Note: Apologies for a super short chapter but I didn't want to cram too much into one. Technically this is supposed to be the last one but I think I may do one with a Regina/Roland reunion or something though I'm not sure yet so for now I'm marking the story as complete. Either way though thank you so much for the comments and favorites and stuff, you guys are great!
Chapter three
After their conversation on the couch Robin announces he's going to shower, giving Regina a few moments to pull herself together before she goes in search of her phone to call Emma.
They're still not incredibly close but sharing a son and working together to protect the town they live in has drawn the two of them together and Regina can finally admit (without even a hint of sarcasm) that the two women are friends.
This is a relief to Regina.
Emma picks up on the second ring, voice thick with sleep despite it being nearly noon by now and Regina rolls her eyes even though she knows Emma can't see.
"So, how did it go last night?" Emma asks without greeting and Regina snorts because the blonde's voice is so casual one would think she and Robin had gone on a casual date last night instead of finding each other on the streets of New York after years apart.
"Okay, okay," Emma says, "maybe not the best question to start out this conversation. I'm assuming you did talk to him though?"
"Yes, we talked," Regina tells her softly, before adding, "Among other things."
Emma laughs and Regina likes to think if she were here with her she would have winked and nudged her with her elbow the way she normally does when Regina mentions doing something others would deem 'scandalous' of her.
"Well that's good. It's been a long time coming, ya know?"
Regina doesn't say anything and she can hear Emma grow silent on the other line as well, the rustling noises in the background fading to nothing as Emma stills.
"Regina, is everything really okay?"
Regina wants to scream when Emma asks the question because honestly she doesn't know. She's happy to be here with Robin (happier than she's been in a long time) but her mind and heart are muddled, making it impossible for her to think clearly.
Part of her wants nothing more than to be with Robin, to love him and bask in his love with everything she's got but the other part of her, the one that's able to see sense, knows that they can't just pack up and live happily ever after.
Because Storybrooke has magic and as long as magic exists Marian will never be able to go back and Regina knows Robin will never tear his son away from her, nor will he leave him behind to follow her back home (not that she blames him though, she would never choose anything else over her son).
Regina relays all of this to Emma and the blonde listens quietly on the other line, sometimes offering soft sounds of acknowledgement but never speaking until Regina finally finishes with a soft sigh and a nearly inaudible Emma what do I do?
Emma is quiet for a moment before she finally says, "Honestly Regina, I think this is a conversation you and Robin need to have. I know that's probably not what you want to hear but it's his life we're talking about. Don't you think he might want to hear what you have to say?"
Regina swallows thickly. "I know...I know he needs to hear this. I just don't know what's going to happen when he does…and that scares me."
"Yeah, I know. Love is a scary thing but I don't know if there's anyone in this world who deserves a happy ending more than the two of you so what you're gonna do is stay in New York for a few days, talk this out and if it doesn't work out in the end, God forbid, you call me and I'll be there to bring you back to Storybrooke, okay?"
The lump in Regina's throat grows as Emma speaks because she doesn't remember ever having a friend who cared for her this much and Emma's words are exactly what she needs to hear right now.
They finish the call after Regina promises she's going to talk to Robin and almost as soon as she hangs up she hears the shower shut off, wipes her face because she's sure there are tears and makeup everywhere, and takes a few deep breaths. By the time Robin comes back out fully dressed she's managed to pull herself together and even offers him a genuine smile as he comes to sit beside her.
"I forgot how well you cleaned up," she comments, running her thumb along his freshly shaved jaw.
Robin leans into her touch and it takes all of her willpower to keep from repeating last night, wanting nothing more than to feel him in her and hear him call her name. But she knows now isn't the time and though she feels that inkling of fear twisting in her chest she knows she needs to do this.
"I think we need to talk about what we're going to do," she says quietly and Robin doesn't even look up at her, just nods his head and leans back against the couch with a sigh.
"I can't leave New York," he tells her quietly.
Regina sighs. She knew this much but hearing him tell her he can't follow her home still hurts and she presses herself into his side in an attempt to ground herself.
"I know you can't. And I wouldn't ask you to leave Roland, you know that."
(Because she would never in a million years ask him to abandon the boy he loves more than life.)
"That only leaves us with two options then. Either you stay here with me or you go back to Storybrooke on your own."
She can hear the pain in his voice as the words leave him, tumbling from his lips clumsily as if he can't quite manage to get them out and Regina knows he fears she's going to choose the second option; that she'll leave him behind the same way he did her. And Regina wants to tell him that isn't fair because he had no choice; there was no way she was going to make him stay with her while they sent Marian into a world she had no knowledge of.
She wants to tell him all of this, wants to scream it out loud for the world to hear; she wants him to know she feels it deep in her bones and in every beat of her heart.
But she's never been good with words.
They've never been good with words.
So she does the only thing she can think of.
The kiss itself is like nothing she's experienced before. Nothing like Daniel or even the first time she kisses Robin. It's raw and electric and she feels it flooding through her veins, the tiny hairs at the back of her neck coming to attention and it is beautiful. And when she finally pulls back, her lips red and already sore, she sees the way he's looking at her with so much hope and happiness in his eyes and that she thinks, is the happy ending she's been waiting for.
XxX
They spend the rest of the day in bed and when Robin eventually falls asleep, later that night after they repeat last night many times, Regina quietly slips out of bed, grabs her phone and quietly moves to the living room to sit in front of the window overlooking the city.
She texts Emma and tells her the important details of her conversation with Robin, not really in a mood to talk though she does want the blonde to know that there's no need to drive back to New York City just yet. She thanks her for her words of encouragement and it's only moments later (despite the fact it's nearly one in the morning) that she receives a plain you're welcome accompanied by a little smiley face that has Regina rolling her eyes with a soft chuckle.
She sets the phone aside after that, moves back to the window and stares in awe of all the lights and sounds because she may have been in charge of an entire kingdom but there was absolutely no comparison to what she was looking at right now and the longer she looks the more she remembers that this is going to be her home.
And while the thought is slightly overwhelming she remembers the man asleep in the bedroom, how the stars aligned to bring them together over and over and she knows there's nothing to be afraid of. The idea of giving up her magic had scared her in the beginning (sometimes she thinks magic is all she knows, all she'll ever know) but she realizes she's stronger now, that anything they have to face will be done so together and while it may take time to grow used to it she knows she won't be alone.
She'll never be alone again.