"Celebrations"
After getting her POI diagnosis, Regina often imagined what it would've been like to be pregnant. She imagined taking the home test and then the different ways she would tell her husband her good news. Then she pictured what it would be like to have a baby grow inside her, seeing the child on the ultrasound machine screen as the doctor made certain everything was progressing normally. It always made her choke up and that was usually when she ended her daydreaming, unable to see the rest of what she had assumed she would never have. Over time, she had stopped imagining it—even when she and Robin were going through the process to adopt. She just figured they would be given the baby and go home, that they wouldn't be very involved before that moment.
Yet she was sitting in her ob-gyn's office, looking at an ultrasound machine screen that showed the clear form of a baby. She could see his or her head and watched as the baby kicked their little legs. One little hand rested on their stomach while they sucked the thumb of the other hand. It was absolutely adorable and Regina had never experienced such overwhelming love for someone, not even Robin.
He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Look at that," he whispered. "There's our child."
"He or she is beautiful," Regina said, sniffling.
Dr. Whale smiled at them. "Are you ready to hear the heartbeat?"
Regina gripped Robin's hand as she nodded. He leaned forward. "We are, Doctor. Go ahead."
"Okay," he said, pressing a few buttons on the machine. He moved the wand and soon the sound of a fast but strong heartbeat filled the room.
Tears sprung to her eyes and Regina felt a lump form in her throat. She leaned against Robin, who hugged her and kissed her head. Their future child was no longer just a dream—he or she was a real baby who liked to suck their thumb and had a good heartbeat.
It was even better than she had dreamed.
"Everything looks good," Whale said, turning off the heartbeat so they could hear him better. "I'll get pictures printed up for you. You can pick them up at the front while Emma makes her next appointment."
The mention of Emma made Regina turn her attention back to the young woman lying on the examination table in a paper-thin gown. Her blonde hair was loose, falling around her shoulders as her green eyes were watching Robin and Regina rather than the screen. She tilted her head. "You already love him or her, don't you?"
"We do," Regina said, feeling the tears run down her cheeks. "The baby is absolutely beautiful."
Robin nodded, reaching over to squeeze Emma's hand. "Thank you for this. This means more to us than you know."
"I have one more question," Whale said, interrupting their moment with the young woman who was going to make them parents. "Do you want to know the sex?"
Caught off-guard, Regina looked at Robin. He stared back at her with wide eyes. "Do we want to know?" he asked her.
"I don't know," she replied, slightly dazed. "We've never discussed it."
She honestly didn't know if she wanted to know the gender of their baby. On one hand, it would be fun to be surprised at birth but on the other, she would like to know how to decorate the nursery as well as build up a little wardrobe for the baby before he or she arrived. If they did decide to learn the gender, did she want to learn it now or did she want to go the whole nine yards and have a gender reveal party? This could be their only chance to go through the pregnancy process and she didn't want to miss out on anything.
Dr. Whale chuckled. "How about I write down the sex on a card and put it in a sealed envelope? You two can discuss everything and then decide if you open it or not."
Robin smiled at the doctor. "Thank you. I think that would be best while we decide what we want to do."
"Okay, then you can pick that up at the front desk as well," Whale replied. He then addressed Emma: "You can get changed. Keep eating healthy and taking those pre-natal vitamins and I'll see you soon."
Emma nodded, sitting up as she pulled the gown she wore over her knees. "Thanks."
He left as Regina stood, approaching Emma. "Do you need any help?"
"No," the blonde said, gathering up her clothes. "I'll be fine. You don't have to coddle me."
She stormed away as Regina sighed. Robin rubbed her arm. "She's not used to having someone care for her. You know that."
"I do," Regina said, leaning against him. "I just want to help her though."
He smiled, nodding. "I know. I do too. But what would your mother say in this situation?"
She sighed, hearing her mother's voice in her mind. "She would remind me that Emma's had a tough life, that she's not used to relying on people because they just let her down. I need to give her time to realize she can trust me, she can trust us."
Emma hadn't been very forthcoming about her past just yet. What they knew came from when she had gone over some of her medical history with Dr. Whale. She had learned she was pregnant after being sentenced to serve time for petty theft, so she had gotten prenatal care in prison. Emma had only been released a few weeks prior, so she hadn't gone long without medical care for herself and the baby growing inside her. From other hints she had dropped, it seemed she had spent quite some time on the streets and Regina's heart broke to know she had been so young during that time—Emma had finally admitted she was 17.
"She'll come around," Robin told her. "You'll see. We just have to be patient."
They heard the curtain move and turned to find Emma standing there. She now wore a new black coat and what appeared to be a new pair of jeans, though she had the same gray beanie over her hair. Emma's eyes widened when she saw them. "You waited?"
"Of course," Regina answered, taking Robin's hand. "We thought we could all walk out together."
Emma scowled at her. "I'm going to make the follow up appointment. You don't have to babysit me."
"That's not what we're doing," Regina protested until Robin placed his hand on her arm, telling her nonverbally to back off.
"You're right, we don't," Robin said softly. "We're just all heading in the same direction, yeah?"
Emma eyed him before shrugging. "Fine. If you're both so set on walking me out, we can walk out together."
It wasn't exactly an olive branch but it was a start, Regina figured as she took Robin's. They walked a little behind Emma, who kept glancing over her shoulder at them. Regina prayed she wasn't reconsidering letting them adopt her baby. She didn't think she could handle that heartbreak.
They arrived at the front desk and Emma made her follow up appointment, asking for two appointment cards. "One for me and one for the helicopter mother over there," she said, jerking her thumb in Regina's direction.
Regina tried not to scowl as the receptionist handed her an appointment card as well as an envelope. "Dr. Whale included the sonograms in there as well as another envelope with the sex, in case you two decide you want to know," she explained.
"Thank you," Regina replied, taking the envelope. "How many pictures are there in here?"
"Two," the receptionist replied. "It's standard but I can print you up any extras if you want."
"Can we get one more?" she asked, figuring she could make copies from the rest for her family and friends.
The receptionist nodded, moving away from the window. "It'll just be a minute. Wait right there."
Emma frowned, crossing her arms. "So who's getting the extra sonogram? Your mom? Robin's?"
"You," Regina replied, confused. "You should have a sonogram of your own too."
Emma's arms fell limply at her side and her green eyes widened. "But…But the baby is yours. I'm just carrying him or her."
It sounded like Emma was trying to distance herself from the baby, no doubt to make the moment she handed him or her over to Regina and Robin easier on herself. However, they didn't expect her to disappear from the baby's life. It was an open adoption, after all, and they would provide Emma with regular updates on an agreed schedule. The baby would know who she was and what a beautiful gift she had given them.
"Here you go," the receptionist said, holding out the extra sonogram.
Regina gently pushed Emma forward. "Go ahead. Take it. It's yours."
Emma reached out and took the sonogram. She looked it over before clutching it close to her chest. "Thank you," she told the receptionist.
"You're welcome, dear," the older woman responded, taking her seat again and moving on with her work. She scheduled Emma's next appointment and they left the office.
Robin turned to Emma as they crossed the lobby together. "Do you have a ride?"
She nodded. "Cleo said she would pick me up and take me back to where I'm staying for now while they find me something more permanent."
"I can wait with you until she shows up," he offered. "You know, so you're not alone."
Emma glanced between him, Regina and a nearby bench as she looked torn between agreeing and making a snide comment. In the end, she sighed as she shoved her hands into her pockets again. "You wouldn't mind?"
"Of course not," he replied. "Perks of being the boss—I can set my own hours and come and go as I please."
"Sounds nice," Emma said, giving him a small smile.
Regina smiled as well, rising onto her tiptoes to kiss Robin's cheek. "Well, I have a boss to answer to, so I better go."
Turning his head, Robin gave her a quick kiss. "I'll see you at home tonight."
"It's your turn to cook dinner," she reminded him before pulling away. She smiled at Emma. "I'll see you soon. Take care of yourself."
Emma gave her a tight smile as she patted her midsection. "Don't worry. The baby will be fine."
Regina sighed, deciding not to fight it. She kissed Robin one more time before getting in her car to head to work. As she drove by them, she waved. Robin waved happily while Emma gave her a half-hearted one.
Baby steps, she told herself. Just give her space and time and she'll warm up to you. You just have to be patient.
Regina entered her office and smiled at Mary Margaret. "Good morning. Did I miss anything?"
Her assistant shook her head as she sipped her coffee. Putting her mug down, she frowned at Regina. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Regina replied, hanging up her coat. She glanced over at her friend. "Why?"
Mary Margaret shrugged. "You don't often have morning doctor appointments and you were there for a while. I just want to make sure everything's okay."
Though they were planning a party that weekend to reveal their good news to their family and friends, Regina couldn't hide it from Mary Margaret any longer. She pulled out the sonogram and clutched it close to her chest, smiling as she turned to her friend. "You have to keep this a secret and then act surprised on Saturday, okay?"
"Okay," Mary Margaret asked, standing up with a confused look on her face.
Biting her lip, Regina handed the sonogram to her. She then stepped back and watched as Mary Margaret studied the picture. Her green eyes widened and she looked up at Regina, amazed. "Is this…?"
"Yes," Regina said, excited. "It's a baby."
"But…I thought you couldn't…" Mary Margaret seemed at a loss for words.
Regina took a deep breath, realizing she should've expected that shock when she was able to present a sonogram. She shook her head. "I can't. This is the baby Robin and I are going to adopt. We were at a doctor's appointment with the birth mother."
"Oh," Mary Margaret said before studying the sonogram again. She smiled. "So it's finally happening. You and Robin are adopting?"
"We are. Remember how I told you about the young woman Robin and I talked to at the adoption agency? She's pregnant and she wants us to adopt her baby," Regina explained, excited. She thought she was going to explode from happiness.
Mary Margaret handed the sonogram back to her. "So you're going to her doctor's appointments with her?"
Regina nodded. "I think Emma is annoyed by that, probably feels like we only care about the baby, but we care about her. She's not some baby factory—she's a person who is giving us an amazing gift."
"When is she due?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Mid-August," Regina replied, smiling down at the little form in the sonogram. "I should have all my Christmas campaigns at least planned out. August can oversee the production for me."
Mary Margaret nodded before hesitating. "Have you told Gold yet?"
"No," Regina answered, knowing she would have to do that soon. "I plan to tell him on Monday after the party on Saturday. You all should know first."
"True. You'll have plenty of time to tell Gold and work everything out," Mary Margaret said. "And don't worry, HR is great. They'll be able to help you figure out everything regarding your leave."
Regina smiled, clutching the sonogram to her chest again. "I'll keep that in mind. But all in good time."
Mary Margaret almost seemed to be vibrating as she clutched her hands to her chest as well. "Can I hug you now?"
"Yes," Regina replied, opening her arms as her assistant rushed toward her.
She crushed Regina in a bear hug, sniffling a bit. "I am so happy for you and Robin. It's about time."
"Thank you, Mary Margaret," Regina replied, hugging her back. "It's still a bit surreal, if I'm honest."
"It was surreal for me at first but don't worry. Something will happen and it will make it all real for you," her friend assured her. "For me, it was the first time Neal kicked."
Regina's spirits sagged a bit as she pressed her hand to her flat stomach. "I won't get to feel that."
Mary Margaret grew thoughtful. "No, not in the usual way. But you will still get to feel the baby kick since you are spending time with Emma. And I bet it'll make it all real for you just the same it did for me."
"Probably," Regina said. She then grew serious as she raised her finger. "Remember, not a word to anyone else until Saturday. Not even David. It's a surprise."
Mary Margaret made a show of locking her lips with an imaginary key and tossing it over her shoulder. "Your secret is safe with me."
Humming, Regina raised an eyebrow as she headed into her office. "We'll see."
Robin smiled as he looked around his house, which was packed with all their friends and family in America. People were spread out between the kitchen and the living room, so Queen was running between the two rooms in hopes of getting someone to feed her. He saw a few people sneaking treats to her but he figured it was a special day, so she could be spoiled.
They would just cut back on the treats for the next couple days.
"I think today is a success," Regina said, wrapping her arm around his waist as she stood next to him.
He chuckled, holding her close. "It's not even done yet. We still have our big announcement."
She began bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I know. I can't wait to tell everyone and see the looks on their faces! Can we tell them now?"
"If we don't, will you spontaneously combust?" he asked, teasing her gently.
"Yes," she replied, looking up at him with her best doe eyes. "Please?"
He kissed her forehead. "Okay, okay. We can make the announcement now. Let me get a glass to tap against."
"Or we can just ask Merida to whistle," Regina replied. "That usually works better than tapping glass."
Merida appeared before them as if summoned, smirking. "Just say the word and I'll happily whistle."
"I'm worried about the dog," Robin said, motioning to Queen as she sniffed around Merida's feet. No doubt her whistle would hurt Queen's ears and send the dog whimpering from the room.
"Why don't you pick her up and hold her?" Regina suggested. "She'll be fine in your arms."
He nodded, picking up the dog. Queen licked his cheek and he chuckled, scratching behind her ear. "Yeah, you love being held, don't you, girl? Now, Daddy's going to hold you while Merida lets out something that might hurt your ears. You're going to be fine, though."
"Does he often talk to the dog like that?" Merida asked, giving him a strange look.
Regina chuckled, also petting Her Majesty. "Every day."
"That must get annoying," she replied. At Robin's look, she rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll just whistle and keep my comments to myself."
Merida turned and let out a sharp whistle. Queen whined, trying to bury herself in Robin's grip. He held her close, soothing her as he ran his hand over her back and whispering comforting words to her. Everyone else fell silent, turning to face him and Regina with curiosity and excitement in their eyes.
"Robin and I want to thank everyone for coming," Regina said, taking the lead as he continued to soothe their dog. She placed her hand on his arm, smiling at their guests. "But while we love spending time with you, we have another reason for asking you to come here."
He put a calmed Queen down before straightening up to take Regina's hand. "As many of you know, Regina and I started the adoption process several months ago. We are now happy to say all our waiting has paid off. A birth mother has chosen us to adopt her child once she gives birth."
"Come this August, we'll finally be parents," she finished, taking the sonogram out of her pocket and showing it to them.
Everyone stared at them, wide-eyed and silent. It lasted only a few moments before the room erupted into cheers and shouts of joy as their guests rushed toward them. Cora reached them first, pulling her daughter into a hug. "I'm so happy for you, sweetheart," she said, voice thick from unshed tears.
"Thank you, Mother," Regina replied, hugging her back. "I can't believe this is really happening."
Robin watched the two with a smile until he felt someone squeeze his shoulder. He turned to find Henry standing there, his hand outstretched as he grinned at Robin. "Congratulations, my boy. You're going to be a great father."
"Thank you," Robin replied, shaking his hand. "I can't wait for him or her to get here."
"You two don't know the sex yet? Or you don't want to know?" Tuck asked, approaching Robin with a grin.
Regina stepped forward. "We haven't decided yet."
"But when we do, you all will be the first to know," Robin continued. "We promise."
Granny then approached the two of them, crying as she hugged them. "Oh, I'm so happy for you! I kept praying for this day to come and looks like they finally paid off."
Regina chuckled as she hugged her great aunt back. "Thank you, Granny. Do you want to see the sonogram?"
"Of course I do," the older woman replied, taking the picture from Regina as a few other people gathered around. She smiled fondly at it. "He or she looks perfect."
Robin wrapped his arm around his wife and held her close. "The doctor says everything looks good and that the baby is healthy. And Emma, the mother, is doing everything she needs to do to ensure a healthy pregnancy."
"Are you going to find out the baby's gender?" Ruby asked. "Or are you going to be surprised?"
Robin shrugged as Regina answered. "As I'm sure you understand, we haven't had much time to figure a lot of things out. This is all still very new to us."
He nodded. "Dr. Whale has written it down for us, in case we decide to find out."
"Are you taking name suggestions?" Will asked, grinning cheekily at them. "Because I know an amazing name for you to use."
Robin rolled his eyes, knowing where his friend was heading. "We are not naming our child William or Willa."
"I don't know. Willa does sound like a nice name for a girl," Regina mused, a faraway look in her eyes.
Will's grin morphed into a wide smile as he wrapped his arm around her. "I've always liked you, Regina. Right, Robin?"
"I do remember you saying you would like a chance if I ever blew it with Regina," Robin replied, crossing his arms as he pretended to be cross with his friend.
"Well, you didn't," Will replied. "And thank goodness or else I wouldn't have found Ana."
He smiled at his fiancée, who stood off to the side with Penny in her arms. She gave him a confused smile back and everyone chuckled as Will pulled his arm from Regina. He hugged Robin, who happily hugged him back. "You're going to be a great father," Will whispered.
"Thank you," Robin whispered back. He then pulled away. "We're going to tell Mum and my grandparents when we go to England for your wedding. So until then…"
Will nodded, holding up his right hand. "Mum's the word. I promise."
Robin relaxed a bit. "Thanks, Will."
"Can I have everyone's attention again for one more minute? I would like to propose a toast," Henry called out, holding a cup in his hand as he addressed the guests.
Everyone fell silent as they grabbed their cups. They all smiled as Henry held his aloft. "To Robin and Regina, as all their dreams came true. You two are going to make wonderful parents and we will all count ourselves lucky to help you on this next part of your journey. Congratulations!"
"Congratulations!" everyone echoed before drinking to Robin and Regina's happiness. They did the same as Robin held her close, feeling happier than he had ever been and knowing there was still more happiness to come once their son or daughter was born.
Regina loved traveling to England to visit Robin's family, especially now that George Locksley tended to make himself scarce whenever his son was around. Though that did bring some pain of its own because while Robin tried to put on a brave face and pretend he didn't care, she knew it still hurt him to be rejected by his father like that. She held him tighter at night, told him she loved him more often than she already did and made sure he was constantly surrounded by the family members who did love him—mostly his mother and grandparents, but all his cousins were more than happy to jump in as well.
Will and Ana's wedding was going to cap off their trip to England this year and they were the first ones to arrive so they could celebrate Grandpa Roland's birthday. After some discussion, they had agreed to tell his family about the baby at the birthday party. They felt there was enough time between the party and the wedding so they wouldn't be stealing Will and Ana's thunder. Regina also knew she would be unable to keep the secret around Robin's family for that long either and he had agreed it would be too difficult, so it was best for them to get it out as soon as possible.
It still was difficult to sit around Roland and Ellie's table their first night there, though, and not blurt out the surprise. She kept glancing at Robin from the corner of her eye and was relieved to see him looking just as antsy as she was. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze under the table as Grandpa Roland decided that his old bones were ready for bed.
Susan checked her watch and nodded, standing as well. "I should be heading back as well. I'll see everyone in the morning?"
"I'll walk you to your car, Mum," Robin said, standing up as well. He walked out with her and Regina followed at a distance, watching them from the door. They had agreed he could tell his mother before the party and she knew this was an important moment for him.
They paused at Susan's car and a few seconds later, Regina heard her squeal before reaching over to hug Robin. Susan then motioned for her to come out, which she did. Once she got to the car, Susan pulled her in for a hug. "Congratulations. This is such good news."
"Thank you," Regina said, hugging her back. "We're telling everyone else tomorrow but we thought you deserved to know first."
Susan pulled back, still smiling. "I call dibs on being called Nana."
Regina chuckled. "It's yours. My mother wouldn't even let me call her Mom once I started speaking properly, so I doubt she would want to be anything but Grandmother. She's particular like that."
"Good," Susan replied, excited. "Then I will be Nana. And this Nana will keep your secret tomorrow. Don't worry."
She bid them both goodnight again before getting in the car. They watched her pull out to start her short journey back home as Robin wrapped his arm around Regina. "She's so happy."
"Yeah, she is," Regina agreed. "She's going to be a great Nana."
"Your mom is going to be a great grandmother too," he replied, giving her a squeeze.
She nodded as they heard the door open. Turning, they saw Grandma Ellie standing there. "Are you two coming? It's cold out here. And I'm sure you two are exhausted."
"We have been up over twenty-four hours," Regina told him. He nodded, guiding her toward the door. They were going to need plenty of sleep so they were ready for the excitement the next day.
Because if there was one thing Regina knew about the Locksleys, it was that they would celebrate well into the night after they found out the news.
The next day, Daisy and Lucy raced over to Regina and hugged her tightly. She returned the hug, marveling at how much they had grown before telling them that she missed them. "Queen has missed you too," she added.
"Is she here with you?" Lucy asked, looking around for the terrier.
Regina shook her head. "It's a long flight and we knew she wouldn't be comfortable in her crate for that. My parents are watching her for us."
"Oh," Lucy replied. She then smiled. "I like Mr. Henry and Dr. Cora, so I'm sure Queen is having a lot of fun with them!"
"I want to have fun with you," Daisy said, tugging on her hand as she changed the topic. "I want to show you what I've learned in ballet."
Regina spent most of the party with the children, listening to them and playing with them. Her husband joined her at one point and they once again ran around with the children until they collapsed in breathless heaps on the grass. They smiled at each other and Regina knew he was imagining the same thing she was—the day their child would be playing with his or her cousins.
"Time for dinner," Ellie said, coming over. "Let your Uncle Robin and Aunt Regina up. They definitely need to eat after chasing all of you around."
The children laughed, getting to their feet and running over to the picnic table. Robin pulled himself to his feet before helping Regina up. "Thanks, Grandma. I love them but we definitely need breaks," he told Ellie.
She chuckled. "They can certainly run you ragged if you don't conserve your energy. Come on, let's replenish both of yours."
Robin took Regina's hand as they followed his grandmother to the picnic table. She took her seat next to Grandpa Roland at the head of the table while Robin and Regina took seats a bit further down. Daisy squeezed between them as usual, eager to continue telling them all about what she had been doing since she saw them in December.
After everyone had eaten, Grandpa Roland leaned back and rubbed his stomach. "I think I need some time to digest before we bring out the cake. So how about I open some presents?"
Everyone laughed and Grandma Ellie started handing him presents. Robin had already asked that his and Regina's be last, which had gotten a suspicious look from his grandmother. They sat through all the other presents, excitement and anticipation growing inside them. Regina held Daisy closer, using the little girl to keep herself focused so she didn't keep daydreaming about all the ways their present would be received.
Finally, Robin and Regina's present was the only one remaining. Grandma Ellie picked it up and handed it to her husband. "Your grandson insisted that you open this last. I must say, I'm very curious to find out why."
"Well, let's open it and find out," Roland said, taking the present and ripping off the paper. He held the picture frame in his hand, his brow furrowing as he picked up the little card Regina had placed with it. He opened it and his eyes widened as he read what Robin had written inside.
Grandma Ellie frowned as she leaned closer to look at the picture. "What is that?"
"This," Roland said, picking up the picture frame to show everyone the sonogram picture Regina had enlarged and framed. "This is my newest great-grandchild."
Everyone stared at the picture before they all looked at Robin and Regina in unison. She smiled widely, unable to hide her excitement much longer as she took his hand. "We met a birth mother who wants us to adopt her baby. She's due in August, so we're going to be parents this summer!"
"Oh my god!" Grandma Ellie shrieked as she jumped up, running around to where Robin and Regina sat. She hugged both at the same time, kissing both their cheeks. "I'm so happy for you two!"
Roland came over as well and he pulled Robin from his wife's arms, hugging his grandson tightly. "You are going to be an amazing father, my boy."
"Thank you," Robin said. Regina could hear how thick his voice got as he no doubt tried to fight back tears. She knew how much his grandfather's opinion meant to him.
Roland released him and turned to Regina, holding his arms open. "Your turn. Come here, mom-to-be."
She hugged him, letting him hold her close. "You're going to be a wonderful mum, Regina. You and Robin are naturals."
"Thank you," she whispered. She then pulled back as the rest of Robin's relatives surrounded them, congratulating them.
Daisy hugged Regina. "You're going to be a great mummy, Aunt Regina."
"You are," Lucy agreed, hugging her as well. "You were great with us."
"So, what are you two having? Will we be welcoming another boy into the Locksley clan? Or another girl?" Ryan asked, smiling at the two.
They exchanged looks before Robin shrugged. "We haven't decided if we want to know or not."
"Well, if you do, you let us know when you're ready," Roland told them. "And if you don't, we'll just find out when the baby arrives. We can all be patient, right?"
He leveled everyone with a stern look and they all nodded, except for Grandma Ellie. She scoffed instead. "You're going to be the most impatient of them all," she chided him.
"I can wait," he protested. At her withering look, he amended: "I can at least not bother Robin and Regina. I'll just bother you."
She rolled her eyes as Regina laughed, letting Robin hold her closer. She curled against him, resting her hand over his heart and her head on his shoulder. Happiness filled her so much, she thought her heart would explode.
Roland then smiled at the two of them, placing on hand on each of their shoulders. "Best birthday present ever. Thank you, you two."
"Thank you for all your support," Regina said. "We know it's been a long road but there's finally a light at the end of the tunnel."
"And on the other side is an even longer road," Ellie said, smiling. "But as long as you two walk it together, you'll be able to endure its ups, its downs, its potholes and its detours. We know you can do it."
Roland nodded. "Now, do you mind if I have my cake? It still is my birthday, after all."
A couple days later, Robin and the other groomsmen took Will out for his stag night. He kissed Regina goodbye, told her he'd probably be very late and very drunk so she shouldn't wait up for him. "I'll probably just crash on the couch," he said.
"Be careful," she warned, "and make sure Will comes home in one piece. Ana wouldn't be too pleased if he didn't."
He chuckled, nodding. "I'll do that. Don't worry."
Regina watched as he left before she joined his grandparents for dinner. They laughed and teased each other as well as discussing the baby. "So, have you and Robin figured out how you want to work child care?" Ellie asked.
"We've discussed it a few times even before Emma agreed to let us adopt her baby," Regina admitted. "I've already planned to take the full leave offered from my job once the baby comes and Robin's going to take some paternity leave once I go back, which will correspond to his slow time at work. Then we'll figure out what comes next."
Roland nodded, looking impressed. "Sounds like you two have a good plan."
"We hope so," Regina replied as the doorbell echoed around the house.
Ellie frowned. "Who could that be?"
"Do you want me to get it?" Regina asked as she started to stand from the couch.
Shaking her head, Ellie gently eased her down again. "No, you're our guest. I've got it."
Regina and Roland watched as she crossed to the front door, opening it. She glanced back at them. "It's Susan."
"Oh," they said, leaning back against the couch. He patted a spot on the couch. "Tell her to come on in, we have plenty of room."
"Thanks, Dad," Susan said, stepping into the living room. She held a box in her hand and she used it to motion toward Regina. "I was hoping to talk to Regina, though."
Regina started to stand. "Sure. Do you want to go somewhere private?"
Susan glanced down at the box before shrugging. "I guess we can stay here. This isn't necessarily a big secret."
"Okay," Regina replied, sitting down on the couch as Susan settled in next to her and handed her the box.
"I know you and Robin aren't sure if you're going to find out the sex of the baby but I thought you should have these anyway," Susan explained, lifting the lid.
Regina reached inside and her fingers closed around something soft, cottony. She pulled it out and her heart melted when she saw a little green onesie covered with foxes. Holding it up, she looked at Susan with some uncertainty. "Was this…?"
"Robin's? Yes," Susan replied, smiling softly. "Everything in that box was Robin's when he was a baby. I've been saving them for when he had a child of his own and now it's happening."
Tears pricked Regina's eyes as she hugged the onesie to her chest. She swallowed past the lump forming in her throat. "Wouldn't you want to give these to him directly?"
"Why? Are you not going to give them to him?" Susan teased her. She patted Regina's knee. "You're family too. I know it took me far too long to acknowledge that, but it's true. You're a Locksley and you're the baby's mother."
Regina hugged her and felt Susan wrap her arms around her. They held each other, Regina still clutching the onesie in her hand. A few tears fell down her cheeks, mostly out of joy that she was finally at this point with her mother-in-law. It felt good to be so accepted and loved now by Robin's mother after their very rocky start.
Susan pulled back, brushing away tears of her own as she gave Regina a bright smile. "Do you want to look at the rest of the box?"
"Yes," Regina replied, pulling the box toward her. Excitement filled her as she picked up two little booties. "Did Robin wear these when you brought him from the hospital?"
"He did," Susan confirmed with a bright smile. "He kept trying to kick them off and wasn't happy until his feet were bare."
Regina laughed before reaching into the box again. She pulled out a stuffed bear dressed like Robin Hood, complete with a velvet bow and arrow. Her heart melted as she imagined little Robin carrying it around as he ran around the yard with his own bow, pretending to be a Merry Man. "This is adorable."
"Oh, Robin Bear," Ellie said, sounding choked up. "He used to carry that everywhere."
"He loved that thing," Roland agreed with a fond smile.
"I'm sure our child will love him too," Regina said, placing the bear on her lap. She sighed happily. "Robin is going to be so thrilled to see all of this. You know, once he sobers up tomorrow."
They all chuckled before Susan shook her head. "I can't believe it. He's all grown up, married and about to be a father. And Will's all grown up, a father and about to be married. There were a few times when they were younger I never thought that would happen."
Roland chuckled again. "They certainly put a lot of gray hairs on my head."
"Your hair was already gray by the time those two came along," Ellie replied, rolling her eyes.
"My point still stands," he argued.
Susan patted Regina's knee. "While they bicker, do you want a cuppa?"
"That would be nice," Regina replied. "Thank you."
"Wait here. I'll be right back." Susan stood and headed toward the kitchen as Regina settled back against the couch.
She picked up Robin Hood Bear and smiled. It filled her with a pleasant warmth to know that her child would have something of his or her father's to play with and perhaps even wear. It reminded her that though their connection wouldn't be biological, it didn't make this baby any less of a Locksley.
Regina stood in the back of the small church in Ana's hometown. She was dressed in a black gown with cap sleeves and a scoop neckline. Grandma Ellie had helped her pin her curls into a bun and she had decided to wear the arrow Robin had gotten for her as well as her ruby bracelet. She bounced little Penny in her arms, the girl dressed in a pink satin gown with matching shoes and headband. Penny was technically the flower girl but was going to be carried by Regina, who would then mind her during the ceremony.
"Look at the cutest flower girl ever," Robin said, coming over to tickle Penny's stomach. Regina held onto her tighter as the baby kicked and laughed.
Glancing around, Regina lowered her voice. "I wouldn't say that too loud. You wouldn't want to insult Lucy and Daisy."
"Good point," he said, playing with Penny's foot. He then addressed the baby: "Are you being a good girl for your godmother?"
"She is," Regina confirmed, bouncing the girl a bit more.
Will walked up to them, nervously rubbing his short hair. He then dropped his hand and stood straighter, looking at Regina. "How do I look? Presentable?"
She looked over his black tuxedo with his bowtie and red cummerbund, all well-fitted and making him look quite dashing. A red rose was pinned to his lapel and his black shoes shone in the lights of the church.
"You look very handsome," Regina told him with a smile. "Ana won't be able to take her eyes off you."
Will laughed. "I probably won't be able to take my eyes off her. Even with this beautiful girl in the first row."
He leaned closer to his daughter, who reached out for him. Will took Penny from Regina and cuddled her as he kissed her forehead. "I love you, sweetheart."
"You're a natural father, Will," Regina told him, wrapping an arm around her husband now that they were free.
Will bounced his daughter as he smiled at the two. "Thank you, but I'm sure Robin will make me look like an amateur once your child comes."
"Oh, don't sell yourself short, mate," Robin told him. "I'm probably going to be calling you for tips."
"Well, I'll be happy to try to help," Will replied.
The minister walked out of a room by them, closing the door behind him. He smiled at Will. "Ana's ready. So if you are, we'll head up to the altar."
"I'll take Penelope," Regina said, holding her arms out for the baby. Will slid her into Regina's grasp and she rocked the girl.
Robin squeezed Will's shoulder. "Ready?"
Taking a deep breath, Will nodded. "Let's do this."
The minister started to walk down the aisle, followed by Robin and Will. Regina stood off to the side, watching the rest of the small bridal party head down the aisle. John and Alan both winked at her as they passed her and she gave them smiles in return.
Ana came out of the room and Regina gasped softly. "Oh, Ana, you look beautiful," she said.
"Thank you, Regina," she said, blushing. "And thank you for convincing your friend Cru to design the dress for me."
Cru had done an amazing job. Anastasia's dress was a modified A-line gown, which flared out at the very bottom, and was made entirely of lace. It had a bateau neckline with pears sewn into it. A satin ribbon was wrapped around her waist, ending in a bow that sit right above her train. The dress exuded elegance and was perfect for Anastasia.
Her father than covered her face with her veil and she took his arm. Ana motioned for Regina to proceed down the aisle with Penny. "Here we go," she whispered.
She held Penny in a seated position on her arm so everyone could see her, occasionally dropping rose petals as she walked down the aisle. Everyone cooed and took pictures of Penny, who started to get fussy. Regina tried to soothe her, assuring her it was almost over.
Will waved at his daughter and she tried to reach for him. Regina had to get a better hold on her, bouncing Penny around. "Soon," she whispered to the baby girl. "You'll be with your mommy and daddy soon."
Regina took her place in the first row, rocking Penny as the bridal march started up. Everyone else stood and turned to face the back, eager to see the bride come down the aisle. Anastasia looked radiant, practically floating to the front. She took Will's hand and he led her to the altar. Robin followed, winking at Regina before taking his place next to his friend as Will pledged to spend the rest of his life with Ana.
"So, are you watching Penny all night long?" Grandpa Roland asked, rubbing the little girl's stomach as Regina rocked her.
"Robin and I are. You know, when he's not doing Best Man duties." She pointed to where her husband was taking some pictures with the rest of the wedding party before turning back to Roland. "Ana's parents are going to watch her while Will and Ana are on their honeymoon so she's not coming home with us."
Roland looked disappointed. "Too bad. But I guess it won't be too long before we have another baby in the house."
She smiled, watching as Penny's eyes closed. The girl fought the urge to sleep as she tried to keep her eyes open but it was a losing battle. Soon, it would be Regina's own child fighting sleep in her arms. "Yes, there will be."
"There will be what?" Robin wrapped an arm around her waist as he stood close to her, looking at Penny with a soft smile.
Regina leaned against him. "Our own baby."
"Ahh," he replied, his smile growing bigger. "Yes, indeed."
Roland leaned on his cane, studying the two of them. "So, I know you two haven't decided if you want to find out the sex yet, but do you have any idea of what you want? Boy? Girl?"
They looked at each other and Robin shrugged. "I guess I don't care. Just as long as he or she is healthy."
"And you, Regina?" Roland asked, looking at her.
She glanced down at Penny, who was now asleep in her arms, as she considered her answer. It would be fun to dress up a little girl and put her hair into cute hairdos. They had also handled Lucy and Daisy well enough and it bolstered her belief that she could be a very good mother to a daughter and Robin was born to be a daddy. However, she could also see them both raising a little boy as they were both very good with Neal. Robin would no doubt watch Knights games with their son and play catch with him while Regina would gladly let him get dirty in her garden.
Knowing Roland was waiting for her answer, she looked up and smiled. "I guess my answer is the same as Robin. I just want a happy, healthy baby—boy or girl."
He smiled back at her. "Fair enough. So I guess you two don't want to find out what you're having?"
She glanced up at Robin, who frowned. "That's a different question, Grandpa. Wanting to know what we're having is not just because we want one particular answer."
"Finding out would help with choosing the nursery décor and letting people know what we would like if they want to get us something," Regina said.
"And if we want to be surprised, we can choose a gender-neutral theme and gifts," Robin said. "That's ultimately the decision we need to make—do we want to know or be surprised?"
She nodded. "We need to talk about that some more. Everything still feels all so new."
"Understandable," Roland said. "But don't forget you got dropped into the middle of this pregnancy. You don't have as much time to adjust."
"Stop scaring the kids! They have plenty of time," Ellie said, scowling at her husband. She held out her arms. "Why don't I take Penny so you two can share a dance?"
"Thank you," Regina said, carefully placing Penny in her arms so as not to wake the baby. She then took Robin's arm and let him lead her to the dancefloor.
They swayed together amongst the other couples, Robin's cheek pressed against her hair. "You're doing great with Penny," he told her.
"She's a good baby," Regina replied. "I hope our child is just as easy as she is."
"I'm sure he or she will," he said. "And if he or she isn't, we'll just handle it. We'll be fine."
She nodded before saying: "You know, it's going to get tiresome to keep saying 'he or she' whenever talking about the baby."
"True," he agreed. "Do you want to just use the more gender-neutral 'they' then?"
"That could work," she replied hesitantly. She swallowed as her stomach flipped. It probably wasn't the best time to discuss it but she knew she had to say something. "Actually, I was thinking…maybe we should find out what we're having. I would like to be more definitive when talking and planning."
He was silent for a few moments and she worried he didn't agree. "Do…Do you want to be surprised?"
"I can go either way," he said. "But I wouldn't mind finding out either. It would make things so much easier."
They stopped dancing as she looked in his eyes, heart pounding from anticipation. "Are you saying that you want to find out?"
He nodded. "I do."
Excitement coursed through her as she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him. "Thank you, Robin."
"You're welcome," he said, rubbing her back. "And if there is something you want when it comes to this baby, just let me know. It's easier to talk about it that way."
She chuckled, nodding. "I will. I promise."
"Good," he replied, kissing her forehead.
Will and Ana approached them, arms wrapped around each other and matching smiles on their faces. "We just wanted to let you know that my parents left and took Penny with them so she could get some sleep," Ana said. "Thank you for watching her."
"My pleasure," Regina assured her. "I love her dearly and besides, I'm her godmother. I think it's in the job description."
"Speaking of job descriptions," Will said, smiling as he looked at Robin. "It's time for the speeches, old mate."
Robin grinned, pulling a folded-up piece of paper from his pocket. "I'm ready."
"Good luck," Regina said, kissing his cheek. She then headed back to their table, taking her seat next to Grandma Ellie as they watched Robin take the microphone from the DJ.
He stepped into the middle of the dancefloor. "I'm sure most of you know who I am but for those who don't—I'm Robin and I've been Will's best mate since we were wee tykes. He and I have gotten into quite a few scraps together, including breaking bones when we decided we could pull off complicated skateboarding moves without massive amounts of practice or experience. Honestly, it's a miracle we made it to adulthood."
Robin paused as the guests laughed. He then continued: "Will's family wasn't the greatest. Most of us know that. My family pretty much adopted him and tried to give him the stability his own couldn't give him. He became the brother I never had but always wanted. We became men together and my only regret when I moved to the States was that I could take Will with me.
"Eventually, he moved across the pond and joined me in Maine. It was like we had never been apart," Robin said. "It's once again the two of us, supporting each other. He stood up for me when I married my wife and it has been an honor to stand up for him now that he married Anastasia. I am so proud of you, Will, and everything you've done. You should be proud too. Many people wrote you off due to your family but you proved them wrong. I look forward to us hitting more milestones together in the future and wish you, Anastasia and Penelope nothing but the best. Cheers."
"Cheers," Regina said with the others, raising her champagne flute in salute. She took a large sip as Will hugged Robin. The friends were living their best lives and Regina was excited to see what the future held for all of them as well.
A dull pounding in Robin's head woke him the next morning and he rolled over with a groan. "I think I had too much to drink last night," he moaned, not even opening his eyes.
"Is this the part where I say 'I told you so'?" Regina asked, running her cool fingers through his hair.
"Yeah," he replied. "I should've stopped when you told me to. I'm a bloody idiot."
She kissed his forehead. "No, you were a man celebrating his best mate's wedding who should've listened to his wife when she suggested he chug the bottle of water she lobbed at him before they left the catering hall."
"Oh, right," he said, pressing his hand to his eyes as he dimly recalled that moment. "Can you give me some water now? Preferably with some pain medication."
"One step ahead of you. Can you sit up?" she asked him.
He nodded, pushing himself into a sitting position. Robin slowly opened his eyes but saw the room was still somewhat dark as Regina hadn't opened the curtains. She dumped two pills into his hand and handed him a glass of water. He popped the pills and downed them, hoping they would take affect soon.
"Can I get you anything else?" she asked, rubbing his arm.
"No," he replied. "I'm probably just going to lie here a bit longer. You should head downstairs and have breakfast."
She laid down next to him, cuddling next to him. "I've already eaten. You slept through breakfast."
"Oh," he replied, resting his chin on her head. His own still pounded but his stomach was settling, which he decided was progress.
He kissed the top of her head. "What do you want to do?"
She shrugged. "Whatever you want to do. I'm good just cuddling you."
"Good," he replied, now resting his cheek against her hair. "I just want to lie here until the drum solo in my head died down."
"Do you want me to be quiet?" she asked, sounding concerned.
He shook his head. "Do you want to talk?"
"I do," she replied. "It's about our decision to learn the gender of our baby."
"Are you having second thoughts?" he asked. He had meant what he said the night before—he was okay with knowing and okay with not knowing. On this subject, he was completely deferring to her and he wanted to make sure she was following her heart on the matter. He didn't want her to feel rushed into any decision.
She shook her head. "I want to know what we're having. But I think we have a few more questions to answer about it."
"Like?"
"Do we want to tell everyone or keep it between us?" she asked, biting her lip.
He paused, frowning. "I thought one of the reasons to find out was so we could let everyone know for when they go shopping."
"I know," she said, sounding hesitant. "I guess then we will tell everyone…"
Robin frowned, not liking how disappointed she sounded. "Do you want to find out the sex? It's okay if you don't. I'm good either way and will follow your lead."
"I want to know," she said, her tone firm and more confident. She pulled away, propping herself up on her elbow as she frowned. "I just…want something to be a surprise to everyone else. Something only we know."
It all became clear to him now—especially as the pain reliever was starting to kick in. He rolled onto his side, propping himself up with his elbow as well. "I agree. We should have something to ourselves. How about the name? We choose one or two, if you want a middle name, and then not reveal it until the baby is born. Only we can call him or her that until then."
Her smile lit up the room. "That's perfect, Robin."
"Glad we sorted that out," he said, rubbing her arm as a question of his own popped into his head. "Since we're agreed to find out the sex and tell people, do you want a gender reveal party?"
She twisted her mouth as she thought about it. "I don't want anything grand. Maybe just a few family members. And nothing outrageous for the reveal, like fireworks. Something lowkey, like balloons."
"Small and lowkey," he said, nodding. "Sounds good."
Regina's smile dropped a bit. "You know this baby is yours as well. You get a say in these things too."
"I know," he assured her. "And trust me that I have opinions about other things when it comes to the baby. For example, I already have a list of names we can consider but we'll cross that bridge once we know if we're narrowing down boy names or girl names."
She nodded, scooting closer. "I look forward to some healthy debates about it."
He chuckled, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her down with him as he laid flat on his back. She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. As his headache receded more, Robin was content to just cuddle with her as the morning gave way to the afternoon.
Regina leaned back in the high back dining chair, feeling too full to move. She raised her glass of wine to her great-aunt. "Another great meal, Granny. I think Robin will have to roll me out to the car."
"Oh, I don't know about that," he groaned. "Someone is going to need to roll me out as well."
Granny chuckled, standing. "Well, I hope you save room for dessert. I made it especially for you two."
Regina wondered why Granny would make them a special dessert? There was nothing really for them to celebrate. If anything, she could understand if Granny had made Robin a cake to celebrate his birthday early since Ruby was in town. She had just gotten back from covering some political uprising in South America and though she usually took longer breaks after her more serious assignments, Regina knew that if an exciting or fun gig came her way, Ruby would happily hop on a plane. So it was hard to tell if she would be there for Robin's birthday.
"Here we are," Granny said, coming out of the kitchen with a cake in her hands. It was a layer cake smothered in vanilla icing though no candles. She placed it down between Robin and Regina, allowing them to see the question mark made out of jelly beans on top.
"We know you wanted to do your gender reveal with family, so since Ruby's ack, we thought today would be a good choice," Cora explained.
"And you wanted something lowkey," Granny added. "I figured a cake would be more delicious than balloons."
Regina gaped at the cake, amazed her family had pulled this off. She took Robin's hands, smiling up at her great-aunt. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome," Granny replied. She handed them a knife. "Go ahead. Cut yourself a slice and find out."
Excited, Robin and Regina held the knife together as they cut into the cake. They made another incision before Regina grabbed a plate, letting him place the slice on it as Ruby snapped pictures. The cake had been dyed its color stood out against the white frosting as Regina processed what it all meant. A lump formed in her throat as she covered her mouth.
"Well?" Grandpa Roland's voice startled her. She looked up to find Cora holding up her phone as he, Grandma Ellie and Susan crowded the screen. He grinned. "Am I getting a new great-grandson or a new great-granddaughter?"
Laughing, Robin held up the plate so everyone could see the blue cake. Regina smiled as she announced: "It's a boy!"
Everyone cheered as Robin pressed a kiss to her head. Visions of blue outfits, tiny suits, trains, sports and other things danced around her head. She was having a little boy, one she hoped would love digging around her garden with her and learning to cook from her. Regina knew Robin would introduce their son to the Knights as soon as he was home and pictured the two sitting in the living room watching the games together. A list of boy names filled her mind and she looked forward to debating them with Robin and hearing his own choices.
There was time for that. For now, she celebrated the fact she was having a son. She took a picture of the cake, the slice they had cut revealing the inside perfectly. Regina posted it to her Instagram and wrote a simple caption for it.
Baby Boy Locksley
Coming August 2019
A/N: At long last, here's the next chapter of Comfort Food! I would really love to get back to a monthly posting schedule but with a themed week or fandom event planned for nearly every month until well into 2019, I'm not sure if that will be entirely possible. But I would like to get a couple more chapters out before the end of the year. (Which I can't believe is getting closer and closer).
In the next chapter, we'll see more of Regina and Emma's relationship as everyone starts throwing Regina baby showers. And we'll see Robin and her start to prepare the house for the baby as well.
Just a reminder—Inspired by OQ week is coming up later this month. I will be participating, writing fanfics for some of the great art that has been created for this fandom. For anyone else who may be participating, please feel free to use any of my stories as inspiration. I can't wait to see what is created that week!
-Mac