Chapter 2: Christmas CEO
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Regina groaned as she reached out, silencing her alarm. She stretched as she sat up, looking around her bedroom. Glancing down at her bed, her heart sank. There was no sign that Robin was suddenly alive and able to be with her again.
Maybe she should've been more specific when she made that wish.
She climbed out of bed and went about her morning routine, pleased to find that her wardrobe looked much like hers. Regina picked out a black pantsuit with a white jacket. After putting on her outfit, she went to do her hair and makeup – only to once again discover her hair looked perfect despite the fact she just woke up and she appeared to be wearing makeup. Her heart sank as she realized she was now in a movie and based on the wardrobe, it was different. But which one was it?
Regina brushed her hair and it went up into a French twist with her makeup also now looking more professional than natural. She stood and took a breath as she opened the door, wondering what she would encounter on the other side.
The inn was gone and instead she appeared to be in a rather spacious apartment, judging by the layout. She entered her open plan living room and kitchen, which was done in all whites and held little decorations. Was she still in a Christmas movie? If so, why didn't it feel very Christmassy?
"Good morning, Aunt Regina," a familiar voice said, drawing her attention to the kitchen. Henry and Roland sat at the table there, eating cereal. It was like something from one of her dreams – her son and Robin's spending time together like brothers.
Though in her dreams, her son didn't call her Aunt Regina.
"Good morning, you two," she said, approaching them. "I see you helped yourself to breakfast."
Henry nodded. "We know how busy you are with your company and the merger with Gold's Toys."
"Right," she said, recalling the movie she watched with Henry before falling asleep and believing the wish had placed her into that one.
"Are we going to see Robin today?" Roland asked, eyes wide. "I really like him."
Henry nodded. "Me too."
"Why did you and Robin stop being friends, Aunt Regina?" Roland asked her, leaning forward.
"Oh," she said, still not sure what movie she was in and therefore didn't know if she could answer.
Henry tilted his head. "Did it have to do with your toy company?"
"The toy company," she repeated, now certain she was now living out the movie she and Henry had watched, Christmas CEO. In it, the main character had started a toy company with her best friend who was obviously in love with her but they had become estranged over different priorities for the business. She had been obsessed with profits and stats and other data while he had wanted to focus on the creativity and fun of making toys.
At least the characters better fit her and Robin this time around, though she wasn't too fond of how the plot had played out for her character. Still, Chris had gotten a happy ending and Regina looked forward to that.
"Yes," she finally said. "We had different ideas for how to run our company and he just walked away."
"And you didn't try to contact him again until now?" Henry asked, frowning. "Why?"
She checked her watch, relieved when she saw the time. "It's time for you two to get to school. Finish up your cereal and then we'll get going, okay?"
Roland nodded but Henry scowled. He gave her a look that she knew meant he would get his answers one way or the other before turning back to his bowl to finish his breakfast. She let out a little sigh of relief though she feared she had just put off the inevitable. But at least it gave her more time to adjust to her new surroundings and the new plot she had been thrust into now.
They soon were bundled up and backpacks were donned before Regina ushered them out of the apartment. When they left the building, Storybrooke had been turned into a major metropolitan area and she saw skyscrapers and other tall buildings all around her. Cars filled the streets as people bundled up in coats walked quickly along the sidewalks. She had never really considered herself a city person and she felt rather uncomfortable in this strange new version of Storybrooke. Hopefully they would get through this one quickly so she could get back to her quiet little town.
Well, maybe not too quickly. She did want to cherish the time she spent with any version of Robin, no matter what.
"Here we are, Aunt Regina," Henry said, interrupting her thoughts. She found they were standing in front of a school building and her "nephews" were waiting for her to do or say something.
"Right," she said, pulling each boy in for a hug. She relished holding them in her arms for as long as she reasonably could before releasing them. "Have a good day. I'll see you later."
They nodded and Henry took Roland's hand as they joined the other kids streaming into the school building. She watched them and they paused at the door, waving to her. Regina waved back before they disappeared into the building. Taking a deep breath, she started to walk away and hoped her feet knew the way to her office building because her mind certainly didn't.
She would manage this movie just like the last one and get another happy ending. That would make all the awkwardness worth it.
"I'm heading out for the afternoon," Regina told Mary Margaret, who was her assistant in this movie. "You know how to reach me in case of an emergency."
Mary Margaret nodded though her eyebrow went up. "You've been leaving early a lot lately."
Regina bristled at the implied accusation in her words. "Because I'm caring for Henry and Roland while Emma and Killian are on tour. I can't leave them on their own for hours on end."
"Of course not," Mary Margaret said, holding up her hands. "It's just unusual for you."
"I know," Regina replied, wondering if all her employees were thinking the same. "But it's only for a couple more days. I'll be back to my usual schedule by Christmas."
Mary Margaret hesitated before saying: "Maybe you don't?"
That surprised Regina and she tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"Everyone here knows how dedicated you are and we admire you for it. We're also very grateful," Mary Margaret told her. "But even hardworking, dedicated leaders deserve some down time every now and then. You deserve to spend time with your loved ones at Christmas or whenever you want."
"I don't think anyone would be happy if I start abandoning my responsibilities and not providing leadership," Regina argued, though part of her knew that wasn't what Mary Margaret meant at all.
Mary Margaret held up her hands. "I don't mean for you to abandon anything or fall down on the job. But it wouldn't help anyone if our CEO gets burnt out. Everyone needs a chance to rest and recharge."
"Right," Regina said, knowing that was something she was struggling to learn in real life. Was that also the lesson she had to learn from this movie? She didn't recall the assistant saying much in the movie so was that the reason for this deviation from the script? Or was she reading too much into this and all the wish was giving her were several chances to get a happy ending with Robin?
She wished the wish came with instructions.
"Just something to think about," Mary Margaret said. "Have a good evening, Regina."
"You too," Regina replied, leaving the office. She boarded the elevator and waited for the doors to close. Taking a deep breath, she readied herself to pick up Henry and Roland before going to see Robin in this movie.
She couldn't wait.
Robin in this movie was much closer to her Robin, though he ran his father's antique shop while designing, building and fixing toys. He wore similar clothing, preferring jeans and hoodies and even wore his familiar blue scarf. This Robin had a heart of gold and wanted nothing more than to help others. It was almost as if he were her Robin.
Would that make this happy ending more bitter or sweeter? She wasn't too sure but she was willing to play her part until she found out. That was why she walked through a Christmas tree lot with him and the boys as the hunted for the perfect tree for Robin's charity toy drive. Her character was helping him with in exchange for him signing paperwork that would allow her to merge her company with a larger one.
"Way to go," Robin said, high-fiving Henry and Roland. "You found the perfect tree. Let's buy this and get this bundled up so we can bring it to event."
"Aww, are we done?" Roland asked, disappointed.
Regina nodded. "Looks like it. Robin has his tree and we should head home."
"Can we help you decorate it?" Roland asked, his focus on Robin rather than Regina. He clasped his hands together. "Please?"
"You will," Robin assured him, gently mussing his curls. "Just not today."
Henry looked around the lot before turning his attention to Regina. "Hey, Aunt Regina, we should get you a Christmas tree while we're here."
Robin let out an exaggerated gasp. "Do you not have a Christmas tree?"
"She doesn't," Roland said. "And no Christmas decorations!"
"I told you I don't need them because I celebrate with you at your house," Regina reminded her nephew.
Henry shook his head. "You still need a tree, Aunt Regina."
Robin nodded. "They're right, Aunt Regina."
"Fine," she sighed, knowing that having a tree wouldn't hurt her. "Let's go get me a Christmas tree."
"And do you have things to put on said tree?" Robin asked her, raising an eyebrow.
Roland shook his head, ratting her out. "She doesn't."
"She doesn't have any decorations," Henry added.
She crossed her arms as she glared at her nephews. "Traitors."
"Okay, okay," Robin said, holding up his hands. "We need to remedy this. First, we get a tree and then we get decorations. Then we'll decorate the apartment."
The boys cheered as Regina sighed. "You're still impossible, Robin Locksley."
"And you wouldn't have me any other way," he replied, winking before the boys pulled him away to find her tree. Regina watched as something fluttered deep inside her, knowing his words were true.
She absolutely wouldn't have her Robin any other way.
Roland poked his head out from behind a tree, grinning. "Are you coming, Aunt Regina?"
"Yes, sweetheart," she said, walking toward him. "I am."
He held out his hand to her and she took it. They walked toward Henry and Robin as her heart skipped a beat. In this movie, the wish was giving her another one of her dreams – she and Robin spending time with their boys. She loved watching Robin with Henry as they discussed one of the trees. It was everything she had wanted since Robin and Roland came into her life.
If only it was part of her real life and not some dream world created by a wish.
"There," Robin said, taking a step back. "It's perfect."
"Yeah," Regina agreed, crossing her arms as she looked up at her Christmas tree. She then pulled Henry and Roland in for a hug. "It is. Thank you."
They laughed as they cuddled against her. "You're welcome, Aunt Regina," Roland said, grinning widely.
"So, I suggest a dinner break and then we can finish decorating your aunt's apartment," Robin said, clapping his hands together. He met Regina's eyes. "Agreed?"
She bit her lip as her stomach growled. Looking between Roland and Henry, who both had hopeful expressions, she nodded. "Alright. What do we want?"
"Can we get pizza?" Roland asked, grinning. "Please?"
"I think we need something a bit healthier than pizza," Regina said. "How about we order from the place down the street? We can get meals with healthy things and not-so-healthy things."
"Sounds like a good compromise to me," Robin replied, pulling out his phone. "What's the name of the place?"
Regina gave him the name and they all placed their orders. She then turned to her nephews. "Okay, it's time for you to do your homework before dinner comes, okay?"
They groaned but nodded. She watched as they trooped over to the kitchen table, pulling out their books and starting to do their work. Regina then turned to Robin. "Thank you. You're amazing with them."
"They're good kids," he replied. "I can't believe how big they've gotten."
"I know," she said. "Before I know it, they're going to be adults and off living their own lives."
A lump formed in her throat as she wondered if she would ever again see the curly-haired boy who had stolen her heart and repaired it back in the Enchanted Forest. Zelena had said she had promised Roland that he could see his baby sister often but Regina knew that traveling between worlds was difficult. Though Zelena was probably the only one who could still do so easily and they had fallen out, meaning it was unlikely her sister would take her to see Roland as well.
She likely would never see him again and that broke her heart even more.
"Are you okay?" Robin asked softly.
Regina nodded, looking up at him. "Just depressed myself a little. I've missed so much and I'm worried I'll miss even more."
"You don't have to," he said. "You can be there for them and be the best Aunt Regina possible."
There was something in his voice as she thought about how much work running Gold's Toys would be once their company merged with it. Gold himself had told her that long hours would be expected and that she likely would not have any time for much else but running the business. Once the deal went through, she didn't know when she would have time to spend with her nephews like this again.
But it would be worth it.
Right?
"I'll try my best," she finally said.
He frowned. "That doesn't sound too encouraging."
"Well, what do you expect, Robin?" she asked, anger rising in her even though she knew he was right. She hated these moments when her feelings were overruled by the ones her character was feeling. "I run a business and will run a major corporation soon. I don't have much choice."
"You always have a choice," he told her.
"We're not going to have this argument now," she told him. "Not when Roland and Henry are here."
Robin nodded, glancing at the boys. "Fine. But we will have this discussion eventually. It's been a long time coming."
"Yes," she agreed. "It has."
The doorbell rang and she walked over to her door, tipping the delivery person and taking their food from him. She set up their meals and placed them in front of each person before pouring them something to drink. Once she sat down, she motioned to their food. "Dig in!"
"And then we can finish decorating?" Roland asked, munching on a French fry.
She chuckled. "Yes, we can."
"We're going to make sure your aunt is perfectly Christmassy," Robin assured them, winking at both boys.
Henry looked up at her. "Will you come for Christmas at our house this year, Aunt Regina? We've missed you."
She felt a pang hit her heart as she reached out to cover his hand with hers. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Yay!" Roland cheered, bouncing in his seat. He then turned to Robin. "What about you, Uncle Robin?"
"Oh," the man replied, clearly caught off-guard. His eyes darted to Regina as he said: "I'll have to talk with your aunt and your parents but I'm sure I could stop by for a little bit."
Regina nodded. "Robin does have his own family to celebrate with as well."
"Oh, I remember Michael and Catherine," Henry said, squinting as if he could see them in the distance. "They were really nice."
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Roland asked Robin, still munching on his meal as he waited for the answer.
Robin shook his head. "It's just my parents and me."
"So you don't have any nieces and nephews either?" Roland asked.
"No," Robin replied. "But that's okay. I have a lot of kids I spend time with and have fun with."
"The kids we're going to collect the toys for," Henry said.
Robin nodded. "Exactly."
"You always did have a heart of gold, Robin," Regina told him, meaning every word as this Robin continued to remind her of her own.
He grinned. "You have one of your own, Regina. You just need to listen to it more."
"What does that mean?" Roland asked, frowning as he looked between Regina and Robin.
"Your aunt knows, "Robin replied cryptically as he held Regina's gaze. She was certain it had to do with their early conversation and her character's arc, which promised a lot of tension before she got to the happy ending.
She wished she could just jump to that now.
"Let's finish our meals," she said. "It's getting late and you two need to be in bed soon. So if you want to finish decorating…"
Henry and Roland turned back to their meals, their questions forgotten. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she also continued to eat. But she felt Robin's gaze on her and when she looked up, she found him studying her with a look in his eyes she couldn't quite place. Regina decided to ignore it for now.
There would be plenty of time to unpack that look later.
"What do you want me to tell the printer?" Mary Margaret asked as Regina raced down a street toward where she was supposed to be meeting Robin.
Sighing, Regina said: "Tell them that the error was clearly on their end and so they should be the ones who eat the cost of reprinting everything. And if they give you a hard time, refer them to legal."
"Will do," Mary Margret said. "Have fun with Robin."
"I'll try. I hope he doesn't keep me too long. I have way too much to do, especially preparing for the presentation to Gold's Toys' board," Regina said, feeling her stomach tighten as she thought of the presentation. Hopefully the wish gave her a script or she worried she would look foolish trying to talk about a company she barely knew and didn't even run before a bunch of extras.
She ended the call and caught herself before she collided with a ladder. Regina tried to curse but it didn't come out the way she intended. "Fudge!"
"Be careful!" An older man with a white beard leaned past the ladder as he looked her over. "You seem to be in a rush."
"I am," she said, recognizing him as the man who was heavily hinted to be Santa in the movie. She wondered if he knew anything about her wish but was hesitant to ask him.
He studied her and tilted his head. "You look conflicted."
"A bit," she admitted. "Just a lot going on."
"I can tell," he said. "But you need to slow down and pay more attention to what's around you."
She nodded, glancing over at the ladder. "Yeah. I definitely don't need to add a concussion to all of this."
"You don't," he agreed, "but that's not what I meant."
Her phone dinged with a message from development and she sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't have time for riddles. I have to go."
"Go, go, go," he said. "But where are you going?"
She frowned, confused by his question. Regina pointed down the block. "To the antique store."
He sighed. "You know that's not where I meant."
"I told you, I don't have time for riddles," she told him, growing even more annoyed. "Either speak plainly or let me pass."
Nick studied her before nodding, holding out his hand. "Give me your phone."
She held it to her chest, knowing what he was about to do and not sure she wanted to go through that part of the movie. "Why?"
"Just trust me," he told her, smiling gently.
"I don't know you," she replied, the script and wish trying to get her to hand over her phone but she fought it.
He continued to smile. "Sure you do. Deep down, you know you know me."
"Maybe," she said. "Doesn't mean I am going to give you my phone. Who knows what you're going to do with it?"
"I'm going to turn it off," he said, confirming what she remembered from the movie.
She shook her head as she slipped her phone into her purse. "No."
He frowned now, clearly stunned by her reaction. "You need to unplug and just enjoy the moment."
"I also need to be reachable because I'm responsible for my young nephews right now," she told him. "My phone absolutely stays on. That is not up for debate, especially with some creepy stalker like you."
She pushed past him and walked away from him. After a few steps, she heard him call out after her. "Just pay more attention to what's going on around you. If you're so focused on what you need to do next, you'll miss what's happening now. Live in the moment. Enjoy now. Alright?"
"Fine," she said over her shoulder. "Just leave me alone."
Regina then rounded the corner and relief filled her as she reached the antique shop. She opened the door and stepped inside, relieved to be safe at last from that man who - no matter what the movie implied and what the wish wanted her to believe - was not Santa Claus. Just because she was stuck in the movie didn't mean she had to follow the script perfectly, especially when there were parts that were downright nonsensical.
She took a deep breath and put him from her mind as she spotted Robin. Regina approached him, holding out her arms. "I'm here as instructed. What now?"
"Great," he said, looking up with a smile. "We're going to sort the toys ahead of the giveaway. You think you're up to that?"
"Organization?" she asked, perking up. "Oh, yes. I definitely think I'm up for that."
Robin grinned, motioning for her to follow. "We'll see."
She raised her eyebrow as she started to walk with him, wondering what he meant. It was then she remembered that this part was when the two main characters - Chris and Joe - had spent the afternoon playing with the toys in order to properly sort them. Regina bit the inside of her cheek to hide her smile, knowing she was about to have a really fun afternoon with the man she loved.
It was everything she never really had with him back home and she was grateful to the wish for it. Was that why it put her into this movie? Or was there some other reason?
Regina wished she knew.
After spending an afternoon playing with toys, Robin invited Regina out to dinner. She frowned, checking the time on her watch. "I have to pick up Henry and Roland," she said.
"They can come with us," he insisted. "We can go to the Christmas Corner."
"Oh my god," she said, her spirits perking up as she recalled the amazing restaurant the main characters went to in the movie. She would love a chance to go visit there and see if the food was as good as it looked. "I haven't been there in forever!"
He gasped in mock horror. "We need to change that! So let's go pick up your nephews and then have a really nice evening out. What do you say?"
She smiled as warmth filled her. "I think that sounds great. Do you need to get your coat?"
"Yeah," he said, motioning her to follow him. "We can get it from my office."
He led her to a door and opened it, flipping on the lights. "Come on in," he said.
She was not surprised to find that his office was decorated for Christmas with lights hung around the room and a little tree resting on a shelf over his computer. He had also hung lights in the window that looked out over the street and she watched as he unplugged them all before closing the curtains. Robin grabbed a green coat and shrugged it on as Regina's attention was drawn to a second desk in the room.
Walking toward it, she realized it was a drawing desk and that Robin had designs for a new toy on it. Surprise filled her even though she knew his character had continued to design toys but since her character hadn't, those emotions took over her. "What is this?" she asked.
"Oh, it's a dollhouse I've been working on," he said, seemingly not caring that she had been snooping around his office. "The idea is that the children can first put it together and then play with it. So it's STEM and imagination in one."
"That's a great idea, Robin," she said, impressed. "When do you think it will be done?"
He shrugged. "There's something missing but I can't figure out what."
Regina leaned closer to the study the plans better as the script gave her the answer. She pointed to the walls "What if you change these so that they can also come apart again and allow the child to constantly build and rebuild their house according to their imaginations?"
"That would work," he said, picking up his pencil and making some adjustments. "It could constantly be a new toy over and over."
"And the only limit would be the child's imagination," she replied, growing excited. "This is brilliant, Robin."
His cheeks turned pink as he smiled sheepishly. "Thanks. But you really made it pop. Looks like we're still a good team, huh?"
"Yes," she agreed, itching to take his hand. "We are."
Robin's eyes met hers and all she wanted to do was take him back to her apartment so she could kiss him. Then they could do some things that definitely were not appropriate for a Hallmark movie and just be together until the wish ended. It was all she wanted.
But she couldn't. They had a script they had to stick to (more or less) and she had already deviated once. She didn't know what the wish would do if she kept trying to make more changes and didn't want to chance anything.
Especially precious moments with any version of Robin.
Robin cleared his throat before pulling back. "We should go. I'm sure Henry and Roland are getting hungry."
She nodded, knowing she had to stick to the main points of the script. "Yeah, let's go get them."
They walked out of the office together as disappointment flooded Regina. As Robin escorted her through the shop, she wondered how many more movies she would have to live there and wondered if it would ever be enough time with Robin. Or would she always be left wanting more?
The Christmas Corner was everything she had expected.
Henry and Roland had bounded into the eatery first and had been followed by Robin, allowing Regina to bring up the rear and really take in her surroundings. It was designed to look like a corner store from the turn of the century and felt like something out of a Disney park, decorated with all sorts of Christmas decorations. Candy was piled in long tubes behind the main counter, which was placed over display cases showing off all kinds of baked goodies from pies to fudge. Regina's mouth watered and she wondered if she could eat whatever she wanted and not regret it once the wish was over.
It was, after all, just a movie.
"This place is amazing!" Henry exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.
Roland nodded, bouncing next to his brother. "Why haven't Mom and Dad brought us here before?"
"Probably because it's not as healthy as they want," Regina said, feeling odd saying that. She couldn't imagine Emma Swan or Captain Hook - who judging by a picture she had found were cast as Henry and Roland's parents in this movie - worried about healthy food and not just giving their children fast food. That was more her thing.
But this was a movie and she had a character to play. And that character gave her niece cold pizza for breakfast, so clearly nutrition was not high on her list of priorities.
Regina crouched to look both boys in the eyes. "But they aren't here and you're with me and Robin, so we're going to enjoy some not-so-healthy food, okay?"
"Okay," Henry said with a grin while Roland nodded happily.
As she straightened up, Robin leaned closer to her to whisper: "I see you're also roping me into this."
"It was your suggestion," she whispered back. "You walked into it willingly. So if I'm going down when Emma and Killian return, then so are you."
"Fair enough," he said, leaning away again. Speaking louder, he pointed to one booth. "Look, our booth is free."
She chuckled, wish-created memories filling her head as she nodded. "We should take it. It is the best booth in the house."
"You have your own booth?" Roland asked, his mouth dropping open. "How rich are you, Auntie Regina?"
Laughing, Regina shook her head. "We don't mean that I own the booth, though I probably do make enough money to buy it," she said.
"No, your aunt and I used to sit in it all the time growing up," Robin explained. He then turned to her. "Remember winter formal senior year?"
She nodded as those memories swirled around her mind, helping her live out the script. "We demolished so many pecan pies. And didn't Belle fall asleep on the bench?"
He laughed, nodding. "Jefferson and I had to carry her back to the car. I think we barely got her up when we dropped her off at home."
"I'm surprised Mr. French didn't kill us," Regina said, shaking her head. "I'm still surprised you asked her to the formal."
"Why?" he asked, frowning as they took their seats at their old booth.
She shrugged. "She just didn't seem your type."
"It wasn't a date-date," he replied. "I wanted to go with a friend and since my first choice was unavailable, I asked Belle. We did a lot of clubs together and were lab partners for two years, remember?"
Regina nodded, though her memories were scripted. She then asked: "Who was your first choice?"
He met her eyes, frowning as he asked: "You don't know?"
Even if she didn't have the script in her head, Regina would've known it was her. She swallowed. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You had already agreed to go with Jefferson," he replied. "I would've felt like a jerk if I asked you to say no to him and go with me. So I asked Belle and figured the fact we were all going together would be good enough."
"I never knew," she said, knowing there was something else her character didn't know but she did since she saw the movie.
Joe - or in this case Robin - had been in love with Chris - her - since they were children and had never told her.
So she had to play dumb about that.
He shrugged before clearing his throat. "Well, it's in the past, so let's not focus on it. Let's focus on the delicious meal we're going to have now and enjoying our time here with Henry and Roland. Especially when they watch me kick their aunt's…butt…at the Racing Reindeer game."
"Oh no," she said, amused by his belief he could beat her. "You've never done that. It's very likely they'll watch their aunt kick your butt at that game instead."
"Is that a challenge?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
She nodded, feeling her usual competitive streak ignite. "Scared?"
"Not on your life," he replied, leaning forward. "You're going down, Mills."
"Bring it, Locksley," she said.
Someone cleared their throat and Regina leaned back, feeling embarrassed when she saw a server staring at them. He raised his pad. "Are you ready to order?"
"Yes," she replied meekly. "We are."
After they placed their orders, the server walked away. Regina and Robin met each other's eyes before they dissolved into laughter. Henry and Roland joined them and all four kept laughing, a joyous sound that echoed around them. For a moment, Regina could pretend that they were a real family who were enjoying a nice dinner together and sharing a joke.
She wiped some tears from her eyes. "Oh, that poor server. He probably thought we were crazy."
"Probably," Robin agreed. "I'll leave him a good tip."
"No, I can do that," she protested.
He frowned, shaking his head. "I'm treating you three. Don't worry about it."
"Nonsense," she replied, knowing she had to make more money than him. "We should split the bill at the very least."
"How about we race for the bill?" he suggested.
She narrowed her eyes. "We've established I always win therefore you would definitely have to pay."
"Maybe," he replied, grinning. "But if I do win, wouldn't it make more sense for you to pay then?"
"I guess so," she said. "Because then it would be a celebration I will happily eat crow and pay for."
Roland frowned. "Why would you have to eat crow? That sounds disgusting."
They laughed and Regina shook her head. "It's just a saying that means to be humble and admit that you were wrong."
"Oh," he said, still looking confused. "Why?"
Robin and Regina exchanged looks before he said: "You know what, I don't know. We'll have to look that up later."
"Alright," Roland replied, placated for now as the server arrived with their food. It proved a good distraction as they all started to eat.
Once they were finished, Regina leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "That was just as good as I thought it would be."
"Agreed," Robin said, patting his stomach. "Still the best cooking in town."
"I never knew I liked pecan pie," Henry said, licking his fork. "But I don't know if I will ever be able to eat it from anywhere else."
Regina chuckled. "This is the best pecan pie in town."
"I'd say the country," Robin replied, pushing his plate away. He looked at Regina. "So, Mills, ready to race for the bill?"
"You bet," she said, standing. They walked over to the game in question, Henry and Roland in tow to watch the challenge unfold.
Regina deposited some money into the game and boarded the reindeer on the left while Robin took the one on the right. She looked him over, ready to beat him. "Ready?"
"Set," he agreed.
"GO!" they both exclaimed as the race began. The reindeer started to rock and Regina controlled it like it was a horse she was riding, leaning low as she dodged the obstacles that appeared on the screen as they moved down the snowy landscape. She leaned in whatever direction she needed to go to collect coins to earn points, focusing on them and not whatever Robin was doing until she reached the finish line.
Winner - Left Reindeer!
Joy and pride rose through Regina as she lifted her arms. "Ah ha! Still undefeated! What do you say, Locksley?"
"Looks like I'm paying the bill," he said, dismounting from his reindeer. He held out his hand. "Good race."
She shook his hand, nodding as she glanced at the screen to see his score. Only twenty points separated them and she had to admit she was impressed. "You too. You've definitely gotten better since high school."
"Yeah," he replied, chuckling. "Maybe one day I'll beat you."
"Maybe," she agreed, checking her watch with a groan. "I should get the boys home. It is a school night."
Robin nodded. "You guys go. I have it covered here."
"Are you sure?" she asked, hesitant to leave him. But she knew she had to, no matter how much she hated it.
"Yeah," he said, hugging Henry and Roland. "You all get home safe and I'll see you soon."
Regina nodded before hugging him. "Have a good night, okay?"
He hugged her back. "You too. And text me when you're home, yeah?"
"Only if you do the same," she insisted, reluctantly releasing him. "Goodnight, Robin."
She watched as Henry and Roland also hugged him goodbye before they retrieved their coats. They left the restaurant and she paused at the door, looking back to see Robin paying their bill. Her heart skipped a beat before she left, knowing there was still more movie to come.
Regina walked into her office the next day, a bounce in her step as she approached Mary Margaret's desk. "Good morning," she said.
"Why are you here?" Mary Margaret asked, her eyes wide. "Didn't you get my messages?"
Panic filled Regina as she remembered what part of the movie this was. She pulled out her phone, which hadn't been turned off like the main character Chris' but had been just as silent. Regina showed it to Mary Margaret. "No, I've gotten nothing since yesterday afternoon," she said.
"Oh no," Mary Margaret said, looking horrified. "Gold called and moved the meeting with the board to this morning and at their offices."
"This morning?" Regina asked, her heart sinking into her stomach. "What time?"
Mary Margaret checked the time. "In a half hour."
"Shoot," Regina said, wincing as her curse was sanitized. It reminded her that she was in a Hallmark movie, no matter how real it felt. "How long will it take me to get there?"
"If you leave now, you can make it," her assistant said, handing her a binder. "I put this together for you."
Relief spread through Regina as she hugged the binder. "You're the best. Wish me luck."
"Good luck," Mary Margaret called as Regina ran back out of the office. She jumped on the waiting elevator and headed down to the lobby, ready to race to Gold's offices. Regina checked her phone, wondering what had happened. After all, she had left it on while the character had turned it off. Did the movie prevent her from getting calls in order to keep the plot going? Had the wish just self-corrected?
Did it mean she couldn't make changes? That the movie had to play out the way it did on TV?
She felt even more confused but pushed it aside. There would be plenty of time to worry about the mechanics of her wish later. Right now, she needed to focus on this presentation and wowing the board.
Regina blinked her eyes and found herself in front of another building. She opened the door and stepped in, talking with security. The guard nodded and motioned to the nearest elevator, which was thankfully open. Within seconds, she was being guided to the conference room and ran toward it. As the glass room came into focus, she slowed down and hoped she didn't look as frazzled as she found.
"Ahh, Regina, there you are," Gold said, sounding both relieved and annoyed. No doubt he was wondering what took her so long.
"Yes, my apologies," she replied. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long."
Gold shook his head. "It's fine. Why don't you proceed with your presentation?"
"Thank you," she said, handing out the binders Mary Margaret had put together for her. "This should help you follow along."
Once she was done, she opened her binder and took a breath. "Let's start with page one and a look at some of my company's profits over the past five years."
Regina blinked again and she was at the end of the binder. The members of Gold's board nodded, looking intrigued but hesitant. She realized she had gone through her entire presentation though she didn't remember it. But it seemed the wish tended to skip over things that had either been skipped or presented as a montage in the movie, so she wasn't too alarmed.
"Any questions?" she asked.
One man nodded. "We have high expectations for our CEO. Gold has set the bar high and we want to make sure our next CEO is just as dedicated as him."
"I understand," Regina said, recalling how in the movie the outgoing CEO had talked about broken families and other sacrifices made to make the company successful. It had been annoying to have those sacrifices portrayed as being the wrong choice but Regina also knew those weren't sacrifices she wanted to make.
But her character hadn't realized that.
So as much as she wanted to tell the board that she would find a good work-life balance, she promised to commit fully to the position and to always be available. She bragged about not taking vacations and working holidays, something that made her shudder as she thought of not spending time with her loved ones.
Gold nodded, looking pleased with her answers. He stood as he said: "Thank you, Regina. I think the board will debate and let you know in a few days."
"Thank you again for this opportunity," she told the board members. "I won't let you down."
She and Gold left the room and she turned to him, her stomach still in knots. "I'm sorry. My phone malfunctioned and didn't take a bunch of calls or messages from anyone…"
"It's fine," he said. "I think you really impressed him. Now go home and relax. We'll let you know when a decision has been made."
Regina thanked him again before leaving, wondering where the script would take her next.
It took her to the toy drive.
Regina headed down to the empty lot near the antique store and found people there already setting up. She frowned, wondering if she had been late as Robin waved and jogged over to her. "Good morning," he said.
"Morning," she replied. "Did I get the set-up time wrong?"
He shook his head, handing her a cup of coffee. "I just got here myself. Nick, though, has apparently been here for at least an hour and recruited some others to join him."
Regina glanced over at the older man in his red coat. He paused as he set up a stand and waved them. They waved back before asking: "Why is he everywhere?"
"I don't know," Robin replied. "I just know he takes his job as Santa seriously."
"Yeah," she said, thinking of her encounter a couple days earlier. "I realize that."
He shrugged. "But he's always good with the children, so who am I to complain? This is really the only time of the year I have to deal with him."
Regina raised her eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yeah," Robin replied. "He lives somewhere else for most of the year and just comes here for the Christmas season."
"And that doesn't strike you as odd?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Many people split their time between two places at his age. What's so strange about him doing it?"
"Most people his age go to Florida in the winter, not Storybrooke," she told him, motioning to the pile of snow near the entrance of the lot.
"True," he replied, "but Christmas isn't the same in Florida."
She sighed, knowing she was not going to win this fight. "Well, I think it's weird but I guess it ultimately doesn't affect me. So what do you need me to do?"
"I need you to help me with the decorations," he said, nodding as he switched into business mode. "You always had an eye for marketing. We're going to need some of that today."
"I can absolutely do that," she said, finally sipping her coffee and letting the liquid warm her body. "Where do you want me to start?"
Robin motioned to one corner of the lot and they walked over there. Everything sped up, indicating this would be a montage and she barely recalled giving any actual advice as she just kept sipping her coffee while the toy drive festival emerged before her eyes. Plain boards of wood soon looked like stands and were painted holiday colors such as red, green, blue, gold or silver. Garland and ornaments appeared to add the final festive touches and Regina had to admit she was impressed.
"So is Henry nervous?" Robin asked.
She frowned. "About what?"
"His poetry reading," he replied. "He is still reading a poem or two tonight, right?"
Regina recalled that the niece in the movie was an aspiring musician and had performed a song at the festival. It seemed the movie had adjusted and made Henry a poet who was going to read his poetry that night. "Yes, he is. And he's more excited than nervous," she said.
"Good," Robin said. "He's going to be awesome."
She nodded, pride coursing through her even though he wasn't her son in this movie. "Emma and Killian should be back in time to see him too. They are going to be so proud," she said.
"I'm sure they will be," Robin agreed. "And I can't wait to see them again."
"So, I guess we're done for now?" she asked, feeling disappointed. "Or do you need my help with anything else?"
He looked around and shook his head. "I think we're good for now. Do you want to grab some lunch?"
"Yes," she replied, hoping she didn't answer too quickly. "I would love that."
Robin held out his hand. "Let's go then."
She took his hand and they left the lot together. Her heart swelled as she hoped she could spend even more time with Robin. Regina still wasn't too sure how her wish worked so she didn't want to take any time with him for granted.
The festival was a success.
People streamed into the lot and the toy donations continued to pile up. Nick unsurprisingly dressed up as Santa Claus and took pictures with the children who came to the festival. Vendors sold Christmas-related wares as well as different types of food. Everything about it felt perfect even before Henry took to the stage to read his poems just as his parents arrived to watch him.
Regina thought nothing could ruin that moment.
And then Gold showed up.
He approached her and Robin with a box, holding it out. "I thought I would bring a toy to donate," he said.
"Thank you," she replied, taking it and revealing it was a drone. "I believe this is one of your best sellers this year."
Gold nodded. "It is."
Beside her, Robin tensed up. "That's pretty expensive."
"Yes, it is," Gold replied, eyeing Robin. "All children have a chance to enjoy something expensive."
"It's not about the price, it's about longevity," Robin said. "Most of these drones tend to break very easily."
Gold frowned. "My products are high quality and don't break."
"What Robin means to say is thank you," Regina said, feeling a sense of deja vu as she remembered some earlier meetings with her Robin. She gently pushed this one as she asked: "Right?"
Robin gave Gold a tight smile as he said: "Right. Let me go put this with the others."
He walked away as Regina sighed, turning back to Gold. "Sorry about that. Robin is really passionate about toys, especially the old-fashioned kind. The less bells and whistles the better for him."
"Robin?" Gold frowned, glancing over to where Robin was standing. "He's the partner whose signature we're still waiting for?"
"Yes," she said, having forgotten the whole reason her character had agreed to help with the fundraiser in the first place. "He's going to sign it once we're done with this festival."
Gold nodded. "Good. Because the board has made its decision and they want you to be the new CEO of the newly merged companies."
Regina knew she was supposed to feel excitement and joy. This was everything her character had been working toward the entire movie. But all she really wanted out of this movie was time with Robin and a chance to kiss him again. She knew this moment, though, caused some angst between them and she didn't really feel like going through that again.
But she knew the wish was in control and she was going to have to. So she forced a smile to her face and thanked Gold profusely. He nodded, clearly pleased with her reaction. "You better get ready to roll up your sleeves. We're going to hit the ground running now," he said.
"Of course," she replied, knowing that wouldn't be happening. But she had to play along for now. "I look forward to it."
"Good," he said. "Enjoy your evening and I'll see you in the morning."
She nodded. "See you then. And thank you again, Gold."
"No, thank you," he said. "I know my company is in good hands."
He walked away as Regina braced herself for the fight with Robin she knew was coming. She took a deep breath and watched as he approached, frowning. "So you got the job?"
She nodded. "I did. I start immediately."
"Congratulations," he said, though there was bitterness in his tone and eyes. "I guess you're getting everything you want."
I'm getting everything my character wants. I want you. Well, the real you.
"Yes, I am," she replied, the script coming out of her mouth. "Why do you sound so pissed off about it?"
"I don't," he said quickly, not meeting her eyes.
She frowned. "Nice try. What's going on? And don't say nothing, Robin Locksley. I know you better than that."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Let me ask you one thing. What kind of CEO are you going to be?"
"The same kind I am now," she replied, confused. "Why?"
"I just thought…" He shook his head. "Forget it. It was clearly stupid."
She took his arm to keep him from walking away. "No, tell me. It's clearly bothering you so get it off your chest."
Robin sighed. "I thought doing this would inspire you to be different."
"Different?" she asked. "How?"
"That you shouldn't be just focused on profits and numbers. That you would remember why we got into the toy business in the first place," he said.
She crossed her arms. "I remember why we got into the toy business. To spread joy and happiness and to be creative. But we need money to do that."
"I know that," he replied.
"Do you?" she asked, feeling as if the character was taking over. "Because you've been giving me crap for years about worrying about profits and money. That kept us in business. That made us a success."
His face turned red. "I know that. I'm not stupid, Regina."
"Then why do you keep giving me a hard time about it?" she asked, certain this wasn't how the argument went in the movie. What was going on?
"Because I hated watching how it consumed you!" he yelled. "You stopped being my partner and stopped creating toys. Do you know why I walked away on that day?"
She shrugged. "Who am I to figure out your mysterious mind?"
"I walked away because I went to you with a new toy design. You threw me one of our competitors' catalogue and told me to just copy their toys because they sold," he said. "And I realized it was all about money and not creativity and so I left. There was clearly no room for me anymore."
"Oh," she said, wondering if the script was making her character more awful as a punishment for going off script earlier or to make the fallout between the two characters make more sense.
He nodded. "I don't want you to give up your dreams, Regina. I just wanted to remind you why we got into the toy business in the first place. I guess I wanted to bring back the Regina I knew. But maybe I didn't know you at all."
Regina felt punched in the gut. This had always been her fear back in her world that Robin would finally glimpse the Evil Queen still inside her and decide she really was a monster. And then he would take Roland and stay far, far away from her. Hearing any version of Robin say something similar broke her.
Was the wish punishing her for not sticking to it earlier? Or was it really a nightmare?
"Maybe you didn't," she said, the words forced from her mouth by the wish. "And maybe I didn't really know you either."
He nodded, pain in his eyes. "Maybe you didn't."
Regina wished she could reach out and take his hand to beg for forgiveness. But as he stepped away, she remained frozen in place. She watched as he let out a shuddering breath before he said: "I wish you the best, Regina. And don't worry about that paperwork. I'll make sure it's signed and gets to you."
"Robin, I…" Her words were cut off and she found the script forcing another statement from her. "Thank you."
"Goodbye, Regina," he said, walking away. She watched, wanting to call out to him but unable to. All she could do was stand there and feel her heart break.
She hated this.
Regina walked into the Christmas Corner the next day, smiling when she saw Emma sitting at her table. She approached it and motioned to the chairs. "Which are taken?"
"None," Emma said, motioning around her. "Killian and the boys have been playing games since we got here. You and Robin just had to go and introduce them to this place, didn't you?"
"We were just making up for your massive oversight," Regina teased her sister, sitting down across from her.
Emma shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Very funny."
"I mean it," Regina said. "I get that you wanted the boys to eat healthy and develop healthy eating habits. But it's all about moderation. A few unhealthy snacks here or there wouldn't hurt them."
"I guess so," Emma said. "And it was nice to eat here again."
Regina nodded. "I honestly hadn't eaten here in years until Robin took us. It was nice to come back."
Emma leaned closer. "Yeah, I'm a bit confused. You haven't spoken to Robin in years and then when we come back, you've planned a whole festival with him and almost looked like you did when we were growing up. What happened?
"It's a long story," Regina told her.
Glancing to her side, Emma motioned to her husband and children as they played the games. "I think we have the time."
"Okay," Regina said, waving down a server. "But I'm going to need a slice of pecan pie while I tell it."
Soon, she was enjoying the sweet dessert as she told Emma everything that had happened in the past week or so. "And I got the job but I'm afraid I've lost Robin forever," she finished.
"Wow," Emma said. "I thought Killian and I were going on an adventure but apparently it was you."
"It feels more like a tragedy," Regina told her, feeling her heart break. "I just feel so lost."
"About what?" Emma asked.
Regina shrugged. "Everything. I mean, my dream came true. I'm going to be the CEO of one of the biggest toy companies in the country, maybe even the world. I'm finally going to play with the big kids. So why does it feel hollow?"
"Maybe because it's no longer your dream?" Emma suggested. "People's dreams change, Regina. And that's okay. Priorities shift, we change as people, there are countless reasons. You're already the CEO of a toy company you built from the ground up. Maybe you thought this was the next logical step after attaining that dream and it could be. But maybe that's not what your heart wants anymore."
"Then what is my new dream?" Regina asked, surprised by this version of Emma. She sounded more like her mother than herself. But she had a feeling the wish cast her as the sister because of the connection with Henry and not because she fit the role perfectly.
Emma shrugged. "I can't answer that for you. Sorry."
Regina sighed. "That's okay. I guess I figured that was the answer."
"But I can give you some insight that might help," Emma offered.
"Alright," Regina said. "As long as it's not that I really want to give up my job, get married and become a stay-at-home wife then mother. Because that certainly is not it."
Emma chuckled. "No, it's not that. You were born to be a businesswoman, Regina. Everyone who knows you can see that."
"Except Robin," Regina said softly.
"No, he knows," Emma replied. "But I think he's always been worried about the same thing that I think you're starting to worry about now as well."
"That was a lot of words," Regina told her sister. "And I'm not sure what you mean."
Emma smiled. "I think you're worrying about a work-life balance."
Though Regina believed Emma was right, the script forced her to scoff. "I have a good work-life balance."
"Uh huh," Emma said, not believing her. "You remember the last time you came for Christmas? The year, I mean."
No answer was provided for Regina so she just shrugged. "I don't know."
"Exactly," Emma said. "It's been four years. Roland was still in diapers."
"Oh," Regina replied, feeling her stomach sink. "I didn't think it had been that long."
"Well, it has. The boys always ask for you, on Christmas and on birthdays. They want to see their Aunt Regina," Emma told her. "I know you love them but you never make time for us. And that speaks a lot louder than just some generic gifts."
Regina bristled at that. "I picked all their gifts out and got them the best toys my company makes."
"They didn't want the year's hottest toys, they wanted their aunt. Don't you want that too?" Emma asked, her brow furrowed.
Glancing at Roland and Henry as they high-fived each other, Regina nodded. "I do. I've loved spending time with them this week. Them and Robin. It did remind me that there is more to life than just work."
"There is," Emma agreed. "And you can make time for both. Because I've watched you do whatever you put your mind to your entire life. I have no doubt you can find the balance you want and need."
Warmth spread through Regina. "Thank you."
Emma took her hand. "Will you come for Christmas this year?"
"Yes," Regina said, certain of that fact. "I will come for Christmas this year."
"Good. We'll be very happy to have you," Emma assured her, squeezing her hand. "And if you do make up with Robin, you can bring him too."
Regina's heart sank as her excitement dissipated. "I don't know if that's possible."
"I think it might be more possible than you think," Emma said. "Robin's loved you for so long…"
"What?" Regina asked, hating how she had to play stupid about this Robin's feelings for her but forced to by the script.
Emma chuckled. "You can be so oblivious sometimes. Robin's been in love with you since you were children."
"He has?" Regina asked, her heart beating in her chest. "Why hasn't he ever said anything?"
"He's tried," Emma told her. "You just weren't listening."
Regina sighed. "Sounds like the story of my life."
"It's never too late to start listening though," Emma replied. "Start with your own heart. It won't lead you wrong."
"I think that's a good idea," Regina agreed. "Thank you."
Emma grinned. "Anytime. What are sisters for?"
"True," Regina said. "I owe you one."
"Don't worry, I'll be sure to collect," Emma assured her, winking.
Regina chuckled as the boys raced back toward the table. They hugged her, happy to see her. She listened to their stories, knowing she couldn't give this up again. It was time to balance her life and not be so consumed with work.
It was time to live.
Regina returned to her apartment and locked up for the night. She then stood in the middle of her living room and crossed her arms. "Okay, I don't know who is operating this wish, but we need to have a conversation.
"I know you weren't happy with how I changed the script earlier," she said. "I get it. I'm sorry but that was stupid. She was responsible for her niece and Santa just turns off her phone? No. Just…no."
She paused before continuing. "Look, I do like these movies but I know they aren't perfect. And I think we can agree that this one has a rather silly ending. Why does Chris have to give up her company? Why does she have to start all over? Why can't she and Joe just change the current company?
"Can we change a few things?" she asked the wish. "Please? Nothing too major. Just…some common sense things."
There was no response but Regina believed the wish had heard her. She took a deep breath. "Thank you for listening. I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."
Regina moved toward her bedroom, changing into her pajamas and lying down on her bed. As she pulled the covers over her, she hoped tomorrow would be a happy ending and not a major disappointment.
Regina entered her office in the morning, a sinking feeling in her stomach. It was clear the wish was not going to change the script and she was going to have to play the movie out until the end the way it happened on screen.
It's okay, she told herself as she rode the elevator up to her office's floor. Your wish was to get a happy ending with Robin and you get that in this movie. And ultimately, the business isn't real. It doesn't matter who runs it and what happens with your career as long as you get him in the end.
The elevator doors opened and she stepped off, greeting Mary Margaret. Her assistant looked up at her with a serious expression. "Robin was here. He left something for you in your office."
"He did?" Regina asked, her heart speeding up. "Is he still there?"
Mary Margaret shook her head. "He was leaving when I got here. I think his keycard still works."
"Oh," Regina replied, nodding. "We probably never turned it off."
"Do you want me to tell security?" Mary Margaret asked, tilting her head.
Regina shook her head. "I don't think it will hurt anyone. He can keep his access."
"Alright," Mary Margaret said. "Do you need me to do anything before you go see Gold?"
"I don't think so," Regina replied. "But I will let you know if I do."
Mary Margaret nodded. "Sounds good."
Regina walked to her office and approached her desk. A figurine sat on her desk, a familiar sight from the movie. It was a ballerina in a pink dress with a poofy tutu. She rested on one foot while her other leg was behind her and her arms outstretched as if reaching for someone just out of reach. The base holding her was a music box and when Regina wound it, it played a sweet Christmas carol while the ballerina spun around for the first time in years.
Just like in the movie, Robin had fixed it for her. Except he left it here on her desk along with the paperwork she had given him. She picked the paper up, looking at Robin's signature approving the merger of their company with Gold's. It seemed it was happening.
It's almost over, she told herself. You'll be kissing Robin soon.
But that brought her little comfort. The song and the ballerina stopped, allowing her to run her finger over its delicate features. Even after their argument, Robin had left this here for her. She didn't know if it was a peace offering or a reminder of what they used to love about making toys. Either way, it made her wish she didn't have to give away her company – even if it wasn't real.
She sat down and look at the paper, realizing this time that there was still a blank signature line. And she saw her own name underneath the solid black line. Her heart sped up as she wondered if this was her opportunity. Was it possible for her to not sign it? To stop the merger after all?
Or would the wish punish her?
Regina guessed it was time to find out. She stood, ready to head over to Gold's office and get their meeting over with. It would bring her one step closer to her kiss with Robin and their happily ever after in this movie.
Then this movie would end and it wouldn't matter if the company was hers or not. She would be off to the next adventure, whatever it was.
She just had to play her part and be patient.
No matter how hard it was.
"Ahh, Regina," Gold said, standing as she entered his office. "Thank you for coming."
She smiled, shaking her hand. "You're welcome. I know you want to get this done before Christmas."
He nodded. "My last day is the thirty-first so that will give you a chance to start fresh on the first."
"Oh," she said. "That's…fast."
"It seemed like a good time," Gold said. "Clean break and all that."
Her mind started to spin as she said: "I thought we would have a transition period where we would work together."
"It's a new company," he replied. "You should make your own mark. But I will always be available by phone."
"Always?" she asked. "Don't you have plans now that you're retiring?"
Gold looked pensive as he reached for a snow globe. "I hope to reconnect with my family."
"Reconnect?" she asked, frowning.
"I'm sure you understand that we all have to make sacrifices to gain our success," Gold said. "For me, I had to sacrifice two marriages and the chance to see my sons grow up. One son is an adult and hasn't contacted me in years but my second son is still a child so I think there's still a chance to salvage a relationship with him."
She nodded, knowing the two sons were likely Neal and Gideon. "Well, I hope you are able to have some sort of relationship with your son."
"Thank you," he said. "Now, let's get down to business. Did your partner sign the paperwork?"
"He did," Regina replied, handing the folder to him. "It's in there."
Gold opened the folder and nodded. "You haven't signed yet. Good."
"Good?" she asked, surprised.
"Yes," he replied. "It's better if you sign this form and all the rest in front of me."
Regina nodded, glancing at the stack next to him with a sinking feeling. A question then popped into her head and she asked: "Can I ask you something personal but still job-related?"
He leaned back in his chair, studying her before nodding. "Alright."
"Do you regret any of it?" she asked him. "Becoming CEO and working so hard, neglecting everything but your work?"
"I suppose I have some regrets," he said after a few moments of silence. "I regret how my marriages ended. And I regret not having a stronger relationship with my son. But sacrifices had to be made."
She nodded, closing the folder. "Then I thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Gold, but I'm going to have to decline the merger and the position."
He sat up straighter, his demeanor changing as he frowned. "You're joking, right?"
"I am not," she said, pushing the folder back. "Thank you for the opportunity and I wish you luck in finding the next CEO of Golden Toys."
"I thought you wanted this," Gold said, frowning. "You seemed very excited yesterday."
She shrugged. "I think I sounded more excited than I was but I still wanted it when we spoke. Or at least, I thought I did."
"And what changed your mind?" he asked.
"I reconnected with my nephews this week," she said. "And I've realized how much of their lives I've missed. I also spent time with my sister and brother-in-law and realized I wanted to spend more time with my family."
She felt the words flowing through her and she thanked the wish, glad it was able to grant her request after all.
"All I ever wanted was to be a CEO of a successful toy company and I am," she continued. "Somewhere along the way, though, I let that consume my life and I pushed away everyone who mattered to me - my family and my best friend. I lost sight of why I wanted to make toys in the first place. This past week reminded me of that as well.
"I think it's time I make some changes but I don't think I'll be able to do that if I accept the position of CEO here," she said. "I want to find a better work-life balance and based on my interview with them, I don't think that's something your board wants."
Gold leaned forward. "And it's something you think your board will want?"
"I know it's something they will want," Regina said, surprised with the speed the wish fed her new lines as well as what it was coming up with for her. "They've been encouraging me to slow down and take a rest for years. They even sent me on a vacation one year. I spent it mostly on the phone with my assistant secretly running the company through her."
"Sounds like we aren't that different," he said, sounding rather smug.
Regina shrugged. "Maybe once upon a time but no more. I don't want to retire with only the hope of possibly repairing my relationships. I want to do that now while I know I have a chance. Which is why I think it's best if I turn down the offer and continue running my company while you find someone else to run yours. Good luck."
She stood as did he. Gold glared at her. "I don't recommend this."
"Noted," she replied. "Good luck, Gold."
"If you turn this down, we will be forced to engage in a hostile takeover of your company," he warned.
Regina chuckled, knowing it was an empty threat. "Good luck with that. Are you sure your board wants to risk losing everything?"
He didn't respond and she nodded. "Then I'm going to go and actually celebrate the holiday for the first time in years, rather than reading the final sales reports for the holiday season. So Merry Christmas, Gold."
"Regina, wait," Gold said. But she just turned around and walked away. She just ignored him as happiness filled her.
Thank you, wish, she thought as she boarded the elevator. Now, let's go get Robin.
When she got out of the building, it was night. She knew her meeting hadn't taken that long but remembered that Chris and Joe had had their reunion at night. It seemed the wish had put the movie back on track as she hurried toward Robin's shop.
She saw the closed sign but knew Robin was inside. Regina knocked on the door, praying he would answer and not close the door right in her face - even if the script told her that everything would work out in the end.
The door opened and Robin's eyes widened when he saw her. "Regina?"
"Hi," she said, suddenly shy. "Can I come in?"
"Sure," he replied hesitantly, stepping aside so she could enter the store. He closed the door behind her and turned to face her. "I saw on the news that the deal with Golden Toys fell through."
Regina nodded. "It did."
"I signed the form," he said, looking panicked. "I left it for you."
"I know," she assured him. "I didn't sign it."
He tilted his head, looking confused. "You didn't? I thought this was a dream come true for you?"
"I thought so too," she replied. "But after our fight last night, I did a lot of thinking…"
"I'm sorry," he said, sounding like he was close to tears. "I didn't mean to shame you for your dreams. You are amazing and can do whatever you want and Golden Toys would be lucky to have you as their CEO. Don't do this because I was stupid."
She shook her head. "Don't apologize. I made the decision on my own based on what I want."
"And what is that?" he asked, tilting his head.
"I want to have a life outside being CEO of a major toy company," she said. "I want to spend more time with my family and friends, to make memories with them. I want to have more hobbies. I guess I want it all."
He chuckled. "Well, if anyone can figure out how to have it all, it's you. But you couldn't have it all at Golden Toys?"
She shook her head. "Their board was looking for someone who wanted to spend the rest of their life behind a desk. If they didn't need any food or sleep, they would be the perfect CEO for these people. I don't want to live my life anymore. I don't want to spend another Christmas alone in my office pouring over reports that could easily be read after the New Year. I want to spend it with the people I love and who love me."
"Welcome back, Regina," he said, smiling. "I knew you were still in there somewhere."
"Thank you for finding me," she replied, stepping closer. "You reminded me of everything I wanted to be."
He reached up and cupped her cheek. "Happy to hear it."
She placed her hand over his, looking into his blue eyes. "Come back."
"What?" he asked, confused. "Come back…?"
"To the company," she replied. "Make sure I keep my priorities in check and help me rebuild a culture based on creativity and not consumerism."
Surprise filled his eyes. "You mean it?"
Regina nodded. "I miss us."
"I miss us too," he said. "And I would love to return to help run our company again. Just promise you won't go all profit-crazy on me again? I understand they're important but I think we all know the secret of life is moderation."
"I know," she replied, not sure whether she want to laugh or cry tears of joy. "And I know you will remind me. Just don't shut me out again, okay?"
He nodded. "I promise as long as you promise not to shut me out either. Deal?"
"Deal," she said, taking his hand. "I have another thing to ask you."
"What is it?" he asked, lacing his fingers with hers.
She took a deep breath before asking: "Will you spend Christmas with me?"
"I would love to," he said, pulling her close. "But I thought you would be spending it with your family?"
"You are my family," she told him, feeling tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it. And to realize that I love you."
He leaned closer, capturing his lips with hers. Regina melted against the kiss, drinking it in. She had gone far too long since her last kiss with him and she wanted to make this one last as long as possible.
Who knew when their next kiss would be?
They broke the kiss and she smiled at him. "So that's a yes to Christmas?"
"Yes," he replied, laughing. "Yes to this Christmas, to next Christmas and to every Christmas after that."
"I like the sound of that," she said, gently cupping his cheeks. "I love you."
He smiled, his eyes full of love. "I love you too."
They kissed again and Regina thought she was going to burst from happiness. It seemed she had gotten everything in the end after all.
"Oh, will you two stop kissing for one second and talk with the rest of us?"
Regina broke the kiss, realizing the scene had changed. Now they stood in the middle of a decorated living room with a tree in one corner and garland along a mantle. Christmas lights shone behind the blinds of a large window. Music played as people milled about the living room, which the script told her was the one in the house she and Robin had purchased together. They were having a Christmas party with their family and friends one year after the main events of the movie.
Emma grinned at Regina, holding out a glass of eggnog. "You two are so disgustingly in love."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Robin said, holding Regina close as he smiled at her. "I am proud of it."
She laughed, placing her hand on his chest, right over his heart. Regina smiled, gazing lovingly at him. "Me too."
"Good." He leaned in, giving her another kiss.
"Okay, I'm walking away now," Emma said, setting the glass down. "You two can just continue being lost in your own world."
Robin chuckled. "That's okay. I quite like our little world."
"Me too," she replied, kissing under his jaw. "It's perfect."
The script told her that their company continued to grow and thrive, attracting new talent as they slowly changed the culture to be more creative and less profit driven. It also helped sales as people were drawn by the different options provided by their company rather than just carbon copies of their competitors' products. With a strong focus on creativity, they had given themselves a new chapter.
Staff were also happier and more productive with Regina's newfound focus on work/life balance. Regina set the example, taking more vacations and encouraging her staff to do the same. And she also made sure they had time to attend special events with families and friends as well as holidays off. Everyone appreciated the change and morale improved.
Regina was also happier now. She and Robin had decided to move into a house together and were going strong as a couple. There was a diamond ring on her left ring finger so she knew that he had asked her to marry him at some point during the last year. Everything seemed to be moving along for them and she was getting her happily ever after with the man she loved and her family by her side.
"Aunt Regina Uncle Robin!" Roland threw himself at them, wrapping his arms around Robin's middle as Henry slid next to Regina to hug her. Roland grinned. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas," she said, hugging Henry against her side. "I'm so excited to celebrate with you two again."
Robin grinned. "Me too."
"We're really glad that you've spent more time with us," Henry said. "We missed you, Aunt Regina."
"And we're glad you're dating Aunt Regina, Uncle Robin," Roland added, smiling up at the man. "We really like having you around too."
Robin chuckled, giving him a squeeze. "Good. Because I really like being around, especially around your aunt."
She smiled, her insides turning to goo as she leaned against him. "I like being around you too."
"Hey, you two, the latest sales figures are in," Mary Margaret said, drawing their attention away from each other. She waved her phone around. "Do you want to know about them?"
Meeting Robin's eyes, they both smiled and she shook her head. "It can wait until after the holidays. We're off the clock and celebrating," Regina declared.
"Absolutely," he agreed, kissing her again as everyone cheered. They broke the kiss and he held her close as they continued to stand there with Henry and Roland flanking them. It was the perfect ending - even if the boys thought they were hers and Robin's nephews rather than their sons. At least their family was together.
She rested her head on Robin's shoulder and closed her eyes. The darkness behind her eyelids grew darker and she felt herself start to fall backwards. Regret filled her as she realized that movie had just ended and she was now heading toward the unknown. Would it be another movie? If so, how many happy endings would she keep repeating before she returned to her own happy-ending-less world?
Would she feel content afterwards or continue to wonder what if?
Only time would tell.
A/N: Happy Little Christmas!
I know it's been a couple years but I have been working on this since then. So here's a new chapter! Maybe by next year I'll finish the other days.
Wish me luck!
-Mac