#daddy robin

[tales-of-the-hide-discord]

robin's almost banned adventure

[thejollyduckling]

Robin Hood Appreciation Week

Day 6: Favorite Headcanons

These are teensy weensy fic-style fluffy headcanons. Warning: these feature no angst (because I’ve had enough!)

Robin and Killian actually talked about several things in missing moments. One night, the gang was watching a movie at the loft and Killian didn’t know how to operate the “heat box” that makes popcorn. Robin volunteered to help him, since he had learned how to use the microwave while living in NY.

Also, being at Granny’s can be an adventure for them, since fried foods are not exactly common in the Enchanted Forest. They would talk about the merits of each particular fried side, and how their ladies have quite divergent opinions on the subject. They both really enjoy stews, chili, the like… but they occasionally enjoy the plates of fries that come with most meals. Belle mentioned to them that they need to try a “hamburger.”

Before they were separated on their quest in 5x07, Belle was telling the group about her adventure hunting the Yaoguai. Robin smiled as she recounted, with passion, her ruse to throw the hunters off course. He always likes listening to stories of adventure and loves a clever misdirect.

Ever the thief, Robin finds it no big deal at all to steal from Granny’s blueberry bushes. She caught him once, but couldn’t stay mad at his smiling face- especially since Roland flashed her those adorable dimples and thanked her sweetly for their happy treat. She guards the bush with her life, but only lets her little thieves sneak berries. When she’s not able to have blueberry pie available (not enough blueberries) she snaps at Grumpy for complaining. It’s not HER fault the harvest didn’t yield. She’ll be darned to keep the Hood  boys’ secret though…. Those dimples.

At night, for bed time, Robin holds Roland to his chest and tells him stories of triumph from the days before he was born. Roland has only known life with the Merry Men, so these are family stories for him. His family’s history. Robin is a marvelous story teller and strokes Roland’s hair gently while talking. He also tells stories about Marian- her spirit, courage, kindness. He tells him about the mother Roland barely remembers. He tells about his wife, his first love, with such affection that they both can feel her with them.

Robin would never say it to Granny’s face, but Regina is the best cook he knows. Her lasagna is incredible, and her baked desserts are unparalleled.

Regina shed a few tears in happiness when she walked into the loft and overheard Snow and Robin sharing tips and stories about being archers. They were each examining each others’ bows in their hands and had several arrows lined up along the counter for comparison. There are not many people in Storybrooke who’s primary combat skill is archery. They end of chatting about it quite frequently as time goes on. Her former enemy and her second chance at love are smiling and chatting as if it didn’t take them all decades to get to this place.

Since he didn’t get very much time with Peanut, the moments he was with her he preferred to carry her. It had been a while since Roland was so small, and he enjoyed to wriggling warmth of holding something so precious. To hold his child means to know the complete love and devotion he feels to another human. When he holds her he knows everything he is supposed to be, and he cannot help but be so in awe at how perfect she is. And how much he loves and wants to protect her. And the lullaby the Marian used to sing to Roland when he was a baby bubbles forth. Peanut is soothed by the vibrations of his timbre and settles into sleep. Robin should put her down and let her rest, but he can’t. He can’t let her go.

One day when he, Regina, and the boys were on a picnic hike along the ocean shore, Robin was teaching Henry and Roland how to skip rocks. Regina had a camera with and took pictures while the boys effectively plunked stones in the ocean. Their pants were rolled up to their knees, and Robin stood behind Roland and Henry to guide their arms for optimal rock skipping. Henry got a little too enthusiastic with one of his successful attempts and slipped on one of the rocks beneath the surf. He took out both Roland and Robin in one swoop. The three of them laughed and ran back to Regina, who was just cutting Roland’s sandwich into quarters. For the rest of the day, Robin identified the local vegetation while they walked along the shore. They all laughed and told stories, and listened to Henry talk about school and Roland talk about the little crab he found that he named “Much.” It was a pretty frequent occurrence for the Hood-Mills unit to take family outings. These are the memories that they all treasured most: happy quiet moments with laughter and silliness.

[lala-kate]

Speechless and Spotlighted

My entry for today’s @cherishthepeanut theme: Friends and Extended Family. This is set in Speechless verse as promised. I do hope you enjoy!

It all began innocently enough.

 Roland had broken his leg--that boy of his was far more accident-prone than any Merry Man had a right to be--and Robin and Regina both rushed to the hospital to watch as yet another fractured limb was set and wrapped securely in a cast. Poor Ellie had to be dragged along, and she sat there patiently enough playing Angry Birds on his phone while Robin waited for word. But as well-behaved as she was being, Robin could tell that she was bored--terribly bored.

 That is until Marco happened upon the scene.

 The man had offered to take Elena home with him, and Robin had agreed, knowing the older man’s workshop would be far more interesting to a five year old girl than a hospital waiting room. Far less germ-infested, too, Regina had muttered as Ellie took Marco’s hand and waved goodbye to her parents.

 She’d had a marvelous time, that much was obvious when they’d arrived later to pick her up, but neither he nor Regina had expected to be regaled by daily requests to go back to “Papa Marco’s”. Robin was convinced the man had some sort of special knack with children, for it certainly seemed as though his girl had been thoroughly enchanted by him during her brief stay at his house.

 Yet as one visit led to another, Robin suspected that the simple fact was that their relationship seemed to be a mutually beneficial one. Marco doted on Elena, taking his time as he signed one word commands and speaking slowly enough for the girl to read his lips, clearly relishing having another chance to interact with a child. And in this gentle man, Ellie had finally found someone to act as her grandfather. For she had no grandparents, their Elena. Neither did Roland for that matter, but his attachment to Little John and the other Merry Men had always seemed to fill that void in his son’s life.

 Perhaps Marco was doing the same for Ellie. The thought warmed Robin’s heart.

So the visits continue on a weekly basis, strategically scheduled when Roland and Henry are also out of the house to provide some much needed alone time for two tired parents. He and Regina have managed a couple of dinners out, but they usually opt for some quiet time at the house. When you’re the parents of three, quiet time alone is a delicacy.

 She’s lying half on top of him now as he relishes the feel of her bare back under his palm, and he kisses her forehead, still damp from the aftermath of long-overdue sex. She nuzzles into him, practically purring as his hand cups her bottom.

 “I have to get up, you know.”

 He hates the sound of his own words, wishing for another hour or two just to lie here like this, bodies bare, limbs intertwined. Her nails etch soft lines down his torso, making him hum in appreciation.

 “I could just poof her home, you know,” Regina mutters without bothering to open her eyes. “Give us a few extra minutes in bed. I’m sure Ellie won’t mind.”

 “Probably not,” Robin chuckles. “But you might give poor Marco a heart attack.”

 She sighs in acknowledgement as one eye finally pops open.

 “What do you think they get up to over there?”

 He shrugs as best he can with her head practically pinning one shoulder to the pillow.

 “Whatever it is, it thrills our girl to no end,” he answers. “She’d told me that the two of them are working on a surprise for us.”

 Regina presses herself up on one elbow, allowing her hair to fall onto his chest.

 “You don’t think he’s letting her use power tools, do you?”

 He laughs at this before losing his fingers in her hair.

 “Do you think Marco even owns a power tool?  That man crafts everything the old fashioned way. I think all of his tools came over with him from the Enchanted Forest.”

 “True,” Regina acknowledges, smiling as her husband claims her mouth in a kiss.

 “Besides,” Robin adds. “He raised August in his workshop. I’m sure he knows all about keeping a child safe in that setting.”

 He slides out of bed and pulls on his jeans, gazing back at the glorious sight of Regina sitting naked in their bed, the sheets pooling strategically around her waist, her breasts full and exposed. He nearly reconsiders her offer to simply poof their daughter home for just a few more minutes of this.

 “I’ll be back,” he murmurs, moving in for one more lingering kiss, wondering if he’ll ever tire of making love to this woman. He certainly doesn’t think so.

 Ellie dashes out to meet him as he approaches Marco’s place, practically jumping into his arms with enough energy to fuel his Jeep for a month as he reaches the door.

 Just wait until you see our surprise, Daddy, she signs, her smile as radiant as he’s ever seen it. You won’t believe it!

 Robin sets her down and kneels in front of her.

 Can you give me a hint? he asks, sighing in an exaggerated manner as she shakes her head decisively.

 No hints, Daddy. You’ll just have to wait and see.

 She has her mother’s stubborn streak--that’s for certain.

 Two weeks pass, and they find themselves in the midst of this year’s Miner’s Festival. Regina has been driving them all a bit batty with all of the balls she’s had to juggle to make this event happen, and this year Henry is volunteering at the Animal Shelter booth. Roland has disappeared somewhere into the throngs of Storybrooke residents, so it’s just Robin and Ellie at the moment, strolling hand in hand through the booths and games as Ellie proudly totes the giant teddy bear her daddy just won for her playing ring toss.

 They’ve consumed bratwurst and shared a funnel cake, and Robin can’t help but grin at the fact that there’s still powdered sugar on his daughter’s chin.

 Here sweetheart, he says, kneeling down in front of her. Let me wipe that off before Mommy sees.

 He hasn’t seen hide nor hair of his wife for nearly an hour, although a mysterious plume of purple smoke has just been spotted wafting in their direction from the vicinity of the Ferris Wheel. He’s told that the ride is now back in working order after having issues getting stuck all morning. He only prays that Roland had nothing to do with the wheel’s mysterious glitches. The boy has been joking for days that he was planning on getting Jasmine Amira stuck with him on top of the ill-fated wheel to give her a kiss, and Robin knows his son too well not to at least suspect the boy. He’s as sneaky and resourceful as Robin ever was and could have been one hell of a thief had they still resided in the Enchanted Forest.

 Unfortunately for Roland, his mother the mayor doesn’t look kindly upon banditry as a pastime or potential profession.

 Come to think of it, he hasn’t seen Roland for nearly the same amount of time that he hasn’t seen his wife. The lad could already be getting his comeuppance at the hands of a true master, also known as his mom, the former queen. Poor Roland.

 He feels a tug on his arm and looks down to see Ellie pulling him towards the puppet stage Marco constructed for the festival. He allows her to drag him smilingly along, noting that the next performance is scheduled to begin in ten minutes.  She locates a long bench close to the stage and nudges him into the seat.

 Wait here, Daddy, she instructs, her expression resolute.

 Where are you going?

 Her grin is immediate as she points to the stage just behind her.

 To see Papa Marco? he asks, watching as the man of the hour steps out from behind the stage and motions for Ellie to join him. Alright. But don’t go anywhere else.

 Small arms wrap around his neck before she bounces backwards and dashes towards the puppet stage. Marco waves at Robin before taking Ellie’s hand and leading her behind the stage curtains.

 Wait. Could this be Ellie’s big surprise?

 He shoots off a text to Regina, looking up every so often to see if Elena has emerged from backstage. She hasn’t, and they are now a mere seven minutes away from showtime.

 You need to get to the puppet stage now.

 He hits send before jotting off identical messages to both Roland and Henry, his heart beating quicker with each minute that passes.

 What’s Roland done now?

 He chuckles at Regina’s reply.

 It’s not Roland, it’s Ellie. I think her surprise is going to start in about five minutes.

 His phone vibrates almost immediately.

 On my way.

 Henry slides in beside him, a motley looking pup in his arms, one Robin is certain his younger children will beg to take home the moment the dog is seen. Then Roland plops down beside Henry, and looks right at Robin.

 “So what’s up?” Roland asks, flinching as he spots his mother moving towards them from the crowd. Robin feels a kiss to his forehead and winces at the scalding glance his wife directs towards their curly-headed son. God, he’s thankful it’s Roland on the receiving end of that look and not him.

 “I didn’t want you to miss the show,” Robin answers, sliding his arm around Regina as she sits to his right.

 “Where’s Ellie?”

 She looks around furiously, but Robin raises a hand in her direction before she can become too anxious.

 “Just wait,” he says. “I assure you that she’s in good hands.”

 Some music is piped over a speaker alerting the crowd that the show is about to begin.

 “She’ll want to see this, Robin,” Regina whispers, still searching for her daughter. “You know how much she adores Marco.”

 “Trust me, love,” he breathes with a kiss to her cheek. “She’s not missing a thing.”

 Just then there is applause as a marionette appears on the stage, a young boy with blonde hair wearing what Robin now knows is called lederhosen. Then there’s more applause as a second puppet joins him--a small goat that gallops with quite a bit less finesse but more enthusiasm than he’s ever seen. Its hooves sometimes don’t quite reach the ground, but it bounces and twirls to the music, music he knows its puppeteer cannot even hear.

 She feels it, however. She always has.

 Those two puppets are quickly replaced by two wooden men carrying steins, one moving expertly, the other staggering behind as if he’s had a few too many at The Rabbit Hole. The audience laughs as the second puppet collides with the first, and Robin cannot tell if the move was practiced or unplanned, but it works.

 “Marco needs a new assistant,” Regina muses with a shake of her head. “His shows are usually more polished than this.”

 “I think she’s perfect,” Robin grins, watching as a new background unfurls on the stage. Its then that comprehension hits, and Regina’s eyes widen to the size of two tennis balls.

 “Oh my God,” she breathes. “You mean Ellie?”

 His smile is all the answer she needs.

 The little blonde boy returns, this time followed by a blonde girl marionette who wears a pink dress and staggers nearly as badly as the man in the previous scene. Regina’s laughing now, her eyes fixed upon the stage as the two puppets are then met by the girl’s mama with a gleaming gloat. They all dance as the music reaches a climax and the puppets take a dramatic bow. Robin and Regina are on their feet immediately, and Henry and Roland then follow their lead, still a bit uncertain of what the enthusiasm is all about.

 Then Marco emerges from backstage holding a small hand within his own--the hand of his assistant puppeteer.

 “Ellie did that?”

 It’s Roland who yells this as he claps with more gusto than anyone else in the audience, making Regina shake her head as he whoops and hollers and finally cries out Ellie!!!!! loudly enough to be heard all the way to the dunking booth.

 Of course, Ellie doesn’t hear him, but she sees--oh, how she sees. And she’s smiling and bowing, practically floating as she looks at her parents and waves in their direction. Tears hit him then, and Robin swallows hard, his throat suddenly thick, his heart as full as it’s ever been.

 “She’s something, isn’t she?” Henry grins, holding the puppy in one arm as he throws his baby sister a thumbs up she returns with gusto.

 “Yes,” Robin says, unashamed of the tears now dripping down his cheeks. “That she is.”

 Ellie makes a bee-line for her mother who hugs and makes over her and finally agrees to a backstage tour. Robin watches the two of them go through the curtains, losing himself in his thoughts until a warm palm touches his shoulder.

 “She’s a special girl, your Elena.”

 He turns to see Marco standing to his left, and he extends his hand towards him, smiling as the older man takes it within his own.

 “Thank you for this,” Robin returns, clearing his throat. “This has meant everything to her.”

 They gaze at each other, blue meeting brown, a mutual understanding of fatherhood passing between them.

 “She has a talent, you know,” Marco continues. “She actually helped me make the goat, and she has good instincts.”

 Robin inhales, taking in the man’s praise, wondering why he should be so surprised that his daughter can excel in such a performance medium.

 “I never knew,” he returns, shaking his head at himself. Marco smiles then, nodding in an unspoken understanding.

 “You don’t have to be able to hear to laugh at or to make a puppet,” the older man says. “And you don’t have to speak to entertain the world with one. You just have to have imagination.”

 He hears Regina’s voice and looks up to see his wife and daughter heading in their direction. His hands hastily wipe his cheeks, and he beams at a skipping Ellie and the goat marionette she carries with pride.

 “Ellie helped make this one,” Regina says, her hands gliding along with her words so everyone is included in the conversation.

 “That’s what Marco told me,” Robin returns, kneeling down to his daughter’s level. “I’m so proud of you, Ellie.”

 Her cheeks are pink from smiling so much, and she nods as she bounces on her feet, the little white goat bouncing right along with her. Marco smiles before signing words that nearly make the girl take flight.

 It’s yours.

 Elena is in his arms before Robin has time to blink, and he feels Regina lean into him as their daughter shares a moment with the man she’s chosen to be her grandfather. And why shouldn’t they choose each other, Robin thinks. Their entire family is a family of choice, after all, one made of bonds far stronger than those of mere biology.

 Marco lets go, but only to lean back far enough to ask Ellie Same time next week?

 She looks up at her parents expectantly and receives two nods of approval.

 Yes, she answers. Same time next week.

 The older man then gives them a nod before turning towards his son, and August tosses them a wave as the two men head towards the bratwurst stand. The rest of the day is spent riding rides, playing games, and dancing to the Dwarf’s Band that isn’t half bad, actually. The Locksley-Mills family trudges home later that night with stomachs full of fair food and muscles that ache in places Robin had forgotten existed.

 “The puppet show was the highlight of my day.”

 He slides into bed, exhausted limbs nearly melting into the mattress.

 “No question,” Regina returns as she lays down the book she’s been reading and removes her glasses. “It certainly beat the hell out of me trying to explain to Jasmine’s father just how his daughter and my son ended up stranded on the top of the Ferris Wheel together for nearly half an hour. I swear, the man acts like the sultan of Storybrooke sometimes.”

 Robin’s temples begin to ache as he thinks about the impending conversation he needs to have with a certain eleven year old Romeo. He’s also certain this isn’t the time to confess to his wife that he’d actually set a trap for her during their year together in the Enchanted Forest, simply so she’d have no choice but to finally give him her full attention. Of course, if some proper snogging had come along with said attention, it wouldn’t have bothered him in the slightest.

 Unfortunately, Friar Tuck had tripped the line before Regina came anywhere near it.

 “He didn’t actually try to kiss her, did he?” Robin ventures, uncertain if he really wants to know the answer.

 “No, thank God,” Regina sighs as she slides into his side. “But they did hold hands.”

 “Ah. Young love.”

 “Young pre-teen boy hormones, you mean,” she corrects, wincing as her shoulder muscles cinch up. “I’m not ready for another teenager, Robin.”

 His lips touch the top of her head, and he feels her begin to relax into him, muscle by muscle.

 “I’m not certain I am either,” he admits. “But that comes along with parenting, I suppose.”

 He strokes her hair, relishing the feel of her breath on his skin.

 “Ellie was amazing today.”

 He smiles up at the ceiling, allowing his fingers to massage her scalp, remembering the smile his girl had worn as she bowed and bowed after her big performance.

“She’s amazing every day, I think,” he muses, feeling her hum of agreement in his ribs just before her arm drapes across his stomach and heavy eyelids finally drift shut.

[cherishthepeanut-blog]

Dream Catcher Memories

My entry for Cherish the Peanut Week Day 3, Mother Knows Best. Regina shows Zelena the type of mother she’ll become if she stays on her current path.

Submitted by  shannontricia

Everyone in the room stopped arguing as Regina pulled out one of Emma’s dream catchers and started loading memories into it. Robin held his crying toddler daughter closer, and away from Zelena, who he was afraid would try to use the distraction to her advantage. But she seemed as confused as everyone else.

David and Emma had shown up in their Sheriffs’ capacity, with Mary-Margaret in tow, after Zelena once again managed to break from her monitor and cuff, showing up at Regina’s trying to take Elaina. Emma didn’t know why Regina had asked her to bring a dream catcher with her but decided to not to question it as much as she normally might.

They’d walked in and cuffed a shrieking Zelena.

     “You’re not taking her anywhere Zelena. You know the rules,” Robin said, softly, but clearly angry.

     “Rules! She’s my daughter, and I should be able to be alone with her and teach her magic if I want to!”

     “She clearly doesn’t want it Zelena, she’s afraid of you!” Regina snapped, gesturing at the three year old girl shaking in her father’s arms.

     “Only because you lot teach her to be! You probably spend all your time turning her against me…!” And that was when Regina took the dream catcher from Emma and began entering memories into them.

And then she was finished and she played the memories for them.

     “I am your mother and you will do what I want!” A younger version of whom they all assumed was Cora was shouting at a little girl who was cowering away from her mother in fear. Cora used magic to force her to get up and come over to her. Then the scene change.

     “One day, you will be a queen,” said Cora as they watched. “Queens don’t spend their time playing outdoors.”

     “But Mama,” said a Regina who was no older than seven. “I don’t want to…” She was cut off as her mother used magic to bind her and hold her up so she couldn’t move.

They watched again as an 18 year old Regina insisted that it was her life, and Cora laughed cruelly and said,

     “You foolish girl, it’s mine.”

     “What is this?” Zelena asked, staring uncertainly at Regina’s dream catcher.

     “Your mother, Zelena. Our mother,” Regina said. “She wanted nothing more than to have a daughter exactly like her too. And didn’t care how her daughter felt about it either.”

Zelena didn’t respond, just kept staring at the dream catcher, even though it had cleared.

     “You can’t force her Zelena,” Regina said. “It doesn’t work. And I won’t let you make Elaina as miserable as Mother made us,” she continued, firmly.

Zelena looked at Elaina, who was still clinging to her father in fear, then turned and walked past everyone and left. David and Emma moved to follow, but Regina stopped them.

     “She’s cuffed, she’s powerless, it’s fine. Just let her go.”

     “You guys going to be okay?” Mary-Margaret asked.

     “I’m just going to put more spells around the property for now.”

     “There’s still the option for an ankle monitor,” Emma reminded her.

     “We’ll see what happens next time,” Regina said as she led them all to the door.

     “Just let us know,” David said as the three of them left and Regina put a spell around the place in case Zelena came back.

She went back into the living room to find Robin now sitting with Elaina on the sofa. The girl seemed to be falling asleep.

     “It’s alright sweetheart, you can go to sleep,” Robin murmured to their daughter as Regina sat next to them and ran her fingers through her hair.

     “She not gonna take me?” Elaina said, still afraid, but calmer.

     “Never,” Regina promised her, kissing her on the forehead.

The three of them cuddled together on the couch and eventually Elaina did fall asleep, so Robin and Regina just whispered to each other.

     “How did you know that would work?” he asked.

Regina leaned in closer to him.

     “I didn’t. I just knew she needed to see the truth. I won’t let her do to Elaina what my mother did to me. Elaina deserves a better mother who wants the best for her, not for herself.”

Robin leaned over and kissed Regina. When their lips parted, he looked her in the eye and said,

     “She already has one.”

[cherishthepeanut-blog]

Daddy's Little Girl

Submitted by http://revolutionsoftheheart.tumblr.com/

Feb 22 – Daddy’s Little Girl

His fingers getnly strummed happily against the guitar, the tune ringing out softly as his foot tapped on the ground. The melody rolled and waved as he hummed along. She leaned against the kitchen archway, taking him in, heart glowing as she admires him. His light blonde hair has the etchings of grey around the temples, there are a few extra laugh lines on his sweet face.  It had been nearly 16 years together, 16 years of ups and downs, a few ruthless fights, a villain here and there, but at the end, there was more love than the day before.

The song ended as she made her way over to him, their eyes meeting with a light smile as she settled close. He kissed her cheek before turning back to play another song. She gripped his hand lightly, stopping his strum. He raised an eyebrow in question.

“We need to talk”

That was never good….what had he done now…. He settled the guitar beside him, and laced their fingers together.  The look of concern in his eyes, tugged at her heart strings.

“It’s nothing bad, we just have to talk about Rose”

Robin frowned “What about her? Did something happen?”

Regina sighed, “Honey I love you, but….you are wrapped around that girls’ finger and it’s starting to get out of hand”

He scoffed, he was not wrapped around her finger….. “I am not”

Regina chuckled, patting his stubbled cheek “Oh really?”…. smirking she kissed him softly “I am not sure I have ever heard the word “no” come out of your mouth with her”

“That’s simply not true”

“Robin, how many times have you painted her room this year alone?”

His eyebrows knitted together  “Twice?”

“Three times”

“No way!”

She laughed and leaned against the sofa back “First it was pink, but that was too girly, then it was green but that was too similar to Rolands room…what color is her room now?”

He groaned, realizing she was right “Lavender….”

Regina hummed with a smile.

“So, thats just painting, it’s no big deal” he scoffed back.

“And when she was ten and wanted a new bike because Bella had a prettier one….”

He groaned

“The new bow you made for her a month after she broke the fourth one?…..the puppy that now roams my house with muddy paws…?

“Hey! You like Charlie!”

As if on cue the chocolate lab came padding into the room, with a ball in tow. His tail wagging as he dropped into Regina’s lap, sobberly as can be. She flicked it with her finger, detesting the goopiness.

Robin laughed “See, you even play with him”

She chuckled, but turned back.

“Honey I’m serious. I know she’s your little girl, but this camping trip that’s coming up. I just don’t think she is old enough to go without parents around and we both know that if I say no, she will just come running to you”

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. He loved his daughter beyond measure, as he did with all of his children, but in truth he knew that he maybe gave in to often.

“You spoil her”

“I don’t spoil, I simply dote”

Rolling her eyes “it’s the same thing. She will never grow up learning that sometimes you don’t get to have everything just because your daddy is a push over”

They sat quietly together, her thumb rubbing gently over the back of his palm.

“Alright, so maybe I do give in….but she just…”

“It’s the puppy eyes, I know. Roland has the same”

He chuckled “You do have to admit that both Roland and Henry are complete Mama’s Boys though”

She smiled, “True…. But –“

Her retort was cut off by the stampeding of footsteps down the stairs. Roland thundering into view.

“Hey Dad! Hi Mom!”

“Hi sweetheart” she replied.

“Hey dad, can I take your truck?”

Robin’s eyebrows raised “What for son?”

Roland shoved his hands in his pockets, his broad shoulders wide set, thick curly brown hair that needed to be trimmed. “Well me and the boys wanted to go off roading, and your truck has awesome suspension with the jacked up upgrade you got done”

Regina turned to Robin, waiting for his reply.

“Roland, you have a truck…”

“Yeah but, it’s old! Your’s is brand new! It’s so much better”

“Exactly, it’s brand new. I don’t fancy having to repair it before I need to”

The teen groaned “Dad please!”

Robin shook his head, “I’m sorry Ro, maybe in a few years once it’s had some miles properly put on it”

Groaning Roland slumped away, grabbing his keys and heading out the back door with a huffed good-bye.

Turning back to Regina, he grimaced “See I can say no….”

Regina sighed, rolling her eyes once more before standing up. “i’m gonna make some lunch, can I get you something?”

“Whatever you make will be great, thank you”

He sat back on the couch, wondering if maybe she was right, maybe he was a push over…his thoughts were broken by the jingling of jewelery as his baby girl came view. She was truly beautiful, bright blue eyes, long sandy brown blonde curls bouncing. Her face was soft, sweet in it’s rosy complexion, a few pale freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheeks. He smiled as she bounced over to him.

“Hi Daddy!” she leaned in, kissing him on the cheek.

“Hello my girl”

“Are you playing? Will you play Hallelujah? Please Daddy!” She curled into his side. Well he couldn’t exactly say no to such an easy request as his fingers began to strum. Her soft voice singing along. Regina listened from the kitchen, smiling as she finished making lunch for her and Robin.

“Hey Daddy…..” she heard the teen question in that tone she knew meant she wanted something.

“Yes my girl”

“Can I take your truck to school today?”

Regina waited to see if Robin would cave once more, just after he told his son no.

“Is something wrong with your car?”

“No, but it rained so heavy and the roads are really muddy and I don’t want it to get dirty what with it being white, plus I just got it cleaned!”

Regina laughed at the ridiculous request.

“Well….” Robin started to reply as Regina walked to the doorway.

“I suppose, but only this once. And don’t tell your mother, she’ll have my head”

Regina watched as the girl threw her arms around her father, smacking a kiss to his cheek as she giggled out a thank you.

“For you my girl…..”

 “Almost anything!”

Robin smiled and kissed her forehead “Almost anything”

The blonde ran out the front door, keys in clutch.

Robin grabbed his guitar once more and was about to strum out another tune as Regina walked in, plates in hand as she settled them on the table. Leaning over his body she cupped his cheeks, kissing him with a smile.

“Robin of Locksley, you are hopeless”

He chuckled

Maybe he was.

But that was his little girl.

[cherishthepeanut-blog]

Daddy's Girl

 Submitted by  rowark-sq:

A/N: I knew this would be the hardest one to write to the theme of the day, since I am trying to write this from Regina’s perspective, and ‘Daddy’s Girl’ would seem to imply Robin’s perspective. I hope you like it anyway :)

By the time Olivia hit her terrible twos, both Robin and Regina were ready to pull their hair out. A redheaded toddler with a fiery temper who was also the baby of the family, and knew it too, was quite the combination. In hindsight, Regina wondered if they should have taken a firmer stance with the little one before this point, but it was a little late for that now.

“I want my Daddy!”

The words echoed through the room, once again, as Olivia sat on her third two-minute time out of the morning. It seemed to Regina that was the only phrase that left her daughter’s mouth these days, and she longed for the not-so-distant past, when she’d been the one Olivia always wanted. It didn’t seem to matter that Regina was the one who’d drastically cut back on her hours at work so she could stay home with Olivia most days. These days, Olivia only wanted to be with Robin.

“I’m not used to co-parenting at this age,” Regina sighed, as she sat back down on the couch next to Snow. Snow had brought Neal over for what was supposed to be a playdate, but playing seemed to end with Olivia grabbing fistfuls of Neal’s hair until he cried. “Henry only ever wanted me because he had no other options.”

“He wanted you because he loves you,” Snow corrected, with a small smile. “And Olivia does, too. This is just a phase.”

“Well, this phase is breaking my heart.”

“I seem to remember you were a Daddy’s girl, too,” Snow pointed out, carefully, knowing she was treading on dangerous ground bringing up Regina’s childhood.

“With good reason,” Regina nodded, before turning to tell Olivia her time was up, and she could come off of her time out if she promised to play nicely.

“Right,” Snow continued, once Olivia had grudgingly rejoined Neal on the floor with the blocks. “Well, I was a Daddy’s girl, too, but that didn’t mean I didn’t love my mother with all my heart.”

“Yes. But she was your mother,” Regina added, momentarily letting the fear show in her eyes.

“And you are Olivia’s mother.”

“But I’m really not,” Regina said, quietly enough that Olivia wouldn’t overhear. “I need her to love me because one day she’s going to learn the truth and… well, look what happened with Henry.”

“This isn’t the same situation. And Henry came around. Olivia might have two mothers, but so does Henry, and you coped with that fine, in the long run. This will work, too.”

“I didn’t banish Henry’s other mother to Oz,” Regina pointed out.

“Mommy, when’s Daddy coming home?” Olivia asked, looking up at Regina impatiently.

“Soon, baby girl.

“I want him now!” Olivia insisted, growing frustrated and kicking over the tower of blocks she had just built.

“You don’t ever wonder…” Snow started, letting her voice trail off as she took in the little look of fury on Olivia’s face.

“If she’s w-i-c-k-e-d like you-know-who? Every day. Look how Zelena and I both turned out, and only I had our mother’s influence. I know I always say evil isn’t born, but nature must play a role somewhere, right? I just have to hope that Robin and I giving her as much love and affection and security as we can will play a role as well.”

“It’s probably just the terrible twos,” Snow said, with an utterly unconvincing nod.

Regina couldn’t have been more relieved when Robin finally returned home from work and hurried into the living room to scoop their daughter up. She watched with a bittersweet smile as Olivia’s face lit up in pure joy for the first time that day, remembering how that used to be the look she’d saved special, just for her.

Regina sighed, knowing it wasn’t really fair for her to be jealous. Olivia was blessed to have a father who loved her, when so many children went without, but that still didn’t ease her heart of the feeling of being completely replaced.

“What’s with you?” Robin asked, looking at Regina concerned as he set Olivia back down on the ground. Olivia, now satisfied with having gotten her father’s attention, ran off to play with her toys on the other side of the room.

Regina shrugged. “It’s nothing, really,” she insisted, though her voice easily betrayed her.

“It’s something. What is it?”

“It’s stupid. I just… miss when she liked me best. It’s not fair, I know, because you are actually her father and she should love you best,” Regina explained, and cringed as she realized just how terrible the words sounded when she said them out loud.

“She loves us both best, Regina,” Robin said, gently. “She misses me more because I’m away from her more. That’s all.”

“It’s not all. She’s a Daddy’s girl through and through. And she should be. Really. Because you are her father.”

“And you are her mother,” Robin reminded her. “You’ve been her mother since the day she was born, and no one will ever take that away from you.”

“Right,” Regina nodded, though she was less than convinced.

After another typical dinner of Olivia chatting up her Daddy, and playing with her Daddy all evening, it was finally time for bath and bed.

“Daddy, I want you to bath me and tuck me in,” Olivia insisted, but Robin caught the hurt look in Regina’s eyes. Until recently, it had always been Regina who had put Olivia to bed, and he knew she missed that time with her dearly.

“Actually,” Robin said, as he pulled Olivia onto his lap, “I promised Roland I would help him with his science project. So Mommy will bath you and tuck you in, and I will be in after to say good night, okay Livie?”

To Regina’s surprise, Olivia sighed and reluctantly nodded instead of putting up a fight. She took her by the hand and led her upstairs to the main bathroom.

“Bubble Guppies or Paw Patrol?” Regina asked, holding up the two bubble bath selections as the water began to fill the tub.

“Puppies,” Olivia said with a definitive nod. “Lots and lots of bubbles.”

Regina smiled and added just a little extra to the bathwater, before testing it once more and lifting Olivia into the tub.

“Does Daddy have to work again tomorrow?” Olivia asked, as she absently played with a little yellow duckie in the water.

“Yes, baby. You miss him when he’s at work, don’t you?”

Olivia nodded. “How come he works lots and you don’t?”

“I work less so I can stay home with you,” Regina explained. “Don’t you like being home with Mommy?”

“Yeah but I miss Daddy,” Olivia said, with a sniffle.

“You’re a Daddy’s girl,” Regina said, smiling as she shook her head, knowing she might as well just accept it.

“What’s a Daddy’s girl?” Olivia asked, with wide eyes.

“It’s when little girls love their Daddy best. And it’s okay, I was a Daddy’s girl, too,” Regina assured her.

“But I don’t love Daddy best. I love you and Daddy both best,” Olivia insisted, with all the seriousness that a two-year-old could muster.

“And we love you and Henry and Roland all best,” Regina agreed, suddenly becoming aware of just how baseless her worry had been. Of course her daughter still loved her, even if she missed her Daddy when he was at work. “How about this? I’ll see if I can talk Auntie Emma into working for Daddy tomorrow so he can stay home with us all day. How would that be?”

Olivia grinned and nodded, and Regina knew she would likely have to pay Emma off in bear claws for a month to convince her, but it was worth it to see how her little girl’s face lit up. It was so rare that she and Robin got time with Olivia without the boys around, and Regina was sure that would be just what they needed.

“But, Livie, that means you have to be a good girl for me from now on, alright? And that means listening to Mommy, including when I say be nice to Neal when he’s here, got it?”

“But Mommy, Neal said you were a meanie. So I pulled his hair,” Olivia explained, and Regina had to fight to keep from smiling. Leave it to her daughter to beat up the boy who trashed talked her Mama.

“Be that as is may, next time just tell me, okay? No hair pulling.”

Olivia pouted, but nodded anyway. “Okay, but you’re not a meanie.”

“And you’re my best girl,” Regina said, as she leaned forward and planted a kiss on Olivia’s forehead. “And Daddy’s best girl. And we both love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Mommy.”

[lala-kate]

Speechless and Spellbound

My entry for Day 2 of @cherishthepeanut week:  Daddy’s Girl. Set in Speechless verse. I hope you enjoy it. :)

He’d first noticed there was something wrong the moment she was born, when an open, angry mouth released no more sound than a muted squeak, something so soft and pitiful in nature it stabbed him with the strength of a blade. He’d remembered the force of Roland’s first cry, a wail so loud they feared it might send Nottingham in their direction as even the trees seemed to shake from the sheer volume of it.

But his daughter--she was silent. Too silent.

Zelena had watched from the bed, her face screwing into a distaste he’d never forget, one that churned his stomach and made him feel hollow inside.

“What’s wrong with her?”

Whale had said nothing, had just stared at the flailing arms and legs with barely more than a cursory glance.

“She just hasn’t found her voice yet, I guess. Lucky for you. Enjoy it while you can.”

Hot rage had filled him--he’d been ready to nearly throttle the man, but then a pink bundle was placed into his arms, and the world had stopped, just as it had years ago when jet black curls had first brushed against his cheek, and he’d looked down into a face that arrested him on the spot.

He was holding his daughter. And she was beautiful.

She was calm and so tiny, so perfect in every way that mattered. Her nose, her little lips, the tiny dimple in her cheek that made him happier than it should--a marker of some sorts that yes, she was his, not just Zelena’s, not just a means to an end but a beautiful living, breathing little girl now entrusted to his care. He would love and protect this daughter of his for the rest of his life with the same ferocity as he did the rest of his family. For she was his family--a child taken from his body without his consent yet now resting in his arms, next to his heart, her soul mingling with his in that way that children have until their very existence is so tied to your own that you don’t know where you end and they begin. .

Then there was the way Regina had smiled at her.

He’d seen her pain, he was neither blind nor stupid, but there was a joy that surprised him there, too, mingled into tears and quivering lips, hovering between them in the way she touched his arm, assuring him with every step in his direction, every tear that dripped onto his daughter’s cheek that yes--they could do this, yes--she was with him, yes--this little girl would be a treasured part of her life.

She’d called the baby wonderful. His soul had taken flight at her words.

You should be her mother, he thought, knowing better than to speak such thoughts out loud. They would do nothing but anger Zelena and hurt Regina, and by God, he didn’t want to do either, not now, not when his family was still held together by bonds more fragile than a hummingbird’s wings.

They’d later taken the baby from the hospital, and he’d worried that she might scream and alert the wrong people as to what they were doing, but she didn’t. She hadn’t made a bloody sound. He’d pushed nagging fears back as far as they would go knowing that danger was imminent and that they’d no time to worry about anything but protecting her from both Zelena and Emma. But his unrest never truly went away, just as her unnatural muteness lingered.

Her silence had actually been a blessing in the hours that followed--that is, until Regina realized that the baby couldn’t cry. She’d grown unnaturally silent, had been unable to look at the child, and he began to fear that she found his daughter lacking, that her condition was yet another disappointment in a life littered with them. His head had pounded as fears for his baby and his relationship with Regina began to devour him from the inside out, and he wondered just how he would do this without her. He couldn’t--god, he wasn’t strong enough--he needed Regina just as badly as his lungs needed air.

Then brown eyes had finally looked at him filled with tears that sliced him open.

“This is my fault,” she’d whispered, her lips trembling as violently as his hands. “The muting spell.”

He’d grabbed her with one arm while holding his child in the other, breathing impassioned no’s into her hair.

“Emma did this,” he’d insisted. “Perhaps even Zelena. But not you, Regina. Not you. This is not your fault.”

He’d known then that she hadn’t believed him.

The crib had been moved into their bedroom so they could hear her movement and squeaks, knowing that a monitor would do them little good when their baby couldn’t cry. She could flail, however, and kick with a fury that shouldn’t have taken him by surprise but somehow had. Every day he wondered if by some miracle his Elena would regain her voice, if he’d hear her scream or babble or coo. And every day when that failed to happen, he watched Regina retreat further into a brittle shell of self-blame.

It had been Regina’s tears that had first alerted him to other problems as she’d slid back into bed one night sometime between three and four a.m., her face damp and her body shaking.

“I don’t think she can’t hear me, Robin,” she’d murmured, the words tumbling out of her in a panic. “I really don’t think she can.”

Speech deserted her as sobs took over, and he’d held her, had pulled her impossibly close as her words began to take root and his own tears fell. No--not this, too--not her hearing. It’s not fair. It’s too much.

“She responds to touch,” Regina had continued as she’d clung to his damp tank top, her grip tight and unrelenting. “To things she can see and feel, but not to voices--not to sounds.”

His hands and feet had grown impossibly cold.

He’d slipped out of bed once she’d finally fallen back into an uneasy sleep, padding softly to the crib on the other side of their bedroom to stare down at the little girl who’d been denied what should have been her birthright. He’d picked her up, he couldn’t help it, even though she slept soundly and he knew it was unwise to disturb her. But he needed the soft weight of her in his arms, and he moved to sit in the oversized chair in the corner, cradling her to his heart, feeling the steady rise and fall of her breathing as he gazed through the crack left by the drapes covering the windows.

“My baby,” he’d breathed, cupping her nearly bald head that smelled of lotion and new life. “My precious little girl.”

Ten fingers, ten toes, brilliant blue eyes that took in everything around her. But no voice, no means of hearing. Was his daughter to be entombed in a world of silence for the rest of her life? He’d remained awake until the first rays of dawn began to make themselves known, and Regina had later found him snoring in the chair, Elena curled up contentedly against him, her pink quilt Granny had made for her draped over them both.

They’d taken her to a specialist in Boston where their fears had been confirmed but no cause for her hearing and speech losses could be established.

“We can’t exactly tell them about muting spells and enchanted onion rings, can we,” Regina had stated as she’d buckled Ellie into her car seat for the drive home.

“The muting spell had nothing to do with this,” he assured her once more, hating the doubt that lingered over her like a phantom. “Trust me, Regina.”

But she’d said nothing in response.

In fact, they’d ridden in silence the entire way home, acting as if listening to music or the news was somehow distasteful with Elena resting in the seat behind them. It stung, being this close to each other but hurting alone, yet he allowed Regina to process just as he tried to sort through feelings so sharp he was certain they drew blood.

When they’d arrived back in Storybrooke, he’d reached for her across the seat, and their hands had joined in a grip that steadied both of them, her fingers as icy as his own.

“She’s going to be alright, isn’t she?”

The question rushed out of him just after she’d parked the car, the words burning his throat as they tumbled out of his body. He felt her stiffen and then relax as a surge of strength passed between them.

“Of course she is. We’ll make certain of it.”  

It was the most determined he’d heard Regina’s voice since Ellie’s birth. And he couldn’t help but believe her.

Life began to take on a new sort of normalcy that day, one he cherishes every moment of every day as he breathes in the patchwork quilt that is his family.

Bedtime stories are now drawn onto a ticklish belly, lullabies traced onto a soft forehead, driven by the gentle pulse of a rocking chair. Signs are practiced, small fingers manipulated into one word communications, and her first belly laugh is recorded even though no sound accompanies a face completely alight with joy.

For she is happy, his Elena--their Elena. She truly belongs to them all.

She is learning, growing, and experiencing her world, making sense of the life she’s been given even without what she’s been denied. He continually marvels at how quickly Roland has mastered sign language, at the dexterity and grace that flies from Regina’s fingers, at Henry’s animated games he crafts simply for the enjoyment of his little sister. Robin laughs when Regina curses under her breath as a certain sign slips her memory, and he privately rejoices as shards of unwarranted guilt are replaced daily by the tenacious blossoms of motherhood.

His family isn’t fragile anymore.

They now take turns rocking her to sleep each night, he and Regina, and he can’t help but smile whenever Ellie’s hands reach for his lips, touching them as they move, marvelling at her daddy just as he marvels at her. He still wishes she could hear and speak, but she is perfect just as she is, a wonder of life and resilience, a reminder that something beautiful can emerge from great pain.

Ellie defines their life, he realizes, stubbornly prospering in the midst of difficulties, thriving when the odds are stacked against her, refusing to give up even if she has to work harder to succeed. She is truly a Mills woman, a Locksley child, an unplanned blending of genetics now thriving under the guidance of a mother who chose her and a father who knows she owns his heart.

“My baby,”, he utters, drawing a small heart onto her chest through her lavender sleeper as the moon punctuates the darkness that defines four a.m.. He smiles tonight as blue eyes finally close and her body molds itself to his chest in a move so familiar he cannot imagine life without it. “My precious little girl.”

[cherishthepeanut-blog]

I Will Find You Daddy

Submitted by  shannontricia

My entry for Cherish the Peanut Week Day 2-Daddy’s Girl! This is a scene I came up with that could be extended into a longer piece, if people are interested. It’s a take one what could have happened if Zelena succeeded in taking her daughter back to Oz after she was born, and how she finds out about her father.

Just a note, this piece is not pro-Zelena. It’s not intended to bash her, but it certainly doesn’t make her look good, so just wanted to be upfront with everyone.

Emerald slowly opened the door to her mother’s bed chamber and walked toward the bed. She got nervous and froze when the floor creaked, but it seemed the sleeping powder she had mixed into the woman’s drink before dinner had done the trick. She didn’t stir at all as her daughter approached her with a dream catcher clutched in her hand.

Emerald held up the dream catcher over her mother’s face, but hesitated in activating it. She was afraid that she was wrong. Maybe her mother had been telling the truth, and her father really hadn’t wanted her at all because of her magic? Did she want to see him leaving them?

But Emerald still felt the remnants of the shock from removing her six leaf clover necklace for the first time, and seeing a different reflection in the mirror. Her mother had lied to her about something as simple as what she looked like. Her friend William was probably right, it wasn’t the only lie.

She took a deep breath and whispered,

“Show me the memories of my father.”

The center of the dream catcher illuminated and showed her an image. She saw a man who looked like her, or at least looked like the face she’d only recently learned she had. She relaxed slightly as she watched a man who seemed brave and kind. He was called “Robin” by the men around him.She saw him in what looked like a barn, aiming some kind of bow to protect someone. He had the same sandy hair and dark blue eyes she’d found in the mirror. And he loved a woman, whom he called Regina, who was not her mother. This woman had dark hair and eyes, and was just in love with this man who must be her father. He did everything he could to get this woman’s heart back, from her mother, who had taken it.

And there was her mother, hating this woman, who seemed to love her father very much. Emerald watched in horror as her mother now pretended to be someone else, another woman her father had once loved, and lured him away from the dark haired woman he didn’t really want to say goodbye to. And then, Emerald saw his reaction when her disguised mother told him she was pregnant. And he was happy. He didn’t react like someone who didn’t want to be a father. And then he learned the truth, when the dark haired woman, who was called Regina, came to help him. And she started to cry as she realized the real reason he left.

Or so she thought. She almost shut it off there, her mother’s betrayal too much to stomach. No wonder he had left her, she’d been created just to hurt him. But then, the image changed again, and she saw the day she was born. Her father smiled as he held her, happily saying to Regina that he had a daughter. And she smiled and told him it was wonderful. Her father kept smiling over her. It was the smile of someone who loved his child, and wanted her more than anything. Who would never leave her.

‘He wanted me,’ Emerald thought to herself, as everything her mother had ever told her collapsed around her. ‘He wanted me.’

Her mother suddenly stirred, a sign the sleeping powder was wearing off. Emerald snapped out of her haze and ran out of the room before she was caught. When she got back to her own room, she had too much energy and couldn’t sit down. She paced her room, the scenes she had witnessed going through her mind over and over again. Shock and anger at her mother, collided with a new burning desire to know the man who she looked so much like. As she walked past her mirror again, Emerald paused to look at herself. Right now, she still had the charm on that gave her the face her mother wanted her to have. Red curls, porcelain skin, light blue eyes.

When she took it off, her real face looked back. The straight and sandy hair, the darker blue eyes, and the still fair but slightly darker complexion stared back at her. She took the dream catcher out again and looked at her father, trying to see what else she had of his. He had dimples just like hers, and those her mother hadn’t been able to erase.

“I will find you Daddy,” she whispered to the dream catcher, as a plan began to form in her mind. “I promise, I will find a way back to you.”