Rating of this fic is going to go up in chapter 5...just FYI. Enjoy :)

Chapter 3

Regina walked down the hall as she heard the piano. Someone was playing it in the library. She walked towards the sound, closing her eyes slightly to listen to the pretty melody. She peeked into the room and saw the prince behind the piano completely engrossed in the music. She smiled watching and pulled out her phone to record him playing. She watched getting lost in the music herself, that she notice that she was leaning against the door until she moved it causing it to make a noise.

The prince stopped playing and looked up at her in surprise.

"I'm sorry, your royal highness" Regina apologized, "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Please, just call me Robin." Robin responded.

"You're very talented."

"Thank you," Robin said as he walked around the piano, "My father insisted I learn when I was younger, he said that music made the soul happy."

Regina smiled, "I heard the King was a great man."

"He was," Robin nodded.

"I'm sure it won't be easy to replace him."

Robin shook his head slightly, "I'm not trying to replace him."

"No, of course not. That's not what I was insinuating." Regina quickly explained. "I just meant you must be under a lot of pressure from what everyone is expecting of you."

Robin slipped his tongue out licking his lip, studying her, "You're under more pressure than you bargained for aren't you?" Regina's eyes widened in confusion at his statement, did he know her secret? "My sister can be a lot to handle." he clarified at her look.

Regina breathed out a sigh of relief, "Right, yeah I actually think she's great."

"After my father passed away, she took it really hard." Robin added.

Regina visibilly softened, "I lost my mom," she wasn't sure why she felt the need to give out this piece of information but she felt comfortable in his presence. "Ovarian cancer," she further explained the cause of her mother's death. Again she wasn't sure why she gave out the information.

Robin watched her with a soft gaze, "Then you know."

Regina took a few steps closer to him, "Holidays are the worst. Trying to be happy when there's something missing, it's hard."

Robin nodded stepping in her direction, "I'm glad that Mary Margaret has someone to talk to."

"Are you back to stay?" Regina asked. "I've heard the rumors about you abdicating the throne, are they just gossip?"

"Everyone seems to think they know what I'm going to do, the truth is I'm not sure," he answered her.

"I heard you don't want to give up your lifestyle, that's why you would abdicate."

Robin raised an eyebrow, "And what lifestyle might that be?"

Regina shrugged, "I don't know. Women, wine, debauchery?"

"Is that who you think I am?" he asked her slightly amused.

Regina smiled a little, "I don't know who you are."

Robin bit his lip looking down at the floor, "My mother's expecting me," he deflected, not wanting to continue this just yet. With that he walked past her slightly brushing her arm on his way out.

Regina frowned slightly, she hadn't wanted that moment to end. For professional purposes of course. There wasn't another reason she may have wanted to continue talking. Of course not, she wasn't smitten with him. This was for pushing her career forward. Right?

She sighed and turned around walking out and back to her room.

.::.

That night, the family had held a little party for their family and close friends to add more ornaments to the tree and remember the King. Once again, Regina was invited to attend by Princess Mary.

After everyone had gathered around and gotten a drink, the Queen stood by the tree and held up her glass to make a toast. "I am so thankful for you all, especially around the holidays. You all meant so much to my beloved husband and he would so happy to see you all here right now. To family and old friends, may the holidays be every merry."

"And to new friends," Princess Mary said smiling up at Regina, loud enough for Regina to hear as well as Robin who was standing close by. Regina smiled down at her before catching Robin's eye and taking a sip of her champagne.

John picked up an ornament, "The King gave everyone handmade ornaments last year, said they were foxes, but they look more like squirrels."

"It was very important to the King to give out something handmade," The Queen replied.

"Regardless of if they looked like foxes or squirrels," Robin added giving John a look. They clearly did not like each other very much. The Queen smiled at her son. Regina watched the display with amusement.

"I found this one," the Queen said holding a box and opening it to pull out a wooden arrow shaped ornament, "It was hidden in the closet, your father was never good at hiding things." She smiled, "I think he was going to give it to me last Christmas."

"It's beautiful, mother," Robin said as he looked at the ornament in his mom's hand.

"I love it," Mary Margaret added.

"Would you do the honors, Robin?" Queen Ava looked to her son holding out the ornament.

Robin smiled at his mom, "It would be my pleasure." With delicate ease he found an empty spot on the tree and placed the ornament there.

Regina watched the family and smiled. "It's beautiful, your majesty."

"Tell us about your traditions, Roni." Robin said turning back towards her.

"Oh uhm, well my father and I always light a candle for my mom. We'll make her favorite holiday dishes and Christmas cookies and we'll watch her favorite Christmas movie while we eat," she smiled thinking about it. "I know what it's like to miss someone you lost. Especially during the holidays."

"Happy holidays," they all heard from the door and looked over to see a woman walk in with a box in her hand.

"Lady Marian!" John bellowed, "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes, things were starting to get really boring around here." He leaned in to kiss her, reeking of alcohol.

She pushed him back, "I see you started celebrating early, John." Pushing past him she walked over to the Queen, "Your majesty," she curtsied and looked over the Queen's shoulder at the Prince. "Hello, Robin, Merry Christmas."

Robin smiled politely and walked over to Marian to kiss her cheek, "What a surprise to see you."

"Lady Marian has come to spend the holidays with us," the Queen explained.

"Wonderful," Robin said trying to hide his disdain at the idea of her sticking around.

John walked over and grabbed Marian's hand pulling her towards the couch, "We have so much to catch up on."

"Excuse me," Marian said to the Queen as she walked off with John.

Robin watched her go before saying only loud enough for the Queen to hear, "I wish you'd told me she was coming."

"I thought it would be a nice surprise," the Queen replied.

Robin hummed and walked over to where Mary Margaret and Regina were talking, he bent down to kneel next to his sister and join in on the conversation they were having.

John and Marian were off to the side catching up when she looked over at the three of them and frowned slightly, "Who is that?"

"That's the Princess' tutor."

"Huh," Marian acknowledged sizing her up and narrowing her eyes at the chucks Regina had worn with her outfit, "Interesting choice of footwear." She put on a smile, one that was clearly fake and walked back to the Queen. "Your majesty, I brought this as my humble contribution." She opened the box she had walked in with to reveal an ornament of a silver dove.

"A dove, how lovely," the Queen smiled.

Marian turned her gaze to the Prince, "Robin? Will you put this on the tree?" Robin looked up at her before getting up, "Be gentle with it." She said as she handed it over to him to put it on the tree.

He fought against an eye roll and took the ornament and added it to the tree.

Regina watched the whole scene and frowned slightly, what was the deal with Marian and why did the Queen invite her to stay? Was she hoping that maybe she could help persuade him to take the throne? There was definitely some history between the two of them but she wasn't sure exactly what it was.

.::.

Regina was in the tutoring room looking at some of the pictures she had taken from the party and around the palace when Princess Mary Margaret walked in.

"Good morning," the Princess said startling Regina from her thoughts.

Regina quickly shut her laptop and turned towards the princess, "Good morning," she said with a smile.

"What are you doing?"

"Just going over some notes for your lesson today, are you ready to get started?"

"Nope," Mary Margaret said, "We're going to make Christmas cookies!"

Regina tilted her head and raised her eyebrow, "you're going to get me into a lot of trouble if we don't start your lesson by 9:30."

"Not as much trouble as I can get you in if I told them your real name, Regina Mills."

Regina's face paled and her eyes widen, "How… How did you…" she felt her heart starting to race, shit, this wasn't good. She could end up in prison or worse.

"You're a shitty tutor, you don't know a thing about math," Mary Margaret explained, "And I looked at your laptop while you went to the bathroom yesterday."

Regina sighed, of course she did, "I'll go pack," she said as she picked up her laptop and started to walk out.

"Wait," Mary Margaret called out. "No one has to know."

Regina furrowed her brows, "You're not going to tell anyone?"

"Nope, not if we make a deal."

Regina lifted an eyebrow, "What kind of deal?"

"Write the truth about my brother and I'll keep your secret."

"The truth? What do you mean?" Regina asked.

"The tabloids paint him as some playboy who is afraid of growing up. That's not even close to what he really is. If you can write the truth and show the world the man, my big brother really is, your secret is safe with me."

Regina digested the princess' words. Well that's a turn she wasn't expecting. She had pegged him for the philandering playboy but that title wasn't fitting the man she had met. Okay well this she could do, "Okay," she told the princess, "I'll write the truth about your brother."

Mary Margaret smiled, "good, now about those cookies."

Regina rolled her eyes, "fine, fine. We'll make cookies," she laughed as the two of them walked out of the study room and towards the kitchen.

The two of them had made the cookie dough and rolled it out on the counter. The princess was tasked with cutting the cough dough with the cookie cutters Regina had found in one of the drawers.

"So what's the deal with your brother and Lady Marian?"

Mary Margaret glanced at Regina, "Is this for the story?"

Regina shrugged, "I have to know the truth in order to write it, right?"

"Oh huh," Mary Margaret responded, "He used to love her, a long time ago." she emphasized the last part, "I don't know what she's doing back or what will happen between them now though."

"John seems into her," Regina mused as she placed the cut cookies on a cookie sheet.

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes, "He wants everything my brother has, always has. Always been a jealous little prick." She sighed, "Everyone always wants what we have."

Regina watched her, "You're the royal family," she reasoned.

Mary Margaret put the cookie cutter down looking at the table and shaking her head, "Things were different before my father died, now he's gone."

"Hey," Regina said wiping her hands and moving closer to the princess to wrap an arm around her, "He's not gone. You'll always have him in here," she said pointing to her heart, "Let's finish these and get them in the oven so we can decorate them." Mary Margaret smiled and nodded as the two of them continued to cut out the cookie dough and make the cookies

.::.

Robin was in the library playing the piano when Marian walked over looking in.

"May I come in?" she asked watching him.

He looked up stopping, "Please," he pulled the key cover down clearly he won't be getting to play any more as she walked over and sat down next to him on the piano bench.

"Are you okay with me staying here for the holidays?"

"Of course," he said turning to her, "Although I am wondering why you are."

"Because your mother asked me to," she responded, "But also, I haven't ever gotten over you, Robin. And I don't think you're over me either."

Robin gave her a look, "We both know this isn't going to work, Marian."

"At least let me help you with the benefit tomorrow. You need to make a good impression on the people if you're going to have their support as king." She started, "Besides, we've always made a great team."

Robin scoffed getting off the piano bench, "That benefit is a fundraising event for the orphans, not a fucking PR stunt."

Marian rolled her eyes, "You're being naive."

Robin turned towards Marian, "Tell me, if I wasn't next in line for the throne, would you even be interested in me?" he asked changing the conversation.

Marian shrugged, "That's part of who you are."

"Yeah," Robin nodded, "The part that matters most to you."

Marian gave him a look, "You're being unfair."

"Am I?" he challenged.

"I was young and stupid, Robin. I made a mistake. I do love you, very much." She said as she got up and walked over to him holding on of his hands in both of hers. "Never doubt that."

He watched her silently taking what she said with a grain of salt. A part of him wanted to believe her because for better or for worse, she was the love of his life once upon a time. Might still be. But another part of him knew she would say anything to become queen. And if he was being fully honest with himself there was someone else that had tickled his fancy lately and she didn't seem the type to care much for titles.