A Locksley December.
Day 2 - Dark!OQ.
Here's your second one shot. They are going to be published every 2 days now, to try and keep the christmas magic a big longer among us.
Don't hesitate to let me know what you think, it's always amazing to read your reactions!
Prompt : Robin doesn't know anything about christmas so Regina has to teach him everything, at first he doesn't believe in it or like it until Regina announces him that she is pregnant.
.::.
Leaving Storybrooke behind wasn't a terribly painful choice, if you asked the evil queen.
Sure, it did have some good points but no matter where she went there or what she did, people wouldn't, couldn't, stop fearing her. That was fun, at the beginning, but after a while, it stopped being distracting and became annoying. Among anyone that hated her, she thought she could have at least one ally : Regina. Herself. When Daniel died, she was born. To help Regina cope, to give her the strength she needed to survive and to seek revenge for her love. But apparently that didn't truly mattered to her, or so she thought. When they met for the first time, Regina tried to crush her heart but it didn't kill her, nothing could except hurting Regina herself. So she did what she did best, wrecked havoc all around storybrooke until she was turned into a snake. Thinking of it, it might sound ironic how all she needed to free herself was some magic that was left on the hands of her soulmate's doppelganger. Regina somehow found him and brought him back, managed to piss him off enough to have him side with her. She couldn't blame her though, she had felt what loving Robin Hood did to her and she couldn't deny that it was rather addictive.
But none of that mattered now, after many adventure, Regina ended up giving her some of her love and take back some of her darkness, sending her off to a fresh start. With Robin's doppelganger.
The hardest part of it all probably was leaving Henry behind, she may be just a part of Regina but Regina loved (loves) her son with her entire being so she did love him too even though she never quite knew how to show it. But in the end, she did the right thing. She may love Henry but he was better off in Storybrooke and he couldn't stay with her the way she was, his all life was in Storybrooke she couldn't really ask him to leave and she had to think about herself, she couldn't stay there, not when everyone couldn't stop comparing her to Regina, she wanted to be her own person not someone's shadow. So she left.
She would never have believed that she could be happy again and find her place in the world but she did, it's now been 5 months since all of that happened and yet she still wasn't used to the lightness in her heart, the happiness she felt so easily. At first she didn't like it, she felt weak and vulnerable but once she let herself go, once she was able to crack open the chains holding her back, she felt like she was flying. She and Robin decided to stick together, it took a couple of weeks but they worked. As many insecurities as she had, he had even more. Unlike Robin Hood, Robin of Locksley never knew love in his life, he lost Marian before he could marry her and then decided to live the rest of his life alone and stealing for himself.
But he was the one who lived in the shadow of someone else.
She was the one who wasn't supposed to exist.
Whoever made that up, they must be pretty proud of themselves seeing how great they could be together. The sexual tension was there since the first time they ever laid eyes on each other, but the understanding, the care, the support? That came later. When they started stealing from the rich to give to the poor… mostly, anyway.
They were engaged for a month now, planning the wedding was more hectic than either of them could've predicted but they were happy. Leaving in Regina's castle protected them from the cold, them and the merry men. Yes, after about 2 months of adventures together, they decided that they were ready to look for them and they did. Robin was a bit different, he didn't have all the memories they shared but they all understood that, even Roland. Seeing someone looking so much alike his father was hard on the little boy, but the brave soul that he was grew into it pretty quickly the same way Robin grew into him, something that was truly amazing to see.
Now, after everything, christmas season was approaching and the queen wanted it to be perfect. Not only for her, but also for Robin, Roland and all the merry men. They all suffered enough because of her, directly or indirectly, they did.
For that, she had a gift.
The gift of life, so to speak.
When Regina split herself in two and created her, what she didn't realise is that it weakened the curse the casted on herself that prevented her from being pregnant. How that worked exactly? She didn't know. But when Robin and her started sleeping together, she just assumed that the curse would apply to her as well. What she didn't count on though is how deeply she fell for Robin and how deeply he fell for her.
True Love, they say, is the most powerful magic of all. Powerful enough to break any curse.
It took her being pregnant to realise that their relationship wasn't just casual anymore. She loved him. Seeing as their couple broke the curse was just another proof that he did too and she had to admit just how emotional she was about this. She'd never thought she could have it again. You'd thought after seeing two people she loved die she wouldn't be ready to love again but she was wrong apparently.
The queen needed a couple of days to figure out the best to announce to Robin that he was going to be a father, again, until it became clear. As they were all going to share a toast on christmas eve, she was going to just say it. Sure, she would have hoped to have a bit more privacy for such a big news but saying it like that would be the happiest way for everyone.
She got interrupted in her thoughts by Robin's lips on her cheek.
He had spent the whole day out with the men, haunting and preparing for the next job. Pretending to just be tired, when she was actually protecting the baby, the queen said that she didn't feel that well and stayed in her bed.
"Are you feeling better?" There it was. The genuine concern in his voice. He probably came back early to check up on her, to take care of her. She wasn't used to that she was probably never going to be. though she wouldn't really complain.
"Yes, i do" she answered, "just a bit tired but overall i'm good."
"Good." He seemed to hesitate but finally decided to just say what he had to say, "You know… christmas is coming up and i thought… Maybe we could start working on the plans of the table? I don't.. i would like to sit next to you and Roland when the time comes. From what you told me about it, this party seem to be about family and… you are my family."
The Queen chuckled, he was so sweet when didn't dare to ask for something. Obviously they would be sitting next to each other, with Roland on his side. Though the slight problem was : She wanted to his reaction to the announcement of the baby and she was addressing everyone she couldn't very well just look at him and Roland. As much as she wanted the big announcement, what was important to her was sharing this with him. Screw the plan, she thought, she was going to tell him. Now. That is when she realised he was still talking.
"I thought… if things work out the way they do now, we could even keep the same one for next year so that it would some kind of tradition for us, to have everyone around in the castle for christmas." He looked at her with his bow raised, asking her without words if she was satisfied with this plan.
Here was the opening she needed, breathe Regina, she thought. "We won't be able to use the same one next year, whichever we use."
"Unless you can predict the future, there's no reason why, i mean i'm sure we will still talk to everyone and-" He said, trying to understand her and to find arguments.
"No i know that's not what i meant," She interrupted him, "what i mean is we can't use the same plans because we're going to have to add a chair, next to us, one people will want to see." She felt nervous, playing with her hands while she looked at him, trying to see if he understood her meaning, but he didn't.
"I don't follow, is there.. someone else you would like to invite?" He asked, frowning.
"It's not like that, it's…" She had to say it. Just be totally honest and breathe it out. "Robin i'm pregnant."
Stunned.
He was just stunned.
Until he wasn't anymore and a smile lightened his features. They were going to be parents, they were already taking care of this little Roland together but… This time, it was going to be their child, their blood, the result of their love.
Teary eyed, he found it hard to swallow. So he took her in his arms, holding her as tight as he could and whispering in her ear just how happy he was and how much he loved her.
She was right.
They wouldn't be able to use the same one because their child was going to be between them and knowing all their friends and family, they were going to want to see the baby, hold it, talk to this tiny little human. Their lives was about to change, for the better.
And frankly?
He couldn't wait.
"But i thought… i thought you couldn't.." He managed when recovered his voice, tears filling his eyes. He had been so miserable, until her doppleganger came to him and changed his life for the better. Robin may have not be in love with her, but he sure as hell was grateful for her. Especially now.
"Have children?" She answered, "I didn't think i could, Regina she-... she casted a curse on herself, but apparently splitting weakened it and i.." He saw her breathe in and out, probably trying to make sense of the whole situation, "i underestimated how much we mean to each other apparently." She smiled this time. Big and bright. She didn't need to say anything more, he understood.
"I have to be honest, i didn't believe in everything you told me about christmas," Robin smiled, shyly, "but right now all i can think about is that this baby is just a little christmas miracle, so i suppose i was wrong?"
"Yes, i suppose you were." She smiled back.
He loved her, and apparently she loved him.