Home Visit
Robin sat in the sterile hospital room, waiting for Dr. Whale to arrive. This was the day he had been waiting almost two months for—his cast was coming off. According to Whale, his leg had healed from the injuries sustained in his car accident and everything was well. Robin would be able to walk normally again.
"You look ready to fight whoever walks through that door," Regina said from her chair. Her legs were crossed and she held their coats on her lap. She smiled at him. "Calm down."
"I'm sorry but I don't know what's taking so long! Whale assured us the leg was fine and it was time for the cast to come off," he said, watching the door again as if he could will the doctor to walk through it.
The door opened and Robin's eyes widened. He wondered if he had magic as Dr. Whale entered the room, smiling. "Okay, Mr. Locksley, let's get that cast off you."
"Go ahead," Robin replied, placing his leg on the examination table. "I'm very ready for it come off."
Regina stood, placing the jackets on the chair, and walked over to him. She held out her hand to him and he took it. Robin raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. He imagined the things he could do once more with the cast off, like going back to work and seeing all his Merry Men again. Then this weekend he was going to tend to their yard. First, though, he was going on a nice long walk with Queen.
And tonight, he was going to cook Regina a nice dinner before cuddling with her on the couch. Then they were going to have Queen sleep downstairs while he took his wife upstairs to have sex with her for the first time in almost two months.
"What are you thinking?" she asked, whispering in his ear. It sent a shiver down his spine.
He smirked as he whispered back: "Nothing I can tell you in present company. Let's just say I have a lot of plans for you tonight."
She ducked her head as her cheeks tinged pink and he kissed one. It was going to feel wonderful to hold her properly again.
"And the cast is off," Whale said, motioning to Robin's bare leg. It looked like it needed a good wash and he cringed before rolling down his pant leg. Maybe a shower was really his first priority.
Regina shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you for all your help."
"You're welcome," he replied. "But we're not done. Robin's ribs are healing well but they are still healing. I'd like to keep monitoring them."
She nodded and Robin moved his leg off the examination table. "Any restrictions with my ribs, then, Doctor?"
Dr. Whale studied him before smirking and Robin knew what was going through his mind. "If you're asking if you can have sex with your wife, I'm going to okay it. But be mindful of those ribs, okay?"
"Yes, Doctor," he replied, jumping down from the examination table. It felt good to be on both feet and he took a few steps just because he could.
Regina took his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Are you ready to get out of here?"
He nodded, beaming at her. "Can I drive?"
"No," she replied. "I'll do that for now."
"Come on, Regina. I need to get back in the saddle, as it were. And it's warmed up so there's no ice for me to skid on…"
She stopped, squeezing his hand. "It's not that I think you're afraid or that you'll total my car like you did yours. You just got your cast off and your ribs are still healing. It's probably best at least right now for me to drive. Okay?"
He relented, realizing she was just taking care of him. "Okay, lovely. But I want to get behind the wheel soon."
"You will," she promised, patting his shoulder. "Just not today. Now, come on. We'll stop at the Muffin Man to pick up some strawberry strudel to celebrate."
Robin's mouth began to water and his stomach growled as he thought of the fruity pastry from their favorite bakery. He wrapped his arm around her, kissing the side of her head. "You spoil me."
"Just returning the favor," she teased him as they left the hospital. The sun hit his face and Robin smiled.
It was a very good day.
When Robin came home without his cast and crutches, Queen danced around him. She let out excited yips as she pawed at his newly healed leg, tongue out and tail wagging. He chuckled and crouched down to pet her, kissing her head. "You're excited for our walks too, huh?" he said to her.
She out a little bark before licking his face. Regina leaned against the door, smiling as she took in the scene. It was just too adorable a scene and she pulled out her phone, snapping a video of her husband and their dog. She posted it, her insides feeling like an ooey-gooey freshly baked chocolate cookie.
The warm feeling dissipated as she watched Robin try to stand up. His face scrunched up in pain and she felt her heart skip a beat. Was he not as healed as Dr. Whale had assured them? Had he pushed himself too much already? She should've had him take it easy, she should've…
"It's my ribs, Regina," he said, rubbing his chest while giving her a knowing look. "We were told they were still healing."
She nodded, helping him stand. Her heart was still hammering in her chest and she ran her hands over him, to assure herself that he was still relatively whole. "Why don't you go rest on the couch? I'll bring you your strudel."
He shook his head, holding her close to him. "It was just a twinge of pain, Regina. It's going to happen. You don't have to coddle me anymore."
"I don't want you to ignore something serious," she replied, laying her head against his chest. "I can't lose you."
The fear she had felt when Mary Margaret told her the police was there, when she had images of Robin lying still on a gurney somewhere. She remembered the nightmare where she had stood next to his coffin. Regina didn't want to consider life without Robin by her side and she didn't want to chance losing him for any reason.
He kissed the top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere, Regina. You're not going to be rid of me that easily."
"I'm still scared," she admitted, feeling safe in his arms. What would she do without them? Without him?
"I know," he replied, rocking her. "It was scary. But we got through it. I just need to rest and heal a bit more. So why don't we grab those strawberry strudels, curl up on the couch and finally cuddle?"
Minutes later, they were doing just that. Robin turned on their music player, letting his romantic song playlist fill the room with some of their favorite songs as they ate the dessert. Queen tried to get some out of them but gave up when she realized her humans weren't going to part with the pastry. She jumped off the couch and hopped up onto her favorite armchair, laying there as she stared at them with an annoyed look.
Laughing, Regina curled closer to Robin. He entwined their legs together, sighing in relief. "I've missed doing this."
"I've missed you," she admitted, looking up at him. "I mean, I know you've been right here and we've had some good moments but I've missed being this close to you."
He tilted her head up, kissing her. She sighed into it, wrapping her arms around him as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Her fingers ran through his hair while his toyed with her shirt, slipping under it and brushing the skin underneath.
Robin broke the kiss, already panting. His eyes were hooded as he gazed down at her. "I don't think I can wait until tonight, lovely."
"Then let's not," she replied, wondering why they had to wait at all. "We have the house to ourselves, Robin. There's no law saying we can't have sex in the middle of the afternoon. In fact, we have had sex in the middle of the afternoon."
He grinned, eyes now sparkling. "Good point. Race you upstairs?"
"No. We'll walk so you don't hurt anything before we can get to the good stuff," she said. They found Queen was asleep and headed upstairs without her following them. Robin closed the door to their bedroom once they were inside for added measure, just to keep her from walking in on them.
Regina sat on the bed, giving her husband a coy smile. "Should I change into something more comfortable?"
"No," he said, climbing over her on the bed. He covered her, smiling down at her. "I just want you naked."
"I want the same for you." She tugged at his long sleeve shirt, pulling it over his head and throwing it aside.
He pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it to join his. "Do you want to lose your pants first or me?"
"Does it have to be an either-or situation?" she asked, batting her eyes at him.
"No," he replied, tugging on her pants. "I guess it doesn't."
They were quickly only in their underwear, kissing as she grinded against him. Her panties grew wetter and wetter, but she didn't care. It would mean having to pull her hands away from his muscled arms to pull them off and she didn't want to do that. So the cotton material bunched more and more, allowing his bulge to brush right against her clit.
It felt wonderful.
He rolled off her and she whined, reaching for him. "Where are you going? We're just getting started."
"And I'll finish fast at the rate we're going," he admitted sheepishly. "It's been a long time, Regina."
She raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit incredulous. "It's only been a few weeks, Robin."
"Two. Months." He looked annoyed and she figured it was because of his injuries, not her. "That's a long time for us."
"It didn't feel so long. Then again, I was busy taking care of you," she said, thinking of the past eight weeks. All the chores and making sure he took his medicine on top of her usual work duties…
He frowned, nodding. "You were so exhausted doing everything since I was useless…"
She knelt on the bed, looking him right in the eyes. He still needed his guilt soothed away. "None of that. You were not useless. I will have no more of that in this bedroom. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said, leaning closer to kiss her. He pulled her close until their bodies were pressed together. She felt his fingers undo the clasp of her bra before the lacy garment fell away, her breasts pushed against his chest.
His hands slid down her back to her ass, cupping her cheeks. She smiled into the kiss, teasing him between pecks: "Can't resist that, can you?"
Never," he said, pulling away to look at her properly. He glanced down at his body and frowned. "Can you give me a moment, lovely? I need to wash this leg before I touch you again."
She glanced down, not seeing much but white and crinkly skin where the cast had been resting. "It looks fine to me, Robin."
He kissed her again. "Thanks, but I just need to do it. I promise to be quick."
"Fine," she sighed, flopping onto her back. "But I can't promise I won't start without you."
Robin's eyes widened and he swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "You…you do that. I want to see it when I come out."
She nodded, feeling something hot coil deep inside her at the thought that Robin wanted to watch her. It seemed intimate and evocative at the same time. And that thrilled her. "Then go," she said, voice high, "so I can get started."
Once the bathroom door closed, she pulled off her panties and dropped them to the floor. Her eyes drifted toward the drawer on her nightstand and she smiled, getting an idea. She opened it and dug around for the little pink vibrator she kept in there. It hadn't gotten much use lately so she tested it, glad the batteries were still operational.
Regina leaned back, spreading her legs before bending her knees. She planted her feet flat on the bed and brought the vibrator to her clit. It was on a low setting, just enough to send little jolts through her. She didn't want to rush too far ahead of Robin.
Feeling a familiar pulsating deep down, she brought her free hand up to her breast and began tweaking her nipple. It sent warmth spreading low in her core and she moaned, enjoying the dual stimulus.
"Oh god," she heard Robin say, his voice sounding strangled. She opened her eyes to find him standing in the doorway to the bathroom, eyes focused on her.
She smiled, releasing her breast as she started to sit up. "I guess I can lose the vibrator now, huh?"
"Don't you dare," he growled, stepping closer to the bed. "I have some ideas for it and you."
Excitement coursed through her and she felt her heart speed up. "Oh? And what's that?"
"Turn over," he ordered.
She did as he asked, getting on all fours as she turned her ass toward him. "Like this?"
"No. I want you lying long ways," he said, grabbing a pillow. "Here, I'll help you."
Regina let Robin move her around, sliding the pillow under her to give her hips some lift so she wasn't completely on her hands and knees before him. He lay next to her, trailing kisses down her back. "Absolutely gorgeous."
"I'd compliment you but sadly, I'm denied that view," Regina replied, resting her cheek against the cool pillow. From that vantage point, she only could glimpse his upper torso.
He chuckled before feeling around for something. "Now, let me get that vibrator of yours and we'll be ready."
"I think I feel over by my right leg," she said, though she wasn't sure if the tremors came from her toy or herself.
Robin let out a soft "aha" and the shaking against her leg stopped. He hummed. "This seems to be too low. I'm going to up it a bit."
"Three clicks," she told him. "That should get to the setting I like. It'll really ramp everything up."
She heard the three clicks before feeling him against her back. He reached around and the silicon tip of her vibrator was pressed against her clit. Regina gasped as the change was immediate—she felt herself open up, ready for Robin, as her fingers tightened against the pillow.
He pressed kisses along her shoulder and up her neck, nipping at her earlobe. "Are you ready, lovely?" he asked.
"Yes," she gasped, her hips starting to buck against her vibrator. Her ass pressed against his cock and she let out a little whine, wanting more.
Robin's cock pressed against her entrance and he inched his way in. Between him and her toy, her head began to spin and she was certain she was going to come just like that. She moaned into the pillow, Robin's familiar pine scent filling her.
He moved hard and fast inside her, body pressed against her back. It pushed her clit closer to the vibrator and she cried out, her whole body trembling. Robin kissed her shoulder again. "Let go."
"But…" She moaned, hoping he knew what she meant.
"It's okay," he told her. "You can come without me this time."
She didn't need the permission but still his words released her. Regina cried out his name as stars exploded before her eyes, every nerve firing with nothing but pleasure inside her. Her arms shook before giving out.
Robin slid a hand under her breasts, holding her up as he continued to thrust into her with vigor. However, the vibrator had slipped and was now pressed against her thigh rather than her clit. She tried to fix it but her arm felt like it was filled with jelly.
"What's wrong, lovely?" Robin asked, once again kissing behind her ear. It made her shiver and gasp as she tried to tell him about her vibrator.
He finally figured it out and reached between her legs, finding the toy there. Robin nipped at her ear. "Do you want me to put it back?"
"Yes," she moaned, more from the fact that he had stopped moving than anything else. She missed the sensations overloading her.
Robin pressed the vibrator against her clit as he began thrusting again, resuming the dual assault. She let out a gasp before burying her face in the pillow, trying to keep herself together for a bit longer.
It was a losing battle.
However, it was clear Robin was close as well as his rhythm grew erratic. She lifted her head, feeling cool air against her flushed skin. Robin pressed his face against her neck, hot breath hitting there as he grunted with each thrust. He came with a groan against her shoulder, teeth brushing the skin there.
As he spilled into her, Regina let go. Stars once again danced before her eyes as her heart pounded in her ear, drowning out whatever she yelled as she came with the same intensity as her first. The stars were replaced by darkness and she floated through it.
Someone was tapping on her cheek. "Regina? Regina, open your eyes, please. Come on, lovely."
"What?" she asked, opening her eyes. After a few blinks, Robin's concerned face came into focus.
He breathed out in relief. "You scared me, Regina. It looked like you passed out."
"I might've," she admitted, scrunching her nose. "Everything went black. Bravo."
"Bravo? What are you talking about?" Robin's eyebrows rose up and he looked very confused.
She laughed, pulling him down on the bed to lie next to her. "You made me come so hard, I briefly passed out. That's something."
"It's disconcerting," he said before wincing. He rubbed his chest as he laid flat on his back.
Regina's euphoria dissipated as concern and worry took its place. She sat up, frowning. "We pushed you too hard. You've hurt yourself."
"No, no," he assured her, even as he winced again. "I'm just sore. Nothing some aspirin can't handle."
"You rest and I'll get you some." Regina pushed back the blankets some more as she climbed out of bed. Her legs wobbled as she put her weight on them but they held her as she crossed to their bathroom. She retrieved two aspirins from the bottle kept in there and filled up a small plastic cup with water.
Robin downed the pills and chased it with the water. He then patted the bed. "Why don't we catch a nap? I still want to cuddle."
She pushed against his shoulder gently. "I'll only cuddle if you go back to your side of the bed. Your leg is healed and so I want my side back!"
He laughed, scooting over to his side of the bed. "It's all yours again, lovely."
"Thank you." She climbed in and laid on her back. "Big spoon or little spoon?"
"Big spoon. It's been too long since I held you." He rolled on his side, smiling at her before she also rolled onto her side. Robin pulled the blankets over them and then wrapped his arms around her, melding his body to fit hers. His warmth enveloped her and Regina felt herself drift off in seconds.
Regina awoke to scratching on the bedroom door. By the fading orange light filling the room, she could tell they had slept the rest of the afternoon away. A quick glance at the clock confirmed it, telling her it was almost six o'clock. Her stomach growled and she knew it was time for dinner.
She slipped out from under Robin's limp arm, leaving him to sleep a bit longer. Padding over to the door, she opened it and looked down at Queen. The dog sat, wagging her tail as Regina studied the scratch marks left on the door and making a note to ask Robin to buff those out. "We need to train you not to scratch at the door," she told the dog.
Queen ignored her, bounding into the room and jumping on the bed. She curled up on Regina's empty spot, watching her with big brown eyes.
Regina shook her head in amusement, gathering up hers and Robin's discarded clothes and tossing everything into the hamper. She pulled out clean clothes and told Queen: "I'm going to shower. Keep Daddy company."
The dog yawned but moved closer to Robin. He reached out in his sleep and cuddled Her Majesty, burying his face in her soft fur. Assured he was fine, Regina slipped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
She kept her shower quick but when she emerged, Robin was awake and rubbing Queen's belly. When he saw Regina, he stood and picked up his clothes, giving her a quick kiss. "I'll be out in a moment. Can you get Her Majesty ready for our walk, please?"
"Sure," she said, motioning for Queen to follow her. The dog happily jumped off the bed and trotted after her as they head downstairs.
Regina easily got Queen into her harness but waited to put on her leash because then the dog would scratch at the door until someone let her out. Queen danced around Regina's feet instead, knowing she was about to go out and trying to get Regina to move along faster. It gave Regina an idea. Grabbing her phone, she smiled at the dog. "Do you mind if I join you and Daddy?"
"Of course she doesn't," Robin said, buttoning his shirt as he came down the stairs. He smiled at her when he reached the bottom. "You're always welcome to join us."
They both put on their shoes and coats with Regina pulling on a hat over her wet curls as Robin put the leash on Queen. He opened the door and let her out onto the porch before holding out his hand to Regina. She took it happily and they closed the door, letting Queen lead the way like her royal namesake.
Spring was starting to make its presence known. While there was still a chill in the air, the temperatures were getting warmer during the day. The days were getting longer and Regina spotted some buds appearing on the trees as they walked down the street. Spring was certainly welcomed.
"The cast came off just at the right time," Robin said, taking a deep breath. "I'd hate to be cooped up as the weather got nicer."
"I'd hate for you to be cooped up too," she admitted, squeezing his hand. "But Tuck and I have agreed it's going to be a while before you're out in the field."
"Conspiring with my office manager behind my back?" His tone was teasing and there was no anger in it.
She leaned closer to him, shaking her head. "Just two people who you mean the world to taking care of you."
"You both mean the world to me too." He kissed the top of her head as he let go of her hand, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
They rounded a corner like that, Queen stopping to sniff at a tree. She then squatted down, doing her business next to it as they waited for her to finish. "This is so dignified," Regina intoned.
"Wait until we're elbow-deep in dirty diapers," Robin replied, nudging her with a smile. "That will be really dignified."
She laughed as she felt something vibrate against her hip. It brought back the phantom feeling of her vibrator and she bit her lip, trying to keep from groaning. Regina reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. "Hello?"
"Mrs. Locksley? This is Cleo Fox from the Avalon Adoption Agency," the case worker's familiar voice said.
Regina gripped Robin's arm tightly as she answered: "Yes, hello, Cleo. It's nice to hear from you."
"I'm sure it is," she replied with a chuckle. "I was just calling because we would like to set up a home visit with you and Robin, to see your house and your natural environment. How does that sound?"
"That sounds like a big step forward and really wonderful," Regina replied as Robin looked on, brow furrowed though he smiled. When she mouthed the words home visit to him, his eyes lit up and his smile widened.
She heard Cleo rustle through some papers. "How does two weeks from today sound?"
"I think that sounds fine," Regina replied. "We'll be waiting for you."
Ending the call, she looked up at Robin. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close for a hug. "This is good news, Regina. We're that much closer to becoming parents."
She nodded, hugging him tightly. "I know. I can't believe it."
Queen tugged on her leash, growing impatient with them. There were so many more trees to sniff and sights to see, so she wanted her walk to resume. At least, that's what Regina assumed as she chuckled. "Her Majesty is demanding us to move."
"My arm knows, trust me," he replied with a wince. He held out the leash. "Maybe you should walk her for a bit."
"Are your ribs okay?" She took the leash from him with a frown.
He nodded. "I think the aspirin is wearing off."
"Then let's get you home so you can get some more and maybe lay on the couch," Regina said, smiling down at Queen. "Come on, Your Majesty. Let's take Daddy home."
As if understanding her, Queen wagged her tail and trotted off in the direction of their street. Regina took Robin's hand, lacing their fingers together. Her mind filled with thoughts of the home visit and everything they would have to do to get ready. She knew with his help, they would be more than prepared.
Everything was going to be perfect.
Robin had always known Regina was a neat freak. It was something he loved about her and not because he thought it meant she would do all the cleaning. He was always more than willing to do his share of the housework. It just meant that he knew Regina would go one step beyond to make sure everything was clean.
He also knew that stress and nerves brought out her perfectionist tendencies. When compounded by her desire for cleanliness, she tried to attain an unrealistic amount of neatness around her. She was unable to rest until she either got close to it or he finally convinced her to stop. It looked like he was going to have to put his foot down this time.
"Regina, this will be the third time you've vacuumed the carpet," he said, raising his voice over the roar of the vacuum.
She attacked their carpet viciously as Queen quivered on her chair, trying to hide herself behind one of the large throw pillows. Regina didn't notice, though, as she was focused on her task. "It's not quite ready for inspection."
"I don't think they're going to get that exact, lovely," he said, laying his hand over hers and stilling the vacuum. "Besides, you're scaring Her Majesty."
Regina glanced over at the chair, where only Queen's tail was now visible from behind the pillow. She turned off the vacuum with a sigh. "We just had her groomed."
"She's fine," Robin assured her, turning Regina to face him. "You're just stressed so you're worrying about everything."
"I know," she replied with fearful eyes. "But do you blame me?"
He shook his head. "Of course not. This is an important step forward for us. I know you want everything to be perfect. But you have to remember that perfect is impossible. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to achieve it."
She straightened out his shirt and he remembered the argument about wearing a tie that day they had earlier. He had finally convinced her that Cleo wanted to see them in their natural environment. They didn't wear business attire at home except for the few times they came home too tired to do anything but collapse on the couch. And those were definitely the days Regina didn't want to put on display for the person who would determine whether they got a child or not.
"Why don't I put the vacuum away while you go relax on the couch for a bit?" he suggested.
"I can't afford to relax," she insisted, shaking her head. "Not today."
He pushed her toward the couch, gently sitting her down before placing Queen on her lap. She needed this, he was certain. "Yes, you can. Besides, someone needs to calm down Her Majesty."
Queen rested her head against Regina's chest, looking up at her with big brown eyes. Robin watched his wife melt as she held the dog close, running her hand over thick brown fur. "I'm sorry, Queen. I forgot you were there when I took out the vacuum. Forgive me?"
The dog gave her cheek a lick and Regina giggled, which made Robin relax as well. He picked up the vacuum and headed toward the hallway closet to put it away. Crisis averted for now, he figured. Now he just had to keep his wife calm until Cleo left.
Robin glanced out their window, looking over the lawn. Despite Regina's protests about his still healing ribs, he had spent the weekend making sure the outside of their house looked as presentable as the inside of it. Will had shown up to help, no doubt called by Regina. And he had apparently called other members of the Merry Men, who had trooped one by one into Robin's lawn. He had protested that he didn't expect his employees to do work for him for free or because they felt obligated to, but everyone insisted that they just wanted to help.
He and Regina had then hosted their first barbecue of the season to thank them for their assistance and everyone laughed as the night descended around them. It had been a great time doing chores.
A red car pulled up to the curb outside and parked. Cleo stepped out from the driver's side and he saw her take in their house as well as their lawn. She closed the door and headed up their front walk, fast approaching the door.
"Regina," he called out. "Cleo is here."
He heard Queen's paws hit the floor before Regina's heels clicked their way toward him. She stepped next to him, straightening out her light blue skirt. Glancing up at him, she gave him a soft smile. "We can do this?"
"We can do this," he assured her, kissing her cheek as the doorbell rang. Queen began barking, racing toward the front door to protect them from any threats.
Regina leaned forward, gently grabbing Queen's collar and pulling her away from the door. "It's okay, girl. The person on the other side is a friend."
Queen strained against Regina's hold as Robin opened the door, making sure to block the entrance so Her Majesty didn't take a run at Cleo. He smiled at their case manager. "I'm just going to ask you to be careful. We have a dog."
"I can hear," Cleo replied with a smile. "And I remember you disclosing that on your application. Don't worry, I can fit through some pretty narrow spaces."
"Oh, that's not what I meant. Regina has a good grip on Queen. I just didn't want you to be unnerved if she either barked at you or came up to you to sniff you," Robin explained, opening the door a bit wider. "Please, come in."
Cleo stepped inside and crossed immediately to Queen, kneeling down. She held out her hand for the dog to sniff and Her Majesty did so cautiously. "Aren't you a beautiful girl?" Cleo cooed to her.
Queen licked her fingers and Cleo petted behind her ear as her tail thumped against the floor. Robin smiled at how easily their dog melted and lapped up the attention their case work lavished on her.
"She's a very good girl," Regina told Cleo. "And she's very good around children. She's been around our young godson and is nothing but gentle with him."
Cleo nodded, standing up. "Queen looks like she's a very good girl. I'm sure she'll be fine around your future child."
The words made Robin's heart skip a beat and he saw Regina's smile widen. She motioned to the house as she asked Cleo: "Would you like a tour?"
"I would love one," Cleo replied. "Lead the way."
"This is the kitchen," Regina said, trying not to trip over Queen as the dog raced toward her water and food dishes. She laid down in front of them as if Cleo was going to steal her food. It was almost comical, Regina thought.
Cleo looked over the metallic décor of the kitchen and Regina regretted that she and Robin hadn't yet replaced everything with wood, like they wanted. There just hadn't been enough time yet. She wondered if the metallic seemed too cold and dangerous for a child from Cleo's perspective.
"This is an impressive kitchen," Cleo said. "Do you or Robin cook?"
"We both do," Regina replied, trying not to fidget with her skirt. "And we like to try new, healthy things."
"Though we do have a fondness for macaroni and cheese." Robin winked at her and Regina grinned.
Cleo nodded, approaching the door to the backyard. She peered outside, craning her neck. "You have a lot of property."
"Yes," Robin said, wrapping his arm around Regina and pulling her close. "I fell in love with that yard the first time we saw it. I'd love to take you outside and show it to you."
Queen perked up at the word "outside" and her tail wagged quickly. Regina chuckled before turning to her husband. "You now have no choice. Her Majesty heard you."
He let out a long sigh, hanging his head for a moment before heading toward the door. With his hand on the handle, Robin looked at an expectant Queen. "Come on, girl. Let's go."
"Can I join you two? I would love to see the outside. I thought I saw a garden on the side of the house?" Cleo asked, smiling as the dog trotted toward Robin and the door.
Robin motioned to Regina. "While we'd love to have you join us, you really want to talk to Regina. That vegetable garden is her pride and joy. I take care of everything else but that patch of land is hers."
"I'd be happy to show it to you," Regina said, stepping forward as Robin let Queen out. They followed the dog, watching as she happily raced around the fenced-in yard. She found one of her toys, picking it up and giving it a toss before trotting over to it to pick it up again. Queen repeated that a few times, essentially playing fetch with herself.
"I am apparently chopped liver," Robin said, shaking his head with an amused chuckle.
Regina patted his chest. "Don't worry. She'll want to play with you in a little bit. You'll see."
Turning from her husband, Regina stepped up to Cleo. "I'll show you the garden. It's on the side of the house."
Cleo followed her there and Regina stood beside her garden, wishing this visit was occurring in the summer when her garden was in its full glory. With spring just starting, she hadn't been able to get out to start preparing it for this year's crops. Instead, she could just show off a bare batch of dirt and she grimaced. "I know it's not much right now…"
"I understand," Cleo assured her. "I've always wanted a garden myself. How long have you been gardening?"
"Since I was a child. I just love it and was so glad I could have a garden again after living in the city. I love nurturing the plants and tending to them, watching as the grow big and feeling proud of what I've done. It's not always easy but always worth it in the end," Regina said, smiling softly as she glanced at her barren garden bed.
Cleo nodded before leaning toward Regina. "Sounds a lot like parenting, if you ask me."
"Yes," Regina replied with a wider smile. "I supposed it does."
"Well, if I ever get a place with enough space to grow my own garden, I hope you don't mind if I call you for tips," Cleo said.
Regina shook her head. "Not at all. I'd be honored to help you."
"So, shall we go check on Robin and Queen?" Cleo asked.
"We should," Regina agreed. "I don't want Robin pushing himself too hard while his ribs are still healing."
Cleo stopped, frowning. "Healing? From what?"
Regina paused, closing her eyes. She and Robin hadn't wanted to bring up his accident, believe it really had no bearing on their ability to be parents and now she had blabbed about it. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Cleo. "Robin was in a car accident a couple months ago. Thankfully, he only suffered a broken leg and some broken ribs."
"How awful!" she gasped in response. "I'm glad he made a speedy recovery, though I do know it takes some time for ribs to heal. I've broken mine a few times."
"Really?" Regina asked, surprised.
Cleo nodded, leaning closer. "I actually drive a motorcycle. I just borrow a friend's car for home visits to look more professional."
"So you've had some accidents yourself?" Regina asked, intrigued by this new fact about their case manager.
"Accidents happen," Cleo replied with a shrug. She then smiled and placed a hand on Regina's arm. "We understand that. As long as Robin wasn't drinking or on drugs…"
"Of course not," Regina assured her.
Cleo nodded. "I didn't think so. Anyway, we don't punish someone just because of an accident. We're an adoption agency, not your car insurance company."
Regina laughed at that, feeling relieved as she and Cleo rounded the side of the house to enter the rest of the yard. They stopped, watching as Robin tossed a frisbee with many chew marks on it. It spun through the air and Queen raced after it, jumping up to try to catch it. After a few jumps, she finally was able to close her teeth on the plastic disc and landed back in the grass gracefully. She trotted back to Robin, dropping the frisbee at his feet with pride. Her tail wagged quickly as she waited for him to toss it again.
He bent down, picking up the frisbee and scratching behind the dog's floppy ear. "Sorry, girl, but we'll have to continue this later."
Queen tilted her head as her tail started to slow down. She watched as Robin placed the frisbee in the bin of toys they kept out there, closing the lid with a snap. Realizing that the game was over, Queen seemed to huff and trotted over to Regina, sitting at her feet. She looked away from Robin.
"I take it she's mad at Robin?" Cleo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"For now," Regina said, looking down at the dog. "She'll ice him for a bit and then she'll forget all about it. He'll be her favorite person in no time."
Robin wrapped his arm around her waist and smiled at Cleo. "So, what do you think? Is this yard big enough for a rambunctious kid to run around in?"
Cleo laughed. "Oh, it definitely is. Your child will definitely have plenty of room to play and grow out here."
"Why don't we show you the rest of the house?" Regina suggested, resting her hand on his back. "There's still the upstairs."
They all headed back into the house, Queen trotting by Regina's side and still ignoring Robin. He didn't seem to mind, focusing his attention on Regina instead. His arm around her waist was comforting as they continued their house tour. She grew more and more confident with each step that everything was going well.
Robin brought up the rear of the little parade heading up the stairs toward their upper level. He watched Regina guide Cleo to one certain room, the bedroom right next to theirs. It was empty and they had painted the walls white after they moved in. They left the brown carpeting the previous owners had put in, deciding they would change it later—after they knew which color they would be painting the room.
"This is the nursery," Regina announced. "Or it will be. Robin and I will get it ready when we get closer to…well…"
"Adopting a child?" Cleo supplied, smiling. "May I go in?"
Stepping aside, Regina motioned for her to enter the room. Regina lingered outside and Robin sidled up to her. He took her hand as Cleo completed her inspection. The room was bright and airy thanks to the large window in it, one of the reasons they chose it to be the nursery. It just seemed very inviting.
Cleo nodded as she returned to the door. "Looks like a great room to grow up in. I'm sure you two can't wait to decorate it."
"You have no idea," Regina sighed, leaning against Robin as he chuckled. He thought of the catalogues stashed under their bed and the private Pinterest board dedicated to nursery ideas he once found when he had to borrow her laptop for work.
"Well, why don't we go downstairs and I'll go over the next steps with you?" she suggested.
Regina sagged against him. "So we passed?"
"Yes, you've passed. This house and neighborhood seems ideal to raise a family," Cleo said. "I'm sure the birth mother will be happy to know the baby will have his or her own room and plenty of space to grow."
They headed downstairs and Robin offered to chase Queen off her chair for Cleo. She shook her head, motioning to the other armchair. "That's fine. I don't want your dog to be madder at you than she already is," she replied.
He glanced over at Queen, who then looked away from him and focused her attention on Regina. "Yeah," he allowed, "good point."
Once they were all seated, Cleo opened the portfolio she had been carrying around with her. She jotted down some notes. "I'll write up something official once I'm back in the office, but as I said, you passed the home visit."
Joy spread through Robin and he smiled, squeezing Regina's hand. "So what's next?"
"Well, I'm still getting your character references in order," she replied, flipping through some papers. "It is a bit difficult trying to find times that work best for me and your references in England, Robin."
He winced. "Sorry about that."
She shook her head. "Not your fault. And honestly, not as difficult as the time I had to arrange to speak to someone in the jungles of Thailand. Nottingham is easier than that."
"Well, I'll talk to my grandparents to see if something can be arranged. Maybe one of my cousins could run over and help them," Robin offered, already wondering if Anne or Ryan could swing by their grandparents sometime this week.
"Once I get all of this in order, the next part will be finding a birth mother," Cleo continued. "I'll warn you that it could take some time. We have several other couples and sometimes, the birth mothers change their mind."
Regina nodded, squeezing his hand. "We understand. We've waited this long, I think we can wait a bit longer."
"I promise to give you regular updates." Cleo closed her portfolio and stood, holding out her hand. "Thank you for showing me your lovely house."
They thanked her for coming, shaking her hand. Robin then offered to walk her to the door. Queen jumped off the chair and trotted after them, tail wagging. Cleo glanced behind her and chuckled. "Are you forgiven?"
"Yes," he said. "Only because she wants to go for a w-a-l-k."
Indeed, Queen tugged on her leash until it came off its hook. She picked it up in her mouth and looked up at Robin expectantly. He looked over at Cleo and motioned to Her Majesty. "You see?"
"I do," she said, laughter in her voice. "Well, I won't keep you two from your w-a-l-k. Have a good evening, Robin."
"You too," he replied, opening the door. Once she stepped out, Robin closed the door and sighed as he looked down at Queen. "Alright, girl, you win. Let me get your harness on you and then we'll head out."
Queen dropped her leash and sat down, tail wagging as she let Robin put her harness on. Once her leash was clicked into place, she tugged him toward the door. "Her Majesty and I will be right back," he called out.
"Have fun," Regina yelled back and then he was out the door, being walked by a very excited Boykin terrier.
That night, a fire burned in their electric fireplace. She had lowered lights in the living room, letting the flames cast an ambient glow around the space. Regina stood in front of the fireplace, looking at the pictures they had lined up there. All were of her and Robin, including a few childhood pictures of them. Most though were shots of them as a couple, including the picture of them lounging in the empty chairs together after their wedding. Her shoes sat in the grass as her legs were tucked under her skirt and she leaned against Robin, who had his arm wrapped around her.
She picked up another picture of them. He wore a black suit with a blue tie, which matched her dress. Robin had his arm wrapped around her and she held a sleeping baby dressed in white—little Neal at his christening. It made her smile as she brushed her finger over the image of her godson.
Robin wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he kissed the side of her head. "We did it," he murmured.
She hummed, setting the picture down again. "Soon all these pictures will be replaced by ones of our son or daughter."
"We won't be that bad," Robin protested. She raised her head, giving him a pointed look that said she knew he was lying. And that he knew it too. He sighed in response. "You're right. We're probably going to be worse."
He let go of her to take her hand, leading her to the couch. Two flutes filled with champagne sat on their coffee table, chocolate covered strawberries placed on a plate between them. Regina raised her eyebrow as they sat down. "What's this for?"
"A celebration," he said, handing her a flute. He took one himself. "To our future child."
"I can definitely drink to him or her." Regina clinked her glass against his before taking a sip. The bubbles tickled all the way down her throat.
Robin picked up a strawberry and held it out to her. She smiled. "You spoil me."
"I do," he agreed as she took a bite. "Enjoy it while it lasts. Once our child comes, I'm just going to spoil him or her."
She swallowed her bite, finishing the strawberry before feeding him. While she knew they were both going to spoil their child, she also knew Robin was still going to find a way to spoil her. Just like she knew she was going to keep spoiling him. But she didn't say anything, instead taking another sip of her champagne.
Queen jumped up between them, curling up and yawning. They chuckled and Regina set her flute down to stroke Queen's fur. Her Majesty placed her head on Regina's lap and let out a content sigh as Robin scooted closer, kissing Regina's head again.
Just another beautiful night in the life she couldn't believe had become hers.
A/N: Here's the next Comfort Food chapter! Robin and Regina are inching closer and closer to parenthood!
Next chapter, they're going to get some hands-on experience when Robin's cousins Daisy and Lucy come for a visit. They are certainly going to learn some things about parenting.
-Mac