Storybrooke
Mary Margaret wanted to distract herself with helping Regina. They went to the shop buying baby stuff for E. Regina said she can manage this not so hard task, but her stepdaughter was hopeless. She was just speaking about thermometers, the best foam baths, baby shampoos and diapers. She just collected everything from the shelf. Regina couldn't say even a thing. She didn't want to leave her daughter at home for a long time, and had planned to get back as soon as they finished shopping, but that was Storybrooke, where something always happened. If Emma being the Dark One was not enough of a problem for them.
Leroy called Mary Margaret, in his panicking voice he shouted on the phone, he and the "boys" were just walking to the Granny's and a bunch of riders appeared on the Main Street. The leader of them called himself King Arthur, threatened and attacked them. They sent the knights and their kings to the Mayor's Office.
"We can deal with it, Regina. I'll call you as we find out more."
"You have enough problems with Emma. And maybe they will say something about Camelot or about Merlin." Regina said.
"Okay, at least we bring these to your house, after that we can deal with the angry knights."
Arthur was really absolutely angry. David confessed to him they lied in Camelot, they were there because of the Dark One and the Dark One is their daughter. But not only Arthur and his knights appeared in Camelot. A lot of subjects of the king got to Storybrooke with Emma's curse as well. They needed shelters and answers for their questions. Robin, David, the dwarfs and a few volunteers brought tents, clothes, food and water to them. Roland was so cute, he also helped to collect branches for the fires. Mary Margaret called Belle if she found anything about Merlin or at least something about sped up pregnancies, but she said she needed more time.
Regina was sitting on a bench, watching the others. E. was not sleeping, but she peacefully lay in her stroller. It looked like she enjoyed her time outside. Regina caressed her little face and adjusted her blanket.
Once two girls who seemed like twelve or thirteen years old stepped in front of her.
"Do you need help?" Regina asked, but smiling at them.
"Can we see the baby?" The one with the long brown hair asked. They were from Camelot, it was obvious because of their dresses.
"Of course." Regina chuckled.
The girls looked really happy and looked into the stroller immediately.
"She is a girl, right? Looks like a porcelain doll." The other one, the blonde girl, addressed her question to Regina.
"Yes, we call her Ellie." Regina said. Well, that was not a big lie, it sounded better than confessing she didn't know her baby's name.
"Hello, Ellie, I'm Violet." The brown haired babbled to the baby.
"I'm Sophie." The blonde girl said, she was speaking rather to Regina, than to the baby.
"Nice to meet you, girls, my name is Regina. I hope you'll have a good time in Storybrooke."
"It's a little bit strange to be here, to be honest." Sophie confessed and Violet chuckled. "I saw a man who was speaking into a black box and someone answered him." Sophie continued, her green eyes widened because of the surprise.
"Well, that's a mobile phone, really useful. We can communicate with someone who is far away." Regina explained.
Violet looked around before she addressed her next question to Regina. She lowered her voice. "Is it true we are here because of the Dark One?"
Regina sighed, they looked old enough to understand the situation.
"Yes. But you needn't be afraid. The Dark One won't hurt you or your family. We are here to protect you."
Violet nodded, wanted to say something, but E. made a tiny whimper, so the girls chuckled simultaneously.
"You are so cute, Ellie." Sophie babbled to the baby.
Roland suddenly came to them, he put on the ground the sticks that he collected for the campfire and made his way to Regina's lap. After he adjusted himself, looked at the girls and announced.
"She is my little sister."
Regina chuckled. "Yes, but the girls can see your sister, right?"
Roland nodded. "Okay. I'm Roland." He introduced himself.
Sophie and Violet introduced themself to the boy and Regina asked them if they were here with their parents.
"Yes, and my brother." Sophie nodded. "He is a knight of the Round Table." She added proudly.
"That's a big thing. Congratulations." Regina smiled at her.
"I'm just here with my father. Sadly we lost my mother years ago." Violet answered.
"Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that." Regina said.
Roland chose the worst sentence that he could say in a situation like this.
"You can have a new mom." He said, his little face looked like he felt really wise. Regina looked at him with disbelief in her eyes.
"Roland, sweetheart, these things are not going like this." After she turned to Violet. "I'm sorry."
But Violet didn't look offended, she was laughing, mainly when Roland continued his thoughts.
"Why? My mama is in heaven and you are my mama here." He explained. "A new mommy can find you too." He turned to Violet.
"Maybe you are right, Roland, and you are really lucky your new mama found you." Violet said.
Regina looked at the girls. They were really polite and cute, even if they were in an entire new realm with fear in their hearts. Someday E. will also be a girl like them. With her own thoughts, with her own personality, maybe she will be also excited if she sees a baby, she will have her best friend and maybe one day life will be just this simple, without tears and tragic events.
"We have to go, Sophie. Our fathers will be worried. Thank you, for showing us Ellie." Violet said and put her hand on her friend's shoulder.
"If we meet again, just don't be shy, say hi to her." Regina said.
The girls nodded. "Bye Ellie. Bye Roland. Bye Regina." Sophie waved to them as they turned back to their families.
Regina looked at Roland who jumped off her laps and started collecting his sticks again. As he noticed Regina was staring at him, he grinned, his dimples appeared on his cheeks.
"What?" He asked.
Regina chuckled. "Nothing. I love you, Roland. Anything can happen, I love you so much, you know that, right?"
Roland frowned for a second, after smiling again, nodded to Regina. "I love you too, mommy."
Regina saw him as he walked away to Robin with his sticks. That was the first time he called her mommy and it was heartbreaking.
There was no news about Emma. Hook tried to speak with her, but she didn't want to say anything about Camelot. Belle promised she would show them something, because she got clues, but nothing else. The rest of the day was uneventful. Henry made a short visit (he said he wanted to see his sister, but it was obvious he was worrying about his mother, while his mother was worrying about him, but they let each other believe everything was alright.)
After Henry left the house they bathed the children, it was hard to decide who was more excited about the baby bath seat, which made possible for E. and Roland being in the same bathtub. Robin, because he was super excited about everything with the Little One or Roland, because he was not alone anymore in the scary water (he was not a fan of bathing in a tub earlier. He was afraid of the drain.) Roland called Regina mommy again, when he asked her to wash his back, but Regina didn't glance at Robin, she didn't want to deal with it in front of Roland.
After bathtime, Robin put Roland in the bed, Regina feeded the baby and laid her in the crib.
They met in the kitchen, Robin helped Regina to clean the leftovers, and he poured himself some whisky. Regina sighed as she saw him drinking. She never was a drinking-person, but those days she would've been grateful for a few sips.
"Is it not okay for you?" Robin asked, as he saw her watching.
Regina shook her head and smiled sadly. "I'm just jealous."
"Oh, then I won't drink." He said seriously.
"Robin." Regina groaned. "It was just a joke. Drink it."
"Okay." They haven't had a proper sleep since they got back from Camelot, but that night he looked more exhausted and troubled than the days before.
"Roland called me mommy. I think you heard it." Regina said.
Robin nodded. "I can speak with him, if you wish. I can explain to him you are just his sister's mother."
"No way." Regina snapped immediately. "It doesn't bother me, I just wanted to ask if it's alright for you. He has his memories about his real mother, but I don't want you to feel like… I don't know, like I want to take Marian's place in his heart."
"I'm glad you and him are close together. He has loved you really deeply since the Missing Year and if you'll have a part in his life…"
"I'll have. I promise." Regina interrupted him. "I love him with my whole heart."
Robin smiled at her sadly. "I know. And I can't be grateful enough because of that."
"Robin, what is it? Did something happen today? Did you hear something about Emma or about Camelot?" Regina asked. She really wanted to know what was going on with him. Maybe their relationship was not perfect, but she cared about him. It was hard to explain to herself, but something happened in Camelot, she felt it, because she was not that angry at him, then the day when she was shouting terrible things to him by the lake. She was worrying about him and a big part of her wanted everything to be the same as before "Marian" had returned.
"No, milady. I'm just a little bit tired, that's it."
Regina frowned, he was lying. "Robin."
"That's the truth. I haven't slept for weeks. I have nightmares… But it really doesn't matter, I'll get over it, I promise."
"What kind of nightmares?" Regina asked.
Robin sighed and drank from his glass. "It's about you, Marian, Zelena, our Little One. Difficult to explain, every night there are other dreams."
"Do you need something to help you sleep? I can make a mild potion which relaxes your nerves."
"That's really generous of you, but I did this to myself, so I think I have to face the consequences."
"Once somebody told me it didn't help if you lived in the past, with the thoughts of the pain which you caused." Regina said. It was his advice at the Missing Year, when he wanted to calm her, to convince her that she deserves a happy ending too.
Robin wanted to say something, but as soon as he opened his mouth, the doorbell rang.
"Whoever is it, if the children are up, he or she can start praying." Regina announced as she headed off to the door. Robin chuckled quietly.
Regina believed it would be Mary Margaret or David, but to her surprise it was Will Scarlet.
"Sorry ma'am for the late disturb… your majesty I mean, I'm sorry." He seemed upset, standing from one foot to his other. "Can I speak with Robin?"
"Everything is alright?" Regina asked worriedly. Her first thought was Emma. Maybe she went to the forest, maybe she hurt someone from the Merry Men or in the city?
"I wouldn't say that. I must speak with him." Will said.
Robin appeared behind Regina.
"Will, what happened?"
"I have to say something to you."
They let him in, Regina was grateful for Robin, because he warned Will they should be quiet, the children are sleeping. Robin offered a glass of whisky for him either and they started speaking in the kitchen. Will didn't care about Regina's presence, so she continued putting the plates, glasses and mugs to the dishwasher.
"Emery found out somehow, the newcomers have a magic bean and he and Charlie are making a plan to steal it." Will said.
"Why?" Robin's voice was confused.
"They want to go back. To Sherwood." Will's answer was quick and simple. After that information Regina didn't pretend she was cleaning, just turned to them behind the counter and listened.
"I can't follow. They liked to be here. What happened?" Robin asked.
Will didn't answer immediately, he took his glass.
"Will." Robin urged him.
"Emery, Charlie and a few others became… unsatisfied."
"Why are they unsatisfied? Will, please be honest."
"Because of you, Robin."
Robin sighed, he gripped the back of one of the chairs.
"John transformed into a flying monster, after that you left for two months, you didn't even get back, you were far again and you didn't tell them you had a child." Will didn't want to share these details, his voice was firm and low.
"Who said this? Besides Emery and Charlie?" Robin asked.
Will waited again with the answer, so the response was obvious.
"Everybody." Robin said it out instead of him.
"Not. Not everybody. John and I… John would never betray you and I'm here, even if I swore on my mother's grave to them, I won't speak with you."
"That means Tuck is also with them." Robin stated. Regina already knew Friar Tuck is really close to him. He and Little John were his first men, they were like a family for him, especially after he lost Marian.
"Tuck was really disappointed because you didn't speak about your second child." Will added.
Robin glanced at Regina after turning back to Will, he said: "My daughter was born months earlier, we are trying to find out what happened, we didn't even know what name we chose for her in Camelot."
"I know, mate, I know." Will waved. "I truly understand your points, I just told you what they are saying. But to be honest now the biggest problem, they want to steal that bean."
Robin nodded. "You are right. Thank you, Will. We notify the others."
Will thanked the drink, he said goodbye to Regina and left the house. Robin didn't say anything, just called David immediately, who said he will get to the refugee camp and tell Arthur to strengthen his defense.
"You can go to sleep, Regina, I'll be alright." Robin told Regina, they were already in the living room, he just put down the phone. He asked David if he needs him, but he said he can manage the situation.
"The baby will be up soon, so it doesn't make sense to go to bed right now." Regina said. She didn't want to leave him alone. Will just announced to him, people whom he believed his family betrayed him.
Robin smiled bitterly at her. "It looks like I let others down too."
"That is not true." Regina shook her head. "What they are saying. You didn't let them down."
"They didn't feel like that."
Regina sat next to him. "They are adult men, Robin. They knew exactly about the Wicked Witch at the Missing Year. They are here in Storybrooke because they were living in the castle."
"I persuaded them to stay in the castle, I told them it is safer for us." Robin turned to her. There was much more in his blue eyes than sorrow. Regina had never seen him like this before.
"Which was the truth. You were right." Regina said immediately.
"The reason because I wanted to stay in the castle was not for safety." Robin confessed.
Regina frowned. "Then why did you?"
Robin didn't answer, but his look was more than obvious. You were the reason.
"Well, that hasn't changed anything. They could choose to leave the castle, even after they knew about the curse. That is not your fault they got to Storybrooke, that was not your fault Little John became that flying simian and the fact that they want to steal a magic bean from a lot of scared and innocent people is mainly not your fault. You didn't do anything."
"And that is their problem. I'm their leader and I forgot about them."
"Actually they could've come to you, to here and could've asked you if you need anything, because from this side it looks like we are in bigger trouble and they just behave like a lot of offended school boys. Roland is more mature than them."
He closed his eyes, put his fingers on his temple, rubbed it a few times, he sniffed, literally fighted against his tears. Regina didn't think, just put her hand across his wrist, gently guided it from his face, pulled herself closer to him and laid her head to his chest. He pressed his lips to her hair, at first inhaled the scent and after giving her a kiss. She was caressing his chest with her fingers and he did the same on her arm. It was really innocent. They stayed like this, calm and silent until they fell asleep. They woke up to the baby's cry.