Guard My Heart

Epilogue

A/N: So this is it. The final chapter. First of all, I would like to thank all of you for reading and for coming this far. It means so much to me. This is my first big multi-chapter story and I can't believe we're finally at the end. Secondly, a HUGE shout out to justfangirling it and my sister Mollie! Without both of them this story never would have made it this far. Thank you for listening to all my writer crazies and talking me down from ledges, reassuring me and helping me work out kinks. You are amazing! Another big thank you to anyone else who encouraged me and inspired me to write when I didn't want to. This is for you all. I hope you enjoy it :)

Anxious anticipation skitters up and down Robin's spine, making him jittery as he lights candles, unsure if he's ever been this nervous in his entire life. He shouldn't be. There's no reason for it. Knows she will likely say yes. They love each other after all. And not an ounce of uncertainty exists in Robin's mind that he wants to spend the rest of his life loving Regina Mills.

However, they've only known each other for a few months, practically nothing in the grand scheme of things. Granted, they'd become very close in that short amount of time. Intense situations have a tendency to do that. But what if she's not ready? If it is too soon? What if she's not interested in marriage? Or she doesn't want to tie herself down to him? What if she turns out to feel the same as Marian had and doesn't want a husband who spends his days in such a dangerous line of work? Worse of all, what if she grows to resent him for her kidnapping? The doubts swirl madly about in Robin's brain until he's worked himself into a state over hypothetical scenarios.

He knows he's being ridiculous. It's been nearly two months since she was abducted, since Sidney Glass' death, and Regina has handled it remarkably well considering. She's finished production on her film, has had several weeks to unwind and relax before the start of her next project. There is no doubt she is the most resilient woman Robin has ever met. And they've been in a good place. A happy place. Just the two of them and Henry, and Roland on the weekends Robin gets him. A little slice of normalcy after a storm.

"Breathe..." Tink chastises him, putting the finishing touches on the romantic setting, as Robin stands there and fidgets with the ring box in his hand, twirling it round and round between his fingers. Clearly, he isn't hiding his nervousness nearly as well as he'd hoped.

Shooting her a pained smile, he nods, "Right," and takes a deep gulp of fresh air. Regina's assistant has been a gem through all of this. Helping Robin plan everything out, pulling in a favor with Mal to get Regina and Henry tickets to a comic convention in order to get them out of the house while the two of them had set everything up. Honestly, he doesn't know what he or Regina would have done without the woman's constant support the last few weeks.

The pixie blonde merely chuckles, "You have nothing to worry about you know. She'd have to be daft not to say yes. Not to mention the fact Regina is totally crazy about you."

Robin's dimples crease his cheeks in amusement at the woman's matter of fact attitude. "Thanks. And thank you for helping plan all of this out. It really means alot to me."

Tink brushes his compliment away, tells him it was nothing. "As long as you make her happy that's all that matters. Plus you two are perfect for each other, soulmates if I've ever seen them." Robin grins at the notion, would like to think that she's right. That some powerful force in the universe had brought them together, two people meant to find one another. It's a rather lovely thought. "But I better scram before she gets back. Mary Margaret managed to talk her into dropping Henry off with her for the night after the convention so you guys will have the place all to yourself." She smirks, wiggles her eyebrows at him suggestively before bouncing back into the house.