They landed exactly where she had meant for them to arrive: in her rooms, where she'd be able to tend to his wounds much more easily before he faced the rest of the castle- and, more importantly, alarmed Roland. Yes, it may not be the most ideal, she could have just as easily brought them to the Merry Men's quarters given that she trusted them. However, she wanted more time alone with Robin, as selfish as that might be, and one of the only places she could guarantee their privacy was here.
Robin glanced around them, clearly recognizing where they were, then met her gaze. "Why are we here? I would have thought you would've wanted to see Roland almost as much as I do."
"I do," she assured him with a nod of her head. "However, I think we need to figure out how much to tell the others about everything before we do that, don't you agree? Besides, I thought you may want to take care of that," she indicated the cuts and bruises all over him, "before Roland sees you." She had no idea where they stood- their lives had been too much of a roller coaster for her to be certain of anything. Although she wanted to see Roland more than anything, she knew they had to clear the air between them here, where there were no prying ears to overhear them.
"Well, of course we'll tell the prince and princess our clues to Zelena's plan," Robin declared. "I would have thought that would be non-negotiable."
"It is," Regina assured him. "I'm mostly referring to one thing though: where do we stand?" It was a question she had been asking herself for a day or so now, ever since she had told him about her scar and he had confessed that although he didn't love her, he was starting to see the changes in her more with each passing day.
Robin's hands covered hers. "As I've said before, I see you as a woman, not a monster, more every day. A rather incredible woman, I might add. I'd like to spend more time with you, but I'm not sure how to go about doing that."
"Well, I could give you lessons to harness your powers," she suggested.
"I… I'm not sure," he answered hesitantly. "I was always taught to fear magic, and while you may have helped me fear it less, I still don't think I want to use it."
"It's dangerous for you to have these abilities and not know how to use them," she scolded. "What if you accidentally hurt Roland?"
She could see that he knew she had him there. "All right. I'll learn, for Roland," he decided.
"And… what exactly are we to each other?" she asked nervously. She wanted to be able to kiss him again, she really did, but she would only do that if he allowed it.
"We're figuring it out," he said softly, squeezing her hands. "Although I must admit that I would like to kiss you again. You're quite a good kisser."
She blushed, ducking her head. "So… friends with benefits then?" She wanted to be sure, especially since that type of arrangement could get slippery all too quickly.
He smiled and leaned closer. "If that means what I think it does, yes."
His nose brushed against hers when they both heard a giggle come from behind her curtains.
They broke apart, the mortification on his face matching her own. Regina put a finger to her lips. "I wonder what that could have been?"
"Have mice learned to talk?" Robin asked, playing along. "If they have, I didn't know they could laugh."
"Or maybe it's a squirrel in the trees outside," Regina theorized. "That would definitely explain it."
As Regina caught sight of Roland's curls, she mused, "Surely it couldn't be Roland? He's much too quiet for that."
"No, of course not," Robin dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. "He's learned to be sneaky like his papa and his uncles."
"It's me, it's me!" the little curly-headed boy cried, running out from behind the curtains and tackling them both.
Regina's heart swelled as she and Robin trapped Roland between them. Meeting Robin's eyes over Roland's head, she dared to hope that he felt the same way she did: that this moment, with the three of them together, couldn't be more perfect.
"Mama, can we ask Granny if we can bake a pie?" Roland asked, and Regina's heart lurched when Robin winced. Somehow, she had to find an antidote to in loco matris, and soon.
(********)
"Okay, focus on your happiest memory and try to light this candle."
Immediately, Robin thought of his son. There had been so many times that Roland had brought him out of dark moments that when Regina explained how light magic worked, there was no question about how he should try to summon his new powers.
There was a part of him that still couldn't believe he had agreed to this. Only for Roland's sake would he be here, trying to harness his newfound abilities. He had spent far too long fearing magic, remembering the way his mother had died, for acceptance to come easily to him.
Robin, don't think of that, it won't help, he firmly scolded himself. However, once the memories were there, they were hard to push away…
(********)
"Where's Mum?" Robin asked, bouncing on the soles of his feet.
At his words, the door opened and a group of men came rushing in, carrying a body between them.
"Robin, go play with your brothers," his grandfather instructed, but it was too late. Robin had recognized the long blonde braid amidst a pale lifeless face and heard his father ask in a tight voice, "How did this happen?"
"Magic," came the answer.
"Then there's nothing we can do," his father lamented.
Robin started to run forward. Surely, there had to be something! Then he felt arms wrapping around him from behind,
"Go, Robin, run and play," his grandfather whispered in his ear. "There's nothing you can do here."
He was always reluctant to obey his father, but his grandfather was his second favorite person in the world, right after his mother. He ran, tears falling down his face. Nothing would ever be the same again.
(********)
Regina had used exactly the right leverage to convince him to learn how to use his magic. Ever since that fateful day, he had been fearful of it and those who used it. The thought of him associating with it, let alone having it himself, was almost impossible to contemplate… unless it was to protect his son.
He had asked Regina how she thought he had come to have these powers, but she had remained close-lipped on the subject. Instead, she had launched into a speech about light and dark magic, explaining that different emotions would generate each type, that from what she had seen, his would be called forth by feelings of love.
The greatest love Robin had ever had was for his son, so he spent all of his energy now thinking of him, the memory of them performing the same ritual they had done every year on Roland's birthday the recollection on his mind. Speaking of…
"Have you found any antidotes to what the witch used on my son?" he asked Regina now. They had been back at the castle for less than a day, but they hadn't spent every moment together, so he was curious. He had made it clear to her that it was imperative that they find an antidote before Roland's birthday. They had a tradition they had to uphold, after all.
"I think so, yes," she said hesitantly. She was probably not trying to get his hopes up. Then, to his surprise, she continued, "I found a spell that can maybe allow him to return to his previous state of mind. That should work to help him remember that… I'm not his mother," she finished so softly Robin could barely hear her,
There was a part of him that would always love Marian. However, there was a growing piece of his heart that felt an increasing amount of affection for Regina. That was the part of him that ached for her, that led him to reach out and cover her hand with his own, squeezing it gently. "If I know my son, he'll still love you just as much," he told her. "You won't lose him, I promise."
"Are you sure you won't take advantage of the fact that he won't think I'm his mother anymore?" she asked, her beautiful features marred by a frown.
There was so much doubt in her voice that Robin knew instinctively that Regina had experienced more loss than he may ever learn about. He knew, "I would never be so cruel. Even before all of this, he was enamored with you. I would never take your relationship away from either of you, no matter what happens."
She took a slow breath in, then exhaled. "I'm sorry. It's just-" She paused. "Let's just get back to business."
A few minutes later, the preparations for the spell were complete. There was blood magic involved, something that had initially made Robin balk. Then Regina had explained that blood magic was the most powerful magic, and he had relented. If it was the most powerful magic, that meant that this spell would be more likely to work if they used it, and Robin wanted it to work desperately. While he had seen Regina in a different light since he had woken from the sleeping curse, he was also well aware that Marian should be a part of Roland's special day, and she couldn't be if they didn't do this.
The potion they made had to be used on something that Marian had given Roland, so Robin had retrieved the blanket that she had given him when he was born. Thankfully, this had all happened while Roland was still young, so he still slept with it every night.
They doused the blanket with the potion and Regina asked Robin to perform the spell itself. He was hesitant at first, but she had explained that the magic would be stronger if he performed it since he was Roland's father.
Robin had spoken the words hesitantly, well aware of how dangerous all of this was. Before the spell was complete, Regina had snatched the blanket away, "You can't be wishy-washy about it," she snapped. "Do you want Roland to remember Marian before his birthday?"
"Of course," he said indignantly, offended that she'd even dare to suggest otherwise.
"Then act like it," she said fiercely.
"I'm trying!" Robin snapped back. He generally prided himself on being an even-tempered man. How did this woman manage to push every single one of his buttons and make him want to kiss her all at the same time? One hand was on one of those hips, which she would sway oh-so-sensually as she walked. Her lip was curled, her eyes ablaze, but that fire was one of the things that made him yearn for her. But at the same time, "Do you realize how difficult this is for me? My mother died because of someone who used magic, and while it may have helped my wife once, it's difficult for me to trust it, let alone use it. I know that magic always comes with a price all too well- and a lot of the time, the price is too high to pay. And I-" he hesitated. Could he tell her his biggest fear?
In the time he had known her, usually he had been the one to comfort her. To his knowledge, this was the first time that their roles were reversed, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder. "I know about the fight within yourself about whether or not to use magic better than anyone," she confided. "I was so afraid that it would make me just like my mother that I didn't want to use it at all at first. It turned out that I did end up very similar to her..." she admitted with a dry chuckle. "So my fears were warranted."
He let out a long exhale, relieved that he wasn't alone. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of," he confessed, emboldened to share his trepidation by her vulnerability. "What if my magic isn't good? What if it hurts Roland, and others, instead of helping them? I have a code, Regina, and harming others is the opposite of the life I want to lead."
"You won't," she informed him confidently.
"How can you be sure?" he asked.
Her hand came up to rest on his cheek. "Because people always forget that there is both light and dark magic, and I know you, Robin. As annoying as you can be sometimes," they both chuckled at the memories that comment recalled, "at your core, you're a decent person."
"Are you sure?" he asked, still uncertain, unable to resist the urge to lean into her hand. "You've seen my heart, you know that the darkness is there."
"But you never let it show," she refuted adamantly. "There is no doubt in my mind that your use of magic will be the same way."
He sighed, unable to resist the impulse to hold her close any longer. Kissing her cheek gratefully, he murmured into her ear, "When did you become the more reasonable one of the pair of us?"
She laughed. "Don't get used to it."
They finished making the potion and put it on Roland's blanket, Robin tense with nerves the whole time. What if this didn't work? And on the other hand, what if it did? He doubted he would ever know if he was comfortable with using magic, but he had to admit that if this was the type of thing that his magic could achieve, it may not be so bad after all.
(********)
The next morning, Regina woke with butterflies in her stomach. Today was the day that she'd not only find out if she had successfully set everything right with Roland, but she'd also know for sure if Robin would be a man of his word and allow her to still have a role in Roland's life.
And what about Robin? He had said that nothing would stop him from exploring whatever was between them, but would he really do that now that Roland was no longer tied to her in a way he would never want to disrupt?
Apprehensively, she dressed and went down to breakfast. Once there, she anxiously looked around for Robin and Roland.
She needn't have worried, as it turned out. The minute he saw her, Roland ran right over to her as fast as his short legs could carry him and threw his arms around him. "Morning Mama!"
Her heart flipped and she glanced nervously at Robin. She knew that the cure had worked- it had to have worked. Right? So then why was Roland still calling her Mama? More importantly, how did Robin feel about it- and how would it affect what was budding between them? "Good morning Roland," she responded, smiling. "How did you sleep?"
"Good!" Roland chirped. "You're eating breakfast with us, right?"
Regina looked at Robin, eyebrows raised. "That's up to your papa."
Roland turned to Robin, his eyes pleading. "Please, Papa?"
"Of course, my boy," Robin replied to Regina's relief. She had no idea what they would have done if he had refused, how they would have handled Roland's disappointment.
As Roland scampered off ahead of them, Regina asked in a low voice, "It worked, didn't it?"
"Oh, it did," he assured her. He reached out to squeeze her hand, but she retracted it. She was nowhere near ready for Snow to have any ammunition to fuel her hope commission. "On the way here, he insisted that even though you're not his real mama, you do take care of him, so he wants to continue calling you that."
Her eyebrows had surpassed her hairline at his words. "And how do you feel about that?" She couldn't imagine that had to have gone over well with him. After all, the whole point of this was to make sure Roland remembered Marian was his mother before his birthday, right?
He reached out to her, then retracted his hand at her alarmed expression. "As long as he remembers that Marian is his mother as well, I am completely all right with that arrangement, Regina, you know that."
Confronted by his sincerity, which was so strong that he left no lingering doubts in her mind, all she could do was nod. Swallowing hard, she whispered, "Thank you." Raising her voice so he had no trouble hearing her, she asked, "So what's this tradition that you wanted to make sure Roland remembers Marian for?"
He smiled. "You'll just have to wait to find out."
(********)
On the day of Roland's birthday, Robin and Regina met bright and early in the castle's kitchen.
"Do we have everything?" Regina asked.
Robin nodded, indicating the bowls and pans on the counter in front of them. "If you have the ingredients, yes."
Regina waved her hand, and everything they needed to make Roland's birthday dessert appeared in front of them. "That's one of the disadvantages of the Enchanted Forest," she mused. "Most of these ingredients are much more difficult to come by. It's so different from Storybrooke."
Robin looked at her, his gaze more sincere than she had ever seen it. "I'm sure it's not the only downside to being here," he said quietly.
Her heart lurched. Yes, her mind had already been flooded with memories of a little boy running around at a fairy tale-themed birthday party, but did Robin have to dig the knife in deeper? She was so jealous that Emma got to spend every day with their son that she was surprised her skin wasn't the same emerald shade as her sister's. "No, it's not," she replied quietly before clearing her throat. "But today is Roland's birthday, not Henry's, so let's focus on him."
Without another word, they continued their task. Robin had insisted that he wanted to help, so Regina let him be behind the bowl to put ingredients in as she handed them to him.
Suddenly, he asked, "Does this go in now?", holding up the chocolate.
"No!" Regina protested. "I thought you were putting ingredients in when I handed them to you. The chocolate is almost last on the list, we haven't even finished the crust yet!"
Properly chastised, Robin apologized.
"It's all right," Regina sighed. "Here, why don't we switch places?"
"No, I'll do better, I promise," Robin swore.
But five minutes later, she heard a clatter as he dropped the bag of flour he was carrying. "All right, why don't we trade before you hurt yourself?" she suggested. He reminded her so much of Henry this morning. Her little prince had always been eager to help her bake and cook, and had frequently gotten underfoot until he was finally old enough to help her. "You're even worse than Roland."
"But I'm cuter, right?" he asked, his dimples winking at her.
"Not a chance," she chuckled dryly.
"Oh, come on," Robin pleaded, coming up behind her, putting his arms around her and beginning to pepper her neck with kisses. "Are you saying you don't find me attractive? That you don't enjoy this?"
Regina's eyes closed involuntarily and she couldn't resist letting out a moan- which she hoped was answer enough. His stubble felt divine against her skin, so much so that she never wanted him to stop. He started sucking where her neck met her shoulder and her moans became louder than ever as she melted into him.
Suddenly, she heard someone clearing their throat loudly.
Regina's eyes flew open and she saw David, who seemed to have had the sense to turn his face away when he realized what they were doing. "I'll just come back for water for Snow later, shall I?"
"No, no, don't leave on our account," Regina rushed to tell him, going to the sink, grabbing two glasses and filling them. "We were just baking for Roland's birthday."
"Sure you were," David muttered, his cheeks still beet red. "I'll leave you to it."
As he turned to go, Regina called, "David?"
"Yeah?" he asked, looking over his shoulder to face them again.
"Would it kill you not to mention any of this to Snow?" she asked. It was childish she knew, but she couldn't stand the thought of Snow trying to get her to admit to anything. Besides, there was nothing official to tell her- not just yet, anyway.
Once he had agreed and gone, Regina turned to glare at Robin. "All right, no funny business anymore. We need to get this ready."
"Oh, come on," Robin groaned. "Can't we do a little of both?" He came and wrapped his arms around her from behind, lacing his fingers with hers as she began to stir the bowl's contents.
His touch was irresistible to her- and Regina was beginning to suspect that Robin knew it. "Fine," she conceded. "Now help me knead this dough."
(********)
Later that night, Robin was walking to the great hall, Roland at his side. They had spent the remainder of the day together, some of it with Regina as well. Though he had told her that he didn't know what exactly his feelings for her were, Robin couldn't deny that his heart swelled when he watched her interact with his son. He was certain that she had been born to be a mother, and he would do anything to make that a reality for her, even though her own son wasn't with them.
Speaking of which, he needed to talk to the princess. Leaving Roland with Regina, he walked over to where she was surrounded by many of their friends. "Might I have a word?"
"Of course," she readily agreed, following him to a secluded area. "How can I help you?"
"I'm concerned about Regina," he confided. "She says she's fine, and knowing her, she'll never say otherwise, but I know she misses Henry. I want to try to see if there's a way for her to get back to this Storybrooke you all keep talking about. I fear she'll never be happy until we do."
"I think you're right," Snow said slowly, watching as Regina played with Roland. "The question is: how do we give her the happy ending she deserves?"
"I don't know," Robin mused. "I was hoping you might have some ideas."
"I'll think about it and let you know," Snow said, and as Robin walked away, he saw a smile spread across Snow's face.
Too late, he remembered that Regina wanted to keep their blossoming relationship (what had she called it? A friends with benefits arrangement?) secret. Snow was his friend though, and he hadn't told her they were exploring their feelings, he had just expressed friendly concern… Right?
Worrying about that would have to wait for another time. Right now, all he wanted to do was spend time with his son and the woman who was becoming more and more captivating with each passing day.
He spent the rest of the party playing with Regina and Roland. At last the other guests started to disperse, and only Robin, Regina, Roland, the Charmings and the Merry Men were left.
"You can go ahead and tuck Roland in, we'll clean everything up," Snow offered.
Robin accepted with a grateful nod, then walked over to Regina and his son. Resisting the urge to slip his hand into Regina's, he scooped Roland, who was starting to nod off, up and asked, "Are you both ready to go?"
"No Papa, I wanna stay," Roland yawned.
"Ahhh, but if you do that, you won't be able to hear Mama, remember?" Robin reminded him, waiting for his response with bated breath. They had done this every year since Marian's death, but Roland had been too young to remember.
Roland's eyes lit up. "The seashell!"
His words filled Robin's heart with a warmth and joy that he had only felt around his son. That he had finally remembered their little tradition gave him hope that Roland would help him and the rest of the men keep Marian's memory alive.
They sat Roland down on his bed, Robin and Regina on either side of him with the rest of the men surrounding them on all sides. Robin extracted a shell from his pocket and showed it to Roland. It hadn't been easy to safeguard this one artefact over the years, but somehow, he had managed.
Roland reached for it, but Robin held it close. "Remember, Roland, I need to tell you a story first."
Roland nodded and snuggled into his blankets. Once he was settled, Robin began, "A long time ago when your mama was sick, she knew she had to find a way for you to have her with you. You were only a few days old, but she already loved you so much, and hated the idea of you having to grow up without her. So she wished on a star, and a fairy came to help her.
"The fairy gave her this seashell and told her that all she needed to do was open it and speak into it, and her voice would stay in the shell forever. So when she got home she did, and when she went to be with the angels, I kept the shell safe, so we'd always have a piece of her with us, to remind us of how much she loves us."
Every year, he tried to make this part of the occasion light-hearted, but each time, he seemed to fail. That was why he had the others with him, and they knew their role well.
"Roland, are you excited to hear your mama?" Little John asked, reaching out to tickle the much smaller boy.
"Yes!" Roland squealed, trying to ward off John's tickle attacks. "Uncle John, stop!"
"I just wanted to make sure you were wide awake for your mama," Little John defended himself. "You don't want her to see you fall asleep when you listen to her, do you?"
As a matter of fact, that was exactly what had happened when they had done this in years past. However, Roland had been younger then, and he knew that his son would be mortified if he was caught doing that now (even though he might still do it, despite John's efforts).
"Noooo!" Roland protested, shaking his head frantically.
"Are you ready?" Robin said, holding out the shell. "All you have to do is open it right here," he instructed, indicating the little lip that separated the shell's two halves.
Roland's tiny fingers opened the shell, and Marian's voice filled the room. "Hi Roland! How's my little thief? I've been watching you, and I'm so proud of how big you're getting and how grown-up you are. Keep smiling and laughing, and know that I love you more every day, and I am always with you in your heart. I love you, Roland."
Each year, the sound of Marian's voice brought tears to Robin's eyes. This day was always so difficult for him, and it never got any easier as he listened to her voice. He felt a lump in his throat, the tears threatening to fall.
"Don't cry, it's all right," a new voice whispered in his ear as he felt fingers intertwine with his while Marian spoke. "Look how happy he is."
It was true. As Marian crooned to Roland, his little boy's smile was bright, his eyes shining. Whether it was from the magic of the shell or hearing his mother's voice, Robin wasn't sure, but it didn't matter. His boy was happy, and that had been his primary goal ever since this day four years ago.
Suddenly, a baby's cry filled the room.
"That's me!" Roland realized.
"It is," Robin said, an undeniable lump in his throat.
Marian laughed. "A mother's work is never done. I love you, my sweet boy, and I always will."
With that, the shell fell silent. Roland had settled back into the sheets, and his eyes were beginning to droop again. Robin leaned forward and kissed his boy's forehead. "Happy birthday Roland, I love you."
(*******)
They left, and Robin pulled Regina aside. "Come with me. I have something for you."
She frowned. He must be mistaken. He couldn't have something for her. "For me? You probably don't remember celebrating my birthday, but I'm sure you know it's Roland's birthday, not mine."
"True," he acknowledged. "But I had to do something to thank you for everything you've done for us."
"Robin, you didn't have to-" she began, but he stopped her by putting a finger on her lips.
"Yes, I did. Yes, my men are a family to us, but Roland hasn't known a mother's love for far too long. Come with me."
He led her back to her own chambers. To her surprise, he pulled out a circular container, one she knew all too well. The question she did want to know the answer to, though, was, "How did you manage to hide that in here? You couldn't possibly have done it." She had been with him all day, he couldn't have managed to slip away.
"Are you so sure about that, milady?" he asked, setting the pie before her. "It may not be as good as one of yours, but I hope it will serve as a fitting display of our gratitude."
"A simple thank you would have been enough," she informed him. "And I never even need that. You know I'd do anything for you and Roland."
"Anything?" he asked, a roguish glint in his eye as he backed her up to the edge of the bed.
She took a bite of the pie then set it aside, one hand reaching up to cup his cheek. It had been surprisingly good, but she could think of something even sweeter. "Whatever you want," she whispered, hardly daring to believe she was speaking these words, that she could have this moment. "It's yours." She had never been so unguarded with a man before. Even Daniel had only ever seen a shadow of her affection, because she had been young and forever afraid that her mother would tear them apart.
But Cora was now nothing but a mere memory, and here was this man, her soulmate, who had baked her an apple pie just to show her his appreciation for her. As he closed the gap between them and captured her lips in a kiss so sweet it made her heart flutter, she dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, she could be happy after all.
Zelena retched and looked away in disgust. "Enjoy him while you have him, sis. He won't be yours much longer, not after he finds out what you've done." She had let them escape, but that didn't mean that her plans for them were over. Far from it.
She left the room where she had been watching the favored sister and went to the dungeons. There, a blonde woman sat in a cell, her hands wrapped around her knees and her head in her lap.
"Get up!" Zelena snapped. "Your time has come."
The woman came to the door of the cell. "Can I finally get my revenge?"
"Of course, just as I promised," Zelena smiled. "But first, I need you to do a little favor for me."
She grabbed the woman by the neck and forced a potion down her throat. She opened the doors and walked away, leaving the woman to find her way out on her own. "Go, my pet," she called. "Go get your revenge on the Evil Queen."
Prompts used in this chapter: 276 the others finding out about OQ's relationship, 15 OQ as parents, 22 work on any WIP/the next chapter of a fic you started, 32 OQ + David, 130 Missing Year: Roland's birthday, 135 OQ making a pie together, 138 reunion, 139 David catching OQ making out in the missing year, 15) OQ as parents, 7) Mary Margaret and Robin friendship, 177 jealousy 214 Missing Year: anything with Little John, 230 Robin tries to bake an apple pie for Regina, and a personal prompt: next chapter. We're nearing the end, only a couple of chapters left... Hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think!