Hi everyone!
Hope you liked the first chapter because the second one is here. Enjoy!
English is not my first language so I am sorry for all the mistakes that may appear but I have tried to do my best. :)
I do not own OUAT nor it's characters. I just like to play with them.
Regina knocked on the Charming's front door and waited until Emma opened.
"Hi, come in." Emma said and stepped aside to let Regina enter.
"Good morning. Why are you here? I thought you'll be in your house." she asked with raised eyebrows.
"I've just stopped by for some things. Is everything all right? Your message seemed to be urgent."
"Oh, did it? Sorry about that, everything's fine. I just wanted to ask if you could do me a favor." Regina looked around to see if they were alone.
"It's okay, no one's here." Emma confirmed and sat down on the chair. "What can I do for you?"
Regina joined her at the table. "Do you think you can make one more of those dream catchers? But a bit different this time."
"How different?" She asked not very sure what Regina was planning to do. "Whose memories do you want to take?"
"Mine." She answered simply and watched the blonde's eyebrows to go up. "But I don't want to take them in order to forget, I want to show them to someone."
Emma knew that the someone was Robin and she sent an encouraging smile in Regina's way.
"And there's one more thing what would be different." Regina looked at Emma bit nervous. "Is it possible to make the dream catcher to show not only the memories on its own but also with all the emotions?"
She still didn't know if Robin could love her the same after knowing her past but if she show him she wants him not only to see the memories like a dull, empty movie in distance, she wants him to know what she was feeling back then, she wants him to understand. She knew this is the only chance she had so if she does this, she does it properly.
Emma was thinking, being Dark One helped her embrace more also her light magic after she got rid of the darkness so now there were some aspects of magic which Emma was even better than Regina in and this was one of those.
"How many memories are we talking about? Approximately." Emma needed some more information if the dream catcher should work properly.
"All of them." Regina answered calmly.
"All of them?" Emma's eyebrows went quickly up.
"All of the memories, all of the feelings." Regina nodded.
Well, that dream catcher will be huge. Emma thought amused. Why she was even surprised, she had known for years that Regina was one of the people who wants everything or nothing. And it seemed this apply not only in taking but also in giving. Emma smiled and looked at Regina with a head tilted to one side.
"Could you do that for me?" Regina asked hoping.
"Well, yeah. I can manage to make dream catcher that will just copy your memories without taking them from you but with the emotions...I think it'll have to be you to cast the final spell to make it work that way."
"So is it possible?"
"Yeah, you can stop by at my place in the evening and we'll try." Emma suggested.
"Thank you, Emma." Regina stood up, heading to the front door.
"That's what friends are for." Emma followed her with a grin on her face. Regina didn't say anything but smiled. Friends, it was still weird for her but she knew they were.
"One more thing," Regina stopped herself and turned back to the blonde. "Could Henry spend this weekend with you?"
"Sure." Emma smiled.
"Excuse me." Regina said to gain attention of the man who was chopping wood next to the fireplace.
"If you are looking for Robin, he is not in the camp." The man said when he saw her.
"I know, actually I am looking for Little John. Do you know where he is?"
He looked at her with a slight surprise in his eyes. "Just wait here." He turned away but stopped himself and turned back to Regina. "Arthur Abland." he said and bowed his head just a little bit.
"Regina Mills." She answered and he disappeared between the tents.
A minute later Regina could see Little John walking towards her but Arthur Abland wasn't with him anymore.
"When Arthur told me someone was looking for me I wouldn't expect it's you, Your Maje...ehm, madam." Little John corrected himself and sent the smallest smile in her way.
"It's Regina." she said and reached her hand towards him watching his smile grow a bit.
"Little John." he accepted that gesture and shook their hands. "Did something happened with Robin?"
"No, everything's all right. I just wanted to ask if Roland could spend the weekend here with you. I know Robin trust you completely with him and..." Regina hesitate for a second but decided to tell him, "We have something to discuss so it would be better if we could do it alone."
Little John watched her face like he was looking for something in her expression and Regina couldn't tell if he found it or not when he finally nodded more to himself than to Regina. "Of course he can stay, we'll take care of him, don't worry."
"Thank you." Regina smiled at the man in front of her and was about to turn away and leave.
"Regina," he stopped her and motioned to the log in front of the fireplace and for some reason she accepted this silent invitation, followed him and sat down on the log next to him, keeping the decent distance between them.
"Robin loves you." John said turning his head to Regina who was looking into the flames.
"I know." She said simply and a sincere smile appeared on her face. Was she expected to say she loved him too? Well, she did love him but it was something only theirs, something private, so no, she didn't say it now.
"The Marry Men," John continued, "we are all family here and Robin is one of us."
So here it comes, Regina thought, now he's gonna tell me what they'll do to me if I ever break Robin's heart. But for her own surprise that wasn't the thing there.
"We all respect he chose you, so now you are part of this family too. Regina," he put a hand on her shoulder in a friendly gesture, "if you ever need something, you can always come to us, anyone of us."
She breathed out, didn't realizing she was holding her breath and looked at John's face. She didn't know what to say so she simply nodded. She didn't really know anyone of Robin's Marry Men but they had a bit of history in here.
"When Robin were gone..." she had to clear her throat, her voice harsh with the memory of those days, "you were around."
During the first days after Robin crossed the town line she wasn't really leaving her house and the only person who she let in was her son but anytime she looked out of the window, one of Robin's friends were nearby, checking if her lights were on, waiting for the movements of curtains, watching any signs of life behind those walls, making sure she was okay or, at least, alive.
Then she started going to her office again, always walking to clear her mind and there they were again. Firstly their constant presence irritated her but day after day she got used to it and realized that in some strange way she found it comforting. Sometimes they were just watching and waiting near her house, near her office or somewhere between but sometimes they walked along her, always keeping their distance. When their eyes met they nodded in greeting but never talked to her. They were taking turns but she noticed Little John were around more often than others.
"Robin asked us to keep an eye on you," he said, "but I would do that even if he didn't."
"I appreciate that." Regina admitted and looked around the tents. "Why have you stayed in here? You could all move into the empty flats near the docks."
"These guys are family and these tents are home. We've talked about moving but everyone wanted to stay here."
Regina could understand that but another thought found its way into her mind. "So don't you mind Robin left you and moved in with me?" She didn't know why she'd asked, the words just slipped right into her mouth.
"Look, we all owe Robin much. He is my best friend, I've known him for years and we saved each other's life many times. He's been thru a lot so I want him to be happy and believe me or not, I see he is happy with you. And it's not like he crossed some cursed town line," John chuckled at his own joke, "we still see him a lot."
Regina smiled. "Thank you," she said and she meant it for everything he said to her today and everything he did in the days before. "I should go now."
"Sure." he stood up and as she turn away to leave, he added "It was nice to talk with you."
Regina looked back and smiled at him. Yes, it was. She disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.
"Where have you been? I've started to be little worried." Robin said when she came home.
"Sorry, I had to talk with Emma and then I stopped at the camp." she said and took off her coat.
"The Mary Men's camp?" he asked and Regina just nodded. "Why did you go there?"
She came close to him and put her hand on his arm biting her lip. "Do you need to know everything?" she kissed his cheek and stepped away from him. "I talked with Little John."
Well, that was new, Robin wasn't aware that Regina had talked with his friends before and he was curious what they talked about but it didn't matter actually. Whatever it was, Robin was glad.
"And I also asked him if Roland can spend the weekend with them in the camp. Henry is staying at Emma's."
Robin's eyebrows went up as he closed the distance between them again, clutched Regina's hips, turned her back against the wall next to her and pinned her in the place with his body. "Hmm, do you have something concrete in your mind?" He asked and Regina could see the tiniest little sparkles in his eyes.
She chuckled against his lips and lifted her hands to his shoulders as he kissed her.
"Yes, I do." She said when he left her mouth free and kissed him again, just the slightest touch of their lips this time. "I want to show you my memories."
Well, it wasn't exactly what Robin had in his mind.
"Are you sure?" he asked and reached out to tuck a runaway strand of hair behind her ear.
"Yeah." She nodded and bite he lower lip. He couldn't resist and kissed her again.
"Okay." He said then and watched the smile reappeared on Regina's face.
"Pappa, pappa!" Roland's voice came from upstairs followed by the tramping on the stairs. The adults exchanged resigned looks, Regina shrugged and Robin let go of her.
"How many times did we told you not to run on the stairs, young man?" Robin asked with strict voice and Roland stop himself on the spot, looked from his father to Regina and back. "I am sorry." he murmured.
"You could hurt yourself and no one wants that, honey." Regina said and Roland nodded to express that he understood.
"So what happened, Roland?" Robin asked and watched his son's face light up with a smile again.
"Pappa, did you know that lizards can regrow their tail when they lose it?"
And a smile lighted up Robin's face too. "Yes, I did know that." He took his son up into his arms. "And do you know when they lose their tails?" Robin asked and the boy shook his head vigorously. "They do it when they find themselves in a danger and losing their tail make it easier to escape."
"Wow. That's very clever." Roland was amazed.
"Yes, it is." Robin confirmed with a nod.
"I like lizards. Do you Regina?" Roland turned his head to her and she laugh.
"Well, I am not a big fan of them but I agree with you that losing their tail in danger is very clever." She smiled. „Maybe you could watch the lizards in the forest tomorrow with Little John and the rest of your uncles if you find some." Regina said and she tousled his hair. "I talked with them today and they would love to spend the weekend with you."
"Really?" The boy seemed to be even more excited than before. "May I go, pappa?"
"Of course, I'll take you to the camp in the morning. But now what if we all get upstairs and you and Regina teach me how to play that game with the pawns you played yesterday, hm?"
"You mean Sorry." Roland said.
"What should I be sorry for?" Robin blinked with confusion in his face.
"Nooo." Roland laughed, "That's the name of the game."
"Oh." Robin looked at Regina and she smiled at him with a small nod. "Then sorry for my unfamiliarity and let's play Sorry." He put his son down on his feet.
Roland chuckled and ran towards the stairs but stopped himself obediently, waited until the two of the adults come to him, took Regina's hand into his and went up the stairs slowly with her.
"Morning." Henry said as he came into the kitchen.
"Good morning, honey." Regina smiled at him from the sink where she was washing dishes. "Won't you have proper breakfast?" she asked when he took an apple from the bowl on the kitchen counter.
"Nope," he bitten into his apple and murmured with his mouth full "I'll have something at Emma's." He swallowed and went to Regina to put a fast kiss on her cheek "I'm going now. Love ya."
"Love you too." she smiled at him, "Have a nice weekend, Henry."
"Yep. Bye, mom." he said and disappeared from the kitchen into the hall where Robin was helping Roland with his shoes.
"No, no, you cross these two and then pull like this. Good morning, Henry." Robin looked up from his son's feet to him and Roland's little hand shot up to wave at him. "Hallo, Henry."
"Hi," he smiled at the both of them, "what are you guys doing?"
"Well, I am trying to teach Roland how to tie his shoelaces..."
"But it's too hard to remember." Roland finished with shaking head and shrugged with an innocent face.
"Did you try the bunny?" Henry asked Robin.
"The bunny?" Confusion appeared on his face but Henry didn't explain anything, just nodded, put his partly eaten apple on the side table, kneeled in front of his little brother and showed him how to tie the shoelaces, saying the rhyming his mother had taught him years ago.
"Bunny ears, bunny ears, playing by a tree. Crisscrossed the tree, trying to catch me. Bunny ears, bunny ears, jumped into the hole, popped out the other side beautiful and bold...See?" Henry smiled at Roland and stood back up. "That's how it's done." He said to Robin and tapped his arm with a grin on his face.
"Thanx, Henry."
"That's okay. I better go now." he put his own shoes on and took his apple again. "Bye." he said to Robin and turned to Roland. "And you, practice the bunny ears." Henry reached his fist to him and the little boy pumped into it with his own and laughed. "I will."
Henry nodded, opened the door and shouted "See ya" to everyone before he closed behind him.
Regina swallowed, her throat dry. She was standing unnoticed in the entrance to the hall watching the whole scene. She realized that if Robin decide to leave now she won't be the only one to suffer. Could she be that selfish? Or is it more selfish to just wait for the happy future that may never come?
Thank you a lot for reading and I hope you liked this chapter, if you did please leave a review.
In next chapter we will see some of Regina's memories finaly so stay tuned!
Smile and have a lovely day!