Part II: The Wedding Rehearsal
"And we signed a stack of blank checks in case you need them while we're gone,"
Regina told Tink as she packed up her bag.
Tink nodded. "Then I think we're in good order."
When Regina had sent the email asking Gold to take her off the DeVil-Hatter merger, he had called her several times during Mary Margaret and David's wedding and left her a number of voicemails since she had turned her phone off. During most of them, he kept firing her over and over. She didn't quite care - though she did want to make sure Tink still had a job. Regina didn't want her assistant to suffer for her decision and she called Mal to ask her to save Tink's job. After explaining the situation, Mal went and did some rearranging, bringing Regina onto her team to serve out her notice period and promising to keep Tink onboard - with the understanding that Regina could poach her beloved assistant at any time.
It had taken almost a year but Regina was eventually able to bring her to the foundation. Tink adjusted to working for both her and Robin, keeping the office running for them. She had been a godsend and Regina was glad to have her in her life.
"You sure?" Regina asked. "We're not forgetting something?"
"If we are, Belle and I will deal with it," Tink assured her, invoking the name of their second-in-command. Belle French was more than capable of running the foundation in their absence. With Tink by her side, Regina knew they were in good hands.
Tink stepped closer to Regina. "All you have to do now is worry about getting married to Robin, okay?"
"Okay," Regina said, pulling a little gift from her desk. She held it out. "And before I get, this is for you. Merry Christmas, Tink."
"Thank you," Tink said, taking the gift. "Merry Christmas, Regina."
Regina hugged her. "I'll see you at the wedding?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Tink assured her. "I can't wait to see you in your dress!"
"I can't wait for everyone else to see it," Regina replied, pulling away. "Especially Robin."
Tink chuckled. "I'm sure Robin can't wait to see you in it either. Has he been trying to sneak peeks?"
"No, but only because he doesn't know where I'm keeping it and knows he can't go snooping through everyone's house to find it," Regina replied.
"Smart," Tink said, handing Regina her bag. "I'll see you at the wedding."
Regina took the bag and left her office, finding Robin waiting at Tink's desk for her. He straightened up and smiled at her. "You ready, sweetheart?" he asked.
"I am," she said, waving to the staff members that came out to see them off. "Merry Christmas, everyone. If we're seeing you at the wedding, see you in a few days. If not, we'll see you in the New Year!"
"We hope you all have a great holiday," Robin added. "And we wish you and your loved ones nothing but joy and happiness this season."
Their staff applauded and Belle stepped forward. "While most of us will be celebrating your wedding with you and we have all celebrated earlier this week, we still want to offer you our congratulations and wishes for a long life full of love and happiness together."
"Three cheers for Robin and Regina!" someone called out. They gave them three cheers as they left and Regina half expected to be pelted by confetti or rice as they walked past their staff members.
Robin laughed as they left their office. "We have the best colleagues, don't we?"
"We do," she agreed, taking his hand. "And we have the best friends and family, who we're going to celebrate with in a few days."
He smiled, kissing her forehead. "Yes, we are. So we should go home and get plenty of rest."
"You read my mind, Mr. Locksley," she teased him. "Lead the way."
They headed to his car and climbed in. Robin started the engine and pulled away, heading out onto the main street. "Do you want to pick something up for dinner on our way home or just see what we have?" he asked.
"We still have some leftovers from dinner at Granny's house," she reminded him. "We can heat those up."
He nodded, making a left turn. "Sounds good then."
They drove along and Regina admired all the decorated houses they passed. Once again, Storybrooke had dressed itself in its holiday best and glowed brighter than the Northern Lights. Santas, snowmen, reindeer and their ilk all stood on lawns and greeted people passing by. Candy canes and snowflakes illuminated windows along with strands of white or multicolored lights. All of it was beautiful and the perfect backdrop for a wedding.
"Enjoying Christmas?" Robin asked.
"Of course," she replied with a smile. "You?"
He nodded. "I can't think of a better time for us to get married."
She chuckled. "Neither can I. So it's a good thing we were able to get a Christmas Eve wedding."
"Not that it was hard," Robin reminded her. "The Mist Haven Lodge coordinator called us the minute after we announced our engagement."
"That is true," she replied. "She probably would've given us anything we asked for, even shut down the lodge like Mary Margaret did."
He nodded. "I think she was relieved we weren't going that big. Though I think the town would've liked it if we went their route."
"Oh god," she moaned, rubbing her forehead. "That was a disaster. I have a new appreciation for Megan Markle."
The Blanchard and the Mills families were essentially Storybrooke royalty, the two most prominent families in town. Regina had always understood that - as had Robin. What they hadn't understood was how long the people of Storybrooke had waited for the two families to be joined in marriage - a good century, by what she understood. Robin and Regina were fulfilling that long-held dream and so the people of Storybrooke were acting as if their wedding was a royal one. Everyone wanted to know every detail about everything - the ring, the venue, the dress, etc.
But above all, they all wanted an invite to the wedding.
For most of the year, Robin and Regina could not go anywhere in town without being accosted by someone asking about being invited to the wedding. They tried to be as polite as possible, hoping that most people would realize the absurdity of their requests - while Storybrooke was a small town, Robin and Regina didn't have much of a relationship with a majority of those demanding invites. Yet it soon became clear that that small detail didn't matter to those people - they felt entitled to watch Robin and Regina get married just because he was a Blanchard and she was a Mills.
When pointing out that the people who were asking for invites were essentially strangers to them failed, Robin and Regina changed tactics. They started to explain that they had agreed on a small wedding. People then assumed it was a matter of cost, demanding that Leopold Blanchard put in more money for his nephew's wedding. And they almost dragged in Cora, Regina's estranged mother, in the mistaken belief that she had done something to prevent her daughter from having the wedding of her dreams.
In the end, they had to call in the big guns - Granny. She made an announcement in her diner one day during her busiest dinner rush, making certain Leroy was there as well. It was the best way to make sure the word got out to as many people as quickly as possible.
"I come with a message from Robin and Regina," she said. "They appreciate all the love and support you have all shown them, especially as they prepare to spend the rest of their lives together."
Applause broke out and Granny paused. Robin and Regina watched from her office, making sure to keep out of sight as they waited to see how their message would be received by the people of Storybrooke.
Granny raised her hands, getting them to quiet down. "Alright, alright. Now, from what I understand, most of you seem to be upset by their wedding plans despite almost none of you being their family or their friends."
"Everyone in Storybrooke feels like family," Leroy pointed out. Others voiced their agreement.
"Well, that may be so, but you all know there's a big difference between 'feeling like family' and 'being family'," she countered.
Everyone fell silent again, no doubt contemplating her words. Or at least, Regina hoped they were as Granny continued.
"But if you want to treat them like family, then you need to respect their wishes and do everything you can to help them have the wedding of their dreams - the wedding they deserve," she said. "And they want a small, intimate wedding. It has nothing to do with what they can or cannot afford - though that would still be their business, not something to go bugging Leopold Blanchard and especially Cora Mills about. They just want those who mean the most to them there as they pledge to love, honor and cherish each other for the rest of their lives. So let them invite who they want. And if you're not invited, don't complain or put more pressure on those poor souls."
She paused, looking around. "Any objections? Speak now or forever hold your peace."
When no one spoke up, Granny nodded. "Then the matter is settled. Don't make me have to address you all again."
"Yes, Granny," they all chorused, as if they were students in school. Granny nodded, walking back to her office.
Relief filled Regina as she hugged her grandaunt. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome," she replied. "And if anyone gives you any more trouble, just point them to me. I'll set them right."
She pulled away from them and took Regina's hand before reaching out for Robin's. He stepped closer as she smiled at them. "Go and plan your perfect wedding. Invite whoever you want. Just be happy."
"We will," Regina promised. "Thank you, Granny."
"Granny certainly was a lifesaver," Robin said, bringing Regina back to the present. "I'm really glad she's on our side."
She nodded. "Me too. Though it's hard to keep having small gatherings when Mary Margaret insists on inviting everyone under the sun to her parties. I love her but did all of Storybrooke need to be present for Neal's baptism?"
Robin chuckled. "It was a bit much for a newborn, wasn't it?"
"Just a little," Regina replied. "Why does she do that?"
"Mary Margaret loves to feel like a princess and the town is willing to do that for her. So she milks it for all it's worth," he replied. "It's relatively harmless as long as she can continue to afford it."
She nodded. "True. Hopefully the Blanchard fortune never runs out then."
"It hasn't yet," he said. "And my cousin honestly only has a penchant for big parties on the milestones. So I think we should be good."
"Good. I just hate that people feel like she sets the precedent and we have to follow," Regina replied.
He nodded. "I do agree. At least we have Granny to set them straight."
"But we can't keep relying on her," she replied.
"True," he agreed, "but I think that the people got the message that we are not like my cousin. If they expect anything more for our milestones, we can just put them in their place."
She chuckled. "I agree."
Robin pulled into their driveway and she smiled as she took in their own Christmas decorations, once again lovingly put up by them. He turned off the car and patted her knee. "Let's go get some dinner and relax. I have a feeling this will be our last quiet night until our wedding night," he said.
They quickly changed and Robin lit a fire as Regina heated up some leftovers for them. Soon they were curled up together on the couch, enjoying their meal and watching one of the many holiday movies on TV at that time of the year.
"We should sell them our story," Regina said, setting her plate down and tucking her hand under her head as she rested against Robin. "It would make for a great movie."
"It probably would," he agreed. "But I'm a rather selfish git who doesn't want to share our story with anyone else. It's ours, just another chapter in my family's lore."
She smiled. "That's much better than royalties. Though those would be nice too."
He laughed, holding her close. Regina closed her eyes and sighed, once again happier than she ever thought possible.
And in a few days, she would get her happy ending.
Or rather, a happy beginning.
She couldn't wait.
Their wedding party arrived the next day from the many places they called home. Robin and Regina met up with them at the Mist Haven Lodge for lunch, finding Little John waiting for them in the lobby. "I was afraid we would never see this day but I'm glad it's finally here - Robin Locksley and Regina Mills getting married," he said, hugging them.
"I guess you could call this a Christmas miracle," Regina joked with him, letting him engulf her in a big bear hug. "And we're so glad you're here."
"It's a nice little reunion," Robin agreed.
Little John nodded. "And much better than standing around the high school gym, right?"
"Agreed," Regina said, taking Robin's hand. "Let's go see who else is here."
They went up to the restaurant, finding Kathryn and Frederick waiting for them. Kathryn rushed forward, hugging Regina tightly. "You're getting married!" she squealed.
"I know!" Regina replied, laughing. "I'm so glad you're here."
She let go of Kathryn and gave Frederick a hug. "You too. Even though I know how you feel."
He hugged her. "You're my friend, Regina. All I want is for you to be happy and it's pretty clear, even to me, that Robin makes you happy. So I am here to happily celebrate your wedding."
"If you say 'happy' one more time, do you get a free coffee?" Regina teased him as she released him.
Frederick laughed. "Maybe."
"Do I finally get to meet the famous Regina Mills in person?" an older gentleman asked, approaching the group.
Robin's smile widened. "Tuck! You made it!"
"I did," Tuck replied, hugging him. "It was a bit of a trek from Thailand but I wasn't going to let anything stop me, even if I had to take a jetski across the Atlantic Ocean."
"It's an honor to finally meet you in person," Regina said, stepping forward. She held out her hand but Tuck pulled her in for a hug.
They hugged for a few moments before he said: "The honor is all mine. I've always wanted to meet the woman who shaped our Robin so much."
"He's probably shaped me more," she replied, smiling at Robin over Tuck's shoulder. He returned it with an even brighter smile.
"Then I'd say you two were off to a great start to your marriage," Tuck said, pulling away from her. He patted her hands. "And I look forward to getting to know you."
She nodded. "Me too."
"Who else are we waiting for?" Kathryn asked, looking around the area.
"Everyone who lives in Storybrooke," Regina replied. "Of course those that live the closest are the latest."
"Well, they live in the town. We're all staying in the hotel. It's easier for us to get here right now than them," Tuck pointed out.
She nodded, knowing he had a point. "True. So we'll just be patient for a little bit longer."
"I'm sure they're parking as we speak," Robin said, wrapping his arm around her. "Mary Margaret and David probably picked up Ruby so they could come together."
"You're right. And knowing my cousin, she's probably the reason why they are late," Regina replied.
"Usually I'd say you were right, but not this time," Ruby said from behind them.
Regina turned around to find her cousin walking toward them. She hugged Ruby. "So it was Mary Margaret and David?" she asked.
"It was Neal," David replied. "He spit up right before we left the house and so Mary Margaret had to change her outfit."
"Perils of motherhood," Mary Margaret said, hugging Regina once Ruby stepped away. "Sorry."
Regina shook her head. "Nothing to apologize for. But I'll be having some words with my godson when I next see him."
Mary Margaret chuckled before moving so Regina could hug David. Robin then took her hand and looked around at everyone. "So, are we ready for lunch?"
Everyone agreed and the hostess led them to one of the biggest tables right in the middle of the dining room. She gave them all menus as she said: "Your server will be right with you. Enjoy your meal."
Regina took her seat, eager to enjoy her time with her closest friends before it got really crazy ahead of the wedding. She took Robin's hand and they all fell into easy conversation, a relaxing moment they could share together.
"I would like to propose a toast," Robin said, lifting his wine glass.
Everyone picked up their own but Tuck frowned. "Shouldn't we be toasting you? You and Regina are the ones getting married."
Robin chuckled. "I think we're going to get plenty of toasts at our wedding. Right now, I want to toast you - our friends, our wedding party."
"Well, I'll accept it," Ruby joked, raising her glass. "Go ahead, tell me how fabulous I am."
Everyone laughed and Regina shook her head. "Never change, Ruby."
"I have no plans to," her cousin assured her, winking.
"On behalf of Regina and myself, we thank you all for coming up here to celebrate our wedding," Robin said. "We know this is a busy time of the year for everyone and that you all have your own Christmas traditions. So it means the world to us that you're here with us."
Tuck smiled. "I think we all agree we wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
"And some of us would've already been here with you anyway," Ruby added, motioning to herself as well as the Nolans.
"The point still stands," Regina replied. "We don't care if you came from down the block or halfway around the world. You're here with us now and we appreciate you all."
Robin nodded. "So, to you and your friendship. Cheers!"
"Cheers!" everyone chorused, sipping their drinks.
Setting her drink down, Regina caught sight of the time on Robin's watch. "Shoot, we need to go meet with Eudora," she told him.
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Are we going to have to dance?"
"No," Regina assured her, standing along with Robin. "Nothing that elaborate. We just wanted a few refresher lessons before the wedding."
"If I remember our wedding correctly, I doubt you two need refresher lessons," David said. "You two were amazing together."
Regina felt her cheeks heat up and she grinned. "Thanks, but Eudora did convince us to try something new so we do need a little more practice."
"Especially as we will have all the focus. At your wedding, everyone was looking at you, not us," Robin reminded him.
"I'll give you that much," David said. "But I also think it was because you two were fighting and were only just going through the motions. If you two had been together, you probably would've upstaged us."
Regina shook her head. "Never."
"Anyway, we'll see everyone soon," Robin said, helping her with her coat. "Anna may be in contact with you…"
"Oh no," Ruby groaned. "What are we going to have to do now?"
Regina shot her cousin a look. "We aren't asking too much of you. You'll find out in good time. But don't worry, you'll have plenty of down time."
"So, we'll see everyone tomorrow," Robin said with a smile. "Until then, we hope those of you who are visiting get a chance to look around Storybrooke."
"It's especially beautiful at Christmas," Regina added. She then took Robin's hand and waved, letting him lead her away from the table. They stopped to pay the bill for everyone before continuing to their car, a spring in both their steps.
Robin and Regina arrived at Eudora's dance studio after stopping at home to change for their lesson. They entered together and the receptionist greeted them warmly, telling them Eudora was just finishing up a class. "I can let you into the smaller studio so you can start warming up if you want," she offered.
"That sounds good," Regina replied. "Thank you."
Within minutes, they were in the smaller studio and had hung up their coats. Robin and Regina went through the stretches and warm up exercises Eudora always put them through at the start of a lesson together. As she stretched herself at the barre, Regina thought back to their first lesson with Eudora and how she had challenged them to try something new.
"I am so glad you two came to me for your first dance," Eudora said, hugging Regina. "I knew you two would eventually make the trip down the aisle yourselves when I saw you two dance."
That surprised Regina. "Really?"
Eudora nodded as she pulled away from Regina. "There was just something in the way you two moved together and how you looked at each other. It was like watching two souls move as one."
"Mary Margaret does call us soul mates," Regina told her.
"Fitting," Eudora said before clapping her hands. "So, do you two know anything other than the waltz?"
They shook their heads. "We only had to learn the waltz for a cotillion," Regina replied.
Eudora nodded. "Alright. Well, I was thinking that you two would want something a bit different from Mary Margaret and David for your wedding."
"I suppose so," Robin said. "What did you have in mind?"
"After listening to your wedding song, only one style came to mind. The foxtrot," she replied.
Robin looked at Regina with some hesitation. "Foxtrot? That sounds...complicated."
Eudora shook her head. "It's not. It's very elegant and classy, just like you two. I really do think you two will handle it well."
"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try," Regina said, looking at Robin for confirmation. He nodded.
"Wonderful! How about I show you a video first and then we can go from there?" Eudora suggested, pulling out her phone.
Robin and Regina huddled around her, watching two professionals dance the foxtrot. It reminded her of something from an old Hollywood film and she fell in love with the style, hoping they could at least get the basics down for their wedding. "I love it," she said.
"Me too," Robin replied, giving her a little squeeze. "I think we can try it."
Eudora set the phone down with a smile. "Excellent. Let's start with the basics and see how it goes."
Robin and Regina took each other's hand and smiled. She felt excited and certain that their first dance as husband and wife was going to be even more magical than they had planned.
"Robin, Regina, hello," Eudora greeted them as she entered the studio. "Glad to see you two are warmed up."
Regina nodded. "We know everyone is on a tight schedule ahead of Christmas - especially us."
Eudora smiled. "Yes - it's your wedding week! How are you two feeling?"
"Excited," Robin said. "And nervous. Well, at least that's how I feel."
He looked at Regina and she nodded, feeling the same. "Agreed. I'm torn between wanting to make this week last as long as possible and wanting it to just be over already."
Eudora laughed. "Sounds normal to me. Don't worry, you're going to be fine. Just remember to enjoy your wedding day - it's a time for celebration, not perfection."
"We'll keep that in mind," Regina replied, grateful for the woman's calm guidance.
"Good." Eudora moved toward the sound system. "Now, we know you won't have to worry about your first dance. Let's do a couple run throughs to be sure, okay?"
They nodded, going into the proper hold for the foxtrot. Eudora had been a great teacher and they were almost as proficient in the foxtrot as they were in the waltz. Regina loved having Robin as her partner and knew that if she had been dancing with anyone else, the foxtrot would've been a complete disaster.
It just was more proof that she and Robin were meant to be together.
Music filled the room and she cleared her mind, focusing only on it and the dance. She and Robin moved as one, easily going through the routine for their first dance as if they danced it every day of their lives. When they finished, Eudora pressed play again and made them dance it all over again. Regina didn't mind, getting lost in the music and the feel of Robin's arms around her.
She felt as if she were in heaven.
"Alright," Eudora said as the song ended again. "I think you two are ready."
Robin pulled Regina close, kissing her head. "We're going to blow everyone away with our first dance."
She smiled, nodding before looking at Eudora. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome," Eudora replied. "And I do hope to see you in my ballroom class next year. I think you two will have a lot of fun in it."
Regina glanced up at Robin, who nodded. "I think we just may take it," she said.
"You're not rid of us yet," he teased.
"Good," Eudora replied. "I'll have you two dancing in competitions yet."
Regina held up her hand. "Let's not go there just yet, okay?"
Eudora nodded. "You two go and get married. Enjoy being newlyweds. Congratulations and best wishes."
She hugged the two of them and they thanked her. Regina then added: "Merry Christmas, Eudora."
"Merry Christmas, Regina, Robin," she replied. "And a very, very happy New Year."
Robin took Regina's hand. "Come on. Onto our next task."
She was confused, knowing that they had nothing else planned for that day. But Regina let him lead her from the studio and held her question until they were in the car. "What is our next task?" she asked.
"A nice long bath," he told her, starting the car. "I think our muscles would appreciate it."
Laughing, Regina leaned back and looked forward to a nice soak with her soon-to-be-husband as they wrapped up their day.
"What are we doing?" Kathryn asked as the wedding party stood in the kitchen at a nearby culinary school.
Regina grinned as she tied her apron. "Well, Robin and I have a tradition we started a couple years ago."
"We bake Christmas cookies together," Robin continued. "And we thought it would be fun to include all of you."
John raised his hand. "Will we get to eat the cookies?"
"You can each have one when we're done and the rest will be served at our rehearsal dinner, so you can have more there," Regina told him.
Mary Margaret clapped her hands together, smiling. "This is great!"
"It gets us out of the house," David said. "I love Neal but we need breaks from him."
"So, what are we making?" Kathryn asked, looking over the ingredients.
Ruby grinned. "Oh, I know. We're making sugar cookies for Robin and gingerbread cookies for Regina. Those are their favorites."
"You're making me hungry," Tuck said, rubbing his stomach. "So let's get baking!"
Everyone laughed and Regina pulled out the recipe cards. "We figure we can break into two groups to make each type of cookie. Robin will be leading the group making sugar cookies and I'll be handling gingerbread. You can either choose your group or we can do a bridesmaids and groomsmen thing if you want."
"Competition?" Ruby asked, perking up a bit.
Regina shook her head. "We want this to be fun."
"Competition can be fun," her cousin argued.
"Well, I'm going to play the bride card and say I want us to work together," Regina countered.
Beside her, Robin took her hand. "And I'm going to stand by her. Besides, we're all going to end up icing the sugar cookies anyway, so what's the point in competing with each other?"
Ruby sighed. "Fine. I'm outvoted. We'll just bake together."
"It's going to be fun, Rubes," Mary Margaret said. "Just like old times."
"Just without death threats from Granny," John said, chuckling. "I sometimes think it's a miracle we made it to adulthood."
"We weren't that bad," Regina replied.
Robin motioned to the second station. "We can reminisce as we start baking. We only have a few hours here."
"Right," she agreed, clapping her hands. "Let's get to the work!"
The men moved to the next station and got to work. Regina placed down the recipe card and looked at her bridesmaids. "So, I figured someone could be in charge of gathering and measuring ingredients, someone else mixing, someone creating the cookies and another person watching the oven. Sound good?"
"I can watch the oven," Kathryn volunteered. "I'm good at not letting things burn."
"I can measure and gather. Granny always says I'm very good at that," Ruby offered.
Mary Margaret looked at Regina. "You mix and I'll mold?"
"Sounds like we have a plan," Regina agreed. "Let's get to work and bake some gingerbread cookies!"
The kitchen was soon filled with the sounds of people working, chatting and laughing. Regina felt buoyed watching them all work together, their dear friends all working together and having fun.
It felt perfect.
"So, Regina, any particular reason why you and Robin like to bake cookies together?" Kathryn asked, setting a timer for the next batch of gingerbread cookies.
"We used to do it all together as children," Ruby said. "Granny would gather us all and we'd bake, though not just for Christmas."
Mary Margaret nodded. "It kept us busy and therefore out of trouble. For the most part."
"There's also another reason why Robin and I make Christmas cookies together," Regina replied. "He surprised me with a baking session ahead of Mary Margaret and David's wedding just because I hadn't baked in forever and he knew it would make me happy. It really made me feel so cared for."
Kathryn smiled. "That sounds so sweet. And I see how happy it made you."
Regina nodded. "We also planned our foundation together as we baked and iced the cookies."
"Wait, really?" her friend asked. "You came up with it over cookies?"
"Well, Robin had already come up with the idea before that," Regina clarified. "But I offered to help and that's when we started to plan about us running it together."
Kathryn shook her head. "You really did have a life-changing week back then."
Regina nodded. "Yes, I did. And I'm glad I did."
"Me too," Robin replied, kissing the top of her head as he passed by to grab something. "And that week changed my life too."
"I'm grateful for that as well," Mary Margaret said. "I got both of you back."
Ruby grinned. "Just like old times."
"Robin really helped me put my life in perspective," Regina said. "Made me realize what I wanted from my life."
"You made me realize what I wanted as well," Robin replied, winking at her as he returned to his station.
Mary Margaret sighed. "It was all so romantic."
"Speaking of romantic, Mary Margaret, can you and David decorate it for us tomorrow?" Regina asked, looking at her matron of honor.
Mary Margaret's eyes lit up. "We'd be honored to! You and Robin did a great job for us. It's time for us to return the favor."
"Hopefully we won't get stuck in the cottage like you two," David replied, chuckling.
"One more night in the cottage at Christmas wouldn't hurt," Ruby said. "After all, it's what Robin and Regina are doing. They technically already spent their night. They're just getting an extra dose of magic for good luck."
Tuck looked up with a bemused smile. "Magic? Spending a night in a cottage? What is going on?"
"It's a long story Regina's aunt tells better," Robin said, "but it boils down to family tradition for me and Mary Margaret."
"Uh huh. But magic?" Tuck asked, still apparently stuck on that.
Ruby shrugged. "You can believe in it or not - and these two do not. But it's hard to ignore the fact that they were constantly sniping at each other before they spent a night in the cottage and afterwards, well, they fell back in love."
Regina shared a look with Robin, who winked at her. They did believe that the Christmas Cottage did work its magic on them but they had agreed to keep it between them. So she replied: "It's because we were able to finally talk about what happened between us, apologize for our parts in it and get forgiveness from the other. We cleaned the slate and were just friends again."
"And then you were more than friends," her cousin reminded her. "Very quickly."
"That's because they are soulmates," Mary Margaret replied. "They complete each other and so would have always come back together."
Ruby raised her eyebrow. "So you don't think the cottage played a role in it?"
Mary Margaret grinned. "Oh no, I do. I think it just sped up the inevitable."
"Wow," Tuck said. "Soulmates, magical cottages...I never thought I would hear all of this associated with you, Robin."
Robin shrugged before smiling at Regina. "I guess we all could use some magic in our lives."
"Yes," she agreed, eyes locked onto Robin. "I suppose we all could."
She wiped her hands on her apron before walking over to Robin. He met her halfway, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss. Regina wrapped her arms around his neck, humming a bit as he pulled her even closer.
God, she loved him so much.
They broke the kiss and he bumped her nose with his. "Love you," he whispered.
"Love you too," she replied.
"Aww," everyone chorused, almost teasingly. Robin and Regina remembered they had an audience and jumped apart, looking sheepish.
Robin clapped his hands together. "Okay, I think it's time to let the cookies cool and make the icing for the sugar cookies."
"I agree," Regina said, turning back to her team. "You ready?"
They nodded and everyone came back together, mixing the icing and preparing to decorate the cookies. Regina sat next to Robin, their arms brushing as they worked. Every so often, they would look up and catch each other's eyes for a soft smile. Then they would turn back to their task.
Regina kept thinking she could possibly get any happier but over the past two years, Robin kept proving her wrong. While they had had a few tough times and some fights, the good times far outweighed them. It was something she hadn't been able to even dream about when she was with Daniel. There was no way they would just sit and ice cookies a few days before their wedding. But she couldn't imagine doing anything else now.
It once again reminded her that she had made the right choice and she knew she was getting closer and closer to her happily ever after.
"Great practice, everyone," Anna said, clapping as she stood in the center aisle of the lodge's wedding pavilion. "Next time will be the real deal!"
Robin reached over and squeezed Regina's hand. He grinned at her. "Next time, we'll really be married."
"Can't wait," she replied, smiling back at him.
"Everyone is now invited to head to the restaurant for the rehearsal dinner," Anna said, motioning to the doors.
Granny stood, grinning. "Good. I'm starving."
"Is it just us or are more people joining us?" Mary Margaret asked, leaving the altar with Regina and Robin.
"More people will be joining us," Regina said. "We invited anyone who has already come up for the wedding and staying in the hotel to join us."
Robin nodded. "There's going to be about twenty to thirty people, I'd say."
"Well, I guess that makes sense. You two aren't having a big wedding," Mary Margaret said, taking her husband's hand.
"Right," Regina said. "It's mostly people who are coming from out of town. A few people I know from New York, some of Robin's friends from around the world."
He nodded. "It'll be nice to see them again."
"It'll be nice to meet some of the people who were part of your lives before you two returned to Storybrooke," David said as they approached the restaurant.
Regina smiled as she spotted Mal Draco heading toward the same place from the opposite direction. She waved at the woman she still considered a mentor as well as a friend. "Here's your first chance, David."
"Regina!" Mal exclaimed, hugging Regina. "Congratulations on your wedding."
"Thank you, Mal. And thank you for coming," Regina told her. "It means the world to me."
Mal chuckled, pulling back. "Honestly, I've been very interested to meet the man who took you away from us."
"I've been eager to meet you too," Robin replied, stepping forward and holding out his hand. "Pleasure."
She smiled and shook his hand. "Same. I'm sure you know how lucky you are to be marrying Regina."
He nodded. "I do."
"Good," Mal replied.
Regina placed her hand on Robin's chest, feeling his heartbeat, as she looked up at him. "I'm very lucky to be marrying him."
"You two are sickeningly in love," Mal said. "And for the first time, I love it."
"Come on, you two," Anna said, exiting the restaurant. "Most of your guests are here and they are waiting to see you."
Robin gave Regina a little squeeze. "Shall we?"
"We shall," she agreed, turning back to Mal. "You want to come in with us?"
Mal nodded. "I'm heading that way anyway. Just out of curiosity, is there an open bar?"
"No," Regina said. "But there is a cash bar. The open bar will be tomorrow at the wedding reception."
"Fair enough," Mal said. "As long as there's booze."
Robin laughed. "Don't worry. There's booze. I think there would be a riot if there wasn't."
"Good," she replied. "Sounds like my kind of party."
Anna opened the door and ushered them inside. A small group greeted them, applauding. "Cheers for the happy couple!" someone called out.
Everyone cheered. Robin let out a little laugh, pulling Regina closer to him. "Thank you," he said when the cheering died down.
She nodded. "We are so glad you are here to celebrate with us."
"So, there's a cash bar and plenty of good food. Let's enjoy the night!" he finished to more applause.
Anna ushered them to one particular table. Granny stood, hugging them. "I've been waiting for your wedding day for years. I can't believe it has arrived."
"Neither can we," Regina replied. "It feels like a dream. And if it is, I hope I never wake up."
Robin wrapped his arms around her. "Same here."
"Attention, everyone," Anna announced. "Dinner will be served buffet style and is now available. Thank you!"
Granny rubbed her hands together. "All food tastes better when I haven't been the one cooking it."
Robin chuckled. "Well, may I have the honor of escorting both you lovely ladies to the buffet?"
"You certainly may," Granny replied, taking his arm. "You don't mind sharing, right, Regina?"
"Not in this moment," Regina assured her, taking Robin's other arm. They headed to the buffet together, eager to fill up their plates.
As they joined the line, Tink looked them over. "I'm pretty sure the bride and groom get to cut the line," she told them.
"Probably, but we're happy to wait with all of you," Robin said.
Regina nodded. "It gives us time to talk with people."
"Oh, you'll be talking with everyone tomorrow," Mary Margaret said. "I don't think I sat down after your speeches at our wedding."
"Yeah, I don't recall you two spending much time on the dais after that," Ruby agreed. "Though I think we were all preoccupied by Robin and Regina's reunion."
Regina's face heated up. "I hate that we took some of the spotlight at your wedding."
Mary Margaret waved her off. "You didn't. And even if you did, we were happy to share it. We were glad that you two had reunited. Right, David?"
"Absolutely," he agreed.
They all moved forward and piled food onto their plates. Regina chuckled as she looked over everything. "So much carbs. Why did I agree to this menu?" she asked.
"One night of carbs isn't going to hurt you," Robin assured her.
"You're going to appreciate them when you're barely eating at your reception," Mary Margaret told her. "You definitely want to have both breakfast and lunch tomorrow."
Regina chuckled. "I'll leave you in charge of that."
"Good," her friend replied. "I'll definitely make sure you eat. And David will make sure Robin eats."
"I will?" David asked, sounding surprised. Mary Margaret glared at him and he quickly corrected himself. "I will."
Robin grinned, clapping his best man on the back. "Thanks, mate. I appreciate it."
They finished filling up their plates and headed back to the table. Regina spotted the rest of their staff at one table and waved to them as did Robin. All waved back, beaming happily at them before turning back to their meals.
As Regina took her seat, she placed her napkin on her lap and picked up her fork. Looking around the table, she smiled and told everyone to enjoy their food before digging into her own.
"Oh, I don't think I can move," Regina said, leaning back in her chair. "Robin, you're going to have to carry me to the room."
Mary Margaret shook her head. "Nope. You two are going to separate rooms after this, remember?"
Regina groaned, recalling that fact. "Why did we agree to that again?"
"Because it's tradition," Mary Margaret reminded her. "And it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride."
"Wouldn't the cottage's magic cancel that out?" Regina asked, teasing her friend a bit.
Mary Margaret rolled her eyes as Robin chuckled, taking Regina's hand. "I've heard the first moment the groom sees the bride as she comes down the aisle is one he never forgets. If it's made all the more memorable and magical because he hasn't seen her in the hours leading up to that moment, then I think I can give up one night with you for that."
Regina melted a bit and she leaned toward him, giving him a kiss. "You are so romantic."
Anna came over to their table and leaned toward them. "They're going to serve dessert now. Do you two want to say anything as this wraps up?"
"I guess we can say a few words," Robin said, looking at Regina and taking her hand. "Do you want to do the honors?"
She shook her head. "You're better at impromptu speeches."
He nodded, turning back to Anna. "Do you want me to speak now?"
"If you don't mind," she replied. When he nodded, she straightened up and clapped to get everyone's attention. "The groom is going to say a few words on behalf of himself and the bride."
Everyone turned their attention to them as Robin stood, helping Regina up as well. He gave her hand a squeeze as he whispered: "Wish me luck."
"Good luck," she told him, though she doubted he needed it.
Robin cleared his throat and smiled. "On behalf of Regina and myself, we want to thank you for coming to celebrate our wedding. We know that Christmas is a busy time for everyone and we are honored that you chose to spend yours with us. We appreciate and love all of you."
"Aww, thank you," Will Scarlet called out from his table. His wife, Anastasia, elbowed him before shaking her head.
"You're welcome," Robin replied. He then continued his speech. "Since there will be plenty of speeches tomorrow, I'm going to keep this short. We hope everyone enjoys dessert and then has a good night's sleep. We'll see you all tomorrow. Thank you."
Regina clapped and the others joined in as coffee was served. She took Robin's hand. "Let's go get some dessert before we have to head to our rooms."
"Sounds like a plan," he said, giving her a quick kiss before they headed up to the dessert table.
"This where I must say goodnight," Robin said, standing in front of the elevators as he held Regina. "I'll see you tomorrow at the altar."
Joy surged through her and she nodded. "I can't wait to marry you."
"Same," he said, kissing her as the elevator doors opened. "Sweet dreams, Regina. Have a good night."
"You too," she replied as Ruby ushered her into the elevator. She waved as the doors closed, leaving Robin behind.
She sighed. "Why couldn't we at least take the same elevator?"
"To avoid temptation," Ruby replied. "You know, you two have such a long goodnight kiss, you just happen to wind up on his floor?"
"We have more self-control than that," Regina protested, though she had to admit the situation Ruby laid out was plausible.
Her cousin shrugged as the elevator stopped on their floor. "Maybe but we weren't going to take any chances. Now, Mary Margaret and Anna have given me strict orders. You're to take a bath or a shower, whatever you want, and then go straight to bed. It's going to be an early morning."
They stopped outside Regina's room and Ruby crossed her arms. "I'm technically supposed to babysit you but we both know that's pretty laughable."
"Thanks, Rubes," Regina said, hugging her. "I promise I'll do exactly as they say and I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight."
Ruby wished her a goodnight before heading down to her room. Swiping her card, Regina entered her room and decided to hop in the shower, afraid she would fall asleep in the bathtub. Once she was dressed in her pajamas, she climbed into bed and set her alarm. Her lockscreen picture of her and Robin stayed on screen for a few seconds and was the last thing she saw before drifting off to sleep.
A/N: Here's the second part! While the lead up to their wedding wasn't as busy as Mary Margaret's and David's, they still managed to have some time with their friends and bridal party.
In the next part, we'll see Robin and Regina's wedding! So stay tuned!
Thanks for all your love for the first part! I hope you enjoyed this one too!
-Mac