nothing lasts forever

[madehervows]

Who: Regina Mills & Robin Hood
Where: Their room
When: December 25th
Rating: PG
Summary: Christmas has come, and so have the painful memories.
The Story:

[Despite being kidnapped and thrown in a cell with the dregs of society, Regina can't say this Christmas has been all bad. Emma Swan came back to Wonderland, and how happy that made Henry is enough for Regina to consider this Christmas a success. She's sure something will come along and ruin it eventually, but she has Henry and Robin, and Emma, so maybe things will finally be okay.

For the first time in forever, she's actually in a good mood. It's a shame she checks the stocking Wonderland provided, a shocked gasp exiting her as she rolls the ring between her fingers. She never thought she'd see this again, not after she gave it up to Jefferson's hat. The magic in the ring flares to life, showing her Daniel's face and she can't, not now. Flicking her wrist, she poofs back to the room she shares with Robin, letting out a sob as soon as she knows she's safe, slowly collapsing to her knees.

She loves Robin, has a future with Robin finally, but just as a piece of him will always belong to Marian, a piece of her will always belong to Daniel. That doesn't mean she needed the reminder, Wonderland. Who knows how long she's there, a heap on the floor, the ring tightly clutched in her hand.]

Comments

[alionsheart]

[ It seems like such a strange thought to have, but Robin's grateful that Christmas wasn't worse. Not that he's happy with what happened at all recently. He's not. But they've honestly been through worse in Wonderland, and he's bound and determined to simply focus on enjoying this day. And he is, he truly is.

He's not quite sure what he'll find in his stocking, and he's a bit worried, truth be told. Wonderland isn't always a merciful benefactor. And when he pulls the gift out of his stocking, it's...bittersweet. Inside is the soft, blue plush monkey that Regina had soothed his boy with. That monkey had nearly taken Roland and Regina had saved him, turning the once monstrous beast into a soft toy. It's a reminder of those early days together, and a reminder of his son, who toted that toy around everywhere and became Regina's little shadow during their time in the Enchanted Forest. He misses him so terribly, as he knows Regina does. Taking the monkey back to their shared room, Robin immediately frowns in concern when he finds Regina on the floor, crying. He sets the monkey aside for now and rushes forward, kneeling beside her. ]

Regina? What is it, what's wrong, love?

[madehervows]

[It's the sound of his voice that brings her out of the despair, a ray of light in the darkness that no longer consumes her. She looks up, her eyes red from crying and tear tracks drying down her face, looking nothing like the confident, evil woman she presents herself as. Only here, only with him does she dare lower that guard completely, lets herself feel the pain that will never quite heal, that's festered for far too long to ever truly go away.

Her fingers remain curled around the ring, as she glances down at her hand and back up at Robin's face.]

Wonderland... [A choked sob rips its way out of her again, before she clears her throat.] Wonderland decided to dig up the past.

[Slowly, her fingers uncurl, displaying the ring to Robin. In it, Daniel's face is displayed for a moment before vanishing.]

[alionsheart]

[ The heartbreak and pain on her face breaks his heart open, splitting each piece into a sharp shard that threatens to bleed the life out of him. When she's hurting, Robin's hurting with her. He would do anything to take the pain away simply by pulling her into his arms, but he knows a mere embrace won't make this better.

Damned Wonderland. ]

Your first love.

[ His hand rests beneath hers, fingers stroking her knuckles. ]

The cruelty of this place still astonishes me at times. [ He's lamenting, but there's some good here, too. Just...not right now. It may not ease her pain immediately, but he shifts to sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her and coaxing her head to his shoulder gently. ]

[madehervows]

[Regina is silent as she leans against him, the tension in her body slowly leaving her simply because of his presence. It doesn't fix everything, but it helps, and for now, that's enough. He already does so much for her that she doesn't want to ask for more, and she wouldn't, anyway, not after everything they learned.]

I think this time it was trying to be kind. I never thought I'd see this ring again.

[She doesn't elaborate, but they both know she will if he asks. There's a final, shuddering breath as she finally calms down.]

[alionsheart]

[ The gift he'd received was relatively innocuous. Slightly bittersweet, but more sweet than bitter. A beautiful reminder of his boy, and how Regina had been naturally inclined to protect him from the start. Her gift seems to trigger painful memories, but he can see how she'd find something equally beautiful in it, too. ]

May I ask - when did he give this to you?

[ He's fairly sure what the context was, but this seems like a milder question to ask. ]

[madehervows]

[Even if it had led to Henry being cursed, sacrificing the ring was still worth it. She managed to change, to be the mother Henry deserves and found Robin, so she can't say she regrets dropping the ring into Jefferson's hat.]

Just after I saved Snow White from her runaway horse. [Oh Cora.] We were going to run away together.

[A small smile appears on her face as she remembers Daniel. Even if it hurts, Daniel was a good man and she'll always love him.]

[alionsheart]

[ Just lightly, his hand rubs over her back, hoping to soothe away any lingering sadness over the memories triggered from the ring. He likes having this glimpse into her past for just a moment, though he wishes the circumstances had been far different. ]

It's a good thing, then - this ring. Something of his you can keep.

[ In Wonderland, anyway. ]

[madehervows]

[Regina leans up just enough to press a kiss to his cheek, settling back against him comfortably. The circumstances might not be the greatest, but this is nice, something they haven't been able to do for some time.]

If I didn't give it up, I don't know if we would have ever met.

[But it's nice to have it back.]

What did Wonderland decide to give you?

[alionsheart]

[ He wouldn't say they've ever necessarily had it easy in Wonderland, but the past few months have seemed disproportionately arduous. And though the last few days have also been...less than pleasant, they have this time together now and he's not one to dwell on the negative. They share a room together, they're here together, committed to one another. For right now, he couldn't be happier.

Smiling at the kiss, Robin shifts away for a moment to grab the plush monkey, showing it to Regina. ]

Recognize this, love?

[madehervows]

[Even if things haven't been easy, they've been together - and though she knows he misses Roland more than anything, as does she, both she and Henry are here for him and they're... a family, in a way. Something she never thought she'd have, not like this, at least.

Regina reaches out to take the plush toy, smiling at the sight of it,. Though, her heart aches at the thought of Roland back in Storybrooke, without them, technically.]

I do. That seems like such a long time ago, now, doesn't it? [When they'd been at each other's throat, or well, she had been at his.] So much has happened.

[alionsheart]

[ Whatever befalls them in Wonderland, they've always gotten through it together. Because they are family, and Robin loves Henry and Regina so terribly much. He would do anything and everything he could for them.

The memory of their time in the Enchanted Forest draws a smile from him now. They certainly have come far since then. ]

We've been through...quite a lot. I'd wager we're far stronger for it. [ He wants to believe there was a point to it all. At least they know they can weather anything. ] You know - Roland's adored you from the moment you saved his life. He asked me recently how you'd feel about...being his mother. [ Something he probably wouldn't have asked if he'd retained his rather traumatizing memories of the mother who wasn't actually his mother. But he only remembers Regina, and how much love she's shown him. Robin hadn't been sure how to broach the subject with Regina, not wanting her to think he expects anything, but it seems...right now. ]

[madehervows]

[There are about a thousand possible ways this could have gone, and it's safe to say Regina wasn't expecting it to go this way. Her immediate silence probably gives him the wrong idea but it's a little overwhelming, even he should be able to see that.

She pulls back a little to look at him clearly, her eyes soft.]

Are you asking what I think you're asking?

[It's not a no, and of course her first instinct is to say yes. That's never been in question, but she doesn't want to assume anything, not when they've faced so many problems together that they seem to spring out of nowhere.]

[alionsheart]

[ It seems the words were out of his mouth before he'd properly thought this through. He wants it, but he knows she's been through so much and she's not always comfortable with committing that quickly. This is...a big step, he knows. She doesn't seem upset with the idea, at least, but he wants to give her an out if she needs that. ]

I am. But perhaps it was a bit...ill-timed on my part.

[ Here she is with the ring her first love had given her, and here's Robin...asking her to marry him. In so many words. Taking her hands for a moment, he kisses her knuckles. ]

I want this - if you want this, Regina.

[ And if she needs to wait, he will. Anything for her. ]

[madehervows]

Yes.

[She doesn't need to think about it, even with Daniel's ring still held between her fingers. Things at home could take a turn for the worst any moment now, what with Emma threatening to make them pay for something they can't remember, and Wonderland could split them apart forever. But this isn't a decision made in haste, and she doesn't need to see how Henry feels about this because he's hardly made a secret of how much he approves of - and loves - both Robin and Roland.]

Yes, Robin.

[Regina shifts in his arms, bringing a hand to his cheek and closing the distance between them to press a kiss to his lips. Wonderland's cruelty slips from her thoughts, replaced by the sheer joy that this is happening. This is real.]