We Can Love Again

Love Conquers All

Emma Swan was on her way home from work. She had a million things on her mind, and none of them were things she wanted to deal with at the moment. Her parents had gone to a movie the previous night; they were still fast asleep back at the apartment. It was going to be a slow and painful journey, but they were slowly mending, one day at a time.

From deep inside her pocket, her phone buzzed. Emma slowed to a stop at the pathetic traffic all signal hanging above small intersection and worked on pulling out her phone. She swore while doing so; Emma would have to work on fixing her swearing problem. It was a text from Killian, wondering when they both had time to begin gathering things for Roland's birthday. When Emma turned her attention back to the road, she nearly had a heart attack when suddenly, out of nowhere, a man in rugged clothes, clearly not from the realm they were in, stood in the middle of the road, glancing around dubiously at the new sights around. He stuck out like a sore thumb, but Emma could've recognized Regina's soulmate anywhere.

"R-Robin?!" Emma yelled, hurriedly putting her car in park and getting out and racing towards the man.

Was this really happening? Robin Hood in Storybrooke; she never thought she would see the day.

"Shit, it really is you!" She exclaimed, examining him carefully inch by inch.

He looked extremely tired, with tattered clothes and dirt smudged over his skin. His beard had become thicker and his features more hollow. But he was still there in front of her, alive, still the Robin she had gotten to know to a more personal level than just Regina's boyfriend.

"Emma! It's amazing to see you again!" He replied, his warm smile returning to the blonde all the memories she had obtained while in the Enchanted Forest. Emma couldn't help but throw her arms around his neck, still in shock that he was there; Roland's father, Henry's father, Regina's true love...

Everything was going to be okay.

Robin gratefully returned the hug, an excited glow swirling about his eyes.

"Do you know where I could find-"

"Your children? Regina?" Emma finished for him, so exasperated she could barely speak. "Roland and Henry are both in school right now. It's really close to here too, just take a left here and go down a few blocks- do you want me to drive you there?"

The man shook his head, unable to keep a grin off his face. "I've got it. You just make sure Regina stays at the house until I get there, okay? I want this to be perfect."

The blonde raised her hand to her temple, giving him a salute and a wink before Robin turned around and bolted right down the middle of the street.

--

Everything around him just didn't make sense. Iron carriages without horses pulling them? Grass confined to simple squares in front of houses? He felt like a child in a candy shop.

Eventually, Robin made it to the front doors of the school- it was big, and he soon wondered why Regina would let their kids be there all by themselves. He was hounded by the front office workers, ordering him to wear a badge indicating he was a 'visitor' when he told them he had to see his kids.

Robin wasn't listening when they told him directions to the preschool wing; he got lost very quickly, and had to ask a couple people milling about for help.

"Roland? Roland Mills? Why he's in that classroom three doors down."

Robin responded by a hasty nod and eyed the door wondrously, already hearing the muffled sounds of children at play. Was his son among them?