Chapter 14: Calm Before the Storm
Robin's party stretched into the night. He lit the fire pit and Regina sat by it, wrapped in one of his jackets. She had Roland in her lap, helping him roast a marshmallow while Robin sat behind her, rubbing her back as he spoke with Killian and Emma. They were sharing a chair, curled up under a blanket together.
"Is it ready yet?" Roland asked her, growing impatient.
She smiled. "Pull it out and we'll check."
He did as she instructed and they inspected the marshmallow. It was a nice golden brown color and she nodded. "It's ready. Just be careful as it's going to be hot."
"I will," Roland promised, blowing on the marshmallow before taking a tentative bite.
She leaned back against Robin and he wrapped his arms around her middle, resting his chin on her shoulder. "He should probably go to bed soon."
"No!" Roland whipped around, frowning at his father. "I'm not tired and the party isn't over."
"You're a growing boy who needs his sleep," Robin insisted. "So finish your marshmallow and then I'll put you to bed."
Jane leaned forward. "I'll put him to bed, Robin. You and Regina stay out here with your guests. How does that sound, Roland?"
"No! I want to stay up with everyone else," he protested.
Regina frowned, sensing a tantrum coming on from the overstimulated boy. "Okay, you need to go to bed."
"I think most of us will be right behind you," Emma assured Roland, stretching. "I know I feel ready for bed myself."
Killian nodded, sitting up. "I'll take you home."
"Not with how much you've had to drink," Robin admonished. "You two can stay here in the mansion. I insist."
"Besides, we set Daddy up in a room. You really don't have to rush home," Regina added as Roland continued to stew in her arms.
Emma sighed in relief. "Oh, that sounds wonderful. Thanks, Robin."
"I still don't want to go to bed," Roland protested, pouting. It lost some of its potency though with the marshmallow goo around his lips.
Robin stood and scooped up his son. "Enough of that, Roland. You're going to bed and you have your choice—Gran or me."
"Gran." He sighed before kissing his father goodnight. Once Robin put him down, Roland climbed up and kissed Regina's cheek. "Good night."
Emma stood. "I think I'm going to follow you to bed, Roland. It's been an exciting day."
"I'll join you," Killian said, standing as well. "Good night, everyone."
Regina watched them walk off as Robin grabbed the blanket Killian and Emma left behind. He wrapped it around them and pulled her down against him. "This has been the best birthday I've had in a long time," he said.
"Good," she replied, curling against him as she watched the smoke curl into the night sky. "I'm sorry for the secrets."
"Secrets? I had no clue about any of this and didn't suspect anything," he replied.
"Not even that time you came to my room?"
He paused before asking: "You weren't doing something for your father?"
"No," she said before reconsidering. "Well, I was. But I had also been finalizing a few things for your party."
"It's okay, lovely. Look, I'll admit I thought you were being a little secretive but I had no reason not to trust you," he said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
She smiled, relieved and amazed that this man wanted and cared for her. "I love you, Robin."
He had been carding his fingers through her hair and stopped. She held her breath, wondering if she had taken it a step too far. That for once, she had pushed past a boundary he wasn't ready to cross.
But he chuckled, the sound reverberating in his chest. "I always thought I'd be the first one to say it. I love you, too, Regina."
She hugged him tighter, closing her eyes. "What now?"
"Now, I think I send everyone home so I can take you to bed," he whispered. "Though that does require me to leave you and I'm not in the mood to do that."
"We can't stay out here all night."
"I don't know. The chair is not that bad and we have a blanket as well as the fire. We'll be fine."
She had a picture of him sleeping out here, the stars shining above him and surrounded by all the trees. "You've done it before, haven't you?"
"Once or twice…a summer," he admitted. "Maybe this summer, I can get Roland to join me for a night out camping."
"I'm sure he'll love it."
"Would you join us as well?"
Regina shrugged. "I've never been outdoorsy, but I guess I could try it for my two favorite men."
"Okay, where's Will? I'll have him throw everyone out." She felt Robin look around for his friend.
"I think he already turned in for the night," she heard John say. "Most people have gone home and I'm about to do so myself."
Regina sat up, looking at Robin's friend. "Are you okay to drive? Everyone drank a bit much today, myself included."
John chuckled. "Will made arrangements before he went to go pass out. Everyone is going to get home safe, I assure you."
"I feel like a terrible hostess," she replied. "That probably should've been my job."
"You've been entertaining me. That's a fulltime job." Robin gave her a cheeky grin and a wink.
John nodded. "That's too true. Anyway, good night you, two. Robin, happy birthday. And Regina, thank you for the party."
"Thank you for coming, John. I hope we see you soon," she replied, careful with her wording. While she felt bad for still keeping a secret from Robin, there was too much at stake for both of them. She'd tell him as soon as she knew it wouldn't hurt them in anyway.
John walked away as Robin helped her up. She scanned the lawn and saw only a few stragglers behind. But tables, chairs and a whole lot of other things needed to be cleaned up and she groaned. "This is going to be a nightmare."
"I'm a millionaire, Regina. I can pay people to clean this up," he told her, lifting her into his arms again. "So put it out of your mind and let me take you to bed."
"I may fall asleep before you get there."
Robin kissed her forehead. "Then go ahead. I won't care. Just as long as I fall asleep with you in my arms."
The smell of coffee woke her in the morning. She rolled onto her back as her eyes slowly opened, revealing the green of Robin's room. He was still asleep beside her, snoring softly as he pressed his pillow against the side of his head. Robin's free hand rested against her stomach, over the soft cotton of the oversized t-shirt he gave her to wear to bed.
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. He squirmed in his sleep, nuzzling his pillow as he pressed his face closer to it. Regina chuckled before sliding from his bed and then his room, treading down the hall back to her own.
Her words proved prophetic the night before. By the time Robin arrived at his room, she was half-asleep and lacked any energy to retrieve her pajamas. He lent her a t-shirt but now she felt it was best if she changed into something more appropriate for breakfast with the family.
It struck her as she pulled on her pajama pants. She was about to sit down to breakfast with her family and Robin's blended together. And she had told him she loved him the night before. Everything seemed more real now. They were becoming a family and it made her feel giddy, rather than nervous.
Changed into proper pajamas and wrapped in her purple bathrobe, she went to check on Roland. He was sound asleep on his side, Sparky tucked under his arm and Teddy pressed between him and the mattress. Regina smiled and kissed his forehead. He nuzzled his pillow and pressed his face closer to it, just like his father. She wondered if Robin knew how much his son was like him and made a note to tell him.
Regina stepped off the last step and entered the kitchen. Jane was bustling around the room, gathering pans as several ingredients were spread out over the counter. Beans, Canadian bacon, sausages and the like were lined up.
"Do you need any help?" she asked Jane.
Jane smiled, nodding. "I'd love some. Have you ever made a full English breakfast before?"
"Uh…can't say I have. I'm not entirely sure what that is," Regina admitted.
The older woman laughed. "I can't say I'm surprised. Will is a very good cook but I can't imagine he has the time or energy to make this even occasionally."
"Not while I've been here. But I usually go home Saturday night after Roland's in bed. If Will's made it while I've been home…"
"I doubt it. It requires a lot," Jane said. "We pretty much have every possible breakfast food in here short of oatmeal. And I've had to substitute one or two things."
Regina nodded. "Well, tell me where to start."
They worked well together, Jane giving instructions and Regina following them. For a while, that was their entire conversation. But as they worked on the beans and fried tomatoes, Jane finally said: "I want to apologize for Christmas."
"Christmas?" Regina was confused. Jane had been nothing but polite to her when she and Andrew had visited Robin then.
Jane nodded. "I was the one who asked Robin not to invite you and your father to Christmas, wanting to keep it to family. He wasn't happy but respected my wishes, since I didn't realize exactly how much you were family as well."
"Robin and I weren't together at Christmas," Regina said. "And I couldn't go to Christmas anyway. My father wasn't feeling well."
"Oh. But still, I could've been nicer to you. I probably came off as a complete snob and I apologize for treating you any less than I would treat Will, even after Andrew pointed out the painfully obvious—that you and my son were attracted to each other."
Regina's cheeks flushed and she smiled. "Well, Robin and I were ignoring it ourselves. But I understand. You probably weren't expecting him to be interested in someone so soon after Marian."
Jane chuckled. "It wasn't that. In fact, I didn't really warm up to Marian until after she and Robin were married. I'm afraid I just have trouble sharing my Robin with another woman. But don't worry, I know when to back off.
"So how about a clean slate?" She held out her hand. "Hello, my name is Jane Locksley and I am Robin's proud and overbearing mother."
Regina bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as she shook Jane's hand. "Regina Mills, Roland's nanny and Robin's girlfriend. So nice to meet you."
"Well, now that's over with, let's finish this breakfast? I'm going to start the bacon so brace yourself. There's about to be a stampede," Jane said, placing the first slices in the frying pan.
The house, though, remained silent except for little feet padding down the stairs. She turned to see Roland rubbing his eyes as he entered the kitchen. "I smell sausages," he said.
"Yes. Your Gran is introducing me to the Full English," Regina explained, pulling him close.
Roland's eyes lit up. "You're going to love it! It's so much food we just skip lunch and go straight to dinner. But it's all really yummy."
"Well, I wasn't sold on it before but now I am," she said, picking him up. He wrapped his arms and legs around her, his curls tickling her nose as she hugged him.
She picked him up at just the right moment because she then heard the stomping of heavy feet running toward the kitchen. Will burst out of the hallway from his room, still shrugging on his bathrobe. Robin and Killian came tumbling down the stairs, shoving each other out of the way until they landed in the kitchen.
Jane smirked as she looked at Regina. "Their hearts may belong to America, but their stomachs are still English."
"I see," Regina replied as Robin wrapped his arm around her. She smiled at him. "But your heart definitely belongs to America?"
"Oh, yes," he whispered, kissing her.
Roland groaned between them. "Gross."
They laughed as they broke apart, Robin taking his son from her arms. He held Roland upside down as the boy squealed in delight. "You're the other American my heart belongs to, you know," he told Roland.
"I'm not American," Roland insisted. "I'm British like you!"
"Oh really? Because I'm pretty sure you're mostly American. I should know." Robin carried his son toward the dining room.
Regina started to follow when she noticed her father come down the stairs. She paused, waiting for him as he took each step one at a time. "Good morning, Daddy."
"Good morning, sweetheart. Did you and Robin sleep well?" he asked, kissing her cheek.
"We did. And now we're getting introduced to the Full English breakfast. It's a lot of food so just eat whatever you feel comfortable eating." She looped her arm through his and led him to the dining room.
They entered as everyone tried to arrange themselves around the table. Emma, Paul and Vivienne had come through the living room and wished Regina and Henry a good morning as the two passed by. "I guess I'll sit by you, Daddy?" Regina asked, resting her hands on a two chairs at the end of the table.
"Papa saved you and Mr. Henry seats by him," Roland said, pointing to the other end of the table where Robin sat at the head. There were two empty chairs to his right. Emma, Killian and Will were on that side of the table as well while Roland was sitting between both sets of his grandparents.
Regina smiled, taking her seat next to Robin. He placed his hand on her knee under the table and smiled at her. "Right where you belong," he said.
It hit her with a jolt. She was sitting next to him at the head of a family meal and it felt right. Regina ducked her head, brushing away a few tears that rose to her eyes. He squeezed her knee, comforting her.
"You okay?" he whispered.
She nodded. "This is turning out to be a great weekend. I hope you feel the same."
"This is the best birthday weekend ever," he replied, before turning back to the food-laden table. "And introducing you, Henry and Emma to the Full English is just icing on the cake. Tuck in!"
After breakfast, all Regina could do was collapse on the couch with Robin. He pulled a blanket over them before turning on some soft music. Tossing the remote aside, he propped himself up on his elbow. "Well? What did you think?"
"I think I ate too much," she groaned, rubbing her stomach. "I don't think I'll be able to eat anything else the rest of the day."
Robin smirked as his eyes raked over her body. "I know a way to help you work up an appetite."
Her cheeks flushed as her eyes widened. She gave him a little shove. "Robin Locksley, your house is filled with people. I am not having sex with you while your parents, my father and your in-laws are all under this roof."
"Regina, do you know how big this mansion is? How many unused rooms there are? We can go to several different ones and no one will ever know or hear."
"If they can't find us, they'll figure it out," she said.
He sighed. "We went off together. They probably already figure we've ripped each other's clothes off. But if you're uncomfortable then I'm fine just to cuddle and watch a movie."
"You sure?" she asked. "It is your birthday."
"And I'm not going to use that to force you or guilt you into do anything. I just want to be here with you, Regina."
She smiled, curling closer to him. "Thank you. And I promise you we can have all the belated birthday sex you want once everyone leaves."
"Only if you want to," Robin stressed and she smiled. She knew he respected her and her wishes. It made her love him more.
"I want to talk," she said.
He hummed. "About what?"
"Anything. Like…would you pick up your bow and arrows again?"
"I would consider it. Why?"
She bit her lip. "I would love to see you. I…I think you would look so sexy firing an arrow."
Robin sat up, clearly intrigued by that revelation. "Oh? Do tell, milady."
"I just…" She shrugged. "I guess I just to imagine you doing so shirtless, the muscles rippling in your arms and back with every move, sweat making every contour glisten…"
"Regina Mills, do you read trashy romance novels?"
"What?" she gasped. "No."
He grinned. "Oh, really? So I won't find some bodice-ripper hidden under your pillow, with ear-marked pages for what you want to do to me when we're alone?"
"Of course not. I read mysteries."
Robin nodded. "I see. You like solving problems, trying to put it together before the big reveal, right?"
"How did you know?"
"I know you." He kissed her hand. "What type of books do you think I like?"
"Aren't all British people legally required to like Shakespeare?"
He smirked. "Very cute."
Regina laughed. "Thank you. I thought so. Anyway, I think you like a good thriller. Hero versus bad guy, who will win?"
"You cheated."
"What?" She sat up, crossing her arms. "How did I do that?"
He sat up as well. "You're home nearly all day. You've probably seen my books all the time."
"How much free time do you think I have? Certainly not enough to go looking through rooms I don't normally have to go into."
"You do take breaks during the day, right, Regina? I don't want you overexerting yourself." Robin took her hands and rubbed the backs of them with his thumbs.
She nodded. "I do. And when I take them, the last thing I'm doing is snooping into your personal business, Robin. I'm usually lying face down on the bed, to be honest."
"Ahh," he replied, pulling her down on top of him. Her nose was pressed to his chest and he gently held her there. "Then lie face down here and relax better."
Regina giggled but only adjusted her face so that her cheek was pressed to his t-shirt. "I do need to breathe," she explained to him.
The door opened and Emma entered the room. "Ahh, here's where you two are hiding. We were looking for you."
"And you just barge in? What if we had been…busy?" Robin asked.
Emma shrugged. "I've seen Regina naked and I'm sure you're fine under those clothes."
"She has no shame," Regina explained, sitting up. "What is that you wanted?"
"Pool party. We're all in agreement, so are you two joining us?" Emma smiled at them, looking hopeful.
Robin sat up, grinning. "I think a pool party sounds wonderful. It's been ages since we went swimming."
"Great. Come on, Regina, let's go get ready. I'm sure Robin's excited to see you in that red bikini now that he can openly ogle you." Emma winked at them.
He made a choked sound and Regina chuckled, standing. "I think that's a great idea," she replied, tone sugary sweet as she winked at him.
Robin leaned back in his hot tub, enjoying the warm bubbles against his sore muscles. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to suggest volleyball in the pool, other than as an excuse to finally use the net setting in storage, and now every inch of him was punishing him for doing so.
At least he wasn't alone. Will had groaned while climbing in and Killian hadn't moved an inch. Emma was curled against him, her eyes closed. Robin had wanted to reach for Regina but Roland had wedged himself between the two adults. He was the only one still chipper after that brutal if friendly game.
"What are we going to do next?" he asked, bouncing in the water.
Everyone groaned as Regina patted Roland's hand. "I think we're all going to have a nice rest, sweetheart."
"Oh," Roland said, disappointed. "But can you and Miss Emma play a game with me when we get out?"
"As long as it doesn't involve too much movement, I'll do whatever you want, kid," Emma replied.
Roland cheered and Robin stretched his arm out to rest against Regina's shoulders. She smiled at him and his heart fluttered a bit. He decided that this was the best birthday he had in a long time.
He also decided that in the morning, he was calling August and instructing him to stop investigating into Regina's past. She would reveal it to him when she was ready and that was going to have to be good enough for him because she was worth the wait.
The day before Mother's Day, Robin was awakened by his son. "I need your help," he said.
Robin frowned. "With what?"
"Breakfast in bed," Roland said, "for Regina."
"Why?" he asked his son, sitting up in bed.
Roland stared at him like he just missed the obvious. "For Mother's Day."
As May started, Robin had grown to dread the approach of the second Sunday of the month. It would be their second Mother's Day without Marian and though it wouldn't be as rough as the year before. Roland could leave the house now, though he still couldn't go to the cemetery. Not that Robin wanted that to be his memories of Marian now. So he figured they could plant a tree in her memory, creating a little garden for Roland to go to when he wanted to remember his mother.
Now, though, he was worried that Roland was starting to really view Regina as a replacement mother. While he loved her and wanted them to be a family, he didn't want Roland to latch onto Regina and forget Marian.
He lifted Roland onto his lap. "Regina isn't your mother."
"Yet," Roland replied. "But you're going to marry her and live happily ever after so then she'll be my mother."
"We've talked about this. Regina and I aren't sure we'll get married." Ignoring the feeling he was lying to his son, Robin took a deep breath. "And you have a mother. Even if she isn't here, we should still remember her."
"I know. And I miss Mama every day. But Regina is here and she helps me miss Mama less. So why can't I celebrate Mother's Day with her?"
Marian's voice drifted through his mind: "Remember the dead but celebrate with the living." He smiled and rubbed Roland's back. "You're right. And it is the day before, so I guess we can call it Regina's Day. How's that?"
Roland beamed. "I like it. So can we make her breakfast in bed now?"
"Yes," Robin replied, laughing. "We can go make her breakfast."
Regina sat up in bed, surprised her alarm hadn't gone off. She frowned, wondering if Robin had turned it off again. He had developed a habit of doing so when he thought she needed more rest and while she appreciated his motive, she wished he wouldn't just turn off her alarm.
She heard whispers from the hallway and Roland's little giggle before the door opened. The boy was carrying a tray filled with scrambled eggs, sausages and white toast. Robin followed his son, carrying a mug she believed was filled with coffee.
"What's this?" she asked, looking between father and son.
Roland held up the tray. "Happy Regina's Day! It's like Mother's Day, only just for you."
Tears sprang to her eyes and she smiled. "I get my own day? What for?"
"Well, you're not my mother yet, but you still do everything Mama used to do. So I'm celebrating you!" Roland replied, setting the tray on her lap before crawling onto the bed with her.
She pulled him closer as Robin leaned down to give her the mug. He kissed her forehead. "You deserve it."
"Thank you," she said, kissing Roland's head. "You two are the best."
He wiggled out of her grasp and ran back into his room as she started her breakfast. "What other surprises does he have in store for me?" she asked Robin.
"I don't know. We kinda just made up this holiday this morning," Robin admitted, sitting down next to her.
Roland returned holding out a piece of paper. "I drew this for you, Regina."
She took, finding several different drawings divided up into neat boxes. All had various people in them, but she noticed the most prevalent were three who looked like her, Robin and Roland.
He climbed back up on the bed. "This everything we've done since you came to be my nanny," he explained, going through each picture with her.
By the time he was done, she was really crying. Robin brushed some of her tears away while Roland frowned. "Why are you sad?"
"I'm not sad," she told him, moving the tray aside so she could hug him properly. "I am really, really happy. I love you, Roland."
He wrapped his arms around her. "I love you too, Regina. You're the best."
Robin stood, picking up her tray. "I'm going to leave you two alone and I'll leave this over here on the table for you, Regina."
She thanked him and once he left, she covered herself and Roland with the blankets. "What do you want to do, sweetheart?"
"Can you read me a story?" he asked, tapping her storybook. "I love it when you read to me. And then can we play outside?"
"Absolutely." She picked up her book and let him snuggle closer. If this was what it felt like to really be a mother, she was glad she could experience it with him.
Regina's Day ended with her in Robin's bathtub, enjoying a nice long soak before she had to head home for her day off. Robin slipped into the room, smiling at her. "Roland is sound asleep. You wore him out today."
"He nearly wore me out," she replied. "He's a little bundle of energy."
Robin hummed in agreement, kneeling next to the tub. "I want to apologize."
"For what?"
"This morning when Roland told me he wanted to celebrate Mother's Day with you, I…I didn't react well," he admitted, surprising her.
She sat up, brows furrowed. "Because of Marian?"
He nodded. "I was worried that he was going to forget about her."
"That's never going to happen," she assured him. "He talks about Marian all the time with me. His favorite thing to do is look at all the pictures of her and he tries to tell me the stories behind them, if he knows them. If not, he makes them up."
Robin laughed flicking the water with his fingers. "Still, I said you weren't his mother."
"I'm not," she replied. "I'm his nanny and his dad's girlfriend."
"But you're still like his mother. So I shouldn't have tried to stop him from celebrating Mother's Day with you."
"Well, if you ask me, Regina's Day is much better." She smiled as she closed her eyes, resting her head against the cool porcelain.
Robin flicked the water in silence for a few more moments before asking: "Do you want to be a mother one day?"
"I'd love to," she whispered, opening her eyes to find him watching her. "But every year that passes, that dream gets farther and farther away. And I'm okay. If all I ever am is a nanny, then I would've had so many children."
"And if you're a stepmother?" he asked.
Her heart sped up. "What do you mean?"
"I'm not proposing marriage," he told her, taking her hand despite the fact it was all wrinkled. "I know you, Regina, and this would be way too fast. But would you consider being Roland's stepmother?"
"In a heartbeat," she replied. "If everything else was right."
He smiled, leaning his head along the edge of the tub. "And don't count out having a child of your own. You're still young enough."
"Thank you, Robin," she said, kissing him.
"Well, I'll leave you to your bath," he said, standing. "You'll know where to find me."
She watched him leave before getting lost in her own thoughts. With her feelings now bared for Robin, she had been wondering more and more about marriage one day. Being Robin's wife and Roland's stepmother seemed like a dream come true. And if she was able to give Robin another child, to allow Roland to have a sibling like his father wanted, it would just be icing on top of an already sweet cake.
The weather grew warmer and sunnier as May progressed. Robin developed a case of spring fever he fought off as best as he could. While he enjoyed some freedom as the CEO of the company and a far more flexible schedule, he knew he couldn't abuse it. It wasn't a good example to set for his employees. And with Graham still trying to sniff out the embezzler, Robin knew he had to remain at the office more often than not.
But he found the days where he could slip away early, get Marco to pick him up and take him home. There he would sweep Regina and sometimes Roland out the door for some fresh air. If Roland was with them, they would play games on Robin's large lawn and chase each other around until Will called them in for dinner.
When it was just him and Regina, they strolled hand-in-hand around Nottingham as his property sprang back to life. Sometimes they talked, other times they just enjoyed the silence and each other's company.
One day, close to Memorial Day weekend, Robin left work early and invited Regina on a nice long walk. "Mary Margaret is here and can mind Roland until we get back," he said. "Or Will. He's usually back from his run by four-thirty, right?"
"True," she agreed, taking his hand.
They walked down to the path which led to Lake Nostros. Park workers were busy setting up the beach there for its opening that weekend and Robin wrapped his arm around Regina. "Do you think we can get Roland to the beach this summer? I think he'd have a lot of fun at the lake."
"I think we could convince him that the beach and lake are safe," Regina said, nodding. She then gave him a sly look. "Though I suspect that request has more to do about seeing me in my bikini than seeing Roland in the lake."
He slung his arm over her shoulders. "Guilty as charged, milady."
"I thought so. I should just wear my one-piece to spite you."
"You wound me." He pressed his free hand to his heart.
She laughed as they continued down the boardwalk, heading toward Any Given Sundae. Robin was about to suggest some ice cream before dinner when she gasped, moving away from him. "Ingrid?" she asked.
Any Given Sundae's proprietor, Ingrid Aren, glanced up and smiled widely. "Regina Mills? Oh my god, it's been too long!"
The two women embraced, laughing and talking excitedly. What Robin could make out was that they were childhood friends and had lost touch as they got older. "I can't believe you still work here," Regina said.
Ingrid nodded. "I do. I love it here. We've actually turned it into a franchise. Hilda and Gerda manage that while I take care of our flagship and come up with new flavors."
"You always loved to do that. I remember quite a few concoctions you tried on me and your sisters."
The blonde woman laughed. "Oh, my little guinea pigs. I promise you I've gotten better at it."
"I imagine if you've managed to expand," Regina replied before reaching back for Robin's hand. "Do you think we could get some?"
She smiled, looking over Robin. "I haven't seen you or your son in a long time. I'm sorry about your wife. You three were a great little family of Rocky Road lovers."
He nodded. "Thank you. Do you think I can get some to take home to my son as a treat? And a cone of it for myself?"
"Of course," Ingrid replied. She looked at Regina. "Still prefer mint chocolate chip?"
"I do. And I'll take a cone as well."
Robin held the door open for the women, following Regina into the shop. "Mint chocolate chip, huh? Can I lure you to the Rocky Road side?"
She shook her head. "Sorry. I'm not much for Rocky Road. That's not going to be a problem, is it?"
"No," he sighed. "I guess we're just going to have to make room for mint chocolate chip. Maybe it's time for Roland and I to expand our horizons. Try new things."
"I like the sound of that." Regina took the cones from Ingrid as Robin paid for their ice cream. She then said goodbye to her friend, promising to visit again soon.
They weren't able to walk hand-in-hand with their ice cream so they just walked as close as possible as they headed back to Nottingham. Robin slowed his steps as a ferry came in. "Regina, is that Will?"
She squinted, spotting a man with short hair and a blue track suit stretching by the dock. With a smile, she nodded. "He comes down to the water when the ferry comes in? Why?"
"I think she might be the reason," Robin said, motioning to a pretty woman with her blonde hair pulled into a bun. She wore a red silk top paired with a gray pencil skirt, a pearl necklace hanging around her neck. A black briefcase was in one hand and she used her free arm to hug Will, smiling widely.
Regina laughed. "He has a girlfriend? How sweet."
"She must've been who he spent Valentine's Day with," Robin mused. "He hasn't really spoken of a love life though."
"Maybe he liked having something to himself. Or he wasn't ready yet."
"And he gave me hell for not telling him about us sooner. Wait until I get him on this!" He felt giddy at the thought of teasing Will about this.
She frowned, turning to face him. "No. Let him come to you. We shouldn't even be spying. I know I wouldn't like someone going through my private business without my knowledge."
Guilt churned in his stomach even a month after ending his investigation and he hoped his smile didn't falter. "You're right. As usual. Let's give those two their privacy. Besides, we don't want the ice cream to melt."
Regina sat at her desk, just going over a few expense items for her father's care. Nothing too major as Jefferson still paid for his treatments and insurance covered most of his medications. There were just a few miscellaneous expenses Emma sent her receipts for, like the gloves she wore when treating Henry, and a few other expenses.
As she powered down her laptop, two strong hands began to massage her shoulders. Thumbs worked through particularly tight knots and she let her head fall back against Robin's chest. "Anything I can do?" he asked.
"You can go a little lower and to the right," she instructed. As his fingers hit the spot in question, she moaned. "That's the ticket."
He chuckled. "So, I've decided to give my eyes a break and took out my contacts. You know what that means."
She opened her eyes, finding that he was wearing the silver-rimmed frames that made her weak at the knees. "Oh god…"
"I believe on our first official date, I promised you a night where we would be sexy nerds together," he said, picking up her black rimmed glasses. "And now I'm delivering on that promise."
Regina grinned, taking her glasses from him and putting them on. "I see. So, what do we do next?"
He pulled her up and pressed her close to him. "Talk nerdy to me."
"Nerdy?" She cast about for something. "I…I was a mathlete in high school."
"Ooh, tell me more," he moaned.
"Umm…we had a chance to go to nationals but were stopped by a team from Portland. We were so close and I had nailed it with a difficult equation, but they buzzed in first on a question about imaginary numbers."
Robin sucked at her pressure point and she moaned, leaning closer to him. She felt him growing hard through his pajamas. The thought that he wasn't wearing underwear popped into her mind as she said: "Your turn. Talk nerdy to me."
"Hmm…I used to do Shakespeare in the Park back home. People apparently still talk about my Mercutio."
"And you scoffed when I said you read Shakespeare."
He kissed her nose. "Not anymore, lovely."
"So you wanted to be an actor?"
"For about a minute, yes."
She hummed. "That's not very nerdy."
"I also wanted to be an astronaut," he said, nipping at her earlobe. "And then I started to learn all about ecology and botany and business. That led to the creation of Sherwood."
Regina gasped as he found an erogenous zone right behind her ear. She groaned as her knees began to buckle. "I was part of the debate club."
"I cried when they canceled the original Doctor Who. I was ten."
"I dressed up and went to the midnight release of the last Harry Potter book."
His knee was now between her legs and she rocked against it, her cotton pajamas and underwear starting to grow wet with her arousal. She felt the dull start of pleasure building low in her core.
Robin's hand slid under her shirt, cupping her breast. "What house are you in?"
"Ravenclaw," she gasped. "You?"
"Gryffindor. The lion symbol…it was meant to be," he said, making her recall the family crest he had hanging over one of his fireplaces.
She hummed, kissing him. "I don't know how much nerdier I can get," she admitted. "You?"
He sighed, pulling away from her. "If you promise not to laugh, I'll show you."
"I promise," she said, crossing her heart.
"Okay. Come on." He took her hand and led her from the bedroom, guiding her to the third floor of the mansion.
Robin paused outside one door, hand hovering over the knob as he turned to her. "Remember you promised not to laugh."
"You don't have to be scared. Whatever's on the other side of the door can't be that bad," she said, running her hand down his arm.
He opened the door and turned on the light. With a bow, he said: "After you, milady."
Regina entered the room and her mouth fell open. Every piece of Star Wars merchandise possible was housed inside. Dolls, action figures, cardboard cutouts of the characters, and so much more crowded around her.
She turned, looking at her sheepish boyfriend. "You're a huge Star Wars fan?"
"Yes."
"How did I not know this? Especially with the seventh movie coming out last year. Did you see it?"
"I did," he replied. "When Will and I went Christmas shopping, we also went to see the movie together."
Regina wrapped her arms around his neck. "You didn't have to sneak around and hide it from me."
He pulled her closer. "So, what do you think of all this?"
"I think you win," she replied. "You are the King Nerd in this relationship."
"Then you are my queen."
She lowered her voice. "Well, your queen wants you to take her to bed now."
Regina dug her nails into the headboard of Robin's bed as she gripped it tighter. Her breathing was coming in short spurts and her hips wanted to buck. But Robin held them in place as her thighs framed his head. All she could see when she looked down was his hair but she could feel his tongue against her clit. He licked and sucked, about to unravel the coil of nerves in her core.
She quivered and moaned as it sprung, her eyes closing her body was flooded by varying sensations. It left her weak as she fell back against the bed, breathing hard. "No one's ever done that to me before," she gasped out.
"What?" Robin lifted his head up a bit to look at her. "No one has ever gone down on you? Eaten you out?"
"No," she said, letting him pull her so she was lying flush against him.
He kissed her forehead. "So no one has ever focused solely on your pleasure? Such a shame. I promise you I will always do that."
She rubbed some of her juices out of his beard before kissing him, tasting the tang of herself on his tongue. Pressing her forehead to his, she sighed. "Thank you. But let's not forget you."
"Oh?" He grinned. "What do you have in mind?"
Her mind flashed to giving a blowjob and a cold sensation filled her as she stared at his cock. Robin's grin fell and he rubbed her arms. "Hey, hey. You don't have to do that. I'm not looking for reciprocity."
"I'm sorry. I just…I just can't," she said, rolling over.
Robin scooted closer to her, kissing her shoulder. "You don't have to apologize. I am not going to expect you to do something you're not comfortable with. Okay?"
She rolled back toward him, wrapping her arms around him. "You are an amazing man. A real diamond in the rough, you know?"
"You're the diamond." He kissed her forehead, just holding her as they started to exchange languid kisses.
His heat chased away her cold sweat and she slid her hand between them, wrapping her fingers around his still hard cock. Robin's eyes popped open as she grinned at him. "I didn't mean for us to stop sexy nerd night."
"Oh," he said, excited. As she moved toward his balls, he reached over for a condom. "Give me a moment then, milady."
She waited as he put it on, kissing his neck and shoulder. Once it was on, he rolled over her, hovering there. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do."
He nodded, flipping them. Regina landed on his stomach with an "oof," her hands braced on his shoulders. As he ran his hands up her arms, he smiled at her. "Ride me."
"Gladly," she said, positioning herself to slide his cock into her. She gasped, unused to the new sensations of this angle. He felt deeper inside her and she doubted she would need to tease her clit herself. As they moved together, his cock kept brushing it just right.
Regina dug her nails into his skin as one of his hands cupped her breast. His thumb teased her nipple as his other hand supported her back. She found herself unable to hold herself up, toes curling as they tried to find purchase on his sheets. "Robin…"
"I got you, lovely," he grunted. "Just let go."
His mouth closed on her breast, tongue lavishing it as a current ran through her body. She rolled her hips once, twice as sweat began to roll into her eyes. It obscured her vision, leaving her to rely on her feelings. Robin's hot mouth on her breast, warm thumb at the other. His other hand sliding down her back. The muscles in his back moving with each thrust.
She wasn't sure who moved but one change had her heed reeling and limbs during to jelly. Regina repeated the motion, letting his cock assault her spot over and over as heat pooled in her lower abdomen. It began to stream out in her veins, igniting every part of her body as she felt her orgasm approach. With a few wild spasms, she came with a shout that almost sounded like his name.
Her head fell back and her mouth still open in a silent scream of pleasure as he came as well. Neither remained able to support each other and she fell back to the bed.
Robin cleaned them up, Regina amazed he was able to do anything after that. She smiled up at him as the cool damp cloth passed over her. "I love what you do to me."
"Same here, lovely," he whispered, kissing her nose. "Now, let's get some sleep and maybe…maybe we can squeeze in a round two."
She rolled closer to him, letting him wrap her in his arms. With a sigh, she decided she liked being a sexy nerd with him and they should do it more often.
Forever, preferably.
A/N: Here's the latest chapter! I hope you enjoyed the fluff and smut. There will be some fluff early in the next chapter but it will be the start of the angst.
I know there are a lot of rumors flying around about what Sunday's episode will bring for Robin and for Outlaw Queen. There's been speculation for months now on what his ultimate fate will be and we're coming down to the wire. This might be vague, but I'm trying to respect those who may wish to remain spoiler free and so have been unaware of some of the drama that unfolded in the fandom the past few months.
No matter what happens Sunday or in the finale, I am not going to abandon Outlaw Queen. I am not going to abandon my stories. I still draw so much inspiration from these two and all the beautiful stories we could've gotten, might still get, and what have you. I have also made a personal promise to myself that I will finish every Outlaw Queen fic I start. So I plan to be here for the long haul, as long as life agrees with me.
Thank you, as always, for reading and supporting my works. You all rock.
-Mac