"Robin, can you get her. I have to finish the boys lunches before the bus gets here." Regina shouted from the kitchen. She had left her daughter napping in the den so all her shuffling around wouldn't wake her.
"Already on the way," he answered. He knew she was busy, could hear her moving about in the kitchen. He was heading for his girl the second he heard the first cry. He was not fond of letting her just cry. Regina said she needed to learn to self sooth in some situations, but Robin didn't agree. Some might say he spoiled her. Well, that is exactly what his aim was. He intended to spoil his little princess rotten.
"Hello, my little Hope. What's the matter, my love?" He questioned in a hushed, higher pitched voice that was reserved only for her.
The tiny baby let out a whimper and reached her hands out upon seeing her papa leaning over her bassinet. She quieted down immediately upon seeing him. "You just wanted some company didn't you, my darling?" He slid a hand under her head then one under her bum to scoop her up, then moved her head to rest securely in the crook of his arm. She immediately turned her face into his chest and started to nuzzle. "Love, I don't think she wants me." He yelled towards the kitchen.
"What do you mean?" Regina yelled in a huff, she didn't have time for him to be vague. She glanced at her watch and rolled her eyes angrily. The bus would be there any minute. She stepped out of the kitchen to yell, "boys, get down here," up the stairs. They were going to be late if they didn't hustle. When she walked back into the kitchen Robin was standing in the spot she'd just vacated, putting the food she'd just prepared into the lunch bags. "I was going to finish," she scolded him, then hit his hand away. He was doing it wrong. If the sandwiches went in first they would get squished by the other items.
"I was just trying to help so you could take her." He stepped back and raised his free hand. She was always so particular about things, and not to mention testy when they were running a bit behind.
"I don't understand why you can't hold her until I'm finished." She was frustrated. They were running late and she hated being behind, more than anything. She stepped over to the freezer to pull out the ice packs to keep the boys food cool until it was ready to be eaten. She put that in first, followed by a water bottle, an apple, red of course, a small ziplock bag of carrots, then turkey and cheese sandwiches on top. She could hear Hope whimpering while she was moving around, Robin should be equipped to handle that on his own.
"Because, love, she is looking for something I do not possess." She was still rooting, searching for something only her mother could give her. She was whimpering a bit louder now, she must've been getting frustrated. Robin ran his hand over her tiny little head and hoisted her up a bit higher in his arms, to which she protested. "Just a moment, darling," he whispered into the top of her head before dotting kisses there.
"Alright, just a minute." Well why didn't he just say she was hungry. "Boys, downstairs, now!" They were pushing it. Pushing being late and missing the bus, and pushing it with her. They must have known that, because not a second later she heard two sets of feet bounding down the stairs. She zipped up their lunch bags and held one in each hand for them to grab the second they entered the kitchen.
Henry got there first and grabbed his bag out of his mother's hand. He kissed her on the cheek with a, "thanks, mom. Love you." Then he was running to the front door to grab his coat and scarf.
Roland was next. He grabbed his bag with a, "thank you, mama." Then he was running away. He skidded to a stop in the doorway and turned back towards them both. He ran up to Regina as she crouched down and bumped their noses together. Ever since she taught him that he would always greet her and leave her with them. It was their special thing, just the two of them. He threw out a wave and a quick, "bye, papa," then he was off.
Regina followed him to the front door and picked up his backpack while he shrugged on his coat. "Did you remember your spelling homework?" She asked as he slid his little arms through the straps.
"Yes," was all he said. He was ready to meet Henry at the bottom of the stairs to head for the bus stop.
"Alright," Regina sighed, then he was off, out the door and down the steps. "I love you boys." She yelled to them from the entryway. They both threw I live you's over their shoulders as they walked past the gate. Regina smiled and let out a sigh. It did her heart good to see her boys holding hands and chatting away as they walked down the sidewalk.
"Regina, I don't think she's going to wait much longer," she heard Robin say from behind her just before a wail came from her daughter. She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh, back to it. She turned on her heels to see Robin standing just behind her bouncing their daughter. "Hand her here," she said tightly.
Robin had been getting on her last nerve all morning for some reason. She couldn't quite pinpoint why, all she knew was she was frustrated with him. She also wasn't feeling very well that morning and he kept asking things of her, which quite possibly could be the reason her patience was so short.
Her stomach felt like it was doing flips from the moment she woke up. She had vomited once, it was all she would allow herself, then taken a long hot shower. Robin had walked in while she was in the middle of rinsing her hair, said Hope had woken up but he changed her and she went right back down. She didn't think it was necessary for her to respond to that, but apparently it was because he was poking his head in through the shower door and asking if she'd heard him. She nodded, turned her back to him and went straight back to rinsing her hair out. And again that must not have been enough because he was stepping into the shower and wrapping his arms around her waist. She tried to ignore it, but his hands started to venture lower and she simply did not have time for that. She had to tell him that she was running late, and that now was not the time. When did that ever work. Robin just continued to venture his hand lower and mumbled that he could be quick. In her current mood she highly doubted that. He could work her for an hour and likely end up exactly where they are now, her frustrated and even more late. She pushed herself away from him, gave him a forceful no and exited the shower. Thankfully he left her be after that.
As she was blowing out her hair she had nearly vomited again, but she was able to get it under control so she could apply her makeup. It took her a bit longer than normal to get ready, so when she finally made it downstairs with Hope sleeping in her arms Henry had already taken care of pouring a bowl of cereal for himself and Roland, bless that boy. She didn't really have a stomach for food so she poured herself a small amount of coffee. She wasn't allowed much because it would get into her milk and wasn't good for the baby, but she needed it this morning to hopefully help settle her stomach. After that she would switch to water or maybe some juice for the sugar, she would need something more to make it through the morning. After she laid Hope down in her bassinet in the foyer her nausea ramped up again, just as she was putting the sandwiches together. She had to stop and walk away for a moment, the smell of the meat was getting to her. Perfect, another thing that was making her even later than she already was. She heard Robin call out to her and thankfully Hope began to cry so his attention would be pulled away from her, and it was.
With just the two of them home now, though, all of his attention was going to be focused on her. Lovely.
She sat on the sofa and layed Hope down between her thighs. She didn't much like that and started to cry a bit louder. "I know, baby, just give mommy a second." She started to unbutton her blouse then pulled it off her shoulders. She didn't want to get milk or spit up on it since she was planning on wearing it to the office. "I know you're hungry." She undid the hooks on the front of her bra and scooped her daughter up. She wasted no time in finding what she wanted and latched on. Regina let out a grunt. Why was she so sore? She'd gotten over that weeks ago, it didn't make sense.
"Are you alright, love," she heard Robin mumble in her ear before his hands were on her shoulders. He started working at the knots and it should have felt good, but it didn't. She was still frustrated with him, and honestly, she didn't want him touching her. She started rolling her shoulders so he would hopefully get the hint, which he did.
He could feel her stiffen when he touched her. He thought he may have just surprised her, but it continued even as he massaged her tight muscles. When she started shifting away from him he stopped and walked around the sofa to sit beside her. "Love, what's going on? You have been short with me all morning." She just shook her head at him. That was not a nothing's wrong shake, it was an I don't want to talk about it so I'm ignoring you. "I won't know what I did until you tell me."
"I'm just not feeling well," then for for good measure she added, "and we were running behind." She hoped that would be enough.
"Fine, if you don't want to tell me that's alright." He looped his arm behind her to rest on the back of the sofa and turned his body towards her. "But at least tell me what I can do to make it better." He rested a hand to her thigh as he scooted closer to her. "I can't stand it when you're angry with me." He dropped his forehead to her shoulder then kissed her arm.
That simple gesture, a kiss to her shoulder, had her anger fading away. She still didn't understand how he was able to do that. Whenever she was angry with him he was always able to change it with the simplest of tricks. A kiss to her forehead, running his hands down her arms to catch her hands to only bring them to his lips, a quick peck on the lips when she was trying to look away from him. He knew exactly what to do in order for her to forgive him. She hated how easy it was. She could feel his love for her always emanate from him in those little gestures. That was what always did the trick.
"You're doing it," she sighed.
He knew full well he had already taken her anger with the kiss, but he picked his head up and peppered kisses on the side of her neck for good measure. "I'm glad."
She let out another little grunt when Hope shifted and sucked a bit harder.
"Are you sore? I thought you were through that part." Robin sat up to lean over her, to look at the baby then her face.
"I thought I was also," she huffed. "Apparently not," sadly, annoyingly.
"Here," he slid closer still and raised his hand, "let me." It was meant as a question, permission.
Regina nodded and shifted so she was sitting up a bit straighter.
Robin was careful about it, when she's complaining about being sore she's sore. He gently dropped his hand to her breast and started lightly massaging it with his fingertips. She seemed to be alright so he added a bit more pressure.
"Hope everyone's decent," a voice yelled from the foyer.
That remark could've only come from one person, Mal. She was the only person that was ballsy enough to enter the house with that line. Although, he couldn't really blame her. She had caught them in a very compromising position not a month ago. "In here," Regina yelled, which Robin didn't appreciate. Regina was sitting topless on the sofa with his hand on her breast. Not far away from what she'd seen the first time.
"You two look comfortable." She walked around the sofa to sit in the armchair beside them. If they were bold enough to have sex in the middle of the living room then invited her in she was going to come sit and watch, just to show them she would. Upon seeing Regina's face she changed her initial observation. "Not so comfortable then," she said as she sat down and crossed her legs.
"Not so much." Regina mumbled as she let her head drop back onto the sofa.
"Is he helping or hurting," Mal joked. She couldn't resist.
"Helping," Robin said quickly. He didn't understand Mal's incessant need to tease.
"He's definitely not making it worse." Regina felt she needed to defend Robin, if only to make him feel better.
Mal sat and watched Regina grimace while Robin tried to help. She just couldn't stand it. She stood up to go sit at Regina's other side. "Will you let me. I know exactly what she needs."
"What makes you think you know what she needs more than I do." Robin said forcefully. He was tired of Maleficent inserting herself into the middle of their relationship where she had no business.
"Robin." Regina dropped her hand to his forearm and squeezed a bit. "She just wants to help."
"I know." Robin closed his eyes and took a breath. "I don't like being told I don't know how to properly give you what you need."
"You always do." She moved her hand to his cheek and rubbed her thumb through his stubble. "Can you go and get me a burp cloth, I want to talk to Mal a minute and I think she's almost done," she then glanced down to see Hope almost asleep on her breast, but not quite. She was still suckling just enough that it was uncomfortable.
Robin nodded and turned his head to kiss her palm. She really wanted him to go cool off a moment, and he would, for her. He stood and headed for the laundry room where the freshly washed clothes were waiting.
Regina turned her attention to Mal. "Why do you always have to do that?"
"Because it's fun." She chuckled before she took up where Robin left off. "And you know I'm better at this."
Regina dropped her head back and sighed. "I never said you weren't." Mal definitely had a way with her hands. They were also smaller and not quite as rough as Robin's, which in most situations wouldn't matter, but in this particular one a gentler approach was needed.
Mal paused and looked at her a moment. Really looked at her. She scanned up and down her body quickly then landed back on her eyes. It felt like she was peering into her soul.
Maleficent knew something was different from the first moment she looked at Regina upon entering the house. She hadn't seen her for a while, not since right after the baby was born, so she brushed it off and choked it up to the time apart. But now she knows, can see it in her eyes. "You're pregnant."
Regina's eyes went wide. "Wha- what?" She scoffed, "no," and shook her head. The little girl on her breast was only three months old. No. There was no way she was pregnant again.
"What?" She heard Robin say behind her, followed by something hitting the floor. It sounded heavy, like the full laundry basket.
"You are pregnant," Maleficent said again. She was certain. She knew what pregnancy looked like on Regina, had witnessed it only months ago. There was a light in her eyes that she had never seen in her before.
"How- how can you tell?" Regina stammered. She was a bit stunned.
Pregnant.
That couldn't be right.
"It's a dragon thing. I can see it in your eyes, they really do sparkle." She focused on them again for a moment then nodded her head. She was definitely right.
"You- you're sure?" Robin asked as he dropped down on the sofa beside Regina again. He was utterly taken aback. They hadn't planned to have another child, especially so soon. Now that he thinks about it, they also hadn't tried to prevent another child from happening.
"I'm certain of it," Maleficent nodded.
Regina threw her head back and covered her eyes with her hands just as Hope released her and started to cough a bit. Regina didn't move for a second out of pure shock.
"I've got her," Mal offered upon seeing the couple frozen in their spots. She scooped the little girl up and leaned her against her right shoulder to start patting her back.
After having both of her hands freed Regina covered an eye with each hand. After a few beats she ran them back through her hair and leaned up to see Robin leaning forward with his head almost between his knees.
"What do you think?" Regina asked as she dropped a hand to his back. She wanted to know what was going through his head to see if it compared with what was in her own.
"I'm not sure, let me get over the shock first." He mumbled as he glanced back at her. "Another baby. So soon." He fell back against the couch and ran a hand through his beard.
"What should we do?" Regina asked not really knowing what she meant by it.
"Regina." Robin sat up quickly and and moved a hand to her cheek to turn her towards him. "I may still be in utter shock, but that doesn't mean I'm not happy."
"You are?" Regina breathed out.
"Of course. I couldn't be happier! Now there will be another living thing that came from you, from us."
"Are we ready for this?"
"Milady, I can take on the world as long as I have you by my side." Her smile widened as tears formed on her lashes. He caught one with his thumb before he leaned in and kissed her. "Two infants should be a piece of cake."
Regina just giggled at him and said, "don't speak too soon."