and then you'll be able to play." His offer is completely ignored as Raven is still mesmerized by the butterfly, almost tipping over the barrel if it wasn't for his sharp reflexes, so he takes a deep breath, an idea striking him. "Do you want to hear a story, Raven?"

It has the expected effect, has Raven stilling before turning to him, beaming. "'tory!"

Robin smiles. His daughter loves hearing the stories of his adventures, it's always the best way to catch her attention and keep her focused for more than two minutes. But today, he won't tell her about one of his travels. No, today, he will tell her about the most beautiful experience he's ever been on: Her.

It wasn't something he ever expected to live, welcoming a child and becoming a father. But the real adventure was not her birth. Although that day was the happiest one he ever lived, aside perhaps from his wedding with Regina soon after the King's defeat, every new day since has been a delight in itself. Discovering the strong yet endearing temperament of his little bundle of energy, her bright blue eyes opening up to the world, making new discoveries every day. Seeing her take her first steps, say her first words. Make her first mistake. It never fails to amaze him how exceptional Raven makes his life. He never thought he was cut out for fatherhood, but the truth is that coming home to his wife and daughter is the most wonderful sensation he has ever felt.

"Once upon a time, in a world full of magical creatures, of fairies and sorcerers, of mermaids and dwarves, lived a very special little girl. She was born out of the last two existing soulmates' love. Her mommy and daddy were like a puzzle, two people that complemented one another, and whose love was infinite." He explains. Using the distraction of the story that has Raven mesmerized, Robin grabs his daughter's little arm, rubs it with soap until the ink disappears. "They met in the most unexpected way, and it took them a long time to be comfortable with each other, and then to fall in love. But when they did, they created the most incredible human being: Their daughter. She was still in her mommy's belly, yet she was so strong, and she loved her parents so much, that she even saved her daddy when he needed help. That's how exceptional the little girl was. And when her life was threatened, her mommy and her daddy even defeated a mad King and an evil sorcerer in order to protect her. Because they loved her more than anything else in life." He scrubs Raven's head thoroughly, making sure that he doesn't miss any of the black ink in the darkness of his child's hair. "A few weeks after that, on a sunny day, the little girl decided that it was time to meet her parents in person. She took a while to exit the safety of her mommy's tummy though, but when she did, it was as if a miracle had happened. The little girl cried a lot at first, and she was afraid as well, because she had been ripped off the warmth and coziness she was in. But the second her mommy took her in her arms, all was well again. Her mommy's presence reassured her immediately, and her daddy was just next to them, caressing his baby's cheek, murmuring sweet words in her ear. And the little girl fell asleep in the comfort of her parents' arms. You know why, my princess?" At Raven's shake of her head, he explains. "Because she was the most precious and beautiful treasure they ever had."

His daughter grins at him, and Robin ignores if she understood that he was talking about her or not, but the only thing that matters is that he can sense her happiness through the contact of their skins.

Satisfied with his job when he realizes that he managed to get rid of all the ink, he begins rinsing his child, asking Raven to get up in the barrel so she's not entirely plunged in the dirty water. "She revealed to be an exceptional child, one that carried magic just like her parents." He wraps her up in a large towel, and lifts her up and out of the barrel. "And who had crazy ideas like making drawings on the floor with her mother's ink!" He declares while laughing, bringing his daughter's close and nuzzling her adorable trumpet nose, revealing in the magical sound of this crystalline laugh he will never grow tired of.

Regina leans her head against the headboard, arms crossed over her chest, unable to fight a smile at the wonderful scene she just witnessed. This wasn't what she had in mind when she escaped the castle, her main goal was to find a peaceful place to settle in, and then, if fate was in her favor, create a family. She never imagined that she'd ever find her soulmate barely a few weeks after leaving the castle, and that they'd have welcomed their daughter nine months after opening up to one another.

But she's not complaining in the slightest. The life she's built herself and with Robin and Raven, is a happy one. For someone who was afraid of fatherhood, Robin was exemplary. Attentive, present, taking the measure of their daughter's power and uniqueness more quickly than she did, fiercely protecting Raven from the evil of this world, the evil that he faced, refusing to expose her to it, at least for as long as they could.

From a man with a heavy and bloody past uncertain of his ability to change, he has turned first into a husband, then a loving father, and finally a bandit working for the good of the people, choosing his enemy and his target willingly and knowingly this time, protecting the innocent, and making the criminals who hide behind embellishments and jewels, lies and fine words, pay, in his own way. He has managed, by creating a new identity for himself in the person of Robin Hood, and by allying with two fake supporters of the Prince, to protect his family and live peacefully –although carefully- in the forest of Sherwood, where their group of friends has settled in over a year ago, when the Merry Men's reputation began to be dangerous for them. He succeeded in transforming mercenaries into men defending the people. And never once, in more than two years, did he break his word of transparency and honesty towards her.

Robin turns around and faces her, his smile growing instinctively. He walks over to her, tightening his hold on their overexcited daughter when she shrieks Mommy! and wriggles in his arms to be put down. He bends over and places a tender kiss on his wife's lips, one hand lifting to tenderly caress her face, Regina tilting her head to deepen the contact while her own hand moves to their daughter's back. She pushes herself off the wall to gather their impatient girl in her arms, and walks with her husband back inside their house.

"Was the hunt good today?"

"Oh, yes, it was! Guy was right, the bourgeois woman who accompanied them was loaded with money. She wore more jewelry than all the other rich people whom we have stripped of their goods so far."

Regina adjusts Raven on her hips as the little girl can't seem to stay still, kissing her forehead and cuddling her tenderly to help calm her down.

"You'll have plenty of time to hear about her reaction when Guy and Marian come for dinner tonight. William has confirmed his presence as well. He told my father this morning before he went to work."

That's a hell of a lucky break, Robin thinks. Two of his closest friends in the good graces of the Prince against whom they are secretly fighting. Guy, as a wealthy nobleman thanks to his wife's rank, William as Sheriff of the city of Nottingham, the very town near which Robin Hood, the most wanted man in the kingdom, secretly lives with his family. Thanks to Guy, William, but also Marian, the Merry Men are robbing the rich at breakneck speed, even if they grant William a few victories in order to avoid making him lose this crucial position that allows them to prosper under the nose of justice.

"It'll be nice to be able to spend time together without having to pretend we hate each other."

"Is Marian still playing the game well?"

"Yes, and she takes her role very seriously."

"What nickname did she come up with for you today?"

"Pitiful thief."

Regina tilts her chin to the side, putting Raven on the ground and starting to dress her with clean clothes. "Her imagination is limitless. Who thought a woman from a good education would be gathering information and siding with a common thief to work against a Prince?"

He watches as Raven is free to go play with a small doll that her grandfather bought her for her first birthday, and walks to his wife, spooning her from behind. "Certainly not me. Although my own wife comes from a nobility, and she still fell madly in love with me, a pitiful thief." he murmurs in her hair, kissing her neck and making her shiver and press herself further against him, moaning. "Who else is coming tonight?"

"Almost everyone. My father. John, his parents and sister, Alan, Tuck and Eric. Ellie, Michael and the twins. Tinkerbell might not be able to attend the whole dinner, but she promised she'd at least stop by to say hi and wish a happy birthday to our little princess."

"She has a lot to do, huh?"

"With all the new problems Prince John's reign has created, she does. But she loves it. I was wary at the prospect of letting her go back to her fairy life, but she really enjoys every second of it."

"Your mother?"

Regina cranes her neck to look at him, arching an eyebrow. "You're serious? My mother would do anything to spend even one minute with her granddaughter. There's no way she's going to miss her birthday, especially since it means she can spoil Raven the entire evening without being blamed for it."

Robin buries his nose into her neck, chuckling. "I still struggle to imagine that she's the woman who made you miserable for years. It's incredible how much she's changed thanks to Raven."

"I know. I feel the same. But I won't complain. To finally have a mother is a more than pleasant feeling."

She glances at her daughter, who's completely engrossed in a story of her own, the way she's often used to. The little girl is a real delight, with a strong character that Regina has learned to handle using her daughter's empathic powers. Through simple physical contact, whenever her daughter is angry, frustrated, or even sad, she is able to transfer the opposite thoughts and feelings in order to calm her and put an end to the crises. This understanding has strengthened the bond between her and her daughter, as well as with Robin, and their family is more solid than it's ever been.

"And to see how Raven adores her grandmother is the best of sights."

"I must admit that it is."

"Have you heard from Mal and Amelia?"

Robin kisses her neck again and pulls back, walking in their home, scratching the back of his head. "Not in a week, but they were supposed to come back soon. They've been on the road and searching for the roots of their past for almost a year now. I know they are enjoying themselves, and I am more than happy for them, but I must admit I miss my sister. Maybe we'll have a good surprise tonight. Little John surely can't wait to see Amelia again, he's been unable to shut up about the last letter she sent him. He's head over heels in love with her, can't stop babbling about-"

Regina lets Robin ramble about John and Amelia's love relationship, and takes a deep breath, biting her lower lip to tamper down her smile and put on a neutral mask, one that won't spoil the news before she gets to voice it. Spinning on her heels to face her husband, she leans against the countertop, fingers gripping the wood to contain her excitement.

"Speaking of surprises..." she catches the interest in her husband's eyes immediately, instinctively checks on Raven, who's oblivious of them and speaking to her doll. "What would you say about having another child?"

Robin's eyes widen, his smile growing. He glances between her face and her stomach, taking long, slow strides in her direction, hands finding her waist, tugging her against him in a sudden, but perfectly controlled movement that has her chuckling and lock her arms around his neck.

"Are you telling me that I'm going to be a father again?"

Regina tiptoes until their lips are almost touching, her voice low and deep, almost a whisper. "I might be."

She's roughly yanked towards her husband, his lips finding hers and knocking the breath out of her lungs as he kisses her as if his life depended on it. When he pulls back, he rests his forehead against her, and they both turn to watch the little girl that got up and is now clutching at their legs.

"Mommy, Daddy, hug too!"

That evening, Raven's second birthday is as cheerful as the little girl. She sings, dances and claps her hands all along, clearly having fun, to her parents' greatest pleasure.

Robin and Regina decide to keep the news of her new pregnancy to themselves for a little longer, focusing on the party instead, observing their daughter being as much in adoration for her grandparents as they are for her, and run to all the people happily. As they had hoped, Maleficent and Amelia arrive before the boar has finished cooking, declaring the end of their year's journey and their permanent move to their camp, and Tinkerbell shows up in the middle of the feast.

Taking a moment in the amidst of the feast, Regina and Robin watch around them, to all those people whom they've met over the course of their story, which began with a chase for a woman, and ended with the unexpected reunion of two soulmates.

Three years later, a different kind of chase is at work, as the Merry Men, on a daily basis, steal from the rich, to give to the poor.

THE END