Repeat (A Once Upon A Time Fanfiction / Captain Swan's Daughter)

45

- back to Phoebe's point of view -

Zelena was stood speechless in the large doorway of the Mills' home. Regina could be seen in the background, her hands resting on Roland's shoulders. Poor Roland must have been immensely confused with everything that was going on in his little world.

Zelena and Ellie stood and looked at each other for a while. Once Ellie looked down, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the silence, Regina stepped in.

"Would you like to come in? I can make some drinks, and I think I still have some apple pie left over from last night." Regina offered.

"Sounds like a plan." Emma smiled at the dark haired woman. The sight of Zelena, the most outspoken person in Storybrooke, was quite unnerving. I didn't know if I should joke with her to break the ice or keep my mouth shut.

In the end, I spoke up. The four of us were sat in the living room waiting for Regina to come back. Regina, who had spent so long in solitude seeking revenge, was surprisingly good with people. I think part of this was her organisation skills. Having a little boy with masses of toys meant the house wasn't always impeccable, but everything had a place and Regina knew where everything was.

"I told you I could do it." I smiled in Zelena's direction.

"I have to say, I did doubt you for a little while." Zelena returned the smile. It wasn't her usual bright smile. Her lips were slightly pursed.

"You're British." Ellie commented. When we were younger we used to have pretend tea parties with our pinkie fingers stuck out at and an angle. We'd but on exaggerated and terrible attempts of English accents. No wonder nobody wanted us.

"Yes." Zelena gave a sharp nod, not knowing how to react to a such a blunt statement.

"Didn't you notice when she said 'Robin' at the door?" I asked, putting on a similar fake accent like I had so many years ago. I hoped it would get a rise from either mother or daughter and lighten the mood.

Luckily, Regina and Roland returned and I didn't need to try so hard to start a conversation.

"So you're Robin?" Roland skipped into the room, Regina closely followed with a dark wooden tray engraved with swirly patterns.

"Yeah." Ellie replied, smiling at the little boy who was now sat on the seat next to her, but so close that their hips were practically connected.

Regina placed a jug of iced water in the centre of the coffee table, followed by a place of chocolate chip cookies.

"There was only a tiny piece of apple pie left, and when I turned around it seemed to magically disappear." Regina said in a falsely dramatic voice, causing little Roland's face to light up. There were still little crimps around his mouth from where he had quickly gobbled the desert up. Of course, he wouldn't be told off. After everything that had happened, Regina and Zelena spoilt him rotten and made it their responsibility to make sure he was always happy.

"It was me." Roland admitted after a few seconds. I heard his father a good man who was very trustworthy and truthful, so he obviously inherited those traits from the Doriginal Robin Hood.

"You didn't save any for me? Zelena asked, with an Oscar-winning performance for her shocked expression.

"I'm sorry Zelena." Roland sang, not knowing if the two were being serious or not. Regina and Zelena both smiled to reassure the confused boy.

"So, shall we get the actual reason for this family get together?" Regina suggested, converting the conversation away from how cute Roland was.

"I've learnt how to use my tongue again, but you can start if you want," Zelena told Ellie/Robin. The name thing was getting a little confusing. "I know you probably have a lot of questions."

"I know this isn't the sort of questions you meant, but if you're sisters, how come you have different accents?" Ellie asked, causing everyone to smile with relief. I hadn't spoken to her since we left the house this morning, and I didn't know how she was coping.

"That's complicated-" Regina started.

"Basically, our mother abandoned me before having Regina. There's not a lot to it." Zelena answered bluntly, "it's ironic, really."

"Yeah." Ellie nodded.

"I really want to know you and make up for lost time, Robin." Zelena explained. "Do you want that, or..."

"I do." Ellie answered, "I don't understand what actually went on fourteen years ago, but after hearing what Phoebe had to say about you, I really want to know you."

I mouthed "you're welcome." In Zelena's direction. I'm not sure if she saw or not.

"Your next question?" Zelena asked. She had started to pull herself together and morphing back into her confident self.

"It's a pretty big question, but can you tell my why everything happened?" Ellie asked. "I just don't get any of this."

The three adults in the room exchanged anxious looks. If I noticed them, Ellie must have too. The trio must have nominated Regina to start. She cleared her throat before looking over to Ellie.

"Robin, do you believe I magic?" Regina asked. It was blunt, but there wasn't much other way to ease into the question.

"What does this have to do with anything?" Ellie answered with another question. Knowing Ellie, I would have expected her to snap back. Not in a particularly rude way, but with confidence. I had always associated her with fire. I fiery personality to match her wavy hair. Now, she sounded nervous.

"Emma, you can do the honours." Regina said, much to Emma's annoyance. I guessed Emma was the chosen one because her magic was light and less daunting than the other two women's. Or maybe Regina just didn't want to talk anymore.

Emma lifted her arm slowly before stretching her fingers out of their previous clench. As she did so, white light beamed from her fingertips. It wasn't long before Emma's hands returned to their clenched position and the light was shut away again.

"What..." Ellie was lost for words, which eas understandable. Three people, strangers, were talking about magic to her. I think my calm reaction was rare. Mary Margaret says it was similar to Emma's reaction, so maybe inherited. I had always been the smaller, quieter girl with a tendency to daydream. I'd follow the fiery red-haired girl around like a shadow. Even when she was 10 Ellie has been very opinionated, whereas I just shrugged and went alone with the majority of things. If I hadn't been such a pushover we might not have been separated.

"I know it's a lot to take in." Regina said solemnly, as if she had been through this situation countless times before. She spoke more like a doctor to a patient than an aunt to a niece.

Ellie looked over to me, as if to ask if it was all true. Although this was all gobbledygook to Ellie, I was the voice of reason. The person she trusted. Of course she was going to believe my word over theirs. Ellie had been my sister, my family, all I had. If I so much as nodded she would have to believe it all.

I nodded.

The room was eerily quiet for a noticeable amount of time. I wasn't counting the seconds, but I could hear the hands of a clock loudly ticking in the from another room.

"Could I just," Ellie began, carefully nudging Roland away before standing up, "can I step outside for a moment?"

I followed Ellie towards the front door. On the way out, I saw both of the Mills sisters flash me an identical worried, yet confused look. I throw my hands up and shrugged before catching up with Ellie. Or Robin. I didn't know what she'd end up going by.