Soooo i'm back.. haha.
I'm participating to the Inspired by oqweek, trying to get the button!
Hope you guys love this little one shot, it's inspired by an amazing art, check my twitter holylocksleys to find out which!
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When she randomly discovered a forgotten book of potion in the depths of her vault, Regina never expected that in it would be the best solution she could ever hope for to get Robin, Roland and Marian back to Storybrooke in a safe way.
At best, she hoped for a way to stay in touch with them, be able to visit.
When he left they promised each other to try their best to move on and be happy for they knew he could never ever return. Even if they could find a way around the curse that surrounded the town and see each other again, Marian could never get back to Storybrooke since they had no idea how to break the Ice Queen's curse surrounding her heart.
So Regina had desperately tried to bury her feelings, to find happiness with her son and her family. And she had. She couldn't lie about that. But a part of her, of her soul, felt incomplete without Robin and his son. She had no idea when that happened. Maybe during the missing year? Somehow in between snarky and flirting banter he had made his way through her heart and never found his way out. Or maybe was it because of his son that reminded her so much of Henry.
Or better yet, it didn't happen during that persky year. It happened in Storybrooke. She thought maybe it happened while he was protecting her heart with everything he had, but really it was the first moment she saw him at her sister's house. She had thought she needed to explore that place alone and here he was, offering to be her partner, to help when all she knew about him was his name and all he knew about her was her reputation.
But when she started having feelings for him and loving his son didn't really matter now. It happened, and then they were taken away from her. Sure, it was the right thing to do and they were probably happier, but it was still hard to forget about them and pretend that she had everything she wanted.
She knew that even if she had a way to go and visit, it would be torture.
Seeing them all together and happy, the perfect little family while she was on the side pinning for Robin and loving Roland like he was her own.
So she never did. They never called each other.
It was an unspoken promise to not do it unless it was an extreme emergency because they both knew their heart would break.
But now she had a way to bring them all back, even Marian. She knew they didn't belong in New York and she knew she had to do it, but in complete honesty she felt terrified. Terrified of the pain it would cause, of her heart breaking into her chest and their hearts breaking too when she would have to tell them. Just as certain as she was of her feelings for him, she knew Robin loved her too and she knew Roland cared about her.
The solution she had would not allow them to reunite happily and just be happy ever after together, but when would that ever be granted to biggest villain of the story? She was expecting it. Regina had found the book about a week ago, it took her a day to get to Emma and ask her for a way to contact Robin and two more days for Emma to find it. Since then, she had been battling with herself. Debating if she should really do this or not, if the pain was worth it.
Each time, the answer to her question was yes.
No matter how she asked herself.
So she took a deep breath and finally dialed the number.
It rang once.
Twice.
And then suddenly she heard his voice. The voice she had longed to hear for the past 9weeks. Tears filled her eyes when he said her name. God, she had missed him.
"Robin…" She whispered
"Regina? It's you…" He answered, sighing, as if it was the first time he could breathe again since they parted and damn, she could relate to that. "Are you okay?" Relief disappeared and he started to worry. No contact unless extreme emergency. "Are you-"
"I'm fine." She said, quickly, trying to sound as reassuring as she could. "Truly, i'm okay, everyone here is. I'm calling because…" Why was it so hard? He was coming back, shouldn't she be happy? "Because i found a way to cure Marian and we figured out how… how to break the curse around the townline. You can come back."
It felt like an eternity before he answered. She wasn't surprised though, she did just exploded his entire new reality. "What do you mean, are you… is this real? Can i really come back? To Storybrooke, to…" You. She thought bitterly. Yeah, he could come back but not to her. Never to her.
"You can, yes, i'll send everything you need to do with with Emma, i need to stay here and use magic to lower the shield when you'll be there but… We'll be ready. You can come back."
He laughed. He actually laughed. Some kind of relieved, nervous, happy thing that took over his brain and she wanted to hug him. Now was the time for heartbreak. "However Robin you have to know there's a… catch."
"What is it?" He asked, she hated herself for what she was about to do to him.
"Getting through the townline... " She swallowed, finding it difficult to get the words out. "It will erase your memory."
"What?!" This time he was raising his voice, the same way she had when she found out about this in the book, they were truly soulmate, uh?
"I.. i have enough ingredients to protect Roland's memories and i will send the potion along with Emma but what i need doesn't exist here in Storybrooke and i don't have any way of getting back to the Enchanted Forest to get it, and besides, the potion to cure Marian will have to be used within a week or it will be useless." She had gone over every possibility, she had pleaded and begged every force she ever believed in yet no one seem to listen. There was no other way.
"How… How much will i forget?" He seemed nervous, thankfully that was the only part where she actually had a good news for him.
"Only me." She said, chuckling sadly. "This curse was made to break romantic true love, it was designed to keep Anna and Kristoff apart so they wouldn't be able to rescue Elsa, so you will remember Roland, but you…" Her throat closed up. "You will forgot about me. If, what you told me before is still true, i-"
"It is." He interrupted. Simple and efficient.
She nodded, forgetting he couldn't see her before adding "Right. Well, then you will forget about me. As well as Marian, if the spell works correctly."
"I won't forget about Marian," Said the archer, "I don't… i haven't... i don't love her this way anymore. We tried to get back together when we got here, it lasted… something like, uh, a week but we quickly realised that our time together was over."
Her heart was pounding. During all this time she had thought he forgot about her, he moved on but he never did. They were in this together. In a whisper, he added, "In all honesty we actually tried to find a way to break the curse from here, so i could come back to you but we never found it."
This confession shouldn't be a reason for her heart to keep beating faster and faster and yet it did. So she wasn't the only one who hadn't been able to move on it seemed. "So you and Marian…" She tried but her throat closed up.
"Are not together anymore." He breathed.
How unfair was this situation? They finally could be reunited, finally he was free and within her reach and yet he was going to forget everything about her. They stayed silent for a minute, yet, it felt like forever. She loved him. Had loved him ever since he shot his stupid arrow at her and she didn't know how to stop it. Didn't want to stop it. So she wouldn't.
She was, after all, still the same woman that was once the Evil Queen. She was trying to do better, which is why she never pursued him while he was trying to honor his vows to Marian, but now he was single, now they had a shot, and she would be damned if she let a curse stand between them.
"I will fight for you." She said firmly.
"Regina.." He tried, for the first time it seemed he was the hopeless one. New York apparently did took it's tool on him. But it was alright, she had enough fire to fight for them alone if need be. So she interrupted him, she had to let him know. "No, no, i'm sorry just… listen to me." she said, trying to sound as sure of herself as she felt inside.
"Ever since we met, you've been here for me. You helped me get through losing my son during the missing year and became my friend, my confident and you never stopped being the person i needed because it was all i could give. Back in Storybrooke, you made your interest know and you never stopped being there when i needed you, even when Marian came back you were the one to fight for us, for our happy ending, i appreciate that Robin, i appreciate it so much…" She felt tears filling her eyes, but she couldn't stop now, it didn't matter, it's not like he hadn't seen her cry a thousand times already. "And i love you. I do. I know we never said it before, not directly, because of the treats hanging over our heads, but i love you so much. And i want you. Now we finally have a way to be together, and yes, i know that you will lose your memory but you have no idea how many people have lost their memories at least once in this town, i will be there every step of the way, fighting to get your memories back and.. maybe.. get you to fall for me again." a small smile appeared on her face at that point. "What i mean is, i will fight for you. Our story is not over."
She could hear him very softly cry on the other hand of the line, and her heart filled with warmth. After a few second, he simply said "I love you so much." to which she chuckled.
It was lighter after that, both of their souls, hearts and mind finally hoping again to really be reunited and really have a shot at a happy ending together.
They went through the details of what would happen by the end of the week and how to prepare Roland for this. They also went through the possibility of Marian losing her memory but both of them thought if it spared her the heartache of losing Robin and gave her a real shot to meet someone new, someone who would truly appreciate her as much as she deserved, then it was worth it.
When the conversation ended, both of them had a smile on their faces.
It was going to be a rocky road, but one they were able to get through.
Together.
.::.
She felt like screaming and shaking.
Ever since that first phone call, Regina and Robin had been texting each other almost every day, all day long. She knew it wasn't a good idea and it was only going to make losing him for a while harder than it had to be, but she couldn't seem to stop herself.
Emma left Storybrooke a couple of hours before, she was already on her way back after giving everyone the potions and spell they needed. Regina had texted them about a hundred times since they were on the road, and now she could finally see the car arrive.
When Robin got out, her heart skipped a bit.
God he was handsome.
Even more handsome than she remembered, if that was possible.
How could she ever thought she could move on from him was a mystery to her. She could see him smile, dimples she loved so much on display, Roland right behind him.
She decided to lower the shield earlier so that, at least he would be able to see her before he had to forget about her for at least a little while, but he seemed to forget about this detail as he started walking fast towards her, almost running.
Fear gripped her insides and her eyes widened. No. She had to say something first, so she stopped him. "NO, Wait, don't move!" She said, smiling sadly a second before it would have been too late. "The moment you cross…"
"Right." He said, giving her the same smile in return. "You look beautiful." He said, with love in his eyes, still smiling.
"I missed you." She whispered. Because she could. Emma had taken Marian and Roland a bit further, preparing them for what came next and most certainly knowing they would need a moment. "I know… What is about to happen is scary but.."
"It's not." He said, shrugging, putting his hands in his pockets. "I love you. I know my love for you will resist any curse."
"I sure hope so." She said, smiling, her eyes softening. "I won't let go. I promise."
"I know you won't." He said. With one hand, he touched the magical border of the town. She took the hint, and after taking a step closer, she did the same thing. She couldn't actually feel him, but simply knowing how close he was was enough for her. "i can only imagine...how hard what you will go through will be but my love, please, always know that even if my mind is clouded, my heart will remember and it will get back to you i promise you that okay?"
She nodded. There wasn't much more she could do.
She smiled and took her favorite lucky item. Page 23. She always had it with her in case she needed it god did she need it right now.
When Robin saw the piece of paper he smiled. And whispered, "we are destined to be together Regina. You will succeed, not that your task will be very difficult, i don't know how to not love you."
She smiled. That she could believe, because she felt the same way.
They had to be okay.
Both of them mouthed i love you one last time before Marian and Roland joined them.
But they forgot one thing : Roland wouldn't lose his memory. He loved Regina, he was excited to see her and he was too young to grasp what would happen to his father the moment he crossed the line.
So he took his father's hand and dragged him across it, all the while excitedly saying "Come on Papa, let's go hug 'Gina!"
And that's how it happened.
A flash of light.
Robin closing his eyes and opening them again.
Suddenly the love that was there not even two minutes before had disappeared.
Suddenly he reached for Roland and put his son behind him.
Suddenly, his words while speaking to her weren't filled with love and care as they used to be, but harsh and firm as he said: "You. You're the evil queen."
A gasp escaped Regina.
She thought he would completely forget about her. Instead, it seemed all he forgot was the person he met and he remembered only the infamous queen who had guards chasing him.
Her stomach dropped. How was she supposed to make him fall for her again if he hated her?
"You killed my wife." Added Robin, in the colder voice she ever heard.
She simply nodded.
