To Have A Happy Ending

How gently and lovingly

you wake in my heart,

where in secret you dwell alone;

and in your sweet breathing,

filled with good and glory,

how tenderly you swell my heart with love.

Regina was up early watching the sun rise from her balcony. Sitting and watching.

And thinking.

Her encounter with Friar Tuck really had changed everything. Finally admitting…

She laughed, like the first step for an addict. . . admitted she had a problem.

Hello, My Name is Regina, and I don't believe I can have a happy ending.

She chuckled, shaking her head.

Yep, she had a problem.

What was the next step then?

When she heard the door to her chamber open, she was not surprised to see Robin sit beside her a moment later.

"Penny for your thoughts?

"I'm not really the contemplative type," Regina replied, "that's you."

"Indeed it is." He put a hand on her knee, "But people can always change."

Regina tilted her head. Of course he would say that.

They sat in silence some more.

"So, you really don't think you can be happy?" Robin finally asked softly.

"Should I?" She continued before he could answer, "I know you what you'll say. You have before. That all of us have committed crimes, but Robin, none of you have done as much as I."

"Rumplestiltskin got to you when you were young."

"Rumplestiltskin preyed on my weakness," she agreed, "but there were so many times that I could have chosen differently."

"Yes, you could have." He looked at her, "He was a right bastard though."

Regina smirked, "Yes, he was."

"But the question Regina is, what are you going to do now? What are you doing?"

"Going half-crazy over my dear new sis."

"Yes. Uncertain times. But right now."

"I will do what I need to defeat her."

Robin looked at her long. "Yes, you will."

He looked so confident that Regina was taken aback. What did he know that she didn't?

He knew her.

Taking her chin in her hands Robin said, "I fell in love with you Regina. With you. All of you."

Now Regina laughed fully, "You sound like Belle."

He shrugged.

Another long silence, and then, "Regina, will you marry me?"

"You've asked that before," Regina told him. "I'm wearing an engagement ring."

"I know," he refused to let her lose eye contact, too intense with his gaze, "Will you marry me?"

Regina sighed. He was right, he always was, damn him. "Yes."

And so she married him. It was simple, just a short ceremony in the chapel, attended by the few in their lives who knew them, understood. Robin's closest friends, Snow and Charming, and of course Roland.

Nothing fancy, no smells and bells.

Yet leading up to the ceremony, Snow was so excited, Regina let her help. She should wear something special, but black….not at a wedding. It wasn't a freakin' funeral.

"I like red," Regina had said. She'd seen Snow slightly frown, "Well, I can't exactly wear white!"

"Red is a little too…"

"Ok, I can save that for after," Regina had smiled a bit to herself, and to her annoyance, Snow had blushed.

"Really? You're pregnant Snow. It's not like..."

"Well you are still my step-mother," Snow had retorted. "How about silver? Not white, but…"

Regina'd crinkled her nose.

"Ok, what…" Snow had seemed to think, "Blue?"

"Blue," Regina'd nodded. "Sort of virgin…it does feel like my first marriage, but not virgin."

"Let's see what you have." Snow had gone through her wardrobe. Lots of low cut blue dresses, backless.

"I could…" Regina'd chosen one, "Add a shrug? "

Snow had smiled. "That would be perfect. Now your hair."

Regina then had remembered, thought about the first time she almost met Robin. "Down, curled, a few pieces held back."

A tiara. No, she wasn't marrying as a queen. She was a lady. Would she become a lady now, since Robin was technically a lord? Or both? Or would he be elevated to a prince?

But he wouldn't be fond of that.

Or, well who the hell cares? They'd made up their own rules of governance in Storybrooke. Why not here?

But lady, Lady of Locksley? Sure, she'd take that. She wanted his name. People changed names when they changed their lives. Yet still a Queen. Keep both of who she is.

And so the marriage happened. Little fanfare, she became the Lady of Locksley. And stayed a Queen.

Then life resumed, rather simply again, though she and Robin did have a week or so where nobody bothered them, no meetings, no angst. Just life.

It was nice.

And then Snow called Regina to discuss her pregnancy, Aurora and Phillip were present too. And in the midst of the conversation, The Wicked Witch again made herself known. . .