"Just Desserts"

As expected, Hades called Regina as his first witness when the defense started its case. She returned to the stand, being reminded by Judge Tice's clerk that she was still under oath. Hades took his place at the podium and smiled at her. "Miss Mills, can you tell the jury how you and Mr. Locksley met?"

Regina recounted their first meeting for the jury and waited for Hades' follow up question.

"So you just so happened to meet in the grocery store?" Hades asked. "And you agreed to go home with a stranger?"

"I know it sounds dangerous, but I felt I could trust Robin. I guess I saw a kindred spirit in him since we both had really bad days." She smiled at the memory.

Hades nodded. "I see. So you hadn't met him before that despite living in the same neighborhood?"

"No. We worked on opposite sides of the city, had no friends in common before meeting, and didn't have any of the same hobbies," she replied, frowning. "There was no reason we would've met beforehand."

"So you didn't target him?" Hades asked.

Anger boiled in Regina and she took a calming breath. "No. We just so happened to be in the same grocery store and both happen to like macaroni and cheese."

"I see. You really do love him?"

"Yes," she replied, not sure where this was going.

Neither, apparently, did Judge Tice. "Move on, counselor. We're not trying Miss Mills' relationship with Mr. Locksley."

"But I'm trying to show why Dr. Madden felt she needed to protect Mr. Locksley from Miss Mills," Hades argued.

The judge shook his head. "You are presenting a self-defense case. You need to show how Miss Mills was a danger to Dr. Madden at the time of the attack, Counselor. I will not allow this to turn into a trial of Miss Mills and Mr. Locksley's relationship because Dr. Madden wants him back. I am not Jerry Springer."

Hades returned to the defense table and looked at his notepad. "May I request a recess, Your Honor?"

"No," Judge Tice replied. "Either ask questions to support self-defense or release this witness, Counselor."

"Okay, okay. Miss Mills, do you recall the events of January twenty-third of last year?" Hades asked.

Surprised, Regina had to think back. Her stomach twisted as she figured out what he was asking about. "Yes. I discovered Robin and Marian were out drinking at a bar and I grew upset because he hadn't told me."

"And which bar was this?"

"The Rabbit Hole," she said. "That was my first time there."

He nodded, heading back to the podium. "And why were you in the Rabbit Hole?"

She hesitated, knowing what he was getting at. "I was there with Graham Humbert, who is a former boyfriend and is now one of my clients. We were going to have dinner together."

"So it was a business dinner?"

"No," she replied, her stomach tightening. "It was personal."

He smirked. "So you were having an affair?"

"No! We were two people reconnecting as friends, nothing more. I've wanted no one else but Robin since I've met him."

"And yet you both were in a bar with other people," Hades commented. "Why was that?"

"I told you. I was just reconnecting with someone I still considered a friend. And Marian's marriage was starting to disintegrate and she turned to Robin's shoulder to lean on."

"He was willing to do this?"

Regina nodded. "Robin has got a big heart and he still considered Marian a friend. When one of his friends are hurting, he wants to make them feel better."

"So you were okay with seeing him there with Marian?"

"No," she replied, glancing down at her hands. "He hadn't told me he was having a drink with her on a regular basis and I felt betrayed."

Hades nodded. "I see. So you blamed Marian?"

"What? No," Regina replied. "I didn't blame anyone. I did fear that Robin had decided he wanted to go back to her but he showed up at my apartment, swearing that wasn't the case. And he's proven it every day since then, just as I've proven I didn't want to get back together with Graham. We've moved on from that."

"So you didn't report Dr. Madden in retaliation?"

Whenever she thought he couldn't surprise her any more, Regina swore he went and topped himself. "No. That all occurred at the end of January. I reported her at the end of March."

"Would you tell the jury what exactly you accused Dr. Madden of?" Hades motioned to the members of the jury.

"Yes," she said, turning to face them. "Dr. Madden went into my medical records without permission and without cause. She then revealed a medical condition I have to Robin as well as his parents. So I reported her for an ethics violation in regards to confidentiality and HIPPA."

Hades nodded. "Robin told you about this violation?"

"He did. And then his parents confirmed that Dr. Madden told them about my condition as well."

"So you would've been upset with her when you saw her at the Rabbit Hole," Hades surmised. "Is that why you confronted her?"

Regina frowned, shaking her head. "She confronted me, asking me to drop the complaint. I refused."

"And the fight that happened?"

"As I said earlier, I was trying to leave and was going to take Marian with my friends and me to make sure she got home safely. Even after she accused me of cheating on Robin. I turned my back and she hit me with a bottle."

Hades nodded. "Why did you turn away?"

"To get better reception," she replied.

"It wasn't to grab a weapon of your own?"

"No. I had no desire to fight or harm Marian." She resisted the urge to glare at him, knowing it wouldn't look good to the jury.

He paused before clearing his throat. "I have no more questions, Your Honor."

As he returned to his seat, Marian glared at him. She was clearly not happy with what had happened and Regina wondered what she had been expecting.

Judge Tice looked at the clock. "I think now's a good time to break for lunch. We'll continue with cross-examination after lunch. See everyone then."

After lunch, cross-examination was quick. Merle was able to once again drive home the point that Regina was Marian's victim and not the other way around. She also believed they did a good job dismantling the self-defense claim Hades was putting forth on Marian's behalf.

When she stepped down, she felt relief to know it was for good. She had done everything she could to support her case and she believed she had done so.

"Counselor, is your next witness here?" Judge Tice asked Hades once Regina had returned to her seat.

Hades stood. "Yes, Your Honor. The defense calls Robin Locksley to the stand."

Robin squeeze Regina's hand before passing the bar. He followed the court officer to the stand and was sworn in as Hades took his place at the podium again.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Locksley," Hades greeted.

"Good afternoon," Robin replied, not bothering to give him a smile.

Hades cleared his throat. "Mr. Locksley, how long have you known Dr. Madden?"

"Since we were children…So I'd say over thirty years. We grew up only a couple blocks apart and went to the same schools back in England."

"And how long were you two in a romantic relationship?" he asked.

Robin shifted in his seat. "Almost seventeen years."

"Seventeen years," Hades repeated. "So you got to know her very well. During that time, did you ever see Dr. Madden get angry to the point of violence?"

"I had seen Marian get angry but she was never prone to violence," he admitted.

Hades smiled. "And was she one to seek revenge?"

Robin paused and Regina knew he was considering how best to word his answer. "If Marian believed she had been wronged, she would go to great lengths to secure what she believed to be justice."

"According to Miss Mills, Dr. Madden allegedly revealed personal medical information to you about Miss Mills. Is that correct?" Hades asked.

"It is," Robin answered. "Dr. Madden revealed a condition Regina has that affects her fertility. I was already aware of said condition so her plan of using that to drive a wedge between me and Regina didn't work."

"Did this seem unusual to you? That Dr. Madden would reveal such confidential information?"

Robin sighed. "Yes and no."

"Which is it? Yes or no?" Hades pressed.

Judge Tice held up his hand as he leaned forward to address Robin. "Is this something that requires further explanation?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Robin replied. At the judge's nod, he continued: "Marian has found out information about rivals in the past. Nothing too damaging or scandalous, but just things that would prove that she was better than them. Like the other person going against her for her fellowship. She had found out his grade point average hadn't been as high as hers and brought that up often. When she was chosen, it validated that she was the best and that she had struck the final blow against him receiving the fellowship."

Hades seemed a bit shocked by this, which surprised even Mal since she leaned over to whisper: "Never ask a question you don't know the answer to."

The defense lawyer seemed to recover quickly though. "Was there anything illegal or unethical about that case?"

"No. She found out the information from a fellow resident who had gone to the same school as her competitor. It was just some information she had kept stored up and used it to her advantage," Robin said. "Marian had always been careful not to do anything that could hurt her own chances and career."

Hades nodded. "Mr. Locksley, why did you and Dr. Madden break up?"

Robin shrugged. "There were many, many reasons. But I guess in the end, we were just too different. We had grown up and apart."

"But if you had to pick one main reason, what would it be?" Hades pressed him.

Robin sighed. "Children. I want them, she doesn't."

"Yet you're going to marry a woman who can't have children." As both the judge and Merle started, Hades held up his hand. "Withdrawn. Thank you, Mr. Locksley."

After glaring at the lawyer, Judge Tice leaned toward Robin. "Do you need a break, sir?"

"No, no. I'm fine," Robin insisted despite Regina's attempts to get him to rest using telepathy. She sighed as she leaned back, relieved that it was Merle now questioning him.

He would go easy on Robin.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Locksley," Merle greeted, waiting for Robin to respond. Once he did, the lawyer continued. "I want to start at the end, as it were. You told Mr. Hades that your relationship with Dr. Madden ended for many reasons. Care to elaborate?"

Robin shifted in his seat. "We were kids when we got together and ultimately, we grew up into two people who were no longer compatible. We had created lives separate from each other and while I made attempts to integrate myself into her life, she did little to do so with mine."

"What do you mean by that?" Merle asked.

"I made sure I went to every function she asked me to, smiling and chatting with people who could advance her career at the hospital," he replied. "When I asked her to do things for my company, I got excuses and sometimes, she just didn't show at all. I think she met my Merry Men once."

"Why do you think that was?"

Hades stood up. "Objection! Calls for speculation!"

"It goes to why the witness broke up with the defendant," Merle argued.

Judge Tice rubbed his chin. "I'll allow it but watch it, Counselor. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." Merle turned back to Robin. "Do you need me to repeat the question?"

Robin shook his head. "I started to get the feeling that she was ashamed of me. It was confirmed when she finally let me come with her to a Christmas party. Several of her colleagues kept asking me about my business trips. I finally got one to tell me that Marian had told them I was a senior officer in a global business and often traveled to other places. When I confronted her, she said she couldn't tell her respected peers that she was dating a glorified gardener."

In the gallery, Regina clenched her hands into fists as she glared at Marian. How dare she put down all of Robin's hard work like that? Robin was a small business owner and a successful one. Certainly not someone to be ashamed of at all.

"I also found there was a disparity at home. Marian worked a lot of hours at the hospital so I ended up doing a lot of the chores. Whenever she was home, she still did nothing…except criticize my housework. She believed herself above chores," Robin explained.

"Did you fight over that?" Merle asked.

Robin nodded. "In the end, we fought over everything—she didn't like anything I did, any of my friends, anything I wore. She wanted me to be someone completely different, someone she imagined to be perfect. I tried. Seventeen years is a long time devoted to one person and I didn't want to give it all up…but when she said she didn't want children, it was the final nail in the coffin. I knew we weren't compatible and that there was nothing to fix us."

"So you ended it?"

"I talked it over with Marian and we both agreed it was best if we ended the relationship, found people who could make us happy," he said. "I always liked to believe we ended on good terms."

Merle nodded. "When did you meet Miss Mills?"

"June eighth, 2015," he replied.

"And how long had you been broken up with Dr. Madden by then?"

Robin looked up and Regina recognized that he was calculating something in his head. "Two years," he replied. "Maybe a bit more."

Merle nodded. "Had you seen any other women during that time?"

"A couple, yeah. They didn't last too long, though," Robin said.

"So Miss Mills definitely wasn't just some rebound, right?"

Robin frowned. "She absolutely wasn't. From the moment I met her, I knew Regina was special. We connected pretty quickly."

"So you have never had any interest in reuniting with Dr. Madden?"

"No, not really," he replied. "I missed her friendship but as a companion and a lover, not so much."

Regina glanced over at the defense table. Hades had his hand on Marian's arm, no doubt keeping her from shouting out of turn as the woman looked on the verge of angry tears. While Regina knew this had to hurt her, she couldn't find it in her to really care. These were truths Marian needed to finally accept.

Merle leaned forward. "Would you have believed Marian if she told you that Regina was cheating on you?"

"Of course not," Robin replied. "She revealed confidential medical information about Regina to break us up so I knew she would try anything to do so. Besides, I trust Regina and know she is loyal and true."

"Thank you, Mr. Locksley." Merle looked up at Judge Tice. "I have no more questions for this witness, Your Honor."

Judge Tice looked over at Hades. "Redirect?"

"No, Your Honor," Hades replied even as Marian continued to glare at him.

"Alright. Mr. Locksley, you're excused. And I think I'm going to call it a day. Court will resume tomorrow morning. Have a good night, everyone." Judge Tice nodded at the court officer, who escorted the jury out.

Robin passed the bar, never looking at Marian though she tried to catch his eye. Instead he walked right up to Regina and pulled her close. "Let's go home," he said, voice strained.

Regina pulled on her coat as she slid the door to the backyard open. A soft snow had started to fall but Robin still stood in the middle of their yard, staring up at the sky. She was growing concerned and approached him with caution. "Robin, it's cold out here. Come inside."

"I will," he said, voice sounding distant. "In a little bit."

"Robin, you can't stay out here. Come in with me and we can talk about it." She took his gloved hand and gave it a slight tug.

He shook his head. "Not yet."

"Alright," she said. "But please talk to me. You're scaring me."

"I think I understand my mother better now," he replied.

She tilted her head, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"For a long time, I told myself that the split was amicable, that we had just grown apart. That I wanted to stay her friend because of what we had been and because we did get along. I squashed down the anger I felt toward her that I completely blocked it out," he replied. "So like Mum, I only saw the good."

"I've always thought you had somewhat of a rose-colored view of your relationship with Marian," she told him, taking his other hand. "But it's okay to want to remember the good times. It sounds like you two had them."

"We did. And I wanted to hold onto them. I told myself that I didn't want to the be the guy who only thought of the bad times and badmouthed my ex every chance he got. I always told myself that I had no doubt done things to end the relationship as well. And after being on the stand, reliving the end…I'm done telling myself all that."

Regina nodded. "You're allowed to be angry. She hurt you. So be angry. Just don't freeze in the process."

He shrugged. "The trial is about you, not me. I didn't want to burden you so I came out here to rage by myself."

"Let's be real. This was always about the both of us." When she saw him still hesitate, Regina grew stern. "Robin Michael Andrew Locksley, you get your ass in the nice warm house and unload on me. Got it?"

His eyebrow went up as a devious smirk came to his face. Before he could say anything, though, she held up her hand. "Don't. Even."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, clutching her hand as they trudged back into the house.

In short order, they were soon curled up on the couch, cocooned in blankets and sipping hot chocolate. Regina leaned back, facing Robin. "Okay. Spill."

He sighed. "I told you. I'm just angry at how she treated me—like I was someone to be ashamed of, like I was her servant rather than a boyfriend, that she couldn't be bothered to give me the time of day but I was expected to drop everything when she wanted me. I kept trying to convince myself there was equality in our relationship and our breakup but there wasn't."

"And the trial made you realize this?" she asked.

"No, it just made me finally say it out loud," he replied. "I started to realize how unhealthy and unbalanced my relationship with Marian was after I met you. The past nineteen months have shown me what a good and loving relationship really is."

A warmth not caused by the hot chocolate radiated inside her and she set her mug down on the table. She shifted on the couch, straddling his legs and wrapping her arms around him. "I feel sorry for Marian because she didn't treasure you while she had you. You are the most amazing partner, Robin Locksley."

He grinned, biting his lower lip at he pushed back her hair to rest his hand against her neck. "And I'm all yours."

Robin responded with a great hunger, like a man deprived of affection. After learning more about his relationship with Marian, it seemed to her he had been starved for some time before the breakup. So she would let him get his fill.

He slid his hand under her shirt, cupping one of her breasts as he broke the kiss with a groan. "No bra, lovely?"

"We're home," she said. "No need for it, right?"

"You're getting no complaints from me." He smirked as he pulled off her shirt and brought his lips to one of her nipples.

She moaned, digging her fingers into his hair as she began grinding against him. He grew hard against her, causing the right friction against her clit. She grew wetter with each movement.

Yet this wasn't about her pleasure, not yet. She wanted to give Robin the attention he had been denied before they had met. Gently tugging on his hair, she got him to release her nipple. He looked up at her with hooded eyes, desire and love in his darkening eyes. "Is something wrong, lovely?"

"Sit up," she instructed, getting off him.

"Why?" he asked, though he did as she said. As she sank to her knees in front of the couch, his eyes widened a bit. "Oh. Are you sure?"

She pulled down his zipper with a chuckle. "I like to do this, just not all the time. You don't want to eat me out all the time, right?"

"I always want to go down on you," he said, breathing growing shallow in anticipation of what was to come.

Regina rolled her eyes as she pulled down his pants, releasing his cock from his boxers. She wrapped his fingers around it and began to pump lazily. "Well, hold onto that desire. Right now is about you."

He threaded his fingers in her hair, caressing her scalp. "Thank you."

She gave him a quick smile before taking him into her mouth. The groan he let out aroused her as much as any of his touches. But she ignored it to focus on him and his cock, using both her hand and her mouth to stimulate him.

As he grew harder, she started to use her mouth more and more. She teased him with her tongue, flicking it over his tip each time. There was a salty tang there as the first drops of arousal emerged from it. He was almost right where she wanted him.

Reaching for his balls, she fondled him as she sucked. His fingers grew tense against her head, almost pulling at her hair. She didn't mind, enjoying his throaty moans and babbled nonsense too much. With one squeeze from her, Robin lurched forward with a cry and spilled into her mouth.

She swallowed as she released his cock, using the napkin by her now cold chocolate to wipe her mouth. Robin was slumped over on the couch, looking like his limbs had turned to jelly. He was breathing hard and his eyes were closed, lips curved in a satisfied smile.

"Enjoy?" she asked.

"God, Regina," he gasped. "That was amazing."

"There's plenty more where that came from." Regina started to unbutton his shirt as she trailed kisses up his chest. She teased both nipples with her tongue before kissing him, letting him taste himself on her tongue.

When they broke the kiss, though, he shook his head. "It's your turn, lovely. And don't say it's all about me. Because if it is, then let me do this. Please."

She nodded and he had her naked within minutes. "Not taking this slow?" she teased.

"I told you," he said, "I always want to go down on you."

"So I guess we should switch places?" Regina climbed onto the couch.

He shook his head, lying flat on the couch. "Sit on me."

She froze, her heart skipping a beat. It was a position they had never tried during the year they had been sexually active. Regina was a bit nervous about it and tilted her head. "You sure?"

"Yes," he replied, reaching out to pull her closer. "It'll be fine. You'll see."

Trusting him, Regina nodded and framed his face with her legs. She gripped the back of the couch with one hand as she took a deep breath. "Like this?"

"Just like that." He kissed her inner thigh before his tongue flicked over her clit. Regina groaned from the slight contact and when Robin's lips closed around the bud of nerves, the dull pleasure exploded into something sharper inside her.

She gasped, her grip tightening on the couch as Robin licked and sucked on her. It was her turn for her breathing to become shallow. Her free hand found her breast, teasing her own nipple as she felt herself build toward a release.

Yet it was not enough. She released her breast to grab at Robin's hair, pushing him closer to her. Her hips bucked as well, trying to keep his lips and tongue on her. Robin responded enthusiastically and she let out a strangled moan.

With a cry of his name, she came hard and fast. A haze clouded her mind as she pulled at Robin's hair, digging her nails into the couch cushions. She rode out the waves of pleasure, letting Robin bring her down gently.

Her body trembled as she collapsed onto him, her heated flesh slick against his. She closed her eyes as she nuzzled his neck and he combed her hair with his fingers. Robin kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too," she mumbled, wrapping her arm around him. "And I hope I love you the way you deserve."

"You do." He kissed her forehead again, rubbing lazy circles into her back.

Sleep tried to tug her down. "Maybe we should go to bed," she said, yawning.

"All right, lovely." He picked her up, cradling her close. "I'll even give you a massage when we get upstairs."

"This was supposed to be about you."

"I like pampering you. It pleases me."

She smiled against his skin. "You can do all that when I'm not going to fall asleep on you. How about we cuddle instead?"

He chuckled. "I can cuddle."

Regina felt him lay her on their bed and douse all the lights. He then climbed in next to her and pulled her close again. They laid together, enjoying how relaxed they were at that moment for she knew it wasn't going to last.

By the time they were back in the courtroom, they were both tense again. They sat, hand-in-hand, next to her parents as the jury filed in. Cora held a pad in her hand, ready to take notes. She had been waiting for this almost as long as she had waited to analyze George Locklsey.

"Your Honor, the defense calls Marian Madden to the stand," Hades said, motioning to his client.

Marian stood. She wore a white suit with a black silk shirt under the jacket. Her black and white pumps clicked as she approached the witness stand, climbing the stairs into the box. Facing the clerk, Regina could see her hair was pulled back into a bun and pinned into place. She looked like a model yet again, all put-together.

Once she was sworn in, Hades smiled at her. "Good morning, Dr. Madden."

"Good morning," she replied.

"Dr. Madden, you heard Mr. Locksley's testimony about your relationship yesterday, correct?"

She nodded. "It was painful."

"How so?"

Marian glanced down at her hands and Regina thought she was trying to make herself tear up. "I didn't realize he had been so angry with me. If we had just talked it out, I'm sure we could've worked on our relationship."

"You didn't know he was unhappy?"

She sighed. "I suspected. We had been together for seventeen years and when he brought up marriage, I still wanted to wait. I was almost done with my fellowship and I believed I would then have free time again. But I guess it was too late."

Hades looked at his notepad. "Mr. Locksley made it seem like the breakup was mutual over your difference in opinion regarding children."

"Robin wanted to leave," she said. "I wanted him to be happy."

"Did you really not want children, Dr. Madden?"

She paused before taking a deep breath. "At the time, yes. I put my career before Robin and his wants. I realize that now. We could've had children."

Beside Regina, Robin scoffed softly. He was as entertained as she was by Marian's little fairy tale—namely, not at all. She glanced over at the jury, to gauge their reaction. Most didn't seem swayed by Marian's story.

"Mr. Locksley testified that you didn't show much interest in him," Hades continued, "and that at one point, you flat out lied about him. What do you have to say about that?"

"I am ashamed I did that. I wanted to impress my colleagues and at the time, didn't really see how starting and running your own business was an accomplishment. So I lied to make myself look better." She grimaced.

Cora jotted down several notes on her pad but Regina was unable to read what she had written. So she focused on Marian instead.

"Did you love James, the man you married?" Hades asked.

She shrugged. "I thought I did. I thought we were well matched. He's a successful lawyer and we both have stressful jobs. But I wanted him to be Robin. He isn't and it wasn't fair to him."

"So you sought out Mr. Locksley?"

"Yes," she replied. "He knew and understood me the best. And I needed that. He seemed to be enjoying himself when we met up. It felt like old times."

"And then Miss Mills shut it down?"

Marian nodded as Regina seethed. "Robin and I went out to lunch. Despite the fact that we had seen Miss Mills out with another man, he said he was going to beg her forgiveness and that it was best if we didn't see each other again."

"Is that when you told him about Miss Mills' condition?" Hades asked.

"I know it was wrong to look into her medical file, but I got the feeling she was hiding more than just meetings with another man from Robin," Marian explained. "So I looked up her file. Given how important I knew children were to him, I thought he should know."

Robin rolled his eyes and shook his head as Hades continued: "But Robin claimed to already have known?"

"He did," she said. "But I felt he was just covering up because he couldn't leave her. That he convinced himself that he was in love with her."

"Is that why you reached out to his parents?"

She nodded. "I still had a good relationship with Susan, Robin's mother, and knew they were close. I hoped she could talk some sense into him. I didn't realize that Regina had splintered that relationship as well."

Regina's stomach churned and Robin took her hand, leaning over to whisper: "Mum splintered our relationship. Not you."

As Regina nodded, though not really believing him, Hades continued: "How did you feel when you found out that Miss Mills had reported you to the hospital?"

"At first, guilty," Marian replied. "I had broken rules and laws. But then I got mad because I realized she no doubt did it to get back to me, not because she was some great champion of medical ethics."

Regina gritted her teeth, knowing how much she agonized over the decision to report Marian as she knew how devastating it could be to the woman's career. She wished she could go back onto the stand to contradict everything Marian was saying.

"Can you tell the jury the results of the investigation triggered by Miss Mills' allegations?" Hades asked.

Marian nodded. "I was suspended and ultimately fired from my job. I could lose my medical license still. That hasn't been determined yet."

"Why don't you tell us about the night of May fourth?" Hades prompted gently.

"As I said, I had been suspended from the hospital," she said. "It didn't look good and I really had no one to turn to. My family is back in England, Robin ended our friendship and all my other friends were really James'. So I went out drinking. In hindsight, maybe it wasn't the best idea."

"And as we known, Miss Mills was in the same bar. Who approached who first that night?" he asked.

Marian sat up straighter. "Regina approached me. She was drunk and cursing me out. I tried to plead with her to leave me alone, that my life was in pieces already but she wouldn't. Then her friends came up to us and threatened me so I removed myself from that situation."

Hades paused, almost as if he was as surprised by her answer as Regina was. "You're sure Miss Mills approached you?" he pressed.

"Yes."

"Even though several witnesses have already testified otherwise?"

She nodded. "Regina approached me. She was like a madwoman."

Hades hesitated as if he had been knocked off his game. Regina watched him as he continued his questioning, no longer as confident as he had been. "If you felt threatened, why not leave?"

"Hindsight is twenty-twenty and I was drunk—not as drunk as Regina," she was quick to add. "I should've left. But I guess I felt she was all bark and no bite. But I did keep my eye on her."

"And what did you see?"

"Regina spent the next hour dancing, cozying up to every man on the dancefloor. I think I saw her get a little too friendly with one of her friends, if you know what I mean. Then she flirted with some barfly and let him grope and kiss all her. All I could think was that Robin had left me for that uncultured, ill-bred cheater."

There was an audible gasp from the jury box and the gallery. "Ill-bred?" Henry hissed.

"Uncultured?" Cora asked, no doubt thinking of all their family outings to the ballet and museums during Regina's upbringing. She and her mother still had season tickets to the Avalon Ballet Theater.

Regina frowned. "I'm no cheater."

Judge Tice banged his gavel, bringing silence to the room. "Order in the court. Mr. Hades, do you or your client need a moment?"

"No," Marian said. "I'm fine."

Hades nodded. "So you decided to go confront her?"

"Thanks to my anger and some liquid courage, I forgot the threat she posed. I saw her leaving and she was texting someone, another one of her manwhores no doubt."

There was another gasp and Judge Tice banged his gavel again, frowning at Marian. "Dr. Madden, please keep in mind you are in a court of law."

"I apologize, Your Honor," she said.

Regina expected the judge to give her a few minutes but he just nodded at Hades to continue his questioning. She guessed that he wanted this to end as much as the rest of them did.

"Dr. Madden, what did you and Miss Mills discuss at that point?" Hades asked.

"I told Regina that I knew about her cheating on Robin and that she should just let him go if she wasn't going to be faithful," Marian replied. "She just laughed and called me a drunk. I told her I was going to tell Robin the truth and she laughed again, saying he wouldn't believe me. She brainwashed him into thinking I was a liar."

"What happened next?"

"Regina said she wasn't going to let me tell Robin anything anyway and so I grabbed the bottle to defend myself, fearing she was going to hurt me," Marian said.

Hades cleared his throat. "Dr. Madden, we've seen the video footage from the bar. Miss Mills' back was to you. Did you still feel threatened?"

"Yes," she replied. "I knew that if I didn't grab the bottle and strike first, she was going to do it. And maybe a lot worse."

"So you felt your only course of action was to protect yourself?"

"Yes," she repeated. "Regina was crazed and I feared she would do something to me."

Hades nodded. "No more questions, Your Honor."

The judge nodded as well. "Then we'll have a ten-minute break and continue with cross examination before lunch. Court officer, please escort the jury out."

Everyone stood as the jury filed out of the room and returned to the jury room which Regina had been told was not far from the courtroom. She stood, her legs shaking and barely holding her weight as anger consumed her. It took all her self-control not to fly across the courtroom and show Marian what a real threat looked like.

"Why don't we quickly regroup in the conference room?" Merle suggested as he and Elsa stood.

Cora nodded. "I think that's a good idea. There's something I want to discuss with you."

Robin took Regina's hand and they followed the assistant district attorneys to a room not far from the courtroom. He eased her into a leather rolling chair, leaning over her. "Deep breaths, lovely," he told her softly.

"I want to kill her," Regina hissed.

He nodded. "I understand. I feel the same. But we can't let the jury see that or they might think Marian did have a reason to be afraid."

"I think we've shown she didn't," Elsa assured him. "But we're going to have to get her to crack, despite what is clearly Hades' expert coaching."

Merle shook his head. "Hades was thrown off. I don't think she's playing by his rule book. She's determined to vilify Regina, not realizing it may cost her the trial."

"Makes sense," Cora replied, looking at her pad. "This isn't an official diagnosis since I haven't had a proper talk with her, but I think Marian suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. She's going to view herself as better than everybody else and not take any responsibility. Everyone else—especially Regina—did something wrong. Not her."

"What's your suggestion then?" Elsa asked.

"You need to shake her up," Cora advised. "Get her to reveal her true colors by challenging her perception of herself. You need to really drive home the fact that she's in the wrong."

Merle nodded, turning to his colleague. "You take this. We don't want the jury to view her with any pity."

"And they'll see me as a woman calling another woman on her bull rather than a man badgering a woman, trying to paint her as hysterical. Sure," Elsa agreed.

They huddled in a corner, no doubt going over last minute strategies. Regina returned her attention to Robin, who had collapsed into the chair next to her. She frowned, taking his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Narcissistic Personality Disorder," he repeated, sounding somewhat dazed.

Cora sighed, leaning against the table. "As I said, it's not official. It's just what I can figure from her testimony and from what you've told me. She's gone into medicine, a very well-respected career, and decided on cardiology as a specialty. She'll go to great lengths to prove others aren't as good as her and she treats everyone as lesser."

"So it really wasn't me, it was her?" Robin asked.

She nodded. "It probably really emerged while she was dating you just because it's the time frame we see the disorder truly manifest, but it explains why her relationship with you and her husband imploded."

"And why she's fixated on me? She sees herself as perfect so the fault must lie with me?" Regina asked.

"Precisely." Cora tucked her fingers under Regina's chin, giving her a proud smile.

Robin sighed, rubbing his face. "It's almost over, right?"

"Pretty much," Merle said, approaching them. "Once we finish with Marian, which hopefully will be today, we can deliver closing statements tomorrow. The jury could have it within twenty-four hours."

Elsa checked her watch. "We should head back into the courtroom. We don't want Judge Tice upset with us."

They stood but Robin held Regina back. He gave her a hug and a quick kiss. "Remember, I know the real you. Anything Marian says is just a figment of her imagination," he reminded her.

"Doesn't mean it still won't hurt," Regina admitted. She then took a deep breath. "Alright, let's go."

Once everyone was situated again, Elsa stepped up to the podium. "Hello, Dr. Madden."

"Hello," Marian said, looking a bit unnerved. Except for the opening statement, Elsa had been quiet throughout the trial. So she was already off her game, Regina realized. That was a good thing.

"Dr. Madden, why did you become a doctor?" Elsa asked.

Marian paused before replying: "To help people, of course. Are you now going to remind me of the Hippocratic Oath, counselor?"

Elsa looked up at the judge, who leaned over. "This is not a dialogue, Dr. Madden. The lawyer asks the question, you answer. If you don't understand, you ask me and I'll see if we can help you. Otherwise, just answer the question posed to you."

"Yes, sir," she replied, sounding a bit sullen to Regina.

The judge nodded at Elsa. "Proceed, counselor."

"Thank you, Your Honor," she replied, stepping next to the podium. "The medical profession is highly respected, almost revered. Would you agree, Dr. Madden?"

"Yes, but rightly so. We perform things that could be called miracles. I have kept several people who would've died alive through my surgeries," Marian boasted.

"So in some ways, you feel you're contributing more toward society than other people?"

"Damn right I am," she replied.

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "Like Mr. Locksley and Miss Mills?"

"Objection!" Hades shouted, standing up.

"Withdrawn," Elsa replied, before the judge could make a ruling. "Dr. Madden, why exactly did you come to dislike Miss Mills?"

Marian paused, as if trying to piece together the answer that would best suit her. "I can't put my finger on it. There just seemed to be something…off about her. And then she forbade Robin from talking to me."

"Mr. Locksley is an intelligent and strong person. Are you saying he would let a woman dictate his life?"

"If it would make her happy, yes," she replied.

Elsa nodded. "Because that's what he did with you?"

"Yes," Marian answered before catching herself. "No, no. Robin was free to do whatever he wanted and didn't need my permission."

"You were together seventeen years. Why didn't you get married again?"

"Robin wanted to but I wanted to wait until I was set in my medical career. He saw the logic in that."

Elsa leaned forward. "So he agreed with you? Or did he do what made you happy?"

"He agreed with me," Marian insisted.

"Who chose where you went on vacation?"

"We discussed it together," she replied, "but we usually ended up where I wanted to go. He understood that I had little time off so I wanted to spend it where I would be happy."

Elsa frowned. "But what about his happiness?"

"He was happy if I was…" Marian trailed off as she realized she had been caught in the prosecutor's trap. She scowled.

Ignoring her, Elsa pushed on. "Mr. Locksley testified that the relationship ended mutually, that you two wanted different things in life. Was that true?"

Marian shook her head. "He was unhappy and needed to go find himself. I thought he would come back after a year. When he didn't, I moved on."

"And then he moved on," Elsa said. "He met Miss Mills and planned a life with her…"

"She planned the life and he just went along with it!" Marian yelled. "He wants to be with me. I know it."

"Dr. Madden, please control yourself or I will have you removed," Judge Tice admonished her. "Let Miss Arendale ask a question and then you respond in a civil manner."

Marian shrank back in her seat. "Yes, sir. I apologize."

The judge nodded at Elsa, who thanked him before continuing. "Dr. Madden, Robin said he was the one who did most of the chores. Did you help at all?"

"I was busy saving lives," she said. "Robin had more time."

"He was building a company from the ground up. And didn't you have days off?"

She hesitated. "I did. But I needed to rest. My job was so stressful and too important…"

"For you to do chores?" Elsa challenged.

"That's not what I'm saying. Robin understood."

"Or you thought he understood," Elsa said. When Hades started to rise, she then said: "Withdrawn."

Marian was beginning to squirm in her chair and Elsa smiled, challenging every preconception Marian had about her relationship with Robin. By the time Elsa was done, it seemed she didn't know what was true or not.

"Let's just go back over the events of May fourth," Elsa said once Marian was good and shaken up. "You testified that Regina approached you, angry. Do you stand by that?"

"Yes," she said. "I was just sitting there minding my own business and she came up, yelling at me."

Elsa held up several reams of paper. "Dr. Madden, we have taken a number of depositions from patrons who were in the Rabbit Hole that night. Many of them state that you were sitting at the bar and not a table most of the night. That you went over to the table where Miss Mills was sitting. Does that sound familiar?"

Marian held her head high. "They are lying. Miss Mills convinced them to support her."

"And why would she do that?" Elsa pressed.

"Because she has a vendetta against me!" Marian pointed to where Regina sat in the gallery. "She knows Robin still loves me and really wants to be with me. She knows I'm better than her. I'm a doctor, she just sells people things. I actually contribute to society. Why would he want to be with her? I doubt she's that good in bed. And he's a catch. So she's not letting him go and she's trying to get me out of their lives so she won't lose Robin to me."

Silence descended the courtroom as Regina realized they had watched Marian come unhinged. As her mother shook her head, Regina felt a pang of sympathy for the woman on the stand. She needed help.

Elsa recovered first. "Dr. Madden, to prove self-defense, you need to show that you were scared for your safety. Was Regina really an imminent threat? Was she really going to cause you physical harm?"

"I don't want to answer any more questions." Marian crossed her arms, looking like a sullen toddler than a respected doctor.

Judge Tice sighed, setting down his pen. "Do you want to treat the witness as hostile or do you want to end your questioning?" he asked Elsa.

She glanced back at Merle, who gave a nod. "We have no more questions," she replied, gathering her papers.

"Mr. Hades? Cross-examination?" Judge Tice asked.

Hades shook his head, which surprised the judge and the prosecutors. Marian looked angry and Regina thought that if it were possible, steam would be blowing out of her ears as she stormed off the witness stand.

Once she took her seat, Hades rose. "Your Honor, the defense rests."

"Okay," Judge Tice said, checking the clock. "We'll break for lunch and when we come back, be prepared for your closing arguments, Mr. Hades."

The jury filed out but Regina watched Hades. He looked so defeated while Marian looked ready to kill him. For the first time in the entire trial, Regina felt bad for him.

She and Robin passed through the metal detectors as they came back from lunch, spying Hades talking with Elsa and Merle. Regina frowned, nudging Robin with her shoulder. "What do you think they're talking about?"

"Maybe a plea deal? Marian has to know it can't be going well for her," Robin suggested, taking her hand.

As they approached the three lawyers, Hades shook Elsa's hand and then Merle's before heading toward the elevator bank. Regina hurried toward the prosecutors. "Well?"

"We were just talking," Elsa told her.

Robin sighed. "No plea deal?"

Merle and Elsa looked at each other before he looked back at them. "We hadn't really told you, but we've been trying to get Marian to accept a plea deal for a while now. Hades is open to it but Marian isn't. He must abide by his client's wishes."

"He knows he's lost," Elsa said. "We all know it. The jury will probably be given the case tomorrow morning. I doubt they will take long. This will most likely all be over within twenty-four hours."

"Come on," Merle said, motioning to the elevators. "Let's head up together."

Hades delivered his closing argument, in which he once again tried to push the self-defense theory. Regina didn't think he had quite the same bluster as he did in his opening but admired him for still doing his job in the face of obvious defeat.

Once he sat down, Elsa delivered the state's closing just like she had delivered the opening arguments. She took the podium, smiling at the jury. "We're almost there, ladies and gentlemen. We just need you to hold on a bit longer.

"The state is asking you to find Marian Madden guilty of aggravated assault. His Honor will instruct you about what the law says, but I'll lay it out as well. Aggravated assault occurs when someone, in this case Marian Madden, attacks another person, Regina Mills, and causes serious bodily injury. You have seen the pictures taken of Miss Mills in the emergency room that night so you know that Dr. Madden caused bodily injury and that it was serious. Second, the person uses a dangerous weapon. And the law has a very broad definition of a weapon, so when Dr. Madden picked up that beer bottle and swung it at Miss Mills' head, she turned it into a dangerous weapon.

"Her lawyer has admirably argued self-defense in the wake of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Because the only thing that was truly in danger that night on Dr. Madden's part was the fairy tale in her head," Elsa continued. "The fairy tale where she is this perfect princess and Miss Mills is the evil queen who stole the love her life and who ruined her perfect life. Yes, her charmed life was no longer charmed but she blamed the wrong person. Regina Mills didn't ruin her life. Dr. Madden did that to herself. So, ladies and gentlemen, we are asking you to hold her accountable."

She stepped to the side of the podium. "Dr. Madden was the aggressor that night. She confronted Miss Mills not once but twice. Miss Mills even offered to make sure she got home safely due to how inebriated Dr. Madden clearly was. But angry with how her life turned, Dr. Madden chose to hit her with a beer bottle and even when Miss Mills was on the ground, continued to scratch at her.

"There is the real victim," Elsa said, pointing to Regina. "Regina Mills. A woman who had had her privacy violated by someone who had taken a vow to protect it. A woman who went out to spend time with old friends and just wanted to go home to the man she loved. A woman who instead went to the hospital to have stitches placed in her head. She's the victim. Not Marian Madden. Thank you."

She took her seat as Judge Tice considered his next move. He sighed. "Okay, I'm going end our day here. Tomorrow, I will instruct you, the jury, on the law and then give you the case. Everyone have a good afternoon and we'll meet back here at ten am."

Regina could barely sleep that night. She tossed and turned, feeling at once like a child waiting for Christmas morning and a patient about to go in for a dangerous procedure. Everyone seemed confident that the jury would convict Marian but she still had some niggling doubts. All it took was for one person to identify with her, to believe that maybe Regina was a threat, and it could swing to an acquittal.

Strong arms wrapped around her and Robin kissed her cheek. "It'll be okay, lovely. Just stop thinking about the trial and sleep will come to you."

Taking a deep breath, she rolled over until her cheek was pressed against his chest. She cleared her mind, only now thinking of the beautiful dress Cru had made for her and wearing it as she walked down the aisle to Robin. Regina drifted off as his hand closed around hers in her fantasy and he beamed at her, backlit by the bright Summer sun.

"Regina? Regina, it's time to wake up," Robin whispered, shaking her gently. It only seemed like a few minutes had passed but when she opened her eyes, sunshine filled the room. Her clock said it was eight in the morning.

She sat up, pausing mid-stretch when she saw a square black velvet box sitting on the blanket in front of her. Regina picked it up. "What's this for?"

Robin chuckled as he buttoned up his shirt. "It's February first, darling. Happy birthday."

Something jolted through her as she realized he was right. The trial had consumed almost her every thought so she hadn't really paid attention to the dates. But it was her birthday and here was her first gift.

Opening the box, Regina gasped when she saw the ruby studded bracelet inside. "Robin," she murmured, taking it out.

He smiled as he sat on the bed, taking the bracelet from her and clasping it around her wrist. "No protesting how expensive it must've been. After everything you've been through, you deserve to be treated. So this is your first birthday present and a good luck charm."

"You're my good luck charm." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, getting lost in him for a few precious minutes.

Robin pulled away, bopping his nose against hers. "Go get ready, lovely. The sooner we get to the courthouse, the sooner the jury can find Marian guilty and we can finally put this whole thing behind us."

Excited, she pushed back her covers and climbed out of bed. She needed to find the perfect outfit to match her brand new bracelet and to celebrate her eventual win. Diving into the closet, she hummed happily as she felt lighter than she had all month.

The jury had been out for an hour and a half. Regina kept glancing at her phone, waiting for Merle or Elsa to call them back so they could hear the verdict. Yet it hadn't come. What was taking so long?

"Relax, Regina," Robin said, taking her hand. He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand soothingly. "They'll make their decision soon."

"I hope so. I don't think I can take the suspense anymore," she replied, sighing as she picked at the cinnamon bun he bought her.

He nodded. "I know, lovely. But it really is almost over. No doubt they'll want to be out of here by lunch."

Before Regina could respond, her phone began to buzz. She picked it up, her heart pounding in her chest. "Hello?"

"Regina, it's Elsa. We've gotten notice that the jury has reached a verdict. How far away are you and Robin?"

"We're only a block away," she replied, already standing up. Robin followed her lead as she assured the prosecutor they would be right there.

He pulled out his phone. "I'll let everyone else know. Grab your cinnamon bun and let's get over to that courthouse."

She choked down the rest of her pastry as they passed through the metal detectors to get back into the courtroom. Her parents met them at the elevator and she couldn't wait for them to reach the courtroom.

Everyone had once again gathered to hear the verdict and Regina was glad to have them with her at this moment. She and Robin took front row seats with her parents and Granny, watching as Marian returned to the defense table with her lawyer.

The jury filed in, all with great poker faces. None looked at her or at Marian, focusing instead on the judge. He smiled at them. "You have reached a verdict?"

An older woman in sweater and black slacks stood. "We have, Your Honor. We the jury in the above entitled case find the defendant, Marian Madden, guilty of the charge of aggravated assault."

Joy surged through Regina to know that the jury had sided with her and had convicted Marian. She glanced over to see Hades helping his client sit while Marian's parents shook their heads. Her mother was already crying and Susan was comforting her, not making eye contact with either Regina or Robin. They hadn't said a word to each other during the entire trial.

"I'm going to move right into sentencing," Judge Tice said. "There are a few factors I am going to consider. Up until now, Dr. Madden has been a law-abiding citizen. However, it is clear that from the testimony and evidence that she was the aggressor that night and that she did viciously attack Miss Mills when her back was turned.

"But most importantly, Dr. Madden, is that fact that I have not seen an ounce of remorse for what you've done. I've only heard anger and vitriol from you over the fact that your relationship ended. I believe you hoped to use this trial to validate your own self-esteem but that's not what we were here for.

"So I'm going to impose a sentence of three years in prison and two years' probation when you are released. I am also going to recommend you undergo a psychiatric examination upon admittance to Avalon Correctional Facility. Maybe it will help you finally accept the blame and find healthy ways to release your anger." Judge Tice banged his gavel and with that, the trial of Marian Madden came to an end.

Regina was free at last.

It was late when they got home from celebrating both the victory in court and Regina's birthday. She laughed as Robin opened the door to their house, leaning against him to ward off the winter's night chill. "We're done. Marian is out of our lives."

"Yes, she is," he replied, flipping on the small lamp they kept in the entrance hall. "I have a bottle of champagne in the refrigerator for this moment. Let's go open it."

"And then what are we going to do?" She followed him to the kitchen, excited and overjoyed.

He glanced over his shoulder, smirking. "I think you know what we're going to do."

She grinned back. "Birthday sex?"

"Birthday sex," he confirmed, pulling out the champagne. He retrieved two flutes before sending the cork flying across the kitchen. "I'm going to nail that at our wedding. Maybe break a record."

Regina laughed, picking up the flutes and holding them as he filled them with champagne. He set the bottle down before taking his from her, holding the flute high. "To you, beautiful birthday girl. May all your birthdays be joyful."

"As long as you're with me, I know they will be." She clinked her glass against his and took a sip. Then she held up her flute. "To the jury. Thank you for making the right ruling."

"Here, here!" Robin clinked his glass against hers and they took another sip.

Once they were done, Regina set their glasses in the sink before leaning against it. She ran one of her legs up the other, hiking her skirt up as she gave Robin a sultry look. "Birthday sex?"

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he nodded. Crossing the room in two long strides, he had her pressed up against the counter and his hands in her hair while his lips found her neck. She hooked her leg around him as she gripped his arms.

"Do you know what you do to me?" he asked, a bit of a growl to his voice.

She reached down between them, squeezing the bulge straining against his slacks. "I think I do."

He nipped at her ear. "You know how you make my blood boil? How you make my heart race? How you make my head spin?"

"Hold it," she said, pushing against his chest. "You make it sound like I piss you off rather than turn you on."

Robin paused before growing sheepish, ducking his head. "Yeah, I guess so. But you really do turn me on."

"Maybe change up the dirty talk then?" She grabbed his shirt and pulled him close again. "Take two?"

He chuckled, kissing her. "Maybe now's not the time for talk. Maybe now's the time for action."

She felt her body heat up as excitement pulsed through her, straight to her core. Unbuttoning his shirt, she smirked. "I do love a man of action."

Robin slid one hand down to cup her ass while he tangled the other in her hair again. He pulled her flush against his body, his growing erection pressing into her stomach as he captured her lips with his own. She melted into the kiss, opening up to him and his tongue.

As they exchanged heated kisses, she slid his shirt off his arms and let it fall to the kitchen floor. She ran her hands down his chest, over his toned abs until she reached his belt. Regina tugged on it as Robin began to guide them away from the kitchen.

His belt was left in the doorway separating the kitchen from their living room. Without breaking the contact between his lips and her neck, he slid the zipper of her dress down and gave it a tug until the garment pooled at her feet. She stepped out of it, leaving it behind.

They had to break apart to get Robin's pants off him. Bumps rose up as her skin began to cool without his body heat. She shivered a bit, licking her lips as he kicked his pants away. He reached for her, pulling her back against his hard body and warming her back up as he kissed her.

She swept his mouth with her tongue as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He supported her as he began their ascent upstairs. Trusting him, Regina reached one of her hands behind her back and unclasped her bra. It fell onto the stairs and she pressed her breasts against his chest, her nipples already pebbling at the mere touch of his bare flesh.

"God, Regina," he moaned as they hit the landing. "I want you."

"So do I. Can't you feel it?" Only their underwear separated them and she was certain he could still feel how soaked her panties were already.

Robin's lips trailed down her neck as he pressed her against the wall. His fingers pushed aside her panties, brushing against her clit. She gasped, arching her back off the wall as she leaned into his touch.

"I love how wet you get for me," he moaned. "It feels so good when I enter you."

"How about when you eat me out?" She nipped at his earlobe, kissing behind it.

He shuddered, his breathing growing shallow. "I love it then too," he gasped out.

"Do you want to taste me now?" She moaned as his fingers rubbed her clit faster, in small circles. It heightened her pleasure, sending jolts through her body.

"Not yet," he replied, sucking on a pressure point between words. "Plenty of time for that later."

Regina gasped, though she wasn't sure if it was from the high she was climbing toward or the promise of more to come.

She slid her hand under the waistband of his boxers, wrapping her hand around his hard cock. A few quick strokes had him quivering as well though he kept a good hold on her. Regina smiled as she flicked her thumb over his tip, coating it with the evidence of his own arousal.

"Regina," he moaned, kissing under her jaw.

Pushing down his boxers, she guided his cock to her entrance. "Go ahead," she whispered.

He kissed her, hot and open-mouthed as he inched into her. Pressing her arms against the wall, Robin buried himself inside her before moving hard and fast. Skin slapping skin was set against the syncopation of dull thuds as Regina's body banged against the wall.

She curled her fingers, longing to bury them in his hair or run her nails down his neck. Yet he kept her arms in place as his lips kissed her neck, his body slick against hers as he continued to thrust in his frenzied rhythm.

Regina closed her eyes, letting the sensations carry her away. Stars still exploded in the darkness as she cried out with her release, wet and hot as it turned her limbs to jelly.

It only took a few more thrusts before he groaned with his own release, her name barely audible. They slid down the wall until they were a pile of tangled limbs on the floor. Regina laid her head on his chest, panting. "I love you," she gasped.

"I love you too," he said, tangling his fingers in her hair. "And I choose you. Every single day."

She smiled, closing her eyes as they laid there for a bit longer. Eventually they would get up and move to the bed, where Robin would go down on her like he promised. But for now, she was content to lie in his arms in the hallway outside their bedroom in their house.

It was the perfect birthday.

A/N: Here's the second part and the outcome of Marian's trial! Hopefully Marian can get some help while she's locked up.

I'm hard at work on the next part as I still want that up in September…mostly because I planned the rest of the year and want to stick to it. (And mostly because I want the December one to have a Christmas theme). Next time, Robin and Regina have their bachelor/bachelorette parties. It's going to be a fun ride!

Happy Friday!

-Mac