Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine!
"You did this!" Regina yelled at Emma as she watched Roland and Robin cuddle up with Marian. "Everything was going so well, and you ruined it! You're as careless and thoughtless as your mother!"
Emma gasped as she backed away. "Regina, don't! I didn't mean too, I swear. I was just saving her life. She didn't deserve to die."
With a growl, Regina strode from the room, but as she did so, Robin saw and came after her. "Where are you going?" He asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"What does it matter to you?" Regina snapped and pulled away from him. "Go back to your wife! That's probably what you want more anyway, right? I saw the look on your face when she showed up. And Roland's too!"
"Well, of course!" Robin replied. "She's been dead for years! And now she suddenly appears, of course I'm going to be surprised, and happy to see her even, along with Roland because Marian is his mother, but..but it has nothing to do with you and me, does it? I still...I still like you."
"Oh, save it!" Regina replied. "You're lying!" She stormed off, the door to the diner slamming shut. Robin winced as the door slammed and then headed back to the others.
"Well, that went well," he said.
"Sorry," Emma apologized to Robin. "Like I tried to tell Regina, I wasn't meaning to mess with things. I just..I just wanted to save your wife's life. Of course, I didn't know she was your wife at the time, but-"
"No, no, it's fine," Robin replied. "I understand that you did what you had to do."
Just then, Roland left Marian and came over to his father. "Where did Regina go?" He asked.
"She's left, Roland," Robin told him. "She left because she thought that with your mother here, there wouldn't be any room in our lives for her. That's not true, is it?"
"No," Roland shook his head. "I want Regina! And Mommy too!"
"Well, that's good," Robin told him. "Because however your mother got here, she won't be here forever. It wouldn't be right."
Just then, Marian came to join them. "What are we talking about?"
"Just some of the changes that have happened in our lives since your death," Robin replied. "It's a surprise for both of us that you're here. Pleasant, but a surprise nonetheless."
"I understand," Marian nodded. "When that woman offered to get me out of jail, I had no idea I'd be taken to a place where I'd see you and Roland again. Obviously, the queen isn't happy that her plans for me were thwarted."
"That, and another thing," Robin replied.
"What do you mean?" Marian asked. "What else would upset her?"
"Well, for starters, you are aware that this is a point in time where you don't exist, Marian?" Robin replied.
"It must be," Marian nodded. "I don't recognize anything."
"Well," Robin swallowed. "What I'm about to tell you may seem strange, and it will most likely horrify you, but...in the time since your death, I've fallen in love again...with Regina. Roland likes her as well."
Marian's jaw dropped a little. "You've-you've fallen in love with the queen? The woman who ordered my execution?"
"Yes," Robin nodded. "I told you it would horrify you. But really, if you treat her kindly, she's not so bad."
"Well, if that's the case," Marian replied, "maybe it was good fortune I was brought here after all. For your sake, and also for Roland's. A woman who executes people so readily has no place watching a child."
"Now, Marian-" Robin began.
"What?" Marian asked, clutching Roland to herself. "How can you possibly defend her?" She paused, frowning, and picked up Roland. "All right, then. You do what you want, Robin. But I'm not letting that murderous woman near my son!"
As she stormed out of the diner, Robin sighed. Having alienated both of the women in his life, he was unsure of what to do now.
Because she had no idea what else to do, Regina headed to the Rabbit Hole for a drink. When she entered the bar, everyone scattered. "Relax," she told the frightened bar tender as she sat down. "I just came in for a drink. What do you have to cure a broken heart?"
The bartender eyed her nervously, then after a short while, handed her a blue concotion that had smoke rising out of it. Regina looked at it and thought of another potion she'd once drunk to help her forget things. She doubted that this was as powerful as that, but it was something. She gulped it down, and just as she set the empty cup down on the bar, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She whipped around and saw a smiling Tinkerbell. "Hello, Regina," Tink said. "Word's gotten around that you finally found your true love."
Regina frowned and put her hands around Tinkerbell's throat. "It's lies!" She cried. "You were lying to me when you said he was the one I would be with forever!" She let her drop, then Tink massaged her throat. "No, that's not possible," she got out in a hoarse voice. "The pixie dust is never wrong!"
"Oh, yes?" Regina's lip curled. "Get up! I'll take you to the diner so you can meet Robin's wife and see just how wrong you are!"
"Robin's what? Tink asked, eyes wide. "Did you say his wife? But she's dead!"
"You don't have to tell me," Regina replied. "I condemned her to death myself. But still...come and see."
"All right," Tink nodded and followed her out of the bar, leaving the bartender some money for Regina's drink. They then headed back to Granny's, where Robin met them at the door. "There you are, Regina! When you stormed off like that, I was worried about you." He then nodded at Tinkerbell. "Hello."
"Hello," Tinkerbell replied. "What's this Regina is telling me about your wife being around?"
"She apparently came through a time portal," Robin replied. "It was all a mistake."
"There, you see?" Tink told Regina. "You're worrying over nothing. All we have to do is send his wife back to her own time and everything will be all right again."
"You better hope it'll be that easy!" Regina replied, glaring at her friend.
"It actually won't be," Robin replied. "When I told Marian of your and my relationship, she started to fear for Roland's safety, given her past experience with you, which I gather was not all that pleasant."
"Well, they didn't call me the Evil Queen because I baked cookies and was kind to the peasants," Regina reminded him. "Your wife was a traitor. I had to take a firm stance with her and make her an example." She paused. "And now that you know that, I bet it's another reason for you to want me out of your life."
"Ever since I first laid eyes on you, I knew that being with you wouldn't be easy. You were seemingly cold, cruel, and spoiled. But as I've gotten to know you, I've seen that there is a kind, loving woman with a good heart underneath the reputation. I do want you in my life, Regina."
"See?" Tinkerbell said at Regina's shoulder. "Did you hear that?"
"Yes, yes, I heard," Regina replied irritably. "Back away, would you?" She looked around. "So what happened to Roland?"
"Marian ran off with him once I told her of his and my fondness for you," Robin replied. "She seems to feel that you'll cause him harm."
"Not him!" Regina shook her head. "I would never harm Roland. But anyone who puts him in danger, I might."
"As a favor to me, could you-could you be gentle with Marian?" Robin asked. "She comes from a time where you're cruel and it's reasonable for her to think of you that way now. Show her that she's wrong, Regina. Show her the woman that I know you can be."
"Oh, all right!" Regina sighed, her face scrunching. "I'll be nice to Marian. But I'm not doing it for her sake. I'm doing it for you...you and Roland."
"Let's go!" Tinkerbell urged, and the three of them ran out of Granny's before Snow had time to stand up and ask what was wrong.
Eventually, they found Roland and Marian huddled in Mr. Gold's shop. "You need to go back to your own time," Regina told Marian firmly. "You don't belong here."
"I know," Marian said. "I'm going to go. And I'm going to take my son with me." She stood up. "Come, Roland. We're leaving. You're not safe here."
"How are you planning to leave without a portal?" Regina asked. "You don't seem like the sort of person who would know how to make one."
"Well, I'm sure there's someone here who dislikes you and would be willing to help me," Marian replied.
It was at that moment that Rumple strode in with Belle behind him. "Well, well, well," he said. "So many more customers than I'm used to. What's going on here?"
"Do you know how to make a portal?" Marian asked him. "I have to take my son home."
"No, it's her that needs to go," Regina said. "She's not even from this time!"
"She does have a point," Rumple told Marian. "We all saw you come. Not an every day entrance. What do you have to say for yourself, dearie?"
"I didn't choose to come here," Marian replied. "I know this isn't where I'm supposed to be, so I want to go home, and take my son with me, where he'll be safe."
"And why don't you think he'll be safe here?" Belle asked.
"Because...because my husband is consorting with her, the evil queen!" Marian replied. "She'll hurt him. My husband may be so blind by her charms that he can't see it, but I can."
"Don't worry," Tinkerbell told Regina. "One more word out of her and she'll be sorry!"
Finally, Belle cleared her throat. "Although I too have been a victim of Regina's cruelty, just as you have, I've seen her with your son. She's good to him. She loves him. And she won't cause him any harm. You have nothing to fear from her when it comes to your son's welfare."
"She saved him from a flying monkey, Marian," Robin added. "He was all I had left in the world, and she saved him."
Marian looked at Robin and gave a sigh. "You really love her, don't you?" She asked.
"Yes," Robin nodded and looked tenderly at Regina. Then Roland released his hand from his mother's to go hug Regina as well.
"Well, then it seems like I should go," Marian continued. "There's no place for me here. But before I go..." She went over and gave Robin one last kiss. Regina felt anger rising up in her again, but Tink took her hand and gave it a firm, reassuring squeeze until the kiss was over, and Marian had whispered, "Goodbye, Robin," and then hugged Roland, saying, "Goodbye, my dear Roland. I love you both."
Robin, his hand in Regina's other one, said, "Goodbye, Marian," just as Roland whispered, "Goodbye, Mommy." Then Rumple worked up a portal, Marian stepped into it, and then, she was gone.
After it was all over, Robin still held Regina's hand, but Tinkerbell let go. "You handled that very well," she said.
"Thank you," Regina replied. "And I'm sorry...I'm sorry I hurt you."
"You should be," Tinkerbell replied. "And calling me a liar! You're lucky I like you so much!"
"Why don't we all go back to the diner?" Belle asked. "I'm sure the party is still going on." Everyone else headed out until just Roland, Robin, and Regina were left in the shop. Then Regina took Roland's hand and Robin opened the pawn shop door. "After you," he said.
"Well, aren't you a gentleman thief?" Regina replied with a grin, before leading Roland out as Robin shut the door behind them, then took Regina's free hand, and they walked, hand in hand, together back to Granny's.