Author's Note: I'm currently re-watching the Frozen arc, and I noticed that we never did see the sheriff's station being repaired after Emma destroyed it. This resulted. Many thanks to Leigh Ann (leighann415) for giving me an idea when I got stuck. *Hugs*
Regina sighed to herself as she used her magic to repair the wall of the sheriff's station. With a small hand motion, bricks flew back to their original places. It looked like the hole had never been there. The lamppost which Emma had knocked over was also returned to its rightful spot. "There. I've fixed yet another of the so-called Savior's messes."
"Regina, what happened?"
The former Evil Queen turned, seeing the face of the man she least wanted to see, even if she still had feelings for him. "Robin, you shouldn't be here. You're supposed to be with Marian, the woman you're honor-bound to save, remember?"
"Believe me, I'm well aware. But it doesn't change the fact that I keep finding myself drawn to you. And now I find you here, at the site of Storybrooke's latest disaster? Am I supposed to just ignore that? I can't, no matter how hard I try."
"There's no disaster. At least, not anymore. Emma had the Snow Queen cornered, and, well, things got a bit out of hand."
"What happened? Was anyone hurt?" Robin was asking about the residents of the town, but his heart was mainly concerned for Regina.
"Emma's magic got out of control, and she did some damage. But it was nothing I couldn't fix." Her magic had always far exceeded Emma's. Not only it her knowledge of the craft, but her skill in controlling it. "The rest of the Charming brigade went after Emma. She ran away."
"You seem a bit stressed," Robin noted. Even though he knew it was wrong, so very wrong, he couldn't resist stroking her cheek.
"Why would I be stressed?" Regina asked. "Emma ran off to God knows where, and I'm desperately trying to save the wife of the man I love. Why should that stress me out?"
"I know you're in a difficult place now, and it's partly my fault. But Marian is Roland's mother. The least I can do is bring her back, for him. Then maybe I can make a decision." The way he looked at Regina made it clear what his choice would be.
"I understand," Regina said reluctantly. "Emma and I may not see eye to eye right now, but I know that she's important to Henry. Like it or not, Swan is in my life now. There's nothing I can do about that."
"I wish there was something I could do to help you," Robin said. He hated seeing her like this.
"Well, you could find this elusive Author," Regina said. "Make him write me a new ending. One where I don't keep getting screwed all the time!"
Regina's anger scared Robin. It was not hard to see that, no matter how she tried, she couldn't quite get rid of the Evil Queen. He took a deep breath. "Maybe you don't need the Author. You just need to keep doing the right thing. Eventually, things will turn around. They did for me. I stopped being a no-good thief. I met Marian, fell in love, and had Roland. My life was wonderful. Until she died. But then, things turned around again, when I met a beautiful queen."
"Except your dead wife came back," Regina reminded him.
"I know. Things are complicated now. But they can be good again, I promise. I just want to be able to tell Roland I've done all I could to save Marian."
"I know," Regina said in a small voice, turning away from him.
Unexpectedly, another voice broke the silence. "Regina, what the hell? Who are you talking to?"
Startled, Regina turned to see Emma standing there. "I was talking to Robin. Can't you see that?" She gestured to where Robin had been standing, but there was no one there. "It must have been a vision. Great. My day just keeps getting better. By the way, what are you doing here? Everyone's looking for you."
"I know," Emma said. "But I got to thinking, I'm doing the same thing Elsa did. It didn't work for her. Anna nearly died because of it. Maybe running away isn't the answer."
"There you are, love." Hook ran up, very out of breath. "I've been looking all over this bloody town for you. You came back." He came toward her, caressing her cheek with his good hand.
Emma shrugged. "I decided maybe running away wasn't the best idea." She kissed him.
Regina looked away, unable to bear the sight of one more of Storybrooke's couples in love.
Emma tore herself away from Hook for a moment, turning to Regina. "If there's one thing my mom always says, it's to hang on to hope. Things can turn around."
Regina gave a dismissive wave. Yet another employee of Storybrooke's Hope Commission. But so many residents of this town had found happy endings, despite incredible odds. Even Rumpelstiltskin was married to Belle. If he could find love and happiness, maybe something good could happen for her. Stranger things had certainly happened here.
The End
