A new life
"Robin, I have to do this. For Marian, for Roland, for you and your family." Regina choked out.
Robin looked up to her tear stained face.
"But I love you, I cant fall back in love with Marian when I know you're going to be there, in New York, on your own, with no memories of anyone here. I should be the one to go."
"I can get a dog…" Regina responded, chuckling ever so slightly at the thought. "I need to do this Robin, I can't stay here without Henry. This was where he grew up, where he learned to walk, talk and where he became the boy he is… was.. And as much as I don't want to forget those memories, I want to forget the other memories that haunt me every night when I go to sleep. Watching the life drain from my sweet little boy, all because of the saviour and her boyfriend. Those are the memories I need to forget, for me to able to carry on with my life. There is no way I can continue living my life in this town, without him." She was trying, and failing to hold back the tears.
Robin pulled her close.
"I'm so sorry love, I wish there was something more I could do to help you with the pain. I couldn't even begin to imagine what I would do if I lost Roland. I love you Regina, and I always will. Even when you don't remember me, I will be thinking about you every second of every day."
"I'm sorry, I wish I could stay, and be with you. But I just cant, not without Henry. I'd rather forget the good memories as well as the bad. It's not fair on Marian and Roland, you're a family and you deserve to be with each other. Anyway, we're soulmates, we'll find our way back to each other. We've done it once before when I was too scared to walk into the tavern and discover who 'the man with the lion tattoo' really was." She gave him a weak smile, it was more to try and reassure herself she was doing the right thing.
It might sound strange to some people, choosing to forget all the good memories, just so you didn't have to remember the bad ones. But for Regina, it was the only option. Either that, or put herself under a sleeping curse for the foreseeable future, and anyway, Robin would just break that.
"Its time for me to go now Robin."
She took a step back from him, taking one last look at his face, the stubble on his chin, his mesmerising blue eyes.
Opposite her, Robin was doing the same thing, although in ten minutes, he would still remember who she was, whereas she wouldn't even remember he existed. The thought of that felt like someone had ripped his heart out right in front of him. He would be in Storybrooke, thinking about her, loving her. While she would be in New York, on her own, living as normal and as though she had never been the Evil Queen.
Regina took one last look into his blue eyes, the ones she loved ever so much. And turned around to walk away. She sucked in a breath trying to hold the tears back. And took the few steps forward towards her car, which was parked on the very edge of the town line. She turned back and took one last look.
"I love you, I will always love you." She said to him. And before he could respond, she was in her car and had driven over the town line, leaving him behind.
He stood watching her, he whispered into the empty space around him. "I love you too Regina." He knew she wouldn't be able to see him, or hear him. But he needed to say it anyway. He watched as her black Mercedes drove off until it was no bigger than an ant. That was it, she had gone. Gone to start her new life in New York, with no recollection of who he was, or who anyone in this bloody town was.
A few months later and Regina had settled in to her new home in New York, she lived in a well decorated, modern apartment. Close enough to her work and anywhere else she needed to go. A week after she arrived in New York, she had bagged herself a job at a top law firm and she had thrown herself into her work, wanting to impress her new boss.
"Good morning Miss Mills" her assistant cheerily said as Regina walked through into her office.
"Morning Jessica." She responded, taking a sip of her coffee.
"You have a meeting at 11am with a new client, and then a conference called scheduled for 3pm"
"Wonderful, thank you. I'll be in my office if you need anything."
She wakes into her office, placing her coffee down on her desk before taking her coat off and hanging it up, along with her bag. She sat down at her desk, logged on to her computer and got to work. Today was mainly just a day of preparing notes for a court case she had coming up next week. It was her first solo case since she started at the firm and she was slightly nervous but also extremely prepared. That helped with her nerves, she knew the case inside and out. It was nothing major, a simple divorce turned nasty because the pair were fighting over who was allowed what possessions. The court case was just a formality that needed to happen, but nevertheless Regina was more than prepared.
Meanwhile in Storybrooke...
"Morning son." Robin said as he walked into the kitchen to find Roland sat at the table eating 'dippy egg and soldiers' as he liked to call them. He bent down and kissed Roland on the cheek.
"Daddy your beard is scratchy!" Roland exclaimed, laughing.
Robin just let out a chuckle in response. "Sorry." He said, ruffling his son's hair.
Robin poured himself a coffee and sat down at the table. He was still nursing his coffee staring into space when Marian came back in from the living room.
"Good morning." She said as she kissed his cheek. Her actions startling him.
"Ah sorry love, I was in my own little world then."
"Thinking about her aren't you?" Marian asked, her tone a mixture of anger and pity. She had been cruel enough to leave Robin and his feeling for her behind without giving it a second thought. It was fine for her because she couldn't remember him, but Marian knew Robin thought about Regina all the time.
"I just can't help but wonder what she's up to. Whether she's found someone, whether she actually got a dog."
"I don't know what to say, but I doubt that woman got a dog. She wouldn't be able to keep it alive."
"Marian!" Robin said, louder than was needed. "I know you don't like her, but there's no need to be rude. She raised Henry, alone."
"It's not that I don't like her, it's that she not only tried to kill me, but now she's ruined my marriage and my family."
Robin sighed. "How many times are we going to have this conversation? I'm sorry. I've said it a thousand times. Anyway, I need to go to work." And with that Robin got up, grabbed his coat and he was out the door.
Back in New York Regina was just finishing her 11am meeting. It had gone fairly well, with no issues or disagreements. The client was happy enough with her ideas on how to proceed.
"Thank you Mr Murphy. I will email you and arrange another meeting once I have decided exactly what I think is the best way forward." She held out her hand to shake the clients hand.
"No, thank you Miss Mills."
She showed him out of her office, grabbing her coat and bag on the way past.
"I'm taking an early lunch Jessica."
"Oh Miss Mills, you have to come here and see this! My sister's dog had puppies a couple of months ago, they're adorable!"
Regina walked over to her assistants computer.
"Oh they are adorable aren't they?"
"Hey, it might be a bit of a long shot, but you don't by any chance want a puppy do you? She's got 3 more she needs to find homes for, but she only wants them to go to people she knows. You know what some people are like, and she doesn't want them to end up in the wrong hands."
"I'm afraid I don't, not right now anyway. I will see you 1pm." Regina responded. She had a doctors appointment to get to, which is why she needed to take a longer lunch break.
"See you later." Jessica responded, still staring at the puppies on her screen.
Regina walked out of the building and round the corner to her apartment. She chose to walk to her office considering it only took around 5 minutes. Before she knew it she was back in her apartment, kicking her heels off at the door. She still had over an hour until her appointment so decided to make herself a decent lunch, instead of eating out.
Half an hour later and she had finished her lunch, which was some pasta and chicken. She was just drying up the last few dishes she had used. She looked at her watch and realised she still had 45 minutes before she needed to be at the doctors, so decided to sit down and watch half of the newest episode of 'Keeping up with the Kardashians' also known as, her guilty pleasure. She wouldn't admit to anyone that she watched this rubbish. She watched for the comedy value. They were all fault dramatic so she spends most of an episode laughing at how ridiculous the whole thing is.
She was only half watching the episode because going round in her head was the idea that maybe she should get a puppy. She's felt like someone was missing in her life ever since she found herself in New York, 3 months ago. She lived in this big apartment all on her own, and it got lonely most nights. It might be nice to have someone to share it with, even if that did happen to be a dog.
Yes that's it, she's decided she's going to get a dog.