Dinner was filled with awkward glances and uncomfortable silences. Robin seemed to be off in her own sad world, while Alice was still fighting with herself for the mistakes she had made upstairs. Neither Regina nor Zelena dared to ask the girls what was wrong, as they feared they already knew. After dinner Robin set up shop at the kitchen table and began to craft some spare arrows, not because she needed any, but because she wasn't ready to face being alone with the blonde girl, fearing that she might burst into tears at the thought of her male lover. Alice took it upon herself to help the two older women clear up the dishes, before setting up the chess board that she had brought with her, in hopes of trying to teach Robin how to play. But instead, the blonde spent most of the night playing herself, something she had become quite good at due to her many years in isolation. From the living room, the Mill's Sisters took in the scene in front of them, both girls were miserable, and the two older witches couldn't take it with their moping anymore.
"Would you look at the time…Robin, it's way past your bedtime. Why don't you and Alice call it a night?" Zelena quickly used her magic to change the time from 7:45 to 12:45 without either girl noticing.
"Bloody hell, it's past midnight already…time sure does fly in this realm." Alice tried to lighten the mood, but Robin simply shrugged her comment off as she finished the last arrow in her pile.
"Goodnight Mom…" Robin walked over to kiss her mother's cheek, before doing the same with Regina. "Night Aunt Regina."
"Goodnight girls!" The sister's said in unison, as Robin took Alice by the hand and lead her up the stairs.
"Goodnight…" Alice shouted down, smiling for the first time that evening.
"What the hell was going on there?" Regina let out a frustrated sigh as soon as the girls were out of eyeshot.
"I don't know, but I was one minute away from checking myself into that mental ward you had me locked up in, just to get away from it…do you think they talked?" Zelena asked as she moved to get some wine for them.
"I think something happened, they were all over each other this morning and now…now Robin can hardly look at Alice."
"I want to talk to her…but I know that she'll just shut down when she's like this." Zelena ran a hand through her messy hair.
"Let's just hope that whatever is going on between them, they work it out by breakfast…or they'll have a meddling Mother and Aunt to deal with." Regina clinked her glass with Zelena's before falling into a casual conversation, mainly about baby Lucy.
The two girls lay in a deafening silence. Since Regina was staying, it meant that Alice had to bunk in with Robin, a thing that the brunette girl had looked forward too, that was until Alice had dropped the bomb that was her seemingly perfect man. Laying fully awake Robin studied the blonde girls breathing, she knew that Alice was still awake, but she made no move to talk to the girl, she didn't know what to say anymore…all she wanted to say was the words she had feared all day, the words she had wished she'd said before hearing about him.
"Robin…" Alice finally broke the silence as she turned onto her side to face Robin's back. When the brunette failed to answer, Alice reached her hand out slightly and stroked her flowing hair. Alice had never seen it out of a braid or ponytail before, it was soft to touch and smiled faintly of pine mixed with a hint of something sweet, that Alice couldn't place. "I know you're awake…I-I don't know why you're angry with me…well actually I do, but I don't understand…Robin, please say something." Alice's voice croaked as she let her fingers fall from Robin's hair. The blonde girl was ready to give up, ready to roll over again and force herself to fall asleep, when she felt the girl next to her start to shift and eventually turn to face her.
"I'm not mad…" Robin mumbled as she looked down avoiding any eye contact with the blonde.
"Then what's the matter? You were fine until we started all that boy talk." Alice moved closer slightly, wanting to be near the warmth of the other girl.
"That's the problem…look, Alice, I'm not like other girls…" Robin started, pausing to choke back the lump of fear caught in her throat. "I've never dreamt of finding my Prince Charming or falling madly in love with some guy…when I think about my future…I think about…" Robin paused as tears began to fill her eyes at the thought of her future not coming true.
"What? Robin, you can tell me anything…" Alice reached her hand out to cup the girls face, as her thumb wiped away the tears as they fell.
"It's gonna sound pretty pathetic now…but when I think of my future, I think about you, Alice…" Robin whispered, making Alice's eyes widen.
"Robin…"
"Let me finish, please…I need to say this before I lose my nerve again." Alice was hesitant, she needed to tell Robin that what she had said earlier wasn't true, that it was her she was talking about.
"Go on…" Alice decided to let Robin have this moment and prayed that Robin would understand whys she had lied before.
"You saved me when I was at my lowest point in life, you restored my love of the Enchanted Forest. For years I searched for you and asked after you, and then when I finally found you again…I saw that you were the most beautiful person I had ever seen, both inside and out. I started falling for you the second you caught up with me outside that tavern…and since that day, you're all that I think of." Robin paused, as the tears finally stopped. "I know that your heart belongs to someone else, and that's okay…I'll get over it, but I just needed you to know, that my heart…" Robin reached out and took Alice hand, carefully she placed it on her racing heart. "My heart, it belongs to you, Alice…I think it always has."
"Robin…"
"You don't have to say anything Al…" Alice quickly moved her hand to cover Robin's mouth.
"It's my turn now…Robin, that man I mentioned before…the one that my heart belongs too. I was talking about you…I just was afraid to come out and say it and then your Mom came home, and I didn't have a chance to tell you that I was kidding, that it was you…the thought of seeing you again, kept me hopeful all those years ago." Alice finally removed her hand from Robin's mouth. "My heart, it belongs to you, Robin…you stole it the second you pointed that arrow at my face." Alice whispered as the two girls started to move closer, gently Robin reached out and ran her fingers through Alice's hair, just like she had done in the cell all those weeks ago. Leaning in closer Robin could hear the hard thudding of Alice's heart, mixed in with her own. Slowly she closed the distance between them, kissing her softly as Alice's griped onto the girl's waist. The kiss was soft to start, but soon Robin took charge and deepened the kiss, catching the blonde off guard and forcing her to let out the cutest of squeaks, before melting into Robin's arms. Finally, the two broke apart, panting for air they touched foreheads as they stared deeply into the other's eyes.
"You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that…" Robin whispered, causing Alice to giggle in response.
"Almost as long as I have, I bet." Alice winked before stealing another smaller kiss from the girl. "So, what do we do now?" Alice asked nervously, she had never been in this kind of situation before and it both excited and scared her at the same time.
"Now? We sleep, holding each other just like this…and then tomorrow," Robin paused to place a small kiss on Alice's forehead as she blonde snuggled into Robin's strong arms. "Tomorrow, we will probably have my Mother and Aunt to deal with, but they love you, so it should be fine." Robin giggled as she ran her fingers through Alice's hair, soothing the blonde girl to sleep.
"What about after that? I've never…I've never been in a relationship before. I just want to know what to do so I don't stuff it up." Alice nervous drew circles on Robin's stomach over her t-shirt as she spoke.
"After tomorrow…we just be us. There's no system or guideline to being in a relationship…we just take it one day at a time." Robin kissed her hairline numerous time, making the blonde giggle once again.
"One day at a time? Sounds perfect, as long as I get to spend every day with you."
"Goodnight Tower Girl," Robin whispered into Alice's hair as she inhaled the blonde.
"Goodnight…My Robin."
The next morning
Robin was a beacon of happiness as she skipped into the kitchen the next morning, feeling refreshed and truly happy for once.
"Good Morning Mother!" Robin spoke in a sing-song voice as she placed a small kiss on the woman's cheek. "Isn't it such a beautiful day today?"
"Someone's happy…" Zelena mumbled as she watched her daughter prepare a small tray of breakfast food. "And where do you think you're going with that missy?"
"Breakfast in bed, how romantic…" Regina teased as she entered the room and hugged her niece.
"Shut up…" Robin gently pushed herself out of the woman's grip and continued to raid the cupboards.
"You've certainly changed your tune since last night…I take it you two talked?" Zelena questioned as she sipped on her coffee.
"From the grin on her face, it looks like they did more than just talk…" Regina muttered under her breath, earning a wicked death stare from Zelena.
"Aunt Regina!" Robin shouted embarrassment took over her turning her into an alarming shade of red.
"I was kidding…but after that reaction, I feel like I might be onto something."
"Robin Mills! You know the house rules missy and if I find out that you…you have been doing anything in that room of yours…"
"Alice!" Robin interrupted as the blonde girl appeared at the end of the staircase.
"I didn't want to be so crude, but if you insist. If I find out that you have been doing Alice…"
"Doing what to me?" Zelena's head snapped round to see the confused blonde looking in on them.
"I-I was just saying that…" Zelena stuttered.
"Doesn't matter!" Robin spoke through gritted teeth as she glared at her Mother, all the while Regina was trying and failing at not laughing.
"Toast dear?" Regina offered the blonde, who still stood confused at the end of the staircase.
"I got you marmalade…" Robin smiled as she held up the jar to show her love.
"I'd love some!"
The rest of the morning was spent chatting and lounging around. Zelena and Regina were happy to hear that the two girls had in fact talked and when asked how it went, Alice quickly jumped in telling the two older women everything, in detail, leaving a thoroughly mortified Robin to listen on, mentally preparing herself from the teasing her Mother would do after Alice left. That time came shortly before nightfall, the snow had cleared meaning that both Alice and Regina would be returning back to their homes. The two girls held each other tight, not ready to part ways just yet, but with the promise of dinner at Alice's house in a few days, Robin finally let go, but not before stealing a kiss or two to keep her going until then.