A/N:This Author's Note will be in essay format.

WOW! All of you have no idea how truly thankful I am for all the reviews, follows, and favourites that this has gotten! THANK YOU! The support really means a lot to us writers - it fuels the creative energy. I'm really proud of this story, it really took a life of its own, I think - it was never suppose to be this long, I just needed to fix the finale in my head and I ended up writing it all down.

I do have some one-shots that I've jotted down, based on the events of this story - some future fluffy things from our favourite Outlaw Queen family; so watch out for those, if you're still interested.

I am also working on another story (I'm really excited about it, its being built slowly in my head). All I will say is that it will be an AU story, light and fun. That's all you're going to get for now - hopefully, it will have you all hooked like this one!

Again, THANK YOU! It has been a pleasure writing for you all! Enjoy this last chapter!

Chapter Thirty-Two

The not so distant future

"Push!" Whale practically screamed.

And Regina did, breathing hard as a contraction ended. "If you scream that word again," she said, threatening the doctor, "I swear I will set you on fire!"

Whale eyes widened with fear as he looked to Robin.

Robin swallowed and looked at his wife. "Now, Regina…" he began, but stopped abruptly at the look she gave him.

All the former outlaw could do was look at Whale and say, "Don't say the word again."

Regina screamed as another contraction hit, squeezing Robin's hand with so much force he had to bite his lip from screaming himself.

"Ugh…" Whale said, unsure of what to say. "Now, Regina!"

Regina pushed, eyes filled with tears as she looked at Robin.

Silence.

"WAAAAAHHHH!"

The distinct loud wail rang through the tiny hospital room – music to Robin and Regina's ears.

Robin couldn't believe it, his eyes wide as he looked at the perfect little human in Whale's arms. The doctor gave him a pair of scissors and the new father cut the cord, finally holding the little baby in his arms.

He turned to his wife, tears streaming down his face as he saw Regina tearing up, too.

Regina watched him hold their baby, and she touched his arm – her eyes asking the question.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Locksley," Robin said, kissing Regina on the forehead as he handed her their child. "She's perfect!"

Regina let out a sob as she held her daughter for the first time, right against her beating heart; with Robin's arm around them both. She lets out a happy yelp as their little baby finally opened her eyes –

"Hi," Regina said softly, her chocolate brown orbs meeting a familiar blue hue. "I'm your Mommy." Then as Robin brushed the dark hair on her little head, Regina continued the introductions, "And that's your Papa."

"I hate to do this," Whale then said, "but we do need to move Regina and the baby to the recovery room." Robin nods, reluctantly pulling his arm from its hold on Regina. "Meanwhile," Whale continued, "I think the whole town is waiting outside to hear the news!"

Robin placed a kiss on Regina's lips, and then on his daughter's forehead. "I'm going to get our boys," he told Regina.

:::::

Henry was pacing back and forth at the hospital waiting room, as was Roland – who was doing everything his older brother was.

"She'll be fine, you two," Emma said, getting a headache from all their movements.

"We're just excited," Roland explained to her, his face breaking out into a grin.

Hook comes back then, coffee in hand for Emma, "The miracle of birth certainly takes time, doesn't it, love?"

"That baby will come when it's good and ready," Snow says from her position in one of the hospital's waiting room chairs, where she was calmly flipping through a magazine.

"I'm with Hook," Tinkerbell counters, "Everything takes so much time –"

Before she could finish, however, Roland was already screaming as he saw his Papa jogging towards them.

Robin had the biggest smile on his face as he looked at all of their faces, and then he turned to his sons, "Are you boys ready to meet your little sister?"

Everyone smiled (while Tinkerbell cheered). Henry beamed and Roland jumped up into his father's arms – telling him to hurry because he was so excited.

Regina heard them before they came in – they were a really loud bunch!

Then the door bursts open and Roland was the first to come in, jumping on the bed quickly – giving Regina a sloppy kiss on the cheek and looking at the baby with wide eyes. Henry sat on the bed beside his Mom, looking fascinated at his new baby sister. Robin was last to come in, waiting until everyone piled in a line against the wall – before making his way to Regina's side, arm around her with a soft kiss to both of his girls' temple.

Finally Emma spoke, "You're not going to drag the naming process like my parents did with Neal, are you?"

Robin and Regina looked at each other – choosing the name had been a heated debate in their household. Henry wanted the baby's name to start with an 'H' because no else's name did – while Roland wanted, very specifically, the name 'Rosie'. And unable to deny their boys anything , well –

"Go ahead," Regina said, urging Robin by handing him their little baby.

He held his daughter up, "Everyone, we would like you to meet our daughter, Hayley Rose Locksley."

"Rosie!" Roland exclaimed, at the same time Henry gave a satisfied shout that her name started with the letter 'H'.

"Can I hold her?" Snow asked, a big smile.

"I'm next," Tinkerbell said quickly after, moving forward to give Regina a hug.

"Oh my," Charming exclaimed, looking at the baby his wife was holding, "Looks like she's got your eyes, Robin."

"Luckily, everything else is her mother's," Robin said with a laugh.

Both Regina and Robin watched as Snow handed their daughter to Tinkerbell.

The fairy sniffed back a tear as she held the baby in her arms, beaming at the little girl's parents.

Robin nudged Regina as he took hold of her hand. "Tinkerbell," Regina began, looking at the fairy, "we wanted to ask you something."

Tinkerbell took in a breath as Robin said, "We would be honoured if you agreed to be her godmother."

At that, Tinkerbell let the tears fall from her eyes and nodded her head enthusiastically. Then staring at the baby in her arms, she said: "You, little one, were born from the union of two souls destined to be together – and it brings me so much happiness to be holding you in my arms, finally."

Finally. Robin gave a slight chuckle at that and then turned to kiss Regina's smiling lips – they remained like that for a minute, foreheads touching and eyes locked on each other. Yes, finally.

Little Rosie (yes, they were indeed using Roland's preferred nickname) was passed from each person in the room – that she was surprisingly fast asleep by the time Regina had her back in her arms.

"We're going to go," Emma finally said, urging their big group out to give the family some privacy. "Enjoy your first night with the baby!"

Snow was the last to leave and she sneaked a last peek at the beautiful family: Robin had his arm around Regina, reaching to softly brush the hair on their daughter's head. Regina had baby Rosie safely on her lap, one hand disappearing in Roland's messy tangled hair as the younger boy placed soft kisses on his mother's cheek. Meanwhile, Henry was trying to get his sister's hand to wrap around his finger, as Robin also placed a protective arm around the teen's shoulder.

Snow could only beam at the sight of all five of them, enveloped in one another with familiar comfort. Wiping a tear from her eye, she allowed the door to close silently behind her.

A more distant time in the future

Henry beamed from his position in the middle of the bed, sandwiched between Roland and Rosie (but Henry loves calling his little sister by her first name, Hayley). He looked up from the familiar book he was holding as shadows blocked the light coming from the hallway.

He smiled as he saw his Pops standing at the door – Henry admired the man so much for his dedication to their family – and the he sees his Mom coming up behind him, wrapping loving arms around Robin as he leaned to kiss the top of her head resting by his arm.

"He never gets tired of reading to them, does he?" Regina murmured quietly.

"Well, let's hope he doesn't," Robin said. "After all, his audience is about to go up in number."

Regina beamed at him, biting her lower lip – as he made the motion of settling her right in front of him, their body molding together perfectly, as he placed his hands on hers atop the tiny bump on her stomach.

"Come on, Henwy," Rosie said, hugging her oldest brother tightly. "Finish the story!"

"Yeah!" Roland encouraged, practically bouncing on the bed. "Then we can read it again."

Henry looked at his sister on his right and then at his brother on his left, before finally looking at the two people whose love made everything in this room possible – they were both looking at him with bright smiles, expectantly waiting as he finished a story he's read to his siblings about a hundred times.

He beamed. Then looked to the book again, reading from its final page:

~ So the tale comes to a close, as the two lovers finally meet in a loving embrace.

"Who would have ever guessed," he said to her, with a loving smile, "that a Thief would ever come to rule a Queen's heart?"

She kissed his lips softly, "It is not so unheard of. After all, it was that Queen who managed to steal said Thief's heart." ~

Henry closed the book ceremoniously, smiling as he uttered the last lines from memory: "And they all lived happily ever after."

THE END