The next day Regina called Mary Margaret and asked her to come by the house if she had time. Regina wanted to ask her, in person, to be her matron of honor. She hoped Mary Margaret would accept the responsibility. Theirs was a complicated past, but she was hoping that they could move forward as friends. For the first time in forever, Regina was looking at the future with hope.
Robin was in the backyard with the boys, letting them practice with bows and arrows. Regina was not thrilled with the idea, but she was glad that all her boys were playing nicely together. She had just sat down to read, when the doorbell rang. Regina opened the door, to find Mary Margaret standing there with baby Neal in her arms.
"Regina, is everything alright?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Everything is fine Mary Margaret. Why don't you come in?" Regina offered, leading her to the living room. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"Just some water would be nice," Mary Margaret said. Regina moved to the sideboard, quickly returning with two glasses. She handed Mary Margaret a glass. The younger woman took it, shifting the baby in her lap. Regina's eyes were glued on the little prince.
"How is he doing? Has he let you and David get any sleep yet?" Regina asked.
"We get a few hours here and there. A certain someone here likes to be fed and changed a time or two during the night, but it's so worth every minute of lost sleep," Mary Margaret said. "Something you're going to find out about again soon."
"I'm looking forward to it! Robin is ecstatic about the baby as well," Regina smiled.
"So you told him? Good, I knew he would be thrilled about everything," Mary Margaret said. She truly wanted Regina to be happy.
"That brings me to why I asked you to come over today," Regina said, lifting her glass to her lips to stall a moment longer. The shift caught Mary Margaret's attention, and she noticed light catching Regina's ring.
"Oh My God! Regina, is that an engagement ring?" Mary Margaret asked as a smile broke out on her face.
"Yes, Robin proposed and I accepted. We are getting married this weekend and I was wondering if you would be my matron of honor," Regina said as she put her hand out for Mary Margaret to get a better look at her engagement ring.
"Oh Regina, I would be so honored to stand by your side," Mary Margaret said. She pulled Regina into a huge hug. Regina, who was getting used to affections now thanks to Robin, Roland, Henry and even now her brother William, returned the hug.
"Thank you Mary Margaret. I'm very relieved that the past is where it is," Regina said.
"Me too. I mean, if you had told me that we would be like this a year ago I would have thought… Wait, what about your dress, my dress, and his tuxedo? Where are you going to get married?" Mary Margaret started to ask questions at a record pace.
"Mary Margaret, calm down. First off, my dress is already taken care of. I hope you have enough free time to come to the dress shop with me today to find something for you. As for Robin's tuxedo, it is being made right now," Regina said. "And to answer where? It's going to be in my backyard."
"Oh, okay. Yes, I am free today," Mary Margaret said. "What about food and decorations?"
"Tink has been in charge of a lot of the things that we have to get done. She has already talked with Granny and Ruby about the food. They are going to help out," Regina answered.
"It's going to be a magical day, Regina," Mary Margaret said wistfully.
"It should be," Regina agreed. There was a hint of sadness when she continued, "Though I doubt many people will want to attend."
"Nonsense Regina, you have changed. You are no longer the person people once feared. You have saved many of us several times over," Mary Margaret said.
"That's what I have been trying to tell her," Robin said as he came into the house.
"Come here you," Mary Margaret said as she handed Neal to Regina and she went to hug Robin. Regina held the baby and smiled down at him. He grinned back up at her.
"She's a natural," Mary Margaret whispered to Robin with a smile on her face.
"That she is," Robin agreed, returning her grin as his eyes were focused on his future wife and the child in her arms.
"I am very happy that you two have found each other. I had never seen her so happy until she met you," Mary Margaret said.
"She makes me very happy. She is truly my other half," Robin said, his gaze still focused on Regina.
"Careful Robin, you are beginning to sound like David and myself," Mary Margaret said. "Wait, is David going to be your best man?"
"Yes, yes he is. We were not trying to keep things from you, but it has been a little busy around here lately and we finally are able to focus on just ourselves for a few days," Robin said.
"Do Roland and Henry know about their future sibling yet?" Mary Margaret asked.
"No, we are going to wait until she is further along before telling them. Not that we believe anything will happen to the child, but 9 months is a long time for Roland to wait," Robin said.
"Henry is going to be thrilled to have you as a step-father," Mary Margaret said. "As I'm sure that Roland is going to be thrilled to have his 'Gina' as his step-mother."
"Roland is beside himself with the idea that we will all be a family very soon. I do have a question for you Mary Margaret," Robin said.
"Of course," Mary Margaret nodded.
"When I marry Regina will this make you my step-step daughter?" Robin teased, causing both two chuckle heartily.
"Ok, what am I missing?" Regina asked as she walked over to where they stood.
"Oh nothing, nothing. Now, what are your plans for the day, Regina?" Robin asked.
"Now that Mary Margaret is going to be my matron of honor, I have that crossed off the list. I think I will go into town for a bit. By myself," Regina said.
"Regina, you know I worry about you. I don't want you to get too tired out," Robin reminded her.
"I appreciate the concern, but this is something I need to do by myself. I promise, I will take care," Regina said as she handed the baby back to Mary Margaret.
"I just can't say enough how happy I am for you Regina," Mary Margaret said, before she left the house to find David. He could care for Neal, while she went to the dress shop.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Robin asked. After all the close calls recently, he wanted to be there if she needed him.
"No, no, this is something I need to finish myself," Regina said. "There are sandwiches and plenty of stew in the refrigerator. You and the boys eat all you want. I'll be back soon." She kissed him before grabbing her coat. She left the house and started to make her way into town, but then she crossed into a clearing near the forest, where she came to a grave out there by itself. She sat on the little bench beside the tomb stone.
"It's been a long time and for that I am sorry. I know you never knew the person I eventually became and for that I will always be grateful for," Regina sighed. "But honestly I don't think I will ever be the young girl you knew and fell in love with. Part of me is back to being like her, the part that could love again. Daniel, I did exactly that, I let myself fall in love again."
"I think you would have liked him. He is a good man. He had to knock down so many a wall I had built up to protect myself from the pain of love." Regina said. "He loves my son Henry as if he was his own, oh and he has a little boy, whom I adore."
"There is one more thing. I found out recently I'm going to have a baby. Henry and Roland are always going to be my children, but this one is different. This one I will nurture and it will be mine, mine and Robin's child," Regina said as she rubbed her stomach where her child lay. "And I think it's a girl. In a year there could be a little mini me running around. I'm going to teach her how to ride a horse and I'm sure Robin will teach her how to use a bow and arrow."
"I thought our lives were going to be spent together, Daniel, but I want you to know that a part of you will always stay with me. So, wherever you might be you don't have to worry about me anymore," Regina said.
"I'm happy now, Daniel. I'm truly happy now and so rest easy." She laid a red rose on his tomb stone and stood. As she did she felt a wave of comfort pass over her and she knew that Daniel had given her his blessing.
She smiled and took a deep breath, before heading back to town. As she walked down the street, her thoughts were of her happy future and she could not help but smile. She received some odd looks, but she just smiled even brighter as she headed to the dress maker where she hope Mary Margaret was getting her dress made. She opened the door, looking around the store for signs of Mary Margaret.
"Regina," Mary Margaret called, when saw Regina walk in.
"How is everything going?" Regina asked. She was surprised Mary Margaret was already checking out at the desk.
"Everything is in perfect order. I have my dress on order and they promised by tomorrow everything will be ready," Mary Margaret said smiling.
"I'll have to send them a huge thank you for the rush job," Regina said as the two women walked out of the dress maker's shop.
"Are you hungry?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Are you kidding? I'm always hungry now." Regina said. Both women laughed.
"I remember those days. I swear I could clear out one whole isle in the grocery store. Now that I think of it, didn't you say once that my stomach was smitten with haagen dazs?" Mary Margaret said with a smile.
"Yes, well you were getting to close to the truth with that statement right before," Regina said.
"Ah yes, if I didn't know any better I would say you look smitten. Well, you certainly did that day." Mary Margaret said. "And if I can say, you never looked happier until very recently."
"You always knew I could be didn't you?" Regina asked.
"I always had faith in you Regina. I remember the young lady you were when I first met you," Mary Margaret said. "She's always been in there. She just had to wait for the right time to come back."
"Thank you for always believing. Now, come on. Let's go eat."
Mary Margaret nodded and the two women continued down the sidewalk to Granny's. They had lunch together and talked long after their meal was over with. Anyone who didn't know their painful history would have thought they were old friends. They were each telling stories, causing the other one to laugh so hard that tears were running down their faces.
"Regina?" Granny said as she came over to where the two women sat.
"Hello Granny, how can I help you?" Regina asked.
"I wanted to let you know that Tink has already asked me about helping with the food for your wedding and I would be honored to pitch in," Granny said.
"Thank you, thank you very much. I know things have been strained, well with me and just about everyone, but I truly do appreciate your help," Regina said. Granny winked before heading back behind the counter.
"See," Mary Margaret said with a smile on her face. "Everyone is routing for you to be happy."
"Yes, well… one second" Regina said as she checked her phone for the text she had just received. She smiled upon seeing who it was from.
"How is the future Mrs. Locksley feeling?"
"Robin?" Mary Margaret asked with a knowing smile.
"Yes, he is seeing how I'm doing," Regina said as she sent him a quick text back.
"I'm feeling just fine Mr. Locksley. We are feeling great."
"I remember when David used to act like that," Mary Margaret said. Regina looked back down as another text came.
"I am very pleased to hear this. I love you milady."
"It's just so new to me to have someone like him there for me," Regina said as she replied to his text.
"And I love you Robin."
"He loves everything about you Regina, and you have all of us who care deeply for you," Mary Margaret said.
"Just think about it, I had to curse us all to get us to this point," Regina said sadly.
"If things had been different we might not have a Henry or Neal now. You have Robin, Roland and now this new life growing inside of you every day," Mary Margaret said.
"I guess it truly is all about timing," Regina agreed. They said goodbye and headed back to their families. Regina arrived home and walked into the living room expecting to find their boys still in the backyard, but what she found was two very worn out boys asleep on the couch. She walked over to Henry and leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead, he moved slightly but stayed asleep. She then moved to Roland and moved his curls back slightly to kiss his forehead as well.
"Gina," Roland mumbled out but never opened his eyes. She smiled at his knowing it was her that had kissed his forehead.
"I love that about you," Robin said from behind her. She turned and saw him standing there with a cup of hot tea in his hands. She quickly moved across the room and into his arms.
"What do you love about me?" Regina asked.
"Well, among everything else about you, I love that you love my son as much as I do," Robin said. Robin had always known that if he ever met another woman he wanted to share his life with that she would have to love his son. He had never doubted how much Regina loved Roland.
"Well, what can I say? He takes after his father. He is very easy to love," Regina said. "And I am very happy about how Henry has bonded with you. You are the first man I have been with that I wanted to be in his life."
"For that I am eternally grateful," Robin said as he leaned down to kiss her lips. "How was your day?"
"Everything is in perfect order," Regina said. "In just a few more days you will no longer be a single man."
"And you milady, will no longer be a single woman. You will be my wife for all of our days," Robin said.
"And you will be my husband," Regina said as she moved closer to lean against his chest and took a deep breath as she did so.
"Why don't we get you upstairs for a nap before dinner? I already have something special ready," Robin said. Regina raised an eyebrow at him.
"What? Okay, Henry helped me," Robin admitted. "Now come on, milady, your comfy bed awaits." He escorted her upstairs. She kicked her shoes off and laid down. Robin laid down behind her, his hand automatically wrapping around her, holding her close to him. She took a few deep breaths, but already she was very aware of how her body was beginning to respond. Her breasts had recently started to become very tender and swollen. All she seemed to be able to think of was how much she wanted Robin.
"Mmm," she moaned as she felt the stirrings of desire start to build. It had been too long and now she seriously regretted asking Robin to wait. The last and only time was the night in front the fireplace when she had told him about the lion tattoo and it's meaning for her.
"Something wrong, milady?" Robin asked innocently, though his voice made it clear he knew exactly what was going on with her.
"I just need..."Regina said but stopped herself.
"May I be of some assistance?" Robin asked. Regina put her hand on his and moved it down to her center. His fingers started to rub her lightly and her eyes drifted shut as she became enthralled by the sensation he was creating. After a few moments, it wasn't enough, so she turned to him desire clear in her glazed eyes and heavy breathing. They might not make love today, but she needed more than what she was getting right now.
He moved from the bed to lock the door before quickly returning to her. He smiled upon seeing her already starting to remove her pants, he put his hands on the top of them and slid them the rest of the way off. He then hooked one finger on each side of her silk panties before tugging them off slowly. She unbuttoned her top and let it just lay open as Robin then kneeled down and dipped his head and pressed his lips to the heated satin of her pulsing rib cage, his mouth moving with calculated precision over her still slender waist to the barely noticeable bump. Very gently he parted her legs wider and slipped his arms beneath her splayed thighs.
Feeling his mouth against that most intimate part of her drew a shuddering gasp from Regina. His dark hair brushing the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh was a stimulation she couldn't even have imagined. With him she felt safe and loved. He knew just how to tease and titillate, just where and how to touch, employing his lips and the heat of his tongue to start a fire building in her as he tasted the honeyed sweetness of her body.
She thought she would die from the pleasure of it. Her body tautened in breathless expectation as flames of sensation licked along her nerve-endings and produced a burning tingle along her thighs. Her juices flowed from her body, mingling with the moistness of his, anointing his roughened jaw with everything she was, until the mind-blowing sensation proved too much and she cried out as the fire consumed her in an orgasm of pulsating, interminable throbs.
Her sensitivity increased until she couldn't take any more pleasure, and she clamped her thighs around him, trapping him there, holding him to her in ecstatic release until the last embers of the fire finally died away. Her legs become lifeless and Robin kissed the inside of both her thighs before moving up her body to lay beside her, propped up on an elbow.
"Did I satisfy your need, milady?" Robin asked with a smug smile on his face.
"It's your fault." Regina said, her fingers trailing up and down his arms.
"My fault?" Robin asked with amused glee.
"It's these hormones," she explained. "They are all out of whack right now."
"Well I for one, am enjoying them being out of whack," Robin said.
"You just remember that on our wedding night," Regina said.
"Oh, I promise you, I certainly will," Robin said as he pulled the throw up over them and both of them drifted off to sleep for a few hours.
Later that night, after they had eaten dinner, Robin gave Roland his bath and then Regina tucked the boy in and read him only a few pages of a story before he was fast asleep. She tucked him and smiled upon seeing his favorite stuffed animal. His flying monkey. She turned on the night light for him and tiptoed out of the room. She checked on Henry, who was reading some of comic books, before heading to her bedroom. She smiled upon seeing Robin laying on the bed in his lounge pants.
"Wow, that was fast," Robin said. He knew Regina loved reading to Roland at night and the thought of his two favorite people sharing that special time always made him smile.
"He was out like a light," Regina announced proudly as she got on the bed and snuggled up to Robin.
"Is she moving yet?" Robin asked, placing his hand on her stomach.
"You are so certain it's going to be a girl, aren't you?" Regina returned, her own hand covering his.
"Well, I have a fifty-fifty chance of being right, but boy or girl, I am just thrilled to be a father again," Robin said.
"As much as I hate to admit it, I think you're going to be right. I have a feeling it's a girl," Regina said, rolling her eyes at the triumphant smile on Robin's face. "And in answer to your question, it is still just light flutters for now."
"I can't wait to hold her in my arms," Robin sighed.
"I'll remember those words when she is fussy at three in the morning," Regina said with a laugh.
"I'll be more than happy to go hold her," Robin said as he kissed her forehead causing her to smile. She laid her head on his chest and she drifted off to sleep, leaving Robin alone with his thoughts.
"I love you so much Regina," he whispered even though he knew she was fast asleep. "I love our boys and this child we have created together." Then his hand moved slightly on her stomach and he addressed the little bump. "Your mother means so much to me little one, as your older brothers and you, my little girl. It took us a long time to get to this special place and I don't intend to lose one minute of this beautiful life we are building together."
Robin smiled as he thought how truly blessed his life was. He had two boys and a little one on the way and a soon to be wife who he loved with his whole soul. His soul mate.