A/N: So this is it. The final chapter. First of all, I would like to thank all of you for reading and for coming this far. It means so much to me. This is my first big multi-chapter story and I can't believe we're finally at the end. Secondly, a HUGE shout out to justfangirling it and my sister Mollie! Without both of them this story never would have made it this far. Thank you for listening to all my writer crazies and talking me down from ledges, reassuring me and helping me work out kinks. You are amazing! Another big thank you to anyone else who encouraged me and inspired me to write when I didn't want to. This is for you all. I hope you enjoy it :)

Epilogue

Anxious anticipation skitters up and down Robin's spine, making him jittery as he lights candles, unsure if he's ever been this nervous in his entire life. He shouldn't be. There's no reason for it. Knows she will likely say yes. They love each other after all. And not an ounce of uncertainty exists in Robin's mind that he wants to spend the rest of his life loving Regina Mills.

However, they've only known each other for a few months, practically nothing in the grand scheme of things. Granted, they'd become very close in that short amount of time. Intense situations have a tendency to do that. But what if she's not ready? If it is too soon? What if she's not interested in marriage? Or she doesn't want to tie herself down to him? What if she turns out to feel the same as Marian had and doesn't want a husband who spends his days in such a dangerous line of work? Worse of all, what if she grows to resent him for her kidnapping? The doubts swirl madly about in Robin's brain until he's worked himself into a state over hypothetical scenarios.

He knows he's being ridiculous. It's been nearly two months since she was abducted, since Sidney Glass' death, and Regina has handled it remarkably well considering. She's finished production on her film, has had several weeks to unwind and relax before the start of her next project. There is no doubt she is the most resilient woman Robin has ever met. And they've been in a good place. A happy place. Just the two of them and Henry, and Roland on the weekends Robin gets him. A little slice of normalcy after a storm.

"Breathe…" Tink chastises him, putting the finishing touches on the romantic setting, as Robin stands there and fidgets with the ring box in his hand, twirling it round and round between his fingers. Clearly, he isn't hiding his nervousness nearly as well as he'd hoped.

Shooting her a pained smile, he nods, "Right," and takes a deep gulp of fresh air. Regina's assistant has been a gem through all of this. Helping Robin plan everything out, pulling in a favor with Mal to get Regina and Henry tickets to a comic convention in order to get them out of the house while the two of them had set everything up. Honestly, he doesn't know what he or Regina would have done without the woman's constant support the last few weeks.

The pixie blonde merely chuckles, "You have nothing to worry about you know. She'd have to be daft not to say yes. Not to mention the fact Regina is totally crazy about you."

Robin's dimples crease his cheeks in amusement at the woman's matter of fact attitude. "Thanks. And thank you for helping plan all of this out. It really means alot to me."

Tink brushes his compliment away, tells him it was nothing. "As long as you make her happy that's all that matters. Plus you two are perfect for each other, soulmates if I've ever seen them." Robin grins at the notion, would like to think that she's right. That some powerful force in the universe had brought them together, two people meant to find one another. It's a rather lovely thought. "But I better scram before she gets back. Mary Margaret managed to talk her into dropping Henry off with her for the night after the convention so you guys will have the place all to yourself." She smirks, wiggles her eyebrows at him suggestively before bouncing back into the house.

Chuckling, Robin takes another few minutes to glance around, quickly scanning to ensure everything is perfect. The two of them have set up a table along the edge of the pool, complete with a champagne colored cloth, burning taper candles and a glittering centerpiece to match. Tea lights and lilies float along in the clear aqua water (Tink's doing, as are the twinkle lights wrapped around the trees surrounding the patio). The whole thing makes the backyard look like a fairy garden. It might be a bit over the top, but Robin can only hope Regina will appreciate it.

Then he hears a door opening and closing, Regina's melodic voice calling out for him, and Robin hastily shoves the black velvet box clutched in his palm back into his pocket as she steps out onto the patio. At the sight that greets her Regina's eyes grow wide, surprise flickering over her features as her gaze meets his. "Robin? What's all this?"

Striding towards her he meets her halfway between the patio and the pool and grips her hands in his, brings them to his lips to press a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "Can't a man plan a romantic evening for the woman he loves?" He asks, smirking at her in that way that sends shivers along Regina's spine.

"I suppose that's acceptable." She responds, a grin of her own on her face. Robin leads her over to the table, holding out her chair for her before stepping around to sit across from her. As he pulls a bottle from the bucket sitting to the side, pouring the sparkling, golden liquid into her glass, Regina lifts an eyebrow, "Champagne?"

"We're celebrating." He says simply, butterflies bouncing around inside his belly as he pours himself a glass before setting the bottle back in its place, lifting his flute to toast with her.

"Are we? Celebrating what exactly?" She inquires, lifting her own flute to clink against his, glass ringing against glass, and bringing the rim to her lips, tipping it back and letting the bubbly liquid slide down her throat.

"Us. Life. Love." Robin gulps down a bit of the champagne in his own glass, a little bit of liquid courage as his pulse races frantically through his veins. Why is he so bloody nervous? But he sends Regina a warm smile. "I thought we should take some time to appreciate everything that we have and how lucky we are. It's been a crazy few months and before life happens and our schedules pick up again I figured it would be nice to take a quiet moment for each other."

Regina's lips spread in a smile that lights up her entire face, slowly unfolding over her features and making Robin's heart flip over in his chest. Briefly, he wonders if his reaction to that elusive but satisfying smile will ever change. He sure as hell hopes not.

"It is amazing, isn't it? You and me? Here? After everything we've been through things have finally settled and they're good. Really good." Regina's smile is positively radiant as she studies Robin over the table, her eyes watering and voice growing rough with emotion, fighting back the prickling tears that well up in her eyes all of a sudden. "I never thought I would have this." She tells him honestly.

Robin's lips tip up, those nerves that have plagued him settling at her words. He reaches over to interlock his fingers with hers, caressing his thumb along the soft skin of her hand. "Well, maybe, it's all about timing." He replies, suddenly quite content with what he's about to do. Whatever else is going on around them, they are right. They fit. In a way neither of them ever quite have with anyone else. Regina's smile only grows when he tells her quietly, "I love you, Regina."

She laughs happily, "I love you too." Leaning forward to rest on her elbows, Regina waits until Robin mirrors her actions and their lips meet in a light kiss. Sweet and simple and yet everything they feel for one another is poured into it.

Pressing her lips to his for one more smooch, Regina leans back in her chair and raises an eyebrow, eyeing the empty plates set on the table, playfully asking, "Are we dining on anything other than champagne tonight?"

"As a matter of fact, I may have cooked us something. Though if you're going to be sassy about it..." Robin quips, the natural teasing banter further alleviating his nerves. "Perhaps I shouldn't have made creamy spinach tomato linguini." It's Regina's favorite and Robin knows it. Had chosen it specifically for this occasion, and the thought that it might soften her up a bit may or may not have have crossed his mind during the decision making process. The quiet groan that rumbles in the back of her throat is enough to have Robin chuckling and standing. His amusement rising as she eagerly flutters her lashes at him flirtatiously. He stops beside her chair, bending down to hover an inch from her mouth as he says, "I'll just go get it." and kisses her one more time.

Regina uses the opportunity while Robin is inside fetching their dinner to take in how he's transformed her backyard. The entire thing looks like something they would create on one of her movie sets, but it's beautiful and romantic and sweet that he'd done something so overly cheesy for her. The twinkle lights and candles are clichés for a reason after all.

There's something going on with him, though. She can sense it. He'd been nervous when she'd first gotten here and a bit jumpy, very unlike him. Before Regina has a chance to dwell on what it could be Robin's pushing the back door open, carrying a tray with a large bowl of salad and dish filled with pasta. Even from here Regina can smell the delicious scent and she grins at him as he sets it down between their place settings.

"You made this intentionally. You know it's my favorite."

"Perhaps." Robin replies evasively, biting his lower lip as he sits back down and failing spectacularly at hiding his guilt, laughing at the anticipation on Regina's face. When she merely lifts an eyebrow at him as she reaches for the tongs in the salad bowl, he gives up and says, "I might have taken your preference for it into consideration."

Regina hums, the corner of her mouth twitching briefly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Robin answers, beginning to dish out his own portions of pasta, topping off their champagne glasses and pouring them each a water as well from the pitcher on the table. He's rather proud of how everything had turned out after an hour spent in the kitchen while Tink had been decorating outside.

Regina doesn't waste any time digging into the meal, moaning softly as the rich flavor explodes on her tongue. "Mmmmm… so good. I could eat pounds of this."

Snickering, Robin starts to eat as well, spinning the creamy pasta around and around his fork as Regina does the same. "So," Robin begins, "How was the convention?"

Her laughter echoes through the night. "Interesting." She replies. "Henry had so much fun though. I'm not sure I've ever seen him that excited over anything before. I thought he might combust."

It doesn't take much to picture it, Henry's big brown eyes (so like Regina's) wide with anticipation, trying to take it all in. The creators of all of his favorite characters in one place. Robin imagines he'd asked a million questions to them all, a full list prepared in his mind and then he thinks of Regina with him, smiling at her son in the way she does when she's perfectly content and happy and it warms his heart to think of.

"Good. I'm glad. How many new comics did he walk out of there with?" Robin asks slyly, inordinately pleased when Regina sighs and giggles in response.

"Fifteen."

Robin shakes his head, sips from his drink and grins at her, "No will power."

He's right. Regina knows he is. But Henry can be a quick talker when he wants to be and he'd been so enthusiastic about it she couldn't resist. "I like spoiling him when I can."

Nodding, Robin says, "I'm only teasing, love."

She smiles and twirls some more pasta onto her fork, wrapping those bright red lips around the prongs, distracting Robin for a moment with images of her doing the same in other circumstances filtering through his brain. So much so that he misses what she says next, has to shake the fog from his brain and stutter a dazed What? Regina merely smirks, as if she knows exactly where his thoughts have drifted and repeats, "I'm sure he's burning through them with Neal too. He couldn't wait to get over there to show them off, so it was entirely worth it."

"Two peas in a pod." Robin replies humorously.

The two of them continue through their dinner, chatting about this and that while all the while Robin tries to find the perfect moment to ask her. Nothing seems quite right. Not while she's scooping pasta into her mouth or swallowing champagne in between the snippets of their day they share. Even when they've moved onto dessert, cannolis from her favorite bakery in Glendale, it doesn't feel like the right time.

"I'm so full I'm going to burst." Regina groans, popping the last bite of sugary goodness into her mouth and leaning back in her chair with a heavy sigh, but there's a smile on her face as she says it, a twinkle in her eye as she tilts her head to study Robin across the table.

He chuckles. "It's a nice night. How would you fancy laying under the stars with me for awhile, milady?"

Regina happily agrees, more than willing to cuddle up with him on her wicker patio furniture, to sink into the comfy cushions and Robin. This is it, he thinks. The moment he's going to do it. He'll ask her with his arms wrapped around her, their legs intertwined as her scent surrounds him and the warmth of her skin blends with his. They leave their plates on the table, they'll deal with them later, and rise to shift a few feet closer to the house until they're sitting on the two-seater, Regina lying in between Robin's legs, his arms wrapped around her from behind as her head rests on his chest, just below his chin.

For the next few minutes they just lay their, Robin pressing kisses against the crown of Regina's head as she stares up at the sky. Midnight black with bright white lights speckling it, the twinkle lights wrapped around the big tree a couple feet away glowing a warm yellow, adding to the magical quality of the evening. The ring box burns a hole in Robin's pocket. Should he bring it out now? Ask her first and then pull it out? Before he can come to a firm decision, Regina is murmuring quietly into the night.

"I was thinking, I still have a few weeks before shooting starts up again and I know you haven't taken another job yet…" Regina trails off for a moment, going silent as Robin does his best to see her face, tilting his head downward to try and catch her eye as she leans her own back to look up at him, before continuing, "What do you think about a vacation? Before our schedules pick up again, like you said, and we don't have the time. Perhaps, we could take the boys for a week somewhere fun. Things have been better between you and Marian lately, I'm sure she'd let you have the time with Roland." She pauses, her voice going even softer, if that's even possible as she quietly whispers, "I think it would be nice for the four of us to do something. Like a family. That is if—"

His emotions are already in overdrive, have been through the whole day and hearing Regina talk about talking a family vacation together, the two of them and their boys, such a perfectly ordinary thing to do, have them kicking up a notch. It's everything that he wants and knowing that Regina wants it also… Suddenly, Robin can't hold it back anymore. Has to ask, blurting out, "Will you marry me?" while Regina is in mid sentence.

Every thought in her head halts, Regina's mind going blank as she tries to process what he's said.

"What?"

Chuckling, Robin moves to shift a smidge so that he can sit up straighter against the side of the arm rest, waiting until Regina does the same, twisting her torso around so she can face him more directly. "Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife, Regina Mills?" Robin repeats.

His hand slides from it's resting place at the base of her spine to his hip, wiggling its way into the pocket of his slacks and pulling out the velvet box he's been waiting all day, all week, all month, possibly all his life, to give her and flipping open the lid, revealing a sparkling diamond ring. A beautiful cushion cut with smaller diamonds surrounding it and continuing along the side of the white gold band. Simple, yet elegant, and beautiful. Just like Regina.

All she does is stare at it in shock for several long moments though, long enough to make Robin squirm as he waits for her response. Those nerves that had plagued him earlier slowly rising up within him again as the seconds tick by. "Regina?"

Her chocolate brown eyes whip up to meet his and the depth of emotion in them takes his breath away. There are tears welling up within them, threatening to spill over until a few big fat drops win out and slowly slide a wet path down Regina's cheek. "Yes," She breathes, a luminous smile breaking out across her face that is bright enough to light up the entire night sky. "Yes, yes, yes." She repeats, quickly leaning forward and grabbing Robin's face between her hands, pulling him to her for a deep, drawn out kiss.

One of his arms circles around her waist, drawing her as close to him as possible, the other slipping up the center of her back to tangle in her hair as their mouths meet. Their tongues slide against one another, angling so they fit perfectly together. Only the eventual need for air draws them apart and only far enough that Regina can rest her forehead against Robin's. Their breath mingling in the small space between their lips.

"I love you." She breathes, pure joy in her voice.

"I love you, too. More than I can ever tell you." Robin answers, capturing her lips for another kiss. Not quite as long as the last one, but with just as much devotion before he inches back, releasing his hold on her for a moment so he can grip her hand. He plucks the ring from it's bed and slips it onto her ring finger, gratified to see it nestled on her hand. A symbol of what they mean to each other.

Regina stares at it, mesmerized by the way it looks on her finger. Exactly like it has always belonged there. "You were planning this the whole time?" She glances around to the little stage he's set and back to the blue eyes she loves so much. "This whole evening was for you to propose?"

He nods, "Yes."

"That's why you were so nervous when I got here?"

It's easy to laugh about now that the ring is on her finger and she's agreed to spend the rest of her life with him. "I was a bit of a wreck for most of the day." Robin pauses, glancing down sheepishly. "I wasn't sure you would say yes. If marriage was something you wanted. And I was concerned it might be too soon." His gaze locks on hers again as he admits, "I'm certain of us, but I know you've had doubts…"

For a split second the shine of the moment dims as she realizes he'd been truly concerned she wouldn't agree. Regina is quick to rectify any lingering unease though, "None of that had anything to do with you. Those doubts were rooted in fear. But I'm not afraid anymore. You've more than proven you're not going anywhere and that together we can handle anything. How much stronger we are together. I can't think of anyone else I would rather spend my life with." Her voice thickens and Regina has to clear her throat before she can finish with, "You brought love and hope back into my life, Robin."

Threading their fingers together, Regina brings the back of his palm to her lips. Not quite trusting his voice as a hurricane of emotions storm through him at Regina's speech he merely squeezes her hand and mirrors her action.

Regina's other hand reaches out to thread her fingers through Robin's hair, settling at the base of his skull to scratch gently at his scalp. Dropping her forehead to his once more she whispers excitedly, "We're getting married."

Such a beautiful phrase. Love and affection whips through him at the words and then he's taking her mouth again and they are both laughing against one another's lips, overjoyed, trading kisses for awhile. Eventually they'll go inside and make love to each other. But they've plenty of time for that. A whole lifetime in fact.

So they stay on the patio for a bit longer, settling back into their original positions to gaze up at the night sky. Regina brushes her fingers along Robin's forearm settled around her waist, admiring the glittering diamond on her finger until eventually she can't hold back the one last thing she needs to say to him.

"Thank you," she murmurs.

"For what?"

Regina tips her head backward, smiles up at him, love shining in her eyes as she tells him, "For loving me. And Henry. For protecting us." Pausing, the love she feels for him and the life they're just beginning burns bright, finishing her thought with a whispered, "For guarding my heart."