Hey guys! So today we'll dive into the night and show a little bit of Zelena sass and the following morning with WickedCricket acquaintance-ship+more Zelena sass. Allons-y!

Don't Amuse Me

It was early in the morning and Zelena still hadn't went to bed. Little Merida was crying and refused to go to sleep. She tried pleading with the baby to make her stop, but soon found herself handing Merida over to Robin. He held the babe close to his heart and she calmed down slightly, but the babe could tell it wasn't her mother holding her. She began to cry again and Robin handed her back. Zelena distanced herself from the crying Merida

"You have to hold them close to you, Zelena...They don't really like being alone."

"I know, I'm just so new at this! You've had Roland and..."

Robin rubbed her on the back, she was new at this and he remembered when he'd first become a parent. Marian had just recently been sick when she had Roland. He kicked and screamed and Robin stayed up many nights with Marian, trying to get him to fall asleep. Usually to no avail, but occasionally Roland would drift off and Marian could rest for a bit, while Robin made sure the little boy was okay. He had mellowed over the years and now you couldn't have ever guessed he had been so fussy. Roland. Right now he stayed with Regina, it was too complicated for him to stay with Zelena and Robin. He'd already lost his mother twice and Zelena happened to be the 'Daddy's new lady friend'. He often asked Robin when he was coming home and Robin only forced a smile... Truth was, he wasn't sure if he'd ever come home.

"I still don't approve of you staying here... It just seems like you're forcing yourself here."

"I am staying here, because it's my choice... I may be a thief but I-"

"You have honor? Don't amuse me, doll. I've shared a bed with you before and there was no honor."

Robin sighed, handing the babe back to Zelena. Zelena smiled, she felt nothing for the outlaw and yet he had brought her so much amusement while they had been in New York. Her sense of humor was morbid and it still was! She hadn't really changed. She stopped being bad, but she wasn't about to change her personality. Much like her sister, she had a knack for sarcasm and found humor in the pain. If anything, it was the humor that kept her sane. In a strange way, it was like a wall of protection. If you could get past it... You would find yourself inside Zelena's heart. Honestly, she didn't think it was possible. The only thing she ever truly cared about was Cora, who had abandoned her. Her Happily Ever After would have been to never be abandoned. She didn't need a man to love her or call her beautiful, her Happy Ending was simply her family. The more she thought about a family, the closer she held Merida. The babe almost instantly had stopped crying.

"You see? Even a new parent can learn quickly!"

"Hush, Robin! Don't you see she's almost asleep?"

Robin threw her a half smile and she grinned... Surely he had considered the possibility of waking her up and Zelena was too tired to try and convince her back to sleep. Even now she struggled to keep awake and she wanted to sleep, but her mind wouldn't let her. What if something happened while she was sleeping? What if Merida hurt herself? What if someone found out and told Archie? He would take her away... Far away from Zelena. No, she would fight through her tiredness and she would put all her time into taking care of her. She had always wished her family had spent more time with her and she didn't want Merida to ever have to feel that way. Of course, she didn't intend on smothering the child... She would just always be there in case she needed her mother! That was understandable right? As she looked to her side, she seen the outlaw sleeping like a baby, except much louder than Merida. Great. He had fallen asleep on her bed. Where would she sleep? The couch was where he usually slept, but Zelena was sure she'd be stiff if she even considered that notion. She recalled when they had brought her back to Storybrooke... How they put her in that cell. She had been caged in some sort of mental hospital... And then it happened. Everything had been rewritten... Zelena noticed herself dozing off and she knew she wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer. She headed to the crib and placed Merida carefully inside. The baby didn't flinch and Zelena was instantly relieved. If anything, she hoped to get a few measly hours of sleep, but only time would tell. She looked longingly at her bed... It was big enough for the both of them and though Zelena didn't feel comfortable sharing a bed with the outlaw, it was that or the beaten up couch. She finally slipped under the covers, staring at the ceiling, slowly drifting until she fell completely asleep.

00

She woke up to the sounds of a rocking chair. She slowly began to turn to her side. In the rocking chair was Robin, with baby Merida. Had she been crying? Zelena had been so tired she didn't hear baby Merida's soft cries. Almost immediately she sat up. Wrong choice. She had moved too fast and she had been sore from staying up so late. Robin smiled and got up from the rocking chair, handing the little baby Merida to her mother. Zelena smiled as held the baby close, she was beginning to fuss and Zelena knew what that would mean.

"Tell me she hasn't been crying for long..."

"No. She only started after I got up to go sharpen my arrows, sorry for waking you."

"I needed to get up anyways... She's hungry."

She positioned the baby to her side and propped a pillow underneath, trying to remember what Dr. Whale had told her. She tilted the babe's head forward. Merida immediately began to quiet down and Robin walked out the door, probably with an excuse that he needed a waltz outside. Of course, Zelena knew he probably needed to stop by Regina's. So much had happened over the past months, but Storybrooke was still filled with new mysteries and threats. Of course, Zelena wouldn't be back in the game for awhile... And she definitely wouldn't be back as a threat. No, if she messed up again... She could disappear. Easily written out of the book and Merida could be too! She wouldn't let that happen, but Zelena recalled a time when Regina had been willing to write her out. She couldn't believe that the thought had even passed her sister's mind. The way Zelena seen it, if she killed Zelena or wrote her away, she would be killing or writing away the small form of life that had been inside of her. Nevertheless, Regina had done the heroic thing and let her live. At the time it amused Zelena, until she realized that she had lost yet again to her sister. Sometimes she wished she would have written her out of the story, but it was for her own selfish reasoning. During her pregnancy, she had even contemplated a suicide. Nobody would have missed her and that's what had been so brilliant. However, it had only taken a small kick inside her to change her mind. She had to do what was best for both of them. For the baby, the best would only be a chance to be good. Zelena pondered those thoughts and Merida decided she was full. Almost immediately the phone had begun to ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi Zelena, this is Dr. Hopper... I've come to inform you that I will be making a home visit today, I spoke to Dr. Whale about our last session and he suggested tha-"

"You spoke to him about our session? I thought you said I was entitled to doctor and patient confidentiality?"

"Yes and I didn't divulge any of what we discussed, I only requested that we do this for you and your child's sake."

Zelena remained quiet on her end of the line. She wasn't sure if the cricket was telling the truth. Most people usually didn't, but he was going to come either way. She would confront him then. The silence on each of their lines had started to get awkward and Zelena particularly hated those awkward moments with the psychologist. Archie knew that if he didn't speak up soon, Zelena would eventually hang up. She wasn't much for nonsense. He had seen that when he'd started her assessment. Archie began to clear his throat.

"Anyways, I will be stopping by in a few minutes... I have to drop Pongo off at Geppeto's and then I will be on my way."

"You know, I thought after yesterday you would've learned that coming over here wouldn't be the wisest choice. Now I see the cricket is stubborn..."

With a press of the red button, Zelena hung up. Most people often said Goodbye to be formal, but Zelena felt as if it was unnecessary to announce your leaving. Surely he knew she wouldn't stay on for long. Of course, why did she care what he thought? She walked out of the bedroom with Merida in hand. She knew that is he was coming, she might as well make the place look somewhat hospitable. Though that was a tall order... Their house wasn't nearly as extravagant as her sisters and despite Zelena's pleas during her pregnancy, Robin wouldn't allow her to use magic to make it better. She could still remember feeling the anti-magic cuff around her wrist. Even now she felt as if it was still bound on her wrist, protecting everyone from her wrath. She knew as long as she had it on, she could hurt no one, but it had been removed after she had went to the hospital. No one had offered to put it back on her wrist and Zelena had grinned at the news. She had anticipated on maybe using magic to get out of Storybrooke, but as soon as she felt her first contraction, she changed her plans. The baby couldn't possibly be surrounded by the temptations of magic, magic and power was always seductive. So now she waltzed around the house without using magic for anything, in case Merida might see her. She put the kettle on for tea. The cricket would be arriving anytime now and she realized she looked half indecent. She ran to the bathroom and looked into the mirror... Dark circles had formed under her eyes. Zelena wasn't usually vain, but she wasn't careless either. She placed Merida in her crib and ran back to the bathroom. Immediately she placed what Regina had called 'concealer' under her eyes. Almost like magic, the dark circles began to disappear. In the kitchen, she heard the kettle starting to boil and she raced towards the kitchen, only to be stopped by a knock on the door. She placed the kettle on the counter and rushed towards the door. She hadn't been used to following up these responsibilities without magic. She opened the door quickly and leaned against it's frame.

"You know cricket, maybe you'll give me more time to prepare for your arrival before you come..."

"I'm sorry, but I did bring something to try and make up for it. Dwarfing Donuts!"

"Donuts? Cricket, I'm not one to accept apologies, but come on in... I haven't had a bite to eat in what feels like forever."

Don't forget to Favorite/Follow/Review!