Author's Note: I couldn't resist writing again for these two after last night's episode! They really are amazingly, incredibly beautiful together. This is just a little one-shot that delves into what happened after the credits rolled on Regina, Robin, and Henry. One of MANY possibilities percolating in my brain. Fluff all the way.
Now that the curse was broken, Regina couldn't believe that she'd ever forgotten. As she walked with Robin and Henry to her car, she sifted through the memories for the last year in her head. Rocky didn't begin to cover it, she thought wryly. Tempestuous. Biting. Fiery. They'd practically hated each other for those first few months. The only thing they had in common was Roland. Because he was such a beautiful little boy and for some unknown reason he'd taken a liking to her.
"So how about ice cream at Granny's, my treat?" Robin offered.
Regina glanced at him speculatively. "How about we have that ice cream at my house instead?" She'd only just gotten Henry back and she really didn't want to share him with anyone for at least a few hours, days, months…a couple of years would be good.
Robin nodded in understanding. "That works for me just as well. I'd like to pick up Roland on the way back, though. He's waiting for me."
"Of course," Regina replied. "There's more than enough. How does cookie dough from Blue Bunny sound?"
"What's a Blue Bunny?" Robin asked quizzically. "Is this some person I've not yet met from the Enchanted Forest?"
Regina laughed lightly, causing Robin's lips to turn up in a smile. "Only the best ice cream in town," Henry chimed in. "Cookie dough ice cream is just about better than anything. It's so sweet and amazing."
Robin's eyes were drawn to Regina's and said there was something much sweeter and delicious than ice cream that he'd recently sampled. Regina's narrowed at him in warning, glancing at Henry in exasperation. He almost laughed. The Evil Queen worried about inappropriate behavior in front of a child? Yes, she had turned over a new leaf.
Regina found herself nervous around Robin and more nervous around Robin and Henry. She wanted her son to like the thief. Because he was fast becoming someone important to her and she wanted the two men in her life to get along. They walked to the car and Regina drove them as close as they could get to the part of the forest where Robin's men had set up camp. They got out and began walking through the woods.
"Wow, you live in the forest?" Henry asked in wonder. "I mean, of course you did when you were in the Enchanted Forest, but you haven't moved into Granny's or something? How was it adjusting to cars and cell phones and all that?"
Robin chucked. "Yes we do. I prefer it out here, closer to nature. I hunt and like archery. I could teach you if you like. Cars are interesting contraptions and cell phones…your mother had to give me a crash course on them. And on just about every other technological device here. It has been…interesting here in Storybrooke, aside from the Wicked Witch and my friends turning into flying monkeys."
Henry's voice leapt and his thoughts completely missed the second half of Robin's statement. "Yeah! That would be cool to learn from the real Robin Hood. So who did you steal from in the Enchanted Forest?"
Robin snickered and Regina laughed lightly, her smoky voice rich with secrets. "Many, many a rich nobleman," he understated.
"And me, which is why your Wanted poster landed next to Snow's more often than not. You were on my Capture or Kill list," Regina added, shaking her head.
"Wait, so Robin Hood robbed you and now you're kissing? There's a lot you're not telling me here. How'd you go from being on one of Mom's Wanted posters to the two of you being together? Were you together in the Enchanted Forest?" Henry stopped in his tracks to look at his mother and back at Robin Hood.
Robin and Regina shared a look. A LOT had occurred in the Enchanted Forest. "Well, actually, we first met back in the Forest after one of the Wicked Witch's flying monkeys attacked our convoy. Robin shot it and probably saved either Snow or I or both of us from being carried off. Later another one came back and I thought it was going after a little boy." Regina finished describing how she'd turned it into a stuffed animal for Roland.
"So that explains how you met but how did the two of you get here? I mean, you're with my mom and just what are your intentions?" Henry asked Robin. Regina was his mother and he was the only one looking out for her welfare.
"Hey now, I'm the parent," Regina protested. Since when had Henry become old enough to turn the tables on her? He was the child! She didn't much like feeling like a teenager introducing her beau to her father for the first time.
Robin's dimples became more pronounced at both mother and son's statements. He turned to address the young Mr. Mills. "Henry, I assure you, I have nothing but the most noble of intentions toward your mother. I care for her dearly," he added, taking her hand and kissing the back of it.
Henry seemed satisfied with that answer and the three continued their walk. About ten minutes later, Roland's little body came tumbling at Robin at a dead run, his little feet tripping over himself in his rush to get to his father. "There's my boy! Have you been good while I've been gone?" he asked as he swung Roland in the air, much to the delight of the four-year-old.
"Yes, Papa. I got to play in the mud and helped build a new tree house and—" Roland's voice stopped abruptly upon seeing Regina behind Robin.
"NINA!" he screeched in Robin's ear, no consideration for his father's hearing. Robin winced and put the squirming boy on the ground where he proceeded to run headlong toward Regina, who was looking at him with a curious mix of love and terror.
"Hi, Roland," she said softly as she picked up the little boy and cuddled him. He smelled like the forest, just like his father and it had become one of her favorite scents.
"I MISSED you," he emphasized, confused a little about the last few weeks, but still happy to be in the arms of one of his two favorite people.
"I missed you, too, darling," Regina crooned and buried her face in his neck to press tickling kisses there. Roland shrieked in delight and squirmed in her arms. When he'd calmed, Regina hooked him on her hip and introduced him to Henry.
"Henry, this is Roland and Roland, this is my son Henry."
Roland ducked his head into her shoulder and peaked out shyly. "It's ok sweetheart. He's just a bit shy around new people, even other children," Regina explained. Henry smiled and, within a few minutes, had the little boy playing hide and seek.
While the boys were occupied, Regina joined Robin in checking on things in the camp. Several of his men embraced her and she had to stop herself from preventing the hugs. She had saved several of their lives in the Enchanted Forest and everyone was only now remembering so everything was still fresh and new.
Robin made his rounds and then entered his tent, gathered a couple of changes of clothes for him and Roland and after a few minutes, came back out with bag and bow and arrows in tow. "Ready?" he asked Regina. She nodded. "Roland and I will be staying in town," Robin informed his men and Regina had to force herself not to react and blush like a schoolgirl. She also pointedly ignored the knowing looks his men shot each other. Because they dared not look at her with that teasing in their eyes. Even if they knew she was mostly bluster. Mostly.
They gathered the children, Roland holding Regina's hand and Henry chattering on about New York, Times Square, Central Park, the Bronx Zoo, the Empire State Building, and other iconic New York locations. He also told Roland about F.A.O Schwartz. Roland's eyes widened in wonder at a place with three levels of toys.
After getting out of the forest, they took Regina's Mercedes back to town and to her house. "Ice cream sundaes everyone?" she asked as she casually dropped her coat and scarf on the kitchen tabletop, reaching for the freezer and three cartons of ice cream located there.
"YES!" Roland yelled and Henry laughed. The little boy wasn't quite sure what a sundae was, but if it involved ice cream, he was sure he'd love it. The kids plopped themselves in front of the TV in the living room and turned on cartoons for Roland.
In the kitchen, Regina turned toward the cabinets, but also withdrew her phone and began to text Emma. She let her know Henry was sleeping over and she smiled a bit when Emma text back quickly saying to enjoy their time together. She missed the fact she was in the way. "Where are the bowls?" Robin asked, drawing up his sleeves.
"Above me," she murmured, distractedly closing out applications before locking her iPhone. Robin Hood reached in the overhead cabinet for the bowls Regina never could get without using a step stool or her magic. He boxed her in right in front of the drawer where the spoons were located and pressed himself intimately against her back. Regina became instantly aware of every inch of him that touched her, the breath caught in her throat, and her phone clattered to the counter from nerveless hands.
"Excuse me, milady," he murmured in her ear, lips grazing that sensitive surface, and Regina had to prevent herself from shuddering. Once he'd grabbed them, he lowered himself down again, his front scraping against her back and Regina's restraint broke. To hell with it. The kids were in the other room.
She turned in the tight space and pulled him by his collar down to her. She'd been restraining herself for the better part of two hours now but she'd not kissed him once since they'd regained their memories and she was dying for him.
Robin's mouth slanted hotly over hers, his tongue delving inside and sweeping across the slick surfaces, a new appreciation for her resonating inside him now that he had all of his memories back. He grasped her left hand with his and twined their hands together, palms pressed desperately. He picked her up with one arm, hoisting her up on the countertop and moving into the space she'd created for him between her open thighs.
The kiss grew more fevered and for a few seconds, Regina lost track of everything. The fact they were in her kitchen. Roland and Henry in the other room. All of it. She nipped at his lower lip hard and he smothered a moan against her lips. Then he nuzzled his way down her throat and she arched her neck, granting him greater access. Her right hand knocked into a bowl, and it clinked and rattled and if not for Robin's excellent reflexes, it would have crashed to the tile below.
"Mom, is everything ok?" Henry asked from the living room, and there was rustling, like he was getting up and Regina panicked.
"YES!" She winced and modulated her voice. "Yes, everything's fine. Robin and I are making those sundaes. You kids watch TV. We'll be out in a minute," she finished as she looked into Robin's eyes. They panted lightly against each other, mouths open, foreheads pressed tightly against the other. An apology was in her eyes. She wasn't really sorry she'd kissed him, but she was sorry they'd had to be interrupted and it wasn't the right time for this.
He shook his head as if to say, "no worries, love" and kissed her lightly once more before moving away from her. "We'll continue this later, milady," he promised softly and gathered the bowls with unsteady hands.
Regina had to close her eyes and take deep cleansing breaths before she thought she could get down without her legs collapsing from under her. That man….she could still smell the forest on his skin and his body against hers and what he did to her senses defied understanding.
When she thought she'd gotten a good enough grip on herself, she slid off the counter and was pretty happy when her legs mostly held. A few more seconds of steadying herself and she was able to continue the task of making ice cream sundaes with cookie dough, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream. Robin helped, but he didn't touch her again except to take one of the bowls from her.
They moved back out into the living room and by that time, Henry had turned on Netflix and they were watching the Avengers. Each of the boys got their own bowl and Robin and Regina shared one. About halfway through the movie, little Roland conked out and slouched against Robin, who picked him up and cradled his son between him and Regina.
Henry glanced at his mom and her boyfriend throughout the movie when he thought they weren't looking. Regina gently stroked Roland's hair with one of her hands and the other was entwined with Robins. They looked pretty domestic for a couple, so he wondered just how deep their relationship was. But soon the Avengers and specifically Hawk Eye with his bow and arrow took his attention and he and Robin Hood got into a debate/argument about archery skills and the lack of training the young chap on the TV (Robin's words, not Henry's) had had to do such a dismal job of it. "Look at that, he's not aiming right," Robin grouched and Regina laughed lightly and combed her hand through his hair soothingly.
"Shush, you'll wake him up," she said softly, motioning to Roland between them.
"This child can sleep through an ogre attack. Do you really think a movie will wake him up?" he asked skeptically, turning his head to look at her and found himself absorbing everything as if he was seeing her for the first time. And in some ways he was. He'd not remembered them for some months now and he felt like he had a third chance. He bussed a quick kiss to her lips, not daring to let it last longer than a second and continued watching the movie. By the end, Henry had also nodded off, not to anyone's surprise, considering the day he'd had.
Robin handed Roland to Regina and he carried Henry up the stairs, following her to Henry's room. Robin laid Henry in his bed, tucking him in and then held Roland while Regina rolled out Henry's sleeping bag on the floor and an extra pillow. "He'll be fine here. I just didn't want him sleeping in a strange bed down the hall," she whispered. Robin nodded and placed his tired son into the cushioned bag, zipping him up. Regina kissed his soft forehead lightly and whispered something Robin couldn't quite hear.
He helped her up and after closing the boys' door, they walked down the hall to her room. He dropped his bag on the nightstand. Nothing was said as they prepared for bed. He stripped rather quickly down to his boxers, anxious to watch her. Robin watched intently as Regina began to remove her outer clothes, hung up the scarf and sweater underneath, and began to work on the buttons to her shirt and then her pants. He moved behind her and just stood there, hands on her waist, waiting. He couldn't help because quite frankly he didn't think he'd do better than to just rip the damned things right off and haul her to bed and he knew how she loved her clothes. And he was looking forward to whatever she had on underneath. Memory told him of her love for lingerie.
And he wasn't disappointed. Red satin with a hint of lacy ruffles at the edges, her bra and panties set was stunning. She was stunning.
Regina turned in his arms and turned up her face for his kiss. It was coming home. Finally. She was home, she thought fuzzily, and the boys were safe in their beds and she could take her time with him. She'd missed him, she achingly thought. Right in front of her for months and she'd missed him.
Robin was thinking much the same thing. The banter, the sly looks and seductive touches, all his mind's way of telling him she was his. And how could he have ever forgotten? Those first few months in the Enchanted Forest with her had been rocky and bitter and fiery hot, their encounters verbally explosive and volatile, but only because they'd been deeply attracted. He'd not had a clue how to handle such a woman and so he'd channeled it into words.
And then one explosive day the verbal foreplay had come to a head and they'd just gone at each other at the edge of the forest, and before they knew it, they were making love and tumbling over the earth, and Regina hadn't cared because she was lost in him and he in her.
Tonight was no different. Her lingerie disappeared like mist because it did. She used her magic and he touched her like he owned her and he did, body, heart, mind and soul and she had everything of him. Their hands lingered in all the right places and she couldn't breathe and he couldn't find the bed and they tumbled through the room searching. Finally they made it to that soft surface and Regina hovered over him, aggressor as always, he thought with a smile as he kissed her. And then his boxers were gone, again wished away by magic and she moved over him. His breath caught at the slick feel of her and with one push downward, Regina took him into her, gritting her teeth because it had been months since they'd last made love and he wasn't exactly small but it was perfect because it was him and it was them and she'd missed him so much.
A cry rent the air, his, hers, or both neither knew and didn't care because they were wrapped in each other, rocking slowly and enjoying the ride. She braced herself against his chest and rotated her hips, her breath catching at that perfect frisson of pleasure that started at the base of her spine and slowly blossomed out. Robin raced to catch up and met her hips with several jerky thrusts before he joined her.
She collapsed against him and they just breathed, catching their breath and letting their heart rates return to normal. He rubbed his hand soothingly up her slick back and into the hair at the nape of her neck, cupping her there. A shiver shook her form at the possessive touch. He'd always done that back in the Forest and it had the same effect now as it had then.
After a few minutes, Robin moved out of her embrace slightly to reach into the bag on the table. He drew out an object and Regina's breath caught and held. "Where did you find it?"
"It was in my possessions when I came here. I didn't know what it was, and came very nearly close to selling it, but something said not to," he told her softly and taking her left hand, slipping the diamond ring on. He kissed her knuckles then, brushing his lips over the rock.
"We will need to tell Henry that we're married," Regina said at last, watching the light from the lamp by her bedside table play over the diamond. "But not until Zelenda's defeated. I couldn't bear the thought of her using you or Roland against me because she found out."
"Well, it's a good idea we kept it a secret from everyone, now isn't it?" he murmured and stole a kiss.
Regina smiled and drew him back over her for a deeper kiss. She didn't know exactly what the future held, but she knew one thing for sure. She could handle anything, as long as she had her husband and her children by her side.
The End
End Notes: I have no idea where the last half of this fic came from. I had a silly little idea for a ficlet and then THIS. I purposely left out the latter half of their year in the EF since you can use your imaginations and what I could come up with is nothing close to what the boys of OUAT will create when we learn of their backstory. Please R&R and thanks for reading.