Just learning to fly

Chapter 7

Robin woke up first to bright sunshine streaming through the windows despite the curtains that tried to block it out. Though Regina had fallen asleep with her back to him, she now had her face buried in his chest. He could feel her tiny bump pressed up against his stomach and he smiled because of it. The love of his life, his soulmate, was carrying his child! How incredible was that! Sure, he had been happy when he had found out that Zelena was carrying his child, but this was something completely different. With Zelena, he had been excited to be a Father again. With Regina, yes he was excited to be a Father, but he was elated by the fact that he would get to share the experience with her. He was over the moon excited to see her body swell and change to accommodate for the new life that was growing inside of her, a little bit of him and a little bit of her, blended together to make something so beautiful and unique. Something that they would both cherish forever.
He lightly traced the contours of her face while she slept, looking so peaceful. If only she could look like that when she was awake.
She stirred in her sleep, causing Robin to smile. She looked so cute he could kiss her. So he did.
He soon felt her respond and deepen the kiss, having woken her up.
Regina's eyes fluttered open and blue stared into brown, one completely lost in the other.
"I think that I have found my favourite method of waking you up." He said in a hushed tone, husky from not using it all night.
She smiled her beautiful smile and reached over to softly trace the lines on his face as he had done while she slept.
"And I have found my favourite way of being woken up." She said, her hands coming to rest on his chest.
Robin wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. She sighed in contentment and snuggled against him.
"What time is it?" She murmured.
Robin twisted his head so that he could see the clock that sat on their bedside table.
"8:30" he groaned, not wanting to get up.
She did the same, pulling the covers over her head.
He laughed at her childish behaviour, trying to pull the covers off of her head.
"Milady, we have to get up. Mary Margret will be dropping Henry and Roland off soon. We need to get ready." He told her, trying not to laugh.
All he got in response was a muffled groan. All of a sudden, Regina threw off the covers and made a beeline for the bathroom. Robin followed close behind her and held her hair while she emptied her stomach into the toilet. With his other hand, he rubbed her back, making soothing circles. When she was finished, she leaned against the wall and brought her knees up to her chest, resting her head on them. Robin grabbed a cloth and wet it before re entering the bathroom. He sat down beside her and attempted to help her feel better.
"Regina?" He said, making her name sound like a question.
She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Robin began clearing off her mouth with the cloth as Regina closed her eyes, trying to fight down another wave of nausea that was threatening to overtake her. When he was done, Robin let his head rest on top of hers and draped his arm across her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.
"Are you okay, 'Gina?" He asked her, using her nickname that Roland had given her.
She nodded, most of the nausea having passed, but she did not move from her position, fearing that even the slightest movement could bring it back.
They sat there in comfortable silence and stillness until Regina was sure that the nausea had subsided enough that she could get up. She lifted her off of his shoulder, forcing him to do the same.
"I guess we really do have to get ready now." She reluctantly told him.
"I guess we do." He responded, just as eager to face the day.
Robin helped her up, making sure that the nausea didn't return, which it thankfully didn't.
They made their way downstairs in their pyjamas, not as eager as she once was to look perfect all of the time.
Regina made to go grab the frying pan, but Robin stopped her.
"The least I can do is make you breakfast." He told her, "After all, you are doing all of the hard work right now. You don't have to do everything. Let me help you for once."
She smiled at him, grateful for his help. She made her way over to the table and sat down, turning her chair so that she faced him.
"Alright, chief Robin, what are you going to make for us today?" She asked playfully.
"It's a little thing I like to call, Robin's eggs. Today, the special is over easy, just the way my Queen likes them. How does that sound?" He answered her, just as playfully.
She pretended to think about it for a moment. "I don't know, will the chief be taking requests today?" She asked him, still playing with him.
"For you, the chief will make anything." He told her with a sweeping bow, making her giggle.
"I would like to request sea salt and pepper on my eggs, if it isn't to much." She told him, trying but failing to stop laughing.
"For you, nothing is too much." He told her truthfully.
They continued their playful banter until Robin had finished cooking two eggs for both him and Regina. When he finished, he brought both plates over to the table and sat down beside her, making sure that she got the eggs with the pepper and sea salt. He had even added two pieces of toast to each of their plates, neatly buttered. Regina took a bite out of her eggs and her eyes widened.
"Robin, when did you learn to makes eggs like this?" She asked him, completely astonished with how good they were.
"Right after I found out how much you love them." He told her, being completely honest.
She blushed, not sure what to say. She remembered when she had told him of her love for the food, but she had had no idea that he had spent so much time afterward perfecting his own skill to be able to make them perfectly.
"Robin, I had no idea." She told him, tearing up slightly. Darn pregnancy hormones!
"Well, if it meant a little extra work to make you happy, I was only too happy to do it." He told her, picking up their empty plates and putting them in the dishwasher like Regina had showed him.
Just then, the door swung open and in barged Henry and Roland with Mary Margret trailing behind them.
"Mom! Robin!" Henry called from the front hall.
"We're in the kitchen." Robin yelled back.
Roland came speeding into the room, Henry hot on his heels.
"Daddy! 'Gina!" Roland yelled as he crashed into Robin.
Robin bent down and scooped him up, kissing his cheek.
"Did you have fun with Mary Margret?" He asked his son.
"Ya, we played games and we went to the park and we had ice cream. Oh, and we watched a movie about you, Daddy!" The little boy said rapidly.
"Well, sounds like you had a good time." Robin chuckled, setting his son down.
As soon as his feet hit the ground, Roland was off to see Regina, demanding to be picked up, so of course she complied with the little boy's wishes.
Robin watched her interact with Roland and smiled, excited to see her holding their baby when it got here.
Henry lounged on the couch, trying to act cool. Inside, he was dying to know when they were going to announce the baby so that he could stop pretending not to know about it.
Mary Margret entered the room having come in with the boys and smiled at the sight that met her eyes. Regina seemed to be in a deep conversation with Roland over something while Robin watched, completely entranced. In that moment, she looked nothing like the woman that as Snow White she had come to fear. There was also something new about her, something that Snow could not place. Maybe it was the baggy pyjamas that didn't seem to fit quite right. Or maybe it was the way that Regina seemed to almost be glowing. Mary Margret gave an internal gasp. If she didn't know better, she would say that the former Evil Queen was pregnant. But that was impossible, wasn't it?
Regina looked up and noticed her standing there.
"Thank you for looking after them on such short notice." She said, smiling at her former step-daughter.
"It was my pleasure. They were so easy to take care of. Henry even helped me to make dinner and take care of Roland and Neal." She said, still scrutinizing the older woman. "Anyway, I have to get going, but it was a pleasure, it really was. You can call me anytime to look after them if you need it." She said, making her way towards the door.
Once the door had closed behind her, Regina took Roland off of her lap and set him down, telling him that he could go and play with his toys in the other room. She then made her way over to the couch and sat down next to her son.
"Henry, we really do need to talk about how you are using that pen." She told him pointedly.