A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this epilogue done. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading!
It's been four months without a monster or a surprise, which Regina tells Robin is something of a record for the town since the curse broke. Some days, Regina still looks like she's waiting for something to go wrong, like she's waiting to lose this perfect little family they're building. Her boy looks the same way on occasion, and Regina is always there to calm his fears. Robin tries his best to do the same for Regina.
This morning Robin has turned off the alarm, determined that if Regina needs to wake early on a Saturday morning that she will do so without startling awake to that infernal beeping.
"Good morning my love," Robin whispers softly. Her head is pillowed on his chest; it's her favorite position to sleep in, a fact that fills Robin with such joy. His legs are intertwined with Regina's and he moves his foot up and down her calf. Robin had realized the first time he woke her with a sudden kiss to the forehead that Regina needed to be woken slowly. She had been so apologetic when she backhanded Robin that morning, so mortified that she had reacted that way to his kiss. But Robin had shushed her apologies and whispered his own for not knowing that she might startle at an unexpected touch pulling her from sleep.
Regina sighs and shifts in Robin's arms, nuzzling further into his chest. "Good morning," he whispers again, his hands moving up and down her back. She smiles, eyes still closed, and for a few seconds Robin isn't certain if she's awake, but then she's pressing a kiss to his chest.
Robin chuckles at Regina's sleepy little kisses, her eyes still closed as her mouth ghosts across the skin right in front of her again. Robin runs his fingers through the silky strands of Regina's hair still mussed from sleep.
"G'morning," Regina mumbles against Robin's chest, blinking a few times and looking up at him with a tired smile. It makes his heart pound, that expression, the tremendous love for him that's so clear in her eyes. He must be grinning like an idiot, because Regina is shaking her head at him and kissing him soundly on the lips.
Robin cradles Regina's face in his palms as she pulls away to look at him with a smile. She gives him a quick peck on the nose before snuggling herself into his chest and throwing the blanket over her head.
"You're the one who insisted we needed to be on the road by 8."
Regina responds with a groan of disapproval that makes Robin laugh before telling him, "We do if we want time to go for a hike and set up our tents before nightfall."
"Have you forgotten that I've set up many a tent? I'm certain I can manage in the dark. Shall we reset the alarm and sleep for another half hour?"
Regina shakes her head against Robin, her arm reaching out to hold him tight. "Let me lie here for five minutes, then I'll get out of bed." Robin presses his lips to Regina's forehead, his hands weaving into her hair again. "This is your fault you know."
"Oh no, I believe you were the one who kept us awake last night. But I will never complain when you keep me up like that."
Regina is looking up at Robin with that playful smile he adores. "We needed to make the most of our last night in a bed for a few days." He sees her smile more and more, that carefree joyful expression, no ghosts behind her bright eyes in this moment.
"I'm sure we'll make due in a tent. We've done it before. Quite spectacularly I might add."
Regina grins at him in response, hasn't stopped smiling since she opened her eyes, Robin realizes. She hasn't stopped looking at Robin with that expression that makes him feel so loved and warm and happier than he ever believed he could be. He brushes a strand of hair from her face, cups his cheek in his palm. "Thank you for agreeing to go camping."
"If I remember correctly it was one of the conditions for you moving in."
"Ah, but I think we both know that there is nowhere else in the world I would ever choose to be than by your side."
Regina presses a kiss to the tip of Robin's nose, then his forehead, before she pulls back to look at him, her hands running through the hair framing his face. "I love you."
"I love you," Robin returns, a wide dimpled smile gracing his face.
Regina moans contentedly, snuggles her face into his shoulder. "Remind me why I said we need to leave by eight?"
"I haven't the slightest idea. Shall I reset the alarm now?"
Regina just presses soft kisses to the bare skin along Robin's clavicle.
"Or we can stay up but leave later." Robin's hands trail down the Regina's back and down to her bottom with a little squeeze.
"8:30 out the door. No later."
"I'll try my hardest my love. But I can't be held accountable for your actions, remember that."
Regina giggles as she rolls on top of Robin, pinning him to the bed, and capturing his mouth once again.
Regina is packing food for the road, Robin behind her, arms wrapped around her waist, his mouth on his neck.
"You are not helping." Regina tries to sound stern, but she's smiling, absolutely unable to stop.
"I apologize, my love," Robin whispers, his words punctuated by kisses to the smooth skin of Regina's neck. Regina lets out a deep moan as Robin sucks at her pulse point. "So, so sorry."
Regina tilts her head back so she can kiss Robin. They haven't woken the boys yet, Regina had promised them that they could sleep until the car was already packed, and at this rate they aren't going to leave the house until 9. Regina can't seem to care. She turns in Robin's arms so she can kiss him properly, her hands fisting his hair. It's Robin's turn to moan, a deep sound vibrating against Regina's mouth.
They're lost in the moment until they hear the sound of tiny feet running down the stairs. Regina turns to see Roland in his dinosaur pajamas running towards her and Robin. Regina bends down and opens her arms wide so he can run into them. She lifts him high in the air, spinning them around once, before settling him onto her hip.
"Good morning sweetheart."
"Morning Gina. Morning Papa."
Robin kisses Roland's cheek. "Good morning my boy. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, and now I'm ready for our adventure. When are we leaving?"
Regina chuckles. "As soon as your papa stops distracting me." Robin raises an eyebrow at her, mouths me? "Tell you what, I'll make you a bowl of cereal, your papa will finish packing lunch for our drive, and then I will go and drag Henry out of bed."
"Why does he sleep so late?" Roland asks. "The sun is always awake before Henry is."
Robin tells his son, "Henry didn't grow up in the forest, so he didn't need to wake with the sun as we did."
"And he's becoming a teenager," Regina adds.
"Mom!" Henry groans as he walks down the steps.
"Henry!" Roland shrieks into Regina's ear before wriggling out of her arms so he can run over to Henry.
"Morning," Henry mumbles, looking half asleep still, but still amused at the bouncing bundle of energy in front of him.
"Good morning my little prince." Regina smiles at Henry. Her baby boy is so grown, her height now as he walks over to her. She kisses his cheek, now without any of the baby fat she still sees when she closes her eyes. She thinks of the tiny baby he had been with those squishy cheeks that she would kiss and make him giggle.
"What?" Henry asks, and she realizes that she's been staring at Henry wordlessly.
"Just thinking of how proud I am of you."
Henry rolls his eyes, but then he reaches out for Regina to give her a one armed hug as she wraps her arm around his shoulders and gives him a squeeze. "Quick breakfast while Robin and I finish getting everything ready then we'll get on the road."
"I'm getting frosted cheerios for Roland, Henry," Robin says, pulling the box down from the cabinet as well as raisin bran for Regina. "Want me to pour you a bowl."
"I can get it," Henry says, taking the box from Robin's hand. "You two should finish getting ready. It's already after the time Mom insisted we needed to leave."
Regina tries to hide the blush on her cheeks. "Thank you," she tells her son, standing on tip toes to press a kiss to his head. She walks over to Roland, kisses his messy curls.
Robin leads Regina out of the kitchen, determined to keep his promise of leaving by 8:30. She stops at the doorway for a moment to watch their boys. Robin's arms wrap around her and she leans back against his chest. "Look at them," she whispers in awe.
"Like brothers."
Regina can hardly believe that this is real, that she has her three boys here with her. She cannot believe that this family is really hers. Robin keeps holding her tightly though, whispers against her cheek, "This is our family." It brings tears to Regina's eyes. Their family.
Henry catches her eye across the kitchen, she smiles at him, her beautiful little prince. "This is your happy ending Mom. You deserve it." Henry grins at Regina and then he's back to shoveling cereal in his mouth.
"You raised a very wise boy," Robin says. "This is our happy ending, my love."
Regina nods, pulls Robin tighter around her and weaves their fingers together. She can't find words for this incredible feeling of knowing that this family is hers, that she is surrounded by love and joy. She doesn't need words. Robin feels it too.