#oqss

Robin tentatively looked over the balcony. The ballroom was already buzzing with activity, lovey ladies and dashing gentlemen were dancing in unison to a splendid waltz. There were smiling faces and boisterous laughing and carrying on as if they hadn’t a care in the world.

Robin felt his anxiety rise. His desire to dance with Regina and make this night perfect for her was suddenly overwhelming. He swallowed hard and now wasn’t sure he could do this after all. Regina had been to a million of these parties and the last thing the Saviour needed was a bumbling thief making a fool of her on the dancefloor. He didn’t doubt there’d be dozens of partners lined up to dance with her. It was wholly irrational but he hurried back to see Roland and attempt to calm his nerves.

Watching from the other end of the hallway and shaking her head was Mary Margaret. She saw Robin turning and heading back toward the guest quarters. “Now where is he going?” She’d finally calmed Regina down and dressed her appropriately not to mention a quick course from Charming’s school of Saviour dance lessons and now Robin was making a hasty exit.

“Good grief. These two are going to be the death of me.” The last thing she needed was for Regina to show up at the ball and not have her dashing thief waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Still mumbling her discourse Mary Margaret hurried after him down the long corridor.

Somewhat breathless she caught up to him and reached for his arm. “Robin, you’re going the wrong way.”

“Oh, Mary Margaret,” Robin said a bit shocked but knew exactly the meaning of her words. “Of… of course. I… I…” He averted his eyes from her knowing gaze. “I was just going to check on Roland.” He half-heartedly told her.

She didn’t mince her words, “Regina is going to be down in that ballroom and she needs to be looking down those stairs at YOU!!”

Robin’s face blushed. “I… I… it’s just that Regina deserves a perfect night. One so special she’ll never forget it and I want that more than anything for her. She’s had so much pain and hopelessness I just don’t want to mess anything up for her.”

Mary Margaret could see the love blossom on his face bloom he talked about Regina and equally pained that he might disappoint her again. It was a joy for her to see that they’d found each other and that their love continued to persevere even after all they’d been through. Mary Margaret could have strangled the wicked witch herself for what she’d done to these two people she cared for.

Mary Margaret took Robin’s hand they took a seat on a hallway bench. “You might not know this but I had an indiscretion while I was married to David. I slept with someone else when I was under a spell.”  

Robin was taken aback at her confession. If she could get through this sort of thing then maybe there was hope for him. “Really? Well wh…”  

Mary Margaret pursed her lips, “It’s not important who. The thing is we all make mistakes and we have to find a way to work through them. I can only imagine what I would have done if I’d ended up pregnant.” She shuddered at the thought. “I’d be feeling some of the same things you are. But I know David would love me as much as he always has no matter what. You and Regina can get through this like David and I did.”

He took a deep breath. “I know.” He’d been hiding his fears and guilt so deeply it was choosing a particular horrible time to present itself.

“Regina forgives you.” Mary Margaret said gently and touched his arm. “You need to forgive yourself.”  

“I just don’t want her to feel like she’s stuck with me and this situation.” He looked at her, his swirling emotions brimming in his eyes. “That would be the worst thing of all.”

Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes. “Well if Regina Mills didn’t want to be with you, she darn well wouldn’t be with you.”

Robin nodded. He knew in his heart that what he and Regina had together was special. He took a deep breath, “You’re right.”

“Of course I’m right, but you have to work on it. True love doesn’t just happen. David and I were apart 28 years and we still found a way back to each other because we never gave up.” Mary Margaret implored.

“Yes ma’am”, Robin felt the school teacher was giving him a much needed lesson.

“I still know how to use a bow and arrow. I’ll give you a run for your money Locksley.” She winked at him.

Robin nodded in agreement and stood up, “I don’t doubt it. I do need to check on Roland.”

“Then you’ll get to the ballroom?” Mary Margaret insisted.

“Yes, I promise and thank you. No need to get out your bow.” Robin smiled reassuringly, gave her a peck on the cheek and turned and disappeared down the hallway.

“Thank goodness,” Mary Margaret sighed with relief. She knew he was a man of his word.

No sooner was the thief back on track when Mary Margaret felt someone else behind her.

“Is Robin okay?” Regina said looking down the hall worriedly. “What’s going on?”

Mary Margaret chose her words carefully, “He’s fine, just a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of dancing with the Saviour.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Regina scoffed nervously. “He was more than confident earlier.”

“He just wants everything to be perfect. It’s been a difficult few months for him.” Mary Margaret said honestly. “For you both.”

“We’re a fine pair aren’t we.” Regina said slumping down on the bench letting her gown bunch up on the floor. “I know he’s been hiding a lot of his feelings. I worry about him so much.”

“It just takes time, you know that. He knows you’re there for him.” Mary Margaret said.

“I’ve tried to be supportive as I can. Maybe it would be good for him to see Archie. Talk to someone outside the whole situation.” Regina said.

“That’s a good idea. I did give him a bit of a pep talk to try and calm him down. I told him there’s always…” Mary Margaret took a seat beside her.

“Hope, yes I know hope.  I’ve heard this line before.” Regina said teasing her friend.

Friend.

After everything they’d been through they had indeed become friends. Regina couldn’t imagine not having her as part of her family now.

“If you’re ever out of quarters Regina, I’m always here to lend you one.”  Mary Margaret squeezed her hand.

Regina laughed, “Some days I can’t believe we’ve made it to this place. I never thought it was possible yet here we are.”

“You’ve come a long way and that strength will help you through. I have no doubt of that.” Mary Margaret smiled warmly and even though it sounded corny said, “I’m so proud of you.”

Regina couldn’t hold back her own emotions. “Thank you.” She tried not to but she suddenly hugged her. “Thank you, Snow.” She whispered in her ear choking out the words.

Snow sniffed back her own tears. “Okay enough of this now go check on Robin. I need to see Emma.”

Regina nodded and headed off to see where her love was hiding. She found him sitting on the edge of the bed with Roland trying to get the little one to sleep. She watched them for a moment. It warmed her heart to see him and his devotion for not only Roland but for Henry. She didn’t doubt how wonderful a father he would be to the new child that was coming into their family.

She smiled as she came in the room. “There you are thick as thieves.”

Roland almost drifting into slumber suddenly perked up, “Regina,” he wiped the sleep from his eyes “you look so pretty like a princess.”

Robin’s heart swelled in his chest and he was more than a little overcome by how beautiful Regina looked in her gown. He copied his son’s simple words, “Yes, very pretty.”

“Why thank you Roland,” Regina curtsied to the little one’s delight, “and your Papa looks quite handsome as well.”

Robin’s eyes were shining with love and adoration. It was the look that had made her heart flip for

him from the very beginning and it still did.

Regina sat beside Robin on the side of the bed tousling Roland’s curly hair. “Isn’t it past your bedtime little one?” She took Robin’s hand in hers and squeezed tightly. His fingers wrapped around hers and intertwined. It was a simple gesture but it always seemed to make everything better.

“Not yet, I need a bedtime story.” Roland begged. “Please Regina.”

“Of course,” Regina settled against Robin and started to speak. “Once upon a time there once was a handsome Thief.”

Robin was more than happy to listen to her recount their courtship in whatever form it took. He was blessed to have met this stunning, magnificent woman again and again and each time she had chosen him no matter what time or land they’d found themselves in. He sat attentively and listened to Regina’s soothing lovely voice.

Regina continued, “Who met the Queen…”

“The most beautiful Queen,” Robin interrupted.

“One day in the forest…” Regina kept talking nudging Robin’s shoulder with her own.  

“The most glorious day in the forest…” Robin added.

Regina looked at him, “Who’s telling this story?”

“You of course my love,” Robin said winking at Roland.

“Where was I…oh yes they met and though the Thief was a bit pushy and smelled like forest  the Queen agreed to let him help her.”

“Hmmm pushy?” Robin laughed loudly. It was so good to hear him laugh, an honest true laugh that she hadn’t heard in months. It was like music to her ears.

“She let you in didn’t she?” Regina looked at him.

“Yes, she did and the Thief knew she was the one who would touch his heart when risked her life to save his son.” Robin said squeezing Regina closer and giving her a kiss on the shoulder.

Regina continued, “Yes, the sweetest littlest of the merry men.”

“Me, that’s me.” Roland cried with glee showing off his dimples.

“Yes that was you my little one.” Regina told him and kissed the top of his head.

“Then what happened?” Roland asked expectantly.

Regina couldn’t exactly tell all the facts of them attempting to kill each other so she made it a bit more child appropriate, “That night the Thief came by to help the Queen and they shared some tea and

apple turnovers in her castle.”

“Yes,” Robin chuckled to himself, “She was sad because she was missing someone very special to her.”

“Yes her little Prince had left the kingdom and she wanted to see him more than anything.” Regina sighed remembering missing Henry so much it hurt her heart.

Robin sensing she was slightly overcome by emotion continued, “But the Queen saved the day again and the kingdom and she was reunited with her little Prince.”

“Henry!!” Roland exclaimed excitedly.

“Yes, a prince named Henry.” Regina choked back her emotions. “And then they all were together.”

“And they lived happily ever after?” Roland asked his eyes twinkling with hope.

Regina looked at Robin and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Of course they all lived happily ever after. The end. Now you need to get to sleep.”

“I’d rather go to the dance,” Roland said sadly.

“You know it’s going to be very late and since you never sleep in to give your old Papa a break, so sleep it is.” Robin insisted.

Roland’s face frowned but he couldn’t stifle a yawn.

“Maybe we could give you a dance right here if my dashing Thief agrees.” Regina smiled warmly.

“Are you sure your dance card is not full, Your Majesty?” Robin jested.

“No, I left plenty of spots for you.” Regina stood and Robin took her hand in his.

“YAY!!” Roland clapped his hands.

Robin bowed and Regina curtsied as they twirled and whirled around the room. No music just the song that was filling their hearts to be together now even though the darkest of moments that had been laid at their door.

Together.

As it always would be.

There was a knock at the door and Henry stuck his head in. “You’re going to be late.”

“The dance won’t start without the Saviour.” Robin said and squeezed Regina’s hip.

Henry looked at them as if they were in trouble. “I mean you Robin.”

Robin grinned sheepishly, “Oh of course.” He moved to tuck in his son and kiss him goodnight. “You get to sleep little one. I’ll see you tomorrow. ”

“I love you Daddy and Regina and Henry.” Roland said as he snuggled beneath the covers. Henry and Regina both smiled.

“We love you too,” Robin said as he looked at Regina and winked at her. “I’ll see you soon my love on the dancefloor.”

“Definitely,” she gave him a soft kiss. With that Robin was out the door.

Regina looked at Henry who was grinning at her, “You look beautiful mom.”

“Thank you sweetie. You look so grown up.” Regina hugged him tightly and sighed.

“You can do this mom. You’ll be awesome.” Henry showed not a glimmer of doubt in his mother’s abilities. She realized how much strength he gave her every day.

“I was blessed the day we found each other Henry,” Regina smiled at her son, “You’ll always, always be my savior.”

“I love you mom,” Henry hugged her again.

“I love you too,” Regina embraced him and burned this memory into her heart.

Regina is in the middle of a full-body measurement for Mayzie LeBird when he arrives, so she doesn’t have a whole lot of attention to give the new visitor, but the attention she can spare is immediately focused on the flex of his forearms below rolled-up sleeves, and the timbre of his voice as he responds to whatever Mary Margaret is saying.

It’s not until the end of rehearsal, when she sees those same forearms lift Roland high into the air, that she makes the connection. As the pair turn towards her, she sees their matching dimples for the first time and mentally smacks a palm against her forehead; of course someone as attractive as that would have to be taken. She checks her own idiocy at even entertaining the idea of a relationship with someone she had not even met yet, and is all smiles and hugs when Roland launches himself at her for a lengthy goodbye. She introduces herself to his father, whose name turns out to be Robin Locksley (owner of Locksley Construction, he says), and then the pair are out the door as Henry arrives at her side, tired but exhilarated by the show as he always is.

As Robin and Roland make their commute home, he listens with one ear to his son’s descriptions of rehearsal, responding as needed to Roland’s requests to practice all of the songs every night or for cheetos at tomorrow’s rehearsal, but the rest of his mind is overcome by the beautiful woman he had just met. Roland has talked about “Gina,” the costume lady, for at least two years, always delighted by the number games she plays with the youngest ones to keep their attention while she takes their measurements. He had even said, Robin now remembers, that she was a very pretty lady. But “very pretty lady” does not do justice to the warmth of deep brown eyes or richness of chocolate hair that he’d just beheld.

He asks Roland about her during a break in the lad’s litany, and he tells his father that Gina is Henry’s mommy, and she’s the mayor of the whole town, not just Whoville. Robin rolls his eyes, reminding himself that he should have assumed Regina was one of the kids’ moms, and lets the matter drop. No one that beautiful could possibly be single at this point in their life, so he might as well wipe off the metaphorical drool and be grateful that she obviously cared about his son as much as he did.

. . .

2. For two months, Regina and Robin existed in the same sphere of time and space, revolving around one another at rehearsals, work saturdays, and tech days. They watched one another, and occasionally spoke to one another, but they remained like electrons orbiting a cell nucleus, never really interacting with each other as much as interacting with one another’s children.

Regina was struck several times by Robin’s inherent kindness and patience. He often encouraged the older children to help him attach set pieces together when he brought them in, teaching them to hold and use electric drills, hammers, paint rollers, and shop vacuums. One afternoon, Regina couldn’t tear her eyes away as Robin helped Henry used a hand saw to notch a piece of the lower Who platform into the taller Who platform. Although he stayed close in case of any dangers, he let the ten-year-old maintain full responsibility for the use of the tool so that his confidence grew before her very eyes.

Unknown to her, Robin was also watching her. He’d done some asking around after their first meeting, discovering that she had a reputation as mayor for being hard-nosed and uncompromising, but with the kids, he just couldn’t see it. She knew almost all of their names, and treated each with her full attention and care when they were before her. Roland, who had obviously taken a shine to her years ago, could often be found at her side, and he spied their carefully-written cue cards in her hands as she helped him practice lines between costume changes and repairs.

JoJo was a big part for his barely-seven-year-old son, and Robin was grateful that another adult was helping Roland prepare for it. Plus, her own son was a kind, thoughtful boy, if a tad nerdy, and Robin thought that he would make a fine friend for Roland as the two boys grew older.

In fact, it seemed as though the universe had set in motion all of the right moves for the four of them to become quite a unit. That is, until disaster struck in the form of three simple, oft-used words.

. . .

3a. Three weeks before opening night, dress rehearsals were finally in full swing. The ensemble kids were all costumed, but Regina was still making adjustments to the Jungle of Nool main characters, as well as JoJo and his Mayoral parents. Between scenes, Mary Margaret would send one or two characters backstage with suggestions, requests, or repairs for Regina to work on.

Whenever he wasn’t meant to be on stage, Roland had taken up a post on a tiny plastic chair next to Regina’s workstation. He loved to whisper about what he was studying in school, or go over the ways he wanted to say his lines, gesturing with his hands to an unseen audience, then turning expectantly to Regina for praise or critique. She always provided, of course, and sent him back on stage with a hug and a few words of encouragement.

Then Robin came to one of the very last practices at his son’s request. The show ran smoothly, with only two missing Whos on potty break during their entrance and one tail-less backup bird for Mayzie’s main song. As Regina packed up and Henry raced for the snack table one last time, Roland ran up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist in a hug.

He gleefully cried out his thanks to her, and she returned the sentiment with a bright smile. Then, just as he was walking away to take his father’s hand by the doors to the backstage area, he called out one final time: “Bye, Miss Gina. I love you!”

. . .

3b. Driving home that evening, Regina felt that something had just shifted… something about her world was going to be different now. Roland’s exclamation had made her pulse beat a little louder in her ears, but the confused look on Robin’s face as he tugged his son out the door had made it stop altogether.

Regina wondered how she would feel if Henry, perhaps a few years younger like Roland, had taken a shine to someone the way Robin’s boy had to her. Regina had never dated anyone since Daniel’s death, largely because she understood that her son’s heart was young and fragile and not meant to be broken by appearing and disappearing parent figures. Yet Roland wasn’t motherless, so what was the big deal? Surely his mother wouldn’t be offended by his declaration. She was just Miss Gina from school, the town mayor who made costumes.

Promising to speak with Robin before tomorrow’s performance to get everything straightened out, Regina put the event out of her mind and set about making dinner for her own son.

. . .

3c. Of course, it turned out that Roland didn’t have a mother. When Regina pulled Robin aside the next evening, as children milled around them with excitement for opening night, he refused to give her any time to explain or apologize, merely spitting out the inappropriate trajectory of his son’s misguided affections. Regina was taken aback and tried to explain that she had not realized that Robin was a single father, but he was set in his fury.

It was not until he snidely commented that most women assume that all children are like their own, with a perfectly happy parent unit at home, that Regina felt her own ire rise. She immediately demanded that he get his own head out of his arse and realize that he, too, was making unnecessary assumptions.

She left him to help the last of the birds apply their tails and hair-feathers with the final remark that she, too, was a single parent, and that she’d never intended to make life uncomfortable for Robin by caring about his son, but that if having someone care about Roland was going to be problematic for him, he should’ve raised a less wonderful son.

Regina steamed through most of the first act, applauding and thumbs-uping in all the right places, but entirely distracted by Robin’s unexpected levels of anger towards her. Act II sped by even more quickly, and then she found herself backstage once more, helping to remove costume pieces and hang them for easy re-use the next evening. She was so busy with all of the flying feathers and yellow skirts that she didn’t notice Robin until he was touching her wrist, asking to speak with her in private.