Warmer in the Winter

Regina Mills hated her neighbor, Robin Locksley, from the moment he moved in. He had done so early on a Saturday morning with his friends banging nearly every piece of furniture he owned in the process while Robin himself yelled at them from the yard. As an early riser, she had already been awake but all the activity had ruined her attempts to center herself with her yoga routine and she had to abandon it with a huff.

Dressed in her tight red tank top and black Lycra pants, she had stormed out of her house and nearly tripped over a box on the porch. She had had her doubts when she first moved into a semi-attached house but they had been put to rest over the few years she had lived there. Her previous neighbor, Kathryn, had been considerate and the two had become friends. They made sure not to make too much noise and to respect their shared wall as well as the shared porch. Regina had been sad when Kathryn moved into a house with her fiancé but she had also been happy for her friend.

Now, though, she wished Kathryn and Frederick had moved into the house next door so she didn't have to deal with her new and inconsiderate neighbor.

A man with closely cut dark hair stumbled out of the house and she scowled at him. "Are you the new owner?" she asked.

His eyes widened and he yelled into the house: "ROBIN! CAN YOU COME OUT HERE?"

"I'LL BE RIGHT THERE!" another man yelled back. Both men had British accents, though the man standing in front of her had a coarser accent than the one belonging to her new neighbor.

She glared at the man standing on the porch and he held up his hands. "I'll, uh, leave you to Robin."

He retreated into the house, brushing shoulders with a tall blond man who burst out onto the porch. Regina could tell that he was about her age and had gray hair at his temple with some mixed into to the scruff covering his jaw. Blue eyes focused on her and he smiled, revealing two deep dimples. "You must be my new neighbor. Robin Locksley at your service."

"It's nine-thirty in the morning," she said, ignoring his outstretched hand. She crossed her own arms as she scowled at him.

"Uh, yes," he replied, frowning as he pulled back his hand. "I know it's Saturday and I apologize about the noise. Did we wake you?"

"No, but that's not the point. You're making enough noise to wake the dead in our normally quiet neighborhood. Some people have children." She glared at him, hoping to shame him into feeling guilty.

He glared back at her. "It's nine-thirty. I'm sure most of them are up watching cartoons or whatever they do on Saturday mornings. Is your child still asleep?"

"I don't have a child," she replied, her heart and stomach clenching at the statement, "but that's not the point…"

"You're the only one out here arguing with me while I'm trying to move in at a time that the city even allows construction to be done, trying to convince me I'm guilty of a noise violation."

Her mouth fell open as her blood began to boil. She balled her fingers into a fist to keep from strangling him, though throwing a punch was still a possibly. "So you think that means it's okay to make as much noise as humanly possible?"

"Of course not," he replied with an exasperated sigh. "But there is going to be some noise. If you let me get back to moving in, I promise you it'll all be over very soon. And then you can go about with your peaceful day doing…yoga? Were you doing yoga?"

Robin tilted his head, studying her and she felt a little exposed, though she wasn't sure why. So she huffed. "It doesn't matter what I'm doing. What matters is if this is going to set a precedent. Are you going to be noisy often? Am I going to have to come here to complain on a constant basis? It's important for neighbors to be considerate."

"I agree," he said. "So I hope you don't make a habit of complaining about every little thing. I will not walk on eggshells in my own house because it might be a mild inconvenience for you."

"A mild inconvenience? I would think expecting some peace and quiet in my own house would be considered reasonable," she shot back.

He crossed his arms and leaned forward. "And I would think that expecting to actually live in my house would be considered reasonable."

She couldn't believe the nerve of him to throw her own words back at her. Regina dug her nails so hard into her palm, she thought she was going to draw blood. "You're not the king of this castle."

"And you're not the queen," he countered. "We need to coexist, yeah? So I do my thing—at a reasonable volume—and you do your thing—also at a reasonable volume. Deal?"

It was a reasonable compromise and she knew if she rejected it, she would look like a stubborn bitch. So she took a deep breath and said: "Deal. But I reserve the right to complain…if warranted."

"Who decides if it's warranted?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

She paused, knowing he had her there. Regina sighed. "Fine. We'll have rational conversations if something is bothering me."

"Same here," he agreed, holding out his hand. She took it and shook it, hoping she didn't come to regret this.

He let go of her hand and smiled at her. "Now, am I allowed know your name? Or am I to call you 'Your Majesty'?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Your Majesty will work. But…I'm Regina. Mills."

"Well, Regina Mills, nice to meet you," he said before bowing. "Now, may I finish moving myself in?"

"Be my guest. Just…try to keep it down." She turned quickly and headed back into her house. Closing the door behind her, she had a feeling that having Robin Locksley as a neighbor was going to be very interesting.

And very annoying.

Much to Regina's annoyance, Robin ended up being a considerate neighbor. She wanted to find reasons to hate him but all she could find was that he was too smug for his own good and that he threw the occasional party that could get a little too loud. All of those complaints seemed too petty, even for her.

(Though she always took great delight in storming over just after midnight to remind Robin of the town's noise ordinance).

Otherwise, there was little to complain about. Like her, he only had one car which he always kept in his driveway. When his friends came over, they either took Swyft or made sure to find legal parking spots so she was never blocked in. Robin put out his garbage cans and took them in regularly, so they were never in the way either. And he kept his yards—front and back—neatly trimmed.

Also like Regina, Robin kept varied and usually long hours. They often left and returned at different time but it was clear they were out of the house for a similar amount of hours. She discovered early on why that was when some of his mail got mixed up with hers. (She had longed to blame him for it but knew the error lied with the mail carrier). One letter was addressed to "Robin Locksley, Esq.," which meant he was a lawyer like her. When she looked him up on the database of lawyers, she learned he wasn't a criminal lawyer like her and that he specialized in family law as well as child advocacy. It was definitely hard to hate anyone who worked on behalf of children.

Regina learned more information about him in bits and pieces from observing him. His friends seemed like a mini-UN. In addition to the British man she met when Robin moved in, there was a second male Brit Robin seemed close to who had thick brown hair, piercing blue eyes and always wore a glove on his left hand no matter the temperature. A red-haired Scottish woman and an unassuming brunette with an Australian accent also were frequent visitors to his house, though neither seemed to have a romantic connection to Robin. The same appeared to be true about the Chinese-American woman occasionally spotted next door as well.

(Due to snippets of conversation accidentally overheard in her living room when Robin was on the porch, she believed the Australian woman was named Belle and was his paralegal. She wasn't sure who the other women were or what their connection to Robin was).

The bottom line was that Robin appeared to be single, just like her, as he showed no romantic interest in the men who hung around him as well. Not that she really cared about his relationship status.

(When she said that out loud, it earned an eyeroll from Mal and knowing looks from both Kathryn and Mary Margaret).

"Look, I get that you didn't get off on the right foot with Robin, but why don't you start over? Actually talk to him and get to know him?" Mary Margaret suggested. "You might find you have a lot in common besides being lawyers."

"Doubtful," Regina replied. "Besides, I talk to him just enough to have a civil relationship with him."

Mary Margaret gave her a look that screamed I can't believe you just said that. "You actively look for reasons to hate him and you take great joy when you can complain. That doesn't seem very civil to me."

Regina rolled her eyes but knew she had no retort for her friend. So, she decided to redirect the conversation. "Enough about my neighbor. Where do we stand on the Peterson case?"

With an exaggerated sigh, Mary Margaret turned back to her work and let the topic of Robin Locksley go—for now. Regina had no doubt her friend would try to steer future conversations back to her neighbor, trying to get her to give Robin a chance. Mary Margaret would try to convince Regina that she never knew what could happen between the two of them, strongly implying a romance.

Regina had no use for romance. It always ended in heartbreak for her in some way.

Not that she would ever find Robin attractive or consider him for a romance. He was her annoying neighbor and that was that. She was willing, though, to concede that she could be nicer to him and make more of an effort to be friendly.

And she knew the perfect way.

Snow softly fell as Regina drove home that night. It clung to the grass and coated the sidewalk but melted once it hit the black tar of the roads. With plunging temperatures, though, she knew she had to be careful of ice and made a note to salt her drive and sidewalk once she got home. The last thing she needed for Christmas was a broken anything because she slipped on ice. The houses she drove past were all lit up for Christmas. She saw Santas and snowmen as well as reindeer and angels as she continued her trek through her neighborhood in order to get home. Each display seemed more elaborate than the next and she loved looking at each dazzling one. She had gone on a drive a couple weekends prior just to look at them all, going slow so she could admire them properly.

Her own house was no different, nor was Robin's. She and Kathryn used to decorate together so it looked cohesive and even though she hadn't collaborated with Robin, their houses didn't clash. They both favored multicolored lights strung along their porch railing and the overhang that covered it. They used more multicolored lights for the downstairs window and their trees, which were visible from the road. She, though, had set up a little Christmas town on her window's large ledge, complete with cotton fluff as snow.

Their lawns, though, were different. She favored snowman and had several placed strategically around her lawn—plastic ones, wire ones, large, small, ones with red scarves, one with green scarves, one with a Santa hat. They all lit up and shone as beacons as she approached her house.

Robin, though, preferred Santa and his reindeer. He even had put a wire frame sleigh on the roof of the overhang and it glowed red in the early winter night. Wire reindeer stood on his lawn, some grazing while others looked out at the street as if standing guard over his property. They lit up as did the waving mechanical Santa that was the centerpiece of his lawn. She had to admit it looked good—though she never told him that out loud.

She spotted Robin as she pulled up to their houses. He was bundled up in his now familiar evergreen coat jacket, blue scarf and matching ear muffs. Robin was hunched over, scattering something on his sidewalk and she figured he was salting his property as well. When she pulled into her driveway, her headlights illuminated scattered rock salt on her driveway and she realized he had also done her property as well.

He looked up when she locked her car, the beep echoing around their quiet property. She carefully walked over her snow-covered lawn and approached him. "I guess the rock salt was your doing?" she asked.

"I think most people say 'thank you,'" he said, already defensive. She winced, knowing she had made him think the worst of her.

So she smiled. "Yes, thank you. I was getting to that."

"Oh," he replied, growing sheepish. "Sorry. I got home and I wasn't sure when you were going to come home so I thought I would throw down some rock salt."

"Well, once again, thank you." She stood there, staring at him as the winter chill managed to permeate her warm coat, her red scarf and her faux fur hat.

Robin cleared his throat. "Is there anything else?"

She nodded, shoving her hands in her coat pockets. "I'm hosting a Christmas get-together this Saturday, right before Christmas Eve. It'll be all afternoon and into the evening, with food and music and just good company. Please consider this your official invitation to the event."

"Oh…well…thank you," he said, stammering in surprise. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline, though. I'm flying out to celebrate the holidays with my family in England."

Disappointment filled Regina and she was surprised that it did. She had only resolved to invite him that afternoon and now she was sad he had to decline. What had happened on her drive home?

She put on a smile. "Well, I hope you have a safe flight. And if I don't see you before then—Merry Christmas, Robin."

"Merry Christmas, Regina," he said softly. He then motioned to her house. "Why don't you head in and get warm? You look like you could join your lovely collection of snowmen."

Regina chuckled. "I think you're more likely to end up being added to my snowmen. Please promise me you'll head in to warm up too."

"I promise," he replied, looking touched. "Have a good night. And I hope your party is a success."

"Thank you. And you're always welcome to pop by if you have time." She adjusted her bag strap as it started slipping down her shoulder, heading up the stairs to her door. A strange feeling filled her—had she just been pleasant with Robin Locksley? Had he been pleasant back to her?

Perhaps a friendship was just beginning.

She found she liked that.

Christmas music blared from the speakers Regina had placed around her first floor and she made sure all her Christmas lights worked. Her tree sparkled as her guests milled about, sipping either glasses filled with either cider or eggnog. Conversation and laughter flowed easily and Regina was pleased she had thrown another successful Christmas party.

She put out some more of her lasagna, which was going faster than the trays of food she had ordered from Granny's diner. As she placed a hot tray down, Kathryn sauntered up to the table. "So, I was hoping to meet the guy who bought my house but I've been informed that you hate him. I guess that won't be happening."

"I don't hate Robin," Regina replied, leaning over to glare at Mary Margaret. Her paralegal became very interested in her husband David's conversation with their coworker August.

Kathryn hummed, taking a slice of Regina's lasagna. "Why do I feel there is more to this story?"

Regina sighed. "Because there is. I did hate him at first but it was pointed out that I really didn't give him a chance, I just decided I didn't like him on the spot and looked for reasons to support that. So I've decided to give him a chance."

"Is he handsome?"

Lifting an eyebrow, Regina glanced over at her friend. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just wondering," Kathryn replied, failing at nonchalance.

"Robin is good looking, but that doesn't have anything to do with me trying to be nicer to him. I just got reminded that I should be. You know how Mary Margaret is," Regina replied, clearing away some dirty dishes.

Kathryn nodded, following Regina into the kitchen with some more dirty dishes. "So will I get to meet the new guy?"

"Unfortunately, no," Regina replied. "Robin is flying out today to spend the holidays with his family in England."

"He's British?" Kathryn exclaimed, her eyes wide. "You've really been holding out on me."

Regina frowned as she started the water in her sink to let the dishes soak. "What does it matter that my new neighbor is British?"

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows that a man with an accent is instantly hotter."

"Robin isn't hot because of his accent," Regina said, too focused on washing dishes to realize what she had just said.

She realized Kathryn had stepped closer and when she looked up, Mary Margaret had joined her. They were staring at her with smiles on their faces and she grew concerned. "What's going on?"

"You just confirmed you think Robin is hot," Kathryn said, smirking now. "But if not because of his accent, then why?"

Regina felt her heart speed up as she pressed herself against her sink. "That's not what I meant. I just meant that his accent doesn't make him irresistible."

Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow. "I think someone is floating on a certain river in Egypt."

"I'm not in denial," Regina said, scowling. She felt cornered and like her friends were pushing her to a conclusion she was not sure she wanted or could make.

"Can we give our hostess some air?" Mal said, sauntering into the kitchen. She raised an eyebrow as she looked from Mary Margaret to Kathryn. "And not attack her?"

The other two women backed up, looking sheepish. Kathryn rubbed Regina's arm. "Sorry. I guess we just got a little too curious for our own good."

"I forgive you," Regina said, smiling at her. "After all, it's Christmas. I don't want any coal in my stocking."

"That won't be why you get coal in your stocking, Regina." Mal winked at her as the others chuckled. Regina rolled her eyes in response.

Loud, high-pitched wails emitted from everyone's phone and Regina winced, clutching her ears. She gritted her teeth until they stopped and she felt like she could breathe again. "What the hell was that?" she asked.

"An alert from the town," Mal said, looking at her phone with a frown. "Someone look outside because this sounds like the weather has gotten worse."

Regina's stomach twisted in knots as she hurried to her kitchen window. Pulling back the curtain, it plummeted to see a thick layer of snow covering her backyard. Large white flakes flew around in rather strong winds and she knew what was coming—a blizzard. "Shit," she said.

"Yeah, Regina, as much as we love you, I'm sure you don't want us to sleepover. So we're all getting ready to leave before they close the roads," David said, entering the kitchen with his wife's white coat.

Nodding, Regina blew some stray hairs from her face. "Just as long as people take food and dessert. You're probably going to need it."

"As long as we can get some cider with it!" she heard August yell from the living room.

She rolled her eyes. "Let me start filling some containers while you lot do the same with the food. I mean it, take as much as you want."

"Let me help you," Mal offered, pulling down some jars. "I think everyone is going to want some cider to enjoy during this blizzard."

Glancing at the swirling snow outside, Regina imagined that had to be true. Because once everyone left, she was certainly going to enjoy a cup or three of her cider as well while she watched every Christmas movie known to man, no matter how cheesy.

Once the food was divvied up and everyone got their jar of cider, they began pouring out into the snowy evening. Regina put on her coat and stood on her porch, making sure everyone got to their cars as carefully as possible. She hugged her friends as they thanked her for another wonderful party and she thanked them for coming, adding her regrets that the weather ended their fun way too early.

Mary Margaret hugged Regina. "Remember, you're coming to our house for Christmas dinner. No excuses."

"I know," Regina said, hugging her back. "And I'll be there. I promise."

"We'll see you then," David said, grinning at her as he gently pulled his wife away from her. "Come on, Mary Margaret. We should get on the road before they get worse."

Once they walked away, Kathryn and Frederick stepped out of the house. She hugged Regina. "We're the last ones out, so you can head back inside and get warm in a few seconds."

"Thank you," Regina replied, pulling away from her. "Drive safely, you two. And I'll see you for New Year's."

"If we don't, I'm going to come and drag you myself," Kathryn said, smiling as she took Frederick's hand.

Regina approached the railing as they started to head down the stairs. She peered through the snow, frowning when a taxi pulled up and stopped at the end of Robin's walk. The door opened and she recognized Robin's familiar evergreen puffy jacket as he climbed out of the taxi, pulling on his gloves. He hurried to the back as the trunk popped open, pulling out a large piece of black luggage and a smaller bag. Robin waved to the driver, who pulled away as he started toward his house.

Kathryn and Frederick paused. She turned to Regina with wide eyes and pointed to Robin. "Is that him?"

When Regina nodded, Kathryn waved to him. "Hi! I'm the person you bought your house from!"

"Oh," he replied, pausing at the bottom of his stairs. He gave a half-hearted smile. "Nice to meet you."

Frederick gave Kathryn a gentle push. "We need to go, sweetheart. Those roads look pretty bad."

"They are," Robin said. "Be careful."

They thanked him, hurrying down the walk toward their car. Regina moved along the porch railing until she stood at the top of Robin's stairs, watching as he climbed them. There was an air of sadness, disappointment and anger surrounding him and she knew what had happened. "Your flight got cancelled due to the storm, didn't it?"

"Yep," he said, voice hard. "They don't know when they'll get flights out so it's looking like I'm not going to celebrate Christmas with my family after all."

"Oh, Robin," she sighed, resting her hand against his sleeve though she doubted he knew that from how puffy his jacket was.

He fumbled for his keys, trying to hide how angry he was and failing. "It's my fault. I knew I should've booked an earlier flight like Will and Killian did but I decided to work a couple days more. Belle or Mulan could've handled what I was doing but I had to be selfish…"

"I'm sure it wasn't selfish," she replied, not sure when she became his comforter. She knew, though, that she couldn't let him stay alone. He would beat himself up without anyone to distract him and perhaps do something he'd regret in the morning.

Regina leaned against the wall, trying to look at him in the eyes. "Do you have anything to eat in the house?"

When he shook his head, she knew what she had to do. "Well, I have food leftover from my party. Why don't you come over and have some?"

Robin hesitated and she could see the war in his eyes—did he go and enjoy her food or did he just go inside and brood? So she decided to sweeten her offer: "And I'll give you a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted."

"Is that so?" he asked, smirking at her now. "Well, then, I'll put these bags inside and come on over."

Triumph filled as she headed back into her house. It certainly wasn't how she anticipated spending her evening, but a familiar giddy feeling filled her. She squashed it down, blaming Kathryn and Mary Margaret for their earlier questions about Robin. This was just a chance to be good-neighborly and get to know Robin a bit more. Perhaps they could finally have a friendly relationship. It was her only goal for the evening.

Unfortunately, her body still wasn't getting the message as she let herself back into her warm house. Her heart beat wildly against her chest and butterflies fluttered around her stomach as she hung up her coat. She tried to calm herself down but it was a losing battle.

She just hoped it didn't cause her to make a fool of herself in front of Robin.

Less than twenty minutes later, she placed a plate laden with different foods—turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, and a slice of her lasagna—in front of Robin. He wore a light green button-down shirt under a dark green sweater paired with nice brown pants. His blond hair was darker than usual due to the snow that had clung to it despite the hat he had worn.

He smiled at her, showing off those dimples again. "This is a whole feast, Regina. You certainly know how to treat your guests."

"Thank you," she said, setting down a plate for herself. "I'll go get the cider but feel free to start eating."

She turned away, pressing her hand to her stomach as the butterflies continued to fly around inside it. Why was he dressed so nice to go flying? Most people she knew—including herself—dressed comfortably for plane rides, especially when flying a long distance. A little voice whispered that he might have dressed up for her but she squashed, deciding he was just the odd man out who liked to look really nice while flying.

Regina heated up some of her cider, pulling out her bottle of whiskey and a shot glass. She measured one shot and poured it into a mug before refilling the glass to pour into the second mug. After adding the heated cider, she added two cinnamon sticks to each mug before carrying it out to Robin. "Here we go!"

"Thank you," he replied, taking one of the mugs from her. She noticed he hadn't yet touched his food and was slightly annoyed as she took her seat.

He held up his mug, giving his a closed-lip smile as his eyes glowed. "Thank you, Regina, for this wonderful meal and for your company."

"I'm glad I can help," she said, tapping her mug against his. "Salut."

"Salut," he echoed.

She watched as he took a sip, his eyes widening as he let out a cough. "This is the best cider I've ever had. Where did you get it?"

"I made it," she said, taking a sip of her own. The whiskey and the cider warmed her stomach and then spread through her veins.

He tilted his head, smiling. "Really?"

Regina nodded before narrowing her eyes. "Why? You don't think I'm domestic enough to make my own cider?"

"Not at all," he said, lacing his fingers together as he rested his elbows on her table. "I just figured I would've seen you carry in all those apples."

"I guess you were busy working because I didn't see you the weekend I went apple picking. About middle of October?" she said, trying to sound nonchalant. Had he just admitted to watching her? And why did that thrill her rather than creep her out?

He nodded, as if trying to remember what he had been doing around then. "Right, I had business out of town that weekend."

"I also make applesauce and apple pies too," she said, taking another sip of her cider as she watched his reaction.

"Do you add whiskey to those too?" he asked, glancing down at his mug.

She raised her eyebrows, impressed. "No one ever guesses my 'special' ingredient. Bravo."

"I have a soft spot for whiskey," he said, shrugging as he removed his elbows from the table. "And you didn't answer the question. Should I not drive after eating any of your applesauce?"

Regina chuckled. "I only add the whiskey to the cider. So you can certainly drive if I give you some applesauce."

His eyebrows went up now. "If? I get dinner and cider but the jury is still out on if I get applesauce?"

"Yes," she said, turning back to her plate. This should've felt strange or awkward but being here with Robin felt almost…natural. Their bantering was easy and she felt he was an even match for her. It felt nice.

Robin chewed some of his turkey before swallowing to ask: "So what would one have to do to be worthy of Regina Mills' applesauce?"

"My applesauce goes to people I am especially close to," she said, playing with her mug. "My friends…my family."

He nodded solemnly before grinning. "I would think you would do that with the cider."

She smirked. "Oh no. I'm all for getting as many people drunk as possible at the holiday season. Most of us need it."

"Us?" he frowned, leaning back as he placed his potato-laden fork back on his plate. "That's a pretty Scrooge-like statement to make for someone who looks pretty into Christmas."

Cold grasped Regina as she tried to figure out the best way to answer Robin's question. They were just starting out on a new friendship and she didn't want to scare him off with her fucked up family situation. Not when it seemed he was very close with his own and was no doubt still upset that he couldn't spend the holidays with them.

Forcing a smile back on her face, Regina tried to play it off. "I love most aspects of the holiday but there are somethings you just need alcohol to get through. I mean, have you been to the mall lately?"

He chuckled, nodding as he picked up the fork again. "That is true. I was very tempted to drink after getting back the last time I was there and it took me a good half-hour to find a parking spot."

"A half-hour? That's pretty good," she said, relieved the moment had passed. "I spent almost an hour."

"So, do you think I might be worthy of that applesauce next year?" he asked, eyeing her with what appeared to be hope.

Her heart sped up as she shrugged. "Maybe. I would like that."

"You would?" he replied, sounding surprised.

She nodded, putting her own fork down. "I realized that I wasn't really giving you a chance and it wasn't fair to you. And it was pretty exhausting for me. That's why I invited you to the party tonight. I was hoping for a fresh start."

"A fresh start sounds nice," he agreed, looking contrite. "We didn't really get off on the right foot and I share equal amounts of the blame. My friends and I could've been quieter or I could've at least warned you I was moving in, give you time to get out if you wanted. So I'm sorry about that."

Regina took a deep breath and held out her hand to him, smiling brightly. "Hi, I'm your new neighbor, Regina Mills."

"Pleased to meet you, Regina," he said, smiling juts as brightly as he took her hand. "I'm Robin Locksley."

They shook hands and laughed, turning back to their meals and cider.

Dinner and some cider turned into Christmas movies and more cider. She and Robin sat on her couch, wrapped up in her old plaid blanket that managed to cover both of them though they kept a respectable distance from each other. They made little comments throughout the first movie they watched and she discovered he was a hopeless romantic at heart. He teased her for her more realistic tendencies as she commented on some of the aspects the movies tended to brush over.

"So now she's giving up her entire life to move with him to a strange European country?" she asked, motioning to the lovestruck actress on TV. "Just like that?"

He shrugged. "People do things for love without really thinking them out. It's called being romantic."

"Oh, really?" She raised her eyebrow. "And is that how you ended up here in America?"

"Yes," he replied, matter-of-factly.

That surprised her and she moved closer to him on the couch. "Care to share that story, Locksley?"

He sighed, growing a bit wistful and she immediately regretted that question. Before she could retract her question, assure him that he didn't have to tell her anything, he began speaking in a low voice: "Her name was Marian. She came to my university in England as part of her school's study abroad program and was in some of my classes. I accidentally stole some supplies of hers and she chased me down to get them back, loudly informing me that they weren't for the entire class but that she had bought them with her own money. So I gave them back and cheekily invited her out to dinner to make up for it."

"Let me guess—she turned you down flat," Regina said, imagining what she would've done in Marian's place.

"Pretty much," he said, nodding with a wry chuckle. He glanced at her. "How did you guess?"

She shrugged. "That's what I would've done."

"Well, after that, she would tease me about what I had done and I kept offering to take her dinner as a joke. Then we were assigned to work on a project together and we got to see other sides to each other. I just found it so easy to talk to her and we had so much in common—we both wanted to save the world and believed we could."

There was such affection in his voice that for a moment, Regina was jealous of this Marian. She swallowed it down, knowing she had no reason to be. All she was was Robin's neighbor who was just embarking on a possible friendship with him. Naturally he wouldn't have such affection or love in his voice when talking with her.

"She sounds like a wonderful woman," she finally managed to say.

He nodded. "She was. I think you would've liked her. She could put anyone at ease and be their friend. She had a great sense of humor and loved old movies, even silent films. We saw a lot of those during our time together."

The fact he kept using the past tense didn't escape her notice but she didn't try to draw many inferences from that. It was clear Marian was no longer in the picture and they could've just broken up, a young love that had burned hot and then fizzled out. Marian was most likely still alive and moving on with her life, no doubt fondly recalling Robin as he did her.

"And then you decided to follow her back to the States?" Regina asked.

He nodded. "My family wasn't too thrilled with that. I always wanted to attend law school and we all always thought I would do so in England, maybe Scotland at the farthest. But when I started to apply to American schools, my dad took me aside to make sure I really wanted to do that and that I wasn't letting my heart overrule my head."

"It sounds like your dad and I would get along well then," Regina said, finding that thought pleased her.

"You and my mum," he replied, sending a little thrill through her. "But I assured them both that it was what I wanted and when I was accepted, I moved to Boston to attend BU."

She was impressed. "That's a very good school. Did Marian live in Boston too?"

He nodded. "We lived together and I saved up so I could propose to her at graduation with our family surrounding us. It was the happiest day of my life."

"It sounds nice," Regina agreed, dread growing as she realized his story didn't have a happy ending. She feared she knew where this was going. "What happened?"

"I started as a junior associate at a law firm in Boston who was willing to sponsor my visa and I began the process of getting citizenship. I'm sure you know the long hours required of young lawyers at that time," he said, confirming that he knew Regina was a lawyer like him.

She swallowed. "Did she…Did she end the engagement because you weren't home a lot?"

"No," he said, voice cracking with emotion. "That might've been easier. Maybe then she would've been with someone who would've noticed how fatigued she had been, how she was losing weight and had no appetite, how pale she had gotten sooner. Maybe he could've forced her to go to the doctor sooner and get diagnosed before the cancer was too far advanced for us to do anything."

Her heart stopped—both at the realization that Marian was dead and the fact that Robin clearly blamed himself for her death. Regina placed her hand on his arm. "It's not your fault," she whispered.

"Everyone, including her family, said that and my head knows they are right," he said, his voice still harsh. "But my heart still tells me that I should've known. That I should've done something."

"Were you there for her? At the end, I mean," she said. When he nodded, she squeezed his arm. "Then you did something. You loved her right to the end. And I know that had to mean something to her."

He sniffed as he cleared his throat. "I hope so. My family wanted me to move back to England but I couldn't leave Boston. Marian was there, you know?"

"I do," she whispered, feeling like someone had punched her in the gut. She tried not to see another pair of shining blue eyes and brown hair blowing in the wind as they drove down the New York Thruway and focused on the man falling apart on her couch.

Robin managed to pull himself together and his voice wasn't as broken as he continued: "I pretty much threw myself into work, tireless working for children since Marian and I never got the chance to have any. I've made sure they went to good families and got them removed from bad ones. All the while, I lived with Marian's ghost and both our families were concerned."

"So you decided to move to Maine?" she asked, confused. What had prompted Robin to leave his beloved Marian's final resting place and move several hundred miles away?

He nodded. "I woke up one morning and realized they were right. I hadn't changed a single thing about our apartment since Marian died five years ago and it was almost like a shrine to her. I had become like a ghost as well and realized I wasn't living life. I tried to reconnect with my friends and found Will and Killian both out here. They encouraged me to make a move and when a position opened up at my firm's branch here, I took it."

"Good for you," Regina whispered, hoping that didn't sound as trite as it did to her. She really meant it, knowing how hard it was to move on after such a loss.

"I'm trying," he said. "But it's still hard, you know?"

She nodded, jumping up from the couch to grab her purse. Regina searched through it before finding the little white card she always carried with her. Holding it out to him, she said: "Take this. He might be able to help you."

Robin took the card, his brow furrowing as he read what was written on it: "Doctor Archibald Hopper. He's a therapist?"

"Who specializes in grief," she replied, settling back down on the couch, "though he is good with other things, like workaholic lawyers."

"Grief?" he asked, frowning as he looked at her like he was just recognizing she was a kindred spirit. Maybe he was.

She nodded. "His name was Daniel. And he was the first person after my father who loved me unconditionally. I never felt like he was judging me and I never felt like I was failing to be the person he wanted me to be. He just wanted me to be me. He made being me feel special and made me feel beautiful. And he made me laugh, reminding me to relax and not to be so serious all the time. We supported each other and were each other's greatest cheerleaders."

"He sounds amazing," Robin said, leaning closer to her as he placed a comforting hand on her knee. "What happened?"

"He had an undiagnosed heart condition that wasn't caught no matter how many physicals he had—he was a champion equestrian, which is how we bonded at first. We both went to the same stables while we were students at NYU," she explained. "A couple weeks after graduation we went riding together and when we got back, he went into cardiac arrest. One of the stable workers provided First Aid while I called 911. But there was nothing we could do and Daniel died in my arms there in the stable."

She paused, feeling the tears in her eyes as a lump formed in her throat. Robin removed his hand from her knee and wrapped his arm around her, holding her close as she sniffled. "I went to law school like I had planned and just threw myself into my school work and internships, knowing I would never find anyone like Daniel to love me again."

"And then you moved back here?" he asked, his voice rumbling in her ear.

"Not for a few years," she admitted. "My father developed a heart condition and needed care. My mother…well, she's not a very loving woman and while she was more than willing to soak up the attention given to a beleaguered caregiver, I was the one taking care of him. I paid for an aide while I was at work, made sure he ate and took his medicine, got him to his doctor appointments. When it was clear his time was almost up, my law firm let me go out on leave so I was there when he…when he…"

Her voice broke as she remembered holding her father's hand through the night, watching his breathing grow shallower until it stopped right before dawn. The hospice nurse took his vitals and called for the medical examiner to make the final pronouncement of death. It all seemed so peaceful, though, and for that Regina was grateful. Especially after how chaotic Daniel's death had been with him gasping for air as he clutched his chest, how she had cried and pleaded with 911 to send help and as the staff worked frantically to save him.

Robin just held her and she felt like a selfish cow for making him comfort her after he had just shared his own story of loss. She hadn't done the same for him. What did he think of her then?

"I'm sorry," she croaked, sitting up to tuck a few loose strands of hair behind her hair. "You must think me awful."

His brow furrowed. "Why?"

"I just made this moment all about me. You didn't need that," she said, starting to move away.

Robin gently grasped her arm, stopping her. "I did need that. Grieving can be so lonely and it's nice to know there's someone else out there who understands what I went through. What I still go through. I hope we can support each other, Regina, and there is nothing selfish in that."

"Imagine that—two people with similar losses now living next to each other. It seems like something from one of these Christmas movies." She brushed away a few tears, giving him a soft smile as she motioned to the TV screen.

He chuckled, leaning closer to her. "Maybe we have two angels watching out for us who arranged for this?"

She knew he was joking but for a moment, her practical nature was overruled as she nodded. "That sounds nice."

"Yeah," he said, leaning closer. For a moment, she wondered if he was going to kiss her and she found that she really, really wanted him to. Their rather intimate moment had changed everything, she knew.

The moment was broken by "Hail Britannia" and he pulled away, grinning sheepishly. "That's my ring for home. Excuse me."

He stood and grabbed his phone, heading into her dining room to answer the call. It gave her a few moments to compose herself and she headed up to her bathroom to splash some cool water on her face as well as run a brush through her hair. She knew even before she looked in the mirror that she had red splotches on her cheeks and red-rimmed eyes. Her mascara had also started to run so she washed her face clean, not afraid to show her makeup free face to Robin even as her mother's horrified voice echoed in the back of her mind.

Of course, her mother would probably also be horrified at how "silly" Regina was acting. Cora Mills believed marriage wasn't about love but about position and power in society. She had grown up a poor workman's daughter and watched her father drink away most of his paycheck, leaving little for food or clothing. Cora was teased mercilessly for her hand me down clothing and for having to get food on credit so she vowed to never experience such poverty again. She pursued several wealthy men, finally marrying Henry Mills, the son of a business magnate. However, no matter how much Henry made or how big their house was, how many cars they owned, how many expensive vacations they took, how expensive their clothes were or how prestigious Regina's schools were, it was never enough for Cora. She always wanted more for herself and never gave Henry or Regina what they wanted the most—her love.

Love was weakness, she often told Regina and had always made snide remarks about her relationship with Daniel. When he died, Daddy had stayed with Regina and comforted her as best he could. Her mother set her up on a date, telling her that she had gotten all that romanticism out of her system, she could now focus on finding a husband who would be wealthy and powerful so Regina could be even better than them—and share the wealth with her mother. Though he hadn't wanted to leave Regina, Henry realized the only way to stop Cora was to take her home himself.

It was the best thing he could've done at the time.

She took a deep breath now and pushed all thoughts of her mother out. Things had gotten tense enough. Regina was going to go downstairs, make fresh cups of cider for her and Robin and resume their Christmas marathon. This was the time for love and joy, not hate and misery.

"I know, Mum, I wish I was home too," she heard Robin say. Her heart clenched for him as she heard the regret in his voice. "The airline doesn't know how long the storm will last so I don't know when I'll get there. But I'm going to try to come out as soon as I can. Maybe I'll make Boxing Day, yeah?"

There was pause as she entered her living room before he continued: "I love you too. Tell everyone I love and miss them. And wish them a Happy Christmas for me. Thanks, Mum."

As she rounded the corner into her dining room, Robin flashed her a smile. "I'm not alone, Mum. I'm actually spending time with my neighbor, Regina. We're keeping each other company during this storm. Okay, okay, Mum. You go back to sleep. It's late…or rather early…there. I'll talk to you soon."

"What time is it in England?" Regina asked once he hung up.

He checked his watch. "About three in the morning. Mum had gone to bed early so she could be up to pick me up from the airport, which meant she missed my call about my flight being cancelled. So she called now."

"I'm sure she's sad her little boy won't be home for Christmas," Regina said teasingly.

Robin nodded, sighing. "She is but she's just glad I'm safe at home. You know how mothers can get."

"Yeah," she said quickly, hurrying over to the kitchen. "Do you want more cider?"

He frowned, tilting his head before softly cursing. "You don't have a good relationship with your mother, do you? I'm being an absolute prick in reminding you that, aren't I? You said she wasn't a very loving person and said your father was the only one aside from Daniel who loved you unconditionally."

She sighed. "Do you really also want to unpack my issues with my mother? Because there are many."

"That's one of the reasons why you need whiskey in your cider at this time, huh?" he asked, no doubt trying to lighten the mood. She appreciated it.

"It used to be," she said, heating up the cider as stood in the doorway to her kitchen. "But I just avoid her now, so the whiskey is more because of the mall than her."

He chuckled before asking: "So what do you do on Christmas?"

"Sleep in, open a couple presents to myself and then usually go out to my friend Mary Margaret's for dinner and more presents," she replied, pulling out the whiskey again. "It's actually a lot of fun."

"And you have no other family?"

She paused, knowing that was a complicated question as well. "I have a half-sister. Apparently my mother gave birth before she met my father and gave the baby up. Zelena found us a couple years ago and we've had an…interesting…relationship since then. She tends to run hot and cold when it comes to me, depending on how her relationship with Mother is going."

"Let me guess—this year, it's going well so she's cold to you?"

"Bingo," she replied, adding the cinnamon sticks. She handed him a mug. "I've learned to make my own family."

He grinned, tapping her mug with his. "Here, here."

"Why don't you tell me more about your family?" she asked, guiding him back into the living room.

"They're not as interesting as yours. We actually get along," he said, laughing.

She smiled at him, giving his arm a squeeze. "Perfect."

They lost power about an hour later as they shared one of Regina's pies. Robin lit her fireplace, careful of her lonely stocking hanging from the mantle, and then laid her blanket out in front of it. "We can have a picnic," he said, grinning at her.

"You sure you don't want to just head home before it gets worse?" she asked. "I mean, I know it's only a couple steps away, but don't you want to be in your own house?"

"To do what?" he countered. "Stare at the walls? Read by candlelight? I mean, that doesn't sound too bad but it's pretty shit for my eyes. At least here I have pie, cider, whiskey and company."

She smiled, picking up the pie. "Well, when you put that way…If you look by the Christmas village, I have an old battery-operated stereo. We can listen to some music and the news as well."

"Great," he said, heading over there. "So, what's up with the Christmas village? It looks nice but they all look hand painted. Or did you buy them that way?"

"They were my father's, it was his hobby. I took them after he died to make sure my mother didn't throw them out," she said, settling down on the blanket. She watched as he pulled out the stereo, knocking a few papers over in the process. He apologized, picking them up.

Robin held one piece of paper, frowning as he looked it over. "You're thinking of adopting?"

Her stomach twisted as she had forgotten about the paperwork she had started and then abandoned, certain it would be a pointless venture. "I was going to do, a couple years ago."

"What happened?" he asked, intrigued as he brought the stereo over.

She bristled, not sure she wanted to share that story and he held up his hands. "Sorry, sorry. That's none of my business. I shouldn't have pushed."

"It's okay," she said softly, taking the papers from him. She put them back on the desk, making a note to finally file them away in her home office upstairs.

When she turned back around, Robin had found some Christmas music and set the stereo down on her end table. A soft ballad played and he held out his hand to her, giving her a soft smile. "May I have this dance? If I haven't bungled everything by being nosy."

She relaxed, taking his hand. "You haven't bungled anything. I'd love to dance with you."

He pulled her close, wrapping one arm around her waist as he held her hand close to his chest. She felt his heart beating as she rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as he swayed them in time with the music. Regina knew she should've been scared of how fast everything was going—they went from tentative friends to so much more in the span of a few hours. She just wasn't sure what they were but she knew they were now more connected that ever. If she believed in soulmates, she would've dared to say that Robin may have been hers. No one since Daniel had ever understood her so well.

Robin rested his cheek against her hair, the scruff on his face gently scratching her scalp. With the fire crackling in front of them and the radio beginning another slow song, it all felt so romantic and so…right. For a few moments, she believed she could have this every Christmas—and winter. Someone to spend snowstorms with, someone to share her baking with, someone to talk to, someone to laugh with, someone to watch cheesy Christmas movies with, someone to slow dance with, and so much more.

And she really wanted Robin to be that person.

He dipped her as the second song ended and she knew there were four words that could change everything, that could put up a wall between them and end all her hopes for a romance. She had to say them now before things got complicated. Looking right into his blue eyes, trying to ignore how much he seemed to want her too, Regina said: "I can't have children."

"Oh," he breathed, straightening her up.

She pushed on, letting the entire story spill out. "I had some health problems a few years ago and it was decided that the best course of action was a hysterectomy, which I had."

"But you're better?" he asked, looking concerned.

Regina nodded. "Clean bill of health. It worked."

"Good." He pulled her close against, breathing out a sigh of relief. As he rubbed her back, he asked: "Is that why you considered adoption?"

"Partly. And it was also partly because I figured I would never get married as well. But I wanted to be a mother. I wanted to have someone to love, to take care of, to devote my time and attention to. I wanted to share my life with someone else," she admitted, tears filling her eyes again.

He started to rock her. "Why didn't you go through with it?"

"Mother and Zelena convinced me it wasn't the right course of action. That I would be a single mother in a stressful job that required long hours. No adoption agency would give me a child, certain he or she would just be raised by nannies and not really see me."

Robin pulled back, frowning at her. "Would that really be the case?"

"Well, no…" she admitted. "I mean, I would need help but I would also do my best to make sure I was my child's primary caregiver. He or she would be the most important person in my life. I'd make any sacrifice for them."

"Then I'd say you would be a wonderful mother and an ideal candidate for adoption." He cupped her cheek, smiling. "I would be honored to help you if you want. It'll be a long and hard process, but I know it will be worth it in the end."

She nodded as a lump formed in her throat. "I know it will…but that's not why I told you that."

Though he continued to smile, she could see the confusion in his eyes. He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Then why did you tell me? Unless…did you…did you think it would scare me away? That I would see you as something broken? Someone not worth attention or affection?"

She sucked in breath, feeling like someone was stabbing her heart to hear her feelings put into words—to hear them coming from his mouth. Her voice failed her but it didn't matter for he kept talking: "Because you are certainly not broken. And you are certainly worth every iota of love you get, Regina. Fuck your mother and your sister if they ever told you differently. I have no idea where what is happening between will go, but I know that you are worth it, Regina."

Laying her hand over his, Regina rose up on her tiptoes. He met her halfway, their lips pressing together. It felt like fireworks were going off inside her and all the joy of Christmas filled her. They deepened the kiss naturally, her hand going to his hair while his went to her back to pull her closer. His tongue swept the inside of her mouth as she began to tug at the edge of his sweater, wanting to get even closer to him. She wouldn't be happy until they were one.

"We have an update on Winter Storm Adam," the newscaster on the radio said after the song ended. Robin broke the kiss, pressing his forehead to hers as they listened to the update.

"According to the weather center, the storm will continue will into the night but start to lessen in intensity sometime toward dawn. The snow should end around the midmorning though the winds will continue to remain gusty throughout the day. Temperatures will also hover just below freezing as well," he announced. "It looks like it will be clear for Santa's flight and we will definitely have a white Christmas."

Regina licked her lips, looking into Robin's eyes. They appeared darker and full of hunger, igniting a fire inside her. Her voice low and husky, she asked: "Sounds like it's still bad out there."

"It does," he replied, voice just as husky as hers. "I probably shouldn't even think of going out."

She nodded. "You should spend the night."

"I don't have anything to wear, though."

Regina smirked as she pulled away, taking his hand. "I don't think that will be a problem."

Pale sunlight woke Regina the next morning. She sighed contently as she rolled her, her arm reaching out. Her smile turned into a frown, though, when she felt no one beside her. The sheets there still felt warm, so she knew Robin hadn't been gone long. But where had he gone?

She sat up, clutching her blanket to her nude form as she brushed her hair away from her face. Perhaps he had gotten a call that he could still get a flight out and spend Christmas with her family. If so, he probably hadn't wanted to disturb her. She searched for a note before checking her phone, hoping to see a message from him.

Nothing.

Had the magical spell that seemed to exist yesterday been broken once the whiskey had worn off and the sun had come up? Did he once again see her as the annoying neighbor he barely knew? Or had he gotten his thrills last night with her and left as soon as the snow had subsided? Had she allowed herself to be duped by a handsome man, a sexy accent and the magic of the holidays? Did she really think they might've been soulmates?

Feeling foolish, Regina slunk from her bed and found a fresh pair of underwear. She pulled out a warm pair of pajamas and pulled them on before wrapping her robe around her. Once she felt she was properly covered, she opened her bedroom blinds and gasped.

The neighborhood had been transformed into a winter wonderland. A good foot or two of snow covered the ground and the road had yet to be ploughed. The snow caught the sun and it made the day seem brighter and though people were out shoveling, everything seemed quiet and peaceful.

Looking down, Regina's hand flew to her mouth. Her walk was all shoveled and Robin's familiar form appeared behind her car. She watched as he shoveled snow from her driveway, clearing a path for her so she could get out once the roads were cleared. Clumps of snow clung to his blue scarf and she knew it had to be damp, much like his gloves and pants.

He hadn't left her after all.

She hurried downstairs, pulling on her own boots and coat before stepping out onto her porch. Regina leaned against the railing, calling out to him. "How long have you been out here?"

"Good morning!" he called back, smiling widely at her. He set down his shovel and pulled up a coat sleeve to check his watch. "I've been at this for an hour. There's a lot of snow."

"Have you eaten?" she asked, figuring he had to have built up an appetite after all that work.

His smile turned sheepish as he shook his head. "Not yet. I wanted to surprise you before you woke up."

"Consider me surprised," she said, watching as he approached her. He climbed up the stairs and she leaned closer, dropping her voice to say: "I would've rather woken up to a snow-covered walk and you still in my bed."

"Sorry. The airline called to say the flights were still canceled but that they hoped to resume them tonight," he said. "And then I couldn't get back to sleep so I figured I would put myself to work."

Disappointment rushed through her and she knew her smile dropped. "So you're flying home tonight?"

She was happy for him, glad that he could go see his family and spend time with them. However, she felt horrible to know it wasn't coming across because of the sadness dampening it. For a brief moment, she thought he would spend Christmas with her.

He frowned, almost pressing his snow-covered glove to her cheek before thinking twice about it. Instead, he motioned to her door. "Why don't we go inside? I honestly can't feel my toes."

"I'll make us some breakfast too," she said. "Can you leave your boots out here please?"

"Of course." Robin leaned against the wall as he started to pull off his shoes while she stepped inside the house.

She headed toward her dining room, pausing when she caught sight of her fireplace. Her stocking had been moved slightly to the right and a red stocking bearing Robin's name hung next to it as a fire crackled in the hearth. Though they had put the pie away, the blanket was still on the floor by the fireplace and the stereo was still set up on the end table for another romantic picnic—if they wanted.

"I hope you don't consider me too forward but I figured there was no reason for us to celebrate Christmas separately," he said, taking her hand. Though his was cold, she clutched it tightly as she turned to him.

"You're not going home?" she asked, her voice wavering.

He shook his head. "The airline couldn't guarantee when flights would resume or how soon I could get on one. So I talked with my family and once I clear it with my firm, I'm going to visit them next month. And as much as I love and miss them, I would rather spend Christmas with you. I'll admit, I'm also hoping to kiss you at midnight on New Year's as well."

Regina's heart sped up and she smiled, cupping his cold cheek. "Well, I think the past twenty-four hours have proven that everything can change in a moment…but I think that could be arranged."

"Wonderful," he said, leaning closer. "I should probably get some practice in."

As he kissed her, she wound her arms around his neck. She would have to call Mary Margaret later to tell her she was bringing a guest with her. And she was glad she had bought a present for Robin to serve as a peace offering. They would then have to figure out their new relationship past the holidays.

For now, though, she enjoyed just being with him at Christmastime.

A/N: Merry Christmas Eve! This was my gift for the Outlaw Queen Advent Calendar and I'm sharing it here with all of you. I'm hoping to have a couple more gifts for you before the end of the holidays so keep your fingers crossed for me.

If you're celebrating—Merry Christmas!

-Mac