An Outlaw Queen Christmas

Gingerbread

"Which one are we gonna watch next, Mama?" Roland asked, lifting his head from Regina's shoulder and looking up at her. She grabbed the remote control which lay beside her and began flicking through the variety of Christmas movies.

"Well, we just watched Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," Regina bopped him on the nose with her finger and he giggled. "So we can either watch Santa Claus is Coming to Town or How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Your choice." She said, handing him the controller. He nodded and pointed it at the tv screen, clicking on How The Grinch Stole Christmas. "The Grinch is it then." She smiled as he placed the controller on the end table beside the couch and then cuddled into her, pulling the fuzzy blanket they had around them up as he did so. She could tell Roland was getting tired, after all it was Christmas Eve. Robin wasn't home from his new job at the 'Game Of Thorns' flower shop, they seemed to have to make some late deliveries on Christmas Eve so she was alone with Roland for a few hours.

It was nearly six thirty when the movie ended and Roland had gone completely limp in her arms. His head was snuggled in the crook of her neck, his body curled up in her lap.

"Roland, sweetie." Regina whispered, pulling back and running her fingers through his dark brown curls. He sighed in his sleep and wrapped an arm around her, his hand holding the opposite shoulder to the one his head laid upon. She didn't want to wake him, he was so peaceful and absolutely adorable in her arms.

"Roland." She cooed, softly and planted a kiss in his hair. He began to stir, and finally he squinted his eyes at her then rubbed them.

"Is Santa here yet?" He murmured, lifting his head from her shoulder to look at her.

She laughed, softly, "No, sweetie, but that's why I woke you. We have to get the milk and cookies ready!" Regina said, in a cheery tone of voice that she only used with him. A big smile formed on his face, as he kicked off the blanket that covered them and hopped off the couch. She grabbed his hand and began walking him to the kitchen.

"So, what kinda cookies are we gonna make?" Roland asked as Regina lifted him and sat him on the counter.

"Well, we made some yesterday remember?" She said, grabbing two cookie jars.

"Ya! We made the gingerbread guys!" He replied, pointing at one of the jars.

She giggled, "It's gingerbread men, but yes that's right and what other ones did we make?" She questioned, watching him as he made a thinking face.

His face suddenly lit up, "The sugar cookies!" He said, feeling extremely proud that he remembered.

"That is correct! So now we have a tough decision to make... what would Santa like better; the sugar cookies or the gingerbread men?" Regina asked, gesturing to each jar of cookies.

"I think the real question is what cookie goes better with the milk." Roland retorted, making Regina laugh at his seriousness about all of this.

"Smart boy." She said, kissing his cheek quickly. "Would you like to decorate them and then we can do a taste test to see which is better?"

By the excited look on Roland's face she already knew the answer.

Regina was quick to start mixing icing into different colours and getting out sprinkles, she already knew Roland would have way too much fun with those. He never had any of this in the Enchanted Forest so this was all so new and exciting for him, Regina wanted to make it the best Christmas he'd ever had. She had set up How The Grinch Stole Christmas on the tv for him to watch since he missed half of it by falling asleep not even ten minutes into it.