So Close

by hopefulfeathers

An OQPromptParty entry, #17 Enchanted AU: Regina finds herself trapped in the real world, New York City and finds something unexpected: a happy ending

Hi everyone! Here to celebrate Day One (Monday) of Twitter event OQPromptParty 2019!

Prompt 17. Enchanted AU: Regina finds herself trapped in the real world, New York City and finds something unexpected: a happy ending.

Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

---

"Regina, you are banished. Banished to live alone with your misery."

The words echo in Regina's mind as she stares at Snow White, jaw dropped in horror. She had failed the "test," one that Snow had given her just minutes ago to determine whether she would change, could change. It's utterly stupid that the princess would even believe that, with that much darkness and that much hatred, Regina would so willingly leave the past behind and start anew.

One would think that the insipid princess would be wise enough to realize that her former stepmother and Evil Queen had reached far past the point of no return, thus rendering said "test" to be pointless in truth, now used only as another method by which she and her dear Prince Charming can flaunt their power. Inwardly, the fallen queen shakes with anger as her upper lip threatens to curl. Even she would think that the sweet and considerate Snow White would be above rubbing yet another victory in her face.

"So long as you are alive in this world, you can't hurt us," Charming adds, brandishing the black silk blindfold from Regina's deferred execution. Honestly, she will never understand why the couple didn't just let her die in the first place. Now, it's a fate worse than death, as a single hair from that blindfold was taken and fashioned into a protection spell by Rumplestiltskin, so that she may never even have the chance to complete her revenge.

"I don't understand," Regina says, steadying her shaking voice. She'd rather throw herself from this very tower than show any hints of weakness. "I am alive. I am in your world. You had the chance to kill me, but you didn't. How much longer will you stand here and mock me?"

Snow White shakes her head. As she steps forward, her eyes glisten. "You saved my life once, Regina," she whispers, "So now, I'm saving yours." It's then that the princess digs her hand into her pocket and pulls out one translucent bean that emanates a very strong magic with every shimmer. As she holds it up, Regina's eyes widen even further, her heart beginning to pound. "So we've decided to send you to a place where you can live out the rest of your days in exile, to think about all the pain and suffering you've caused. Maybe there, you'll find a second chance."

Regina's eyes darken, lips pressed together, at those final words. Part of her wants to burst out laughing at such ridiculousness, had she not been standing here helpless and—dare she say—defeated. Trembling now with a stomach churning with both despair and rage, the fallen queen can do nothing but watch Snow toss the bean around her. Gasping, Regina swivels on her heel just in time to see the ground open up behind her: a raging whirlpool of green magic spreading apart the floorboards.

"No," Regina whispers, growing desperate as the portal's magic grows stronger and stronger, causing her to stumble towards it as it works to drag her closer and closer. A small frisson of fear sparks up her spine and reflects within her eyes. With an effort to face her enemies one last time, Regina slowly forces herself to turn around despite the portal's powerful suction. She hardens her gaze at them, a look of pure hatred.

"Goodbye, Regina," Snow White whispers, undeterred. In fact, she looks rather mournful.

Regina snarls at the princess's unshed tears. "Make no mistake, dear," she growls, raising her voice over portal's howling winds. "I will be back. And I will have my revenge, if it is the last thing I do."

With that, Regina raises her chin. She shoots Snow one last menacing look, despite the fact that she feels anything but. Then, she bravely spreads her arms from her sides, and steps backward. And with a mighty roar, the portal claims its victim.

---

"Papa, I'm tired," Roland whines as he trudges behind his father, exhausted from an evening out at the arcade.

"We'll be home soon, my boy," a man of about thirty replies with a sympathetic smile. He places a tender hand on the eight-year-old's back, gently urging his son to walk a little faster.

The sun has long set behind the city's concrete jungle. The looming skyscrapers of Times Square tower over the people below, rendering them to be mere ants in contrast, ants that trail below in the shadows of their magnificence. Monstrous billboards that flash bright colors stretch across many of the buildings' facets, illuminating the bustling streets below. Robin and Roland swiftly make their way through the crowd, their ducking and swerving technique a typical routine of daily living in the Big Apple.

It had been a long day at school for Roland. More than ever before, his father Robin has begun to notice the boy's mopey behavior (hence their arcade outing as an attempt to liven his spirits). Roland is just not as enthusiastic as he used to be. It worries Robin to see his son lose that spunky edge that he'd always adored. And it worries him even more so to think that this could be the result of the changes that have been occurring as of late.

Kelly is around more, for one. But the young boy doesn't seem entirely opposed to her ever-growing presence. Though, Roland had thrown looks of disgruntlement and fake plastered on smiles of interest every time she'd show up with another one of those boring history picture books, when all he'd wanted was another book of myths and fairytales. But Robin is working on that. He has been talking to Kelly about letting his son explore his interest in fantasy more. And despite his girlfriend's—soon-to-be fiancé's—fixation on a real-world education, such talks seem to have been working. For instance, the superhero movie that Kelly had taken his son to was deemed a success.

"So what do you think about Kelly coming over to take you to school tomorrow?"

Roland shrugs, gripping his father's hand as he is pulled past a homeless man strumming a beaten-up guitar. "I don't know," he says, "I guess that's fine."

Robin looks down at his son, trying to read the boy's blasé expression. "Why the face? I thought you two were getting along."

"We are," Roland defends with a sigh, "But she's just… boring."

"Boring?" Robin lifts a brow.

Roland nods. "Yeah. Her imagination levels are, like, zero."

Robin laughs aloud. "Really? Well, maybe that can be remedied through your many storybooks, as we've talked about before."

"Yeah, but she still just doesn't get it."

Robin sighs. Slowing his pace to a stop, he turns to face Roland. Offering a soft smile, he then bends down, laying both his hands on his son's shoulders. "Look. I know this change has been difficult for you. And I know you're doing really well coping with it all. Kelly is a good woman. I know she may come off as not a warm person at times, but she's really trying. She likes you, Roland, a lot. And she wants a good relationship with you. Please just give her a chance?"

"You really like her, Papa?"

Robin sighs again, nodding in reply. "I might even love her."

"But it's only been…"

"I know," Robin quickly interjects, cringing at the reminder. It has only been six months. "I know… I know it hasn't been that long. It's just, she's the first person aside from you who really has made me smile. And it's been a long time since that happened."

"So… you're going to marry her."

Robin nods as he looks deep into his son's wide brown eyes. "Yes," he says, "And I hope you're okay with that."

"If you're happy, then I guess that's okay," Roland answers with another shrug. "It's just kinda funny."

"What?" Robin asks, smirking slightly, "What's funny?"

Roland chuckles. Though, the smile he puts on doesn't quite touch his eyes. "Just the way you meet someone and fall in love so fast. It's like a fairytale."

Robin laughs softly, ruffling the boy's curls as he comes to a stand. "Well, it may be. But as you know, fairytales don't exist."

"Papa!" Roland scolds.

"What?" Robin looks down at his pouting son.

"You're turning into her!"

"Am not!" Robin defends, turning to stride forward once again, "I just don't think—" The man doesn't even have a chance to finish his sentence when a blinding light suddenly sears its way into his eyeballs. "Bloody hell!" Robin cries, having absolutely no way of knowing what slams into him, knocking him sideways and clean off his feet. Unable to break his fall, he lands hard on his back with a yelp in pain.

"Papa!" Roland calls.

Robin pays no mind to him, however, as he desperately scrambles for purchase. His back screams in protest as he fights against the dead weight of something or someone that has fallen on his chest and successfully knocked the air from his lungs. As Robin gasps for breath, little black dots dance about in his vision. He barely notices the change in light which vanishes as quickly as it came. And it isn't until the moment he finally regains his vision that Robin is faced, for the first time, with what—or rather who—it is that now lays sprawled atop his body.

Now, it is a set of wide, fathomless eyes as black as night and a pair of crimson lips popped open in an abrupt intake of breath that takes Robin's breath away for an entirely different reason.

---

The first thing Regina registers is pain: harsh jolts to her shoulder blades and a searing sensation to her palms as they come into contact with a coarse and unfamiliar ground when the portal had oh-so-graciously dropped her from thin air. She doesn't even realize what or who she'd collided with on her violent trip back to earth, or wherever she is, until she hears a grunt from the thing below her and a movement the jostles her weight. But Regina remains motionless. Aside from having slightly pushed herself up to get a better look, she can do nothing but stare down at the sight of sparkling blue eyes that gaze up at her in complete bewilderment.

They remain like this, tangled up in a mass of limbs and gawking at one another like fools, until the man below her shifts again with a grimace. "Mmm, uh… can you…?" He wheezes, bringing a hand up to lift her gently.

The feeling of his hand on her waist jolts Regina back into motion. And in no time at all, she is pushing herself up and off the poor victim. She scrambles to her feet, eyes uncharacteristically wide like a doe's. As the tunnel vision recedes, Regina frantically begins to take in her surroundings, jaw dropped in horror at the sight of the strange place in which she had found herself. Red lights flicker above, appearing much like the devil's eyes. A deafening scream of some siren pierces through Regina's eardrums. All around her, people scurry past, seemingly none the wiser of the strange happenings before them. The ground is hard and rough against the soles of her bare feet. The air is cold.

It's all too much, way too much. And it prompts Regina to assume her usual defend and attack mode. Her heart beats faster and her blood courses through her veins. Her nerves are sparking, muscles flexing. Yet, her magic remains quiet, dormant, unreachable for some unknown but entirely frightening reason. She's defenseless, and that's not good. Not good at all.

A hand, large and firm, grasps her bicep. And immediately, Regina retaliates, throwing up her own hand and allowing it to connect with the cheek of whomever her assailant is. Gritting her teeth, she faces him, ready for a fight as she watches the man—who is the same one onto which she'd fallen—hiss aloud in pain. He stumbles backward, crying out a strangely accented, "Bloody hell!" before looking to her in complete and utter shock.

That expression is borderline laughable, had Regina not been in the predicament she is currently in. But right now, all this newly exiled prisoner needs are answers. "Where the hell am I?" She demands. Forcing the tremors from her voice, she straightens herself in front of the still gaping man.

"Who the hell are you?" He shoots back in that same thick accent.

Regina gapes at him. How dare he speak to her in such a manner? No one has ever spoken to her that way. She puts on her best Evil Queen stare. But much to her surprise, it doesn't seem to work like it usually does.

"Do you really think I'd so much as give you my name when you just attacked me?" She rubs the spot on her arm where he'd grabbed her for good measure.

"What?!" The man exclaims, "I didn't attack you. You looked lost. I was trying to help!"

"You can help by telling me where I am, you insufferable fool!" Regina yells, growing more and more furious by the second. All around them, passerby give the couple a wide berth as they throw perplexed glances their way.

"New York City, for God's sake!" The man cries, eyes flashing, "Now you better have a decent explanation as to who you are, where you're from—" he eyes her ragged prisoner's attire up and down, "—why you attacked me, and scared both myself and my son to death!"

Regina freezes, anger suddenly dulled. Son? Did he say son? For the first time, she looks past him to see a small boy peeking out behind the man's legs. Big brown eyes stare at her in fright from underneath a wild crop of unruly brunette curls. Regina shouldn't be deterred. She had witnessed that look a thousand times over, even from children. Yet, Regina can't quite move herself past this particular boy's gaze. He looks at her scared and confused, yes, but also with some sort of distant wonder.

"It's Regina," she finds herself relenting.

"Excuse me?" The man asks, voice a bit softer this time. He furrows his brow.

"My name," Regina clarifies, not thinking it necessary to give her full title away just yet. Clearly, she is in a foreign place and Lord knows what the man will do. Again, her defenselessness renders her weak, as much as she hates to admit it. "It's Regina. Regina Mills."

"And where are you from?" The man prompts unsatisfied, eyeing her with the utmost skepticism one could possibly have.

Regina haughtily lifts her chin. "I'm from the Enchanted Forest," she says, "A realm that I can only assume is far away from here?" She tilts her head and raises a brow.

At her answer, the man's own brows rise to his hairline, a look of disbelief overcoming his features. "You're joking."

Regina shakes her head, looking utterly offended. "Why would I… joke …about that?"

"Because the Enchanted Forest—that's not—it isn't—"

"Really?! Like from a fairytale?"

Both heads turn towards the young boy.

The man shakes his head. "Roland, no…"

"That's so awesome!" Roland takes a brave step towards Regina. "If you're from a fairytale, who are you?"

Regina tilts her head again. This time, she's the one who's perplexed. "I'm the Queen," she says, forcing the words slowly from her mouth. Inwardly, she curses herself for caving so easily, simply out of interest at what the boy and his father will make of it. "Some may know me as the Evil Queen."

---

If Robin didn't think that his jaw could drop any lower, he's now certain it just about reaches the ground as he stares googly-eyed at the woman before him. If he wasn't baffled before, he sure is now. Worst of all, his son seems to believe this nonsense. And it's Robin's first instinct to put an end to it immediately.

"Roland," he says sternly, looking to his son who continues to gaze at the woman in awe. "This can't possibly make any sense."

But his son promptly ignores Robin again. "Why are you here?" He questions, now completely regaining his boldness. In fact, it's strange to see Roland return to being enthusiastic after what feels like a long time—and so quickly too. "Can you get back?"

Robin groans, lifting his hand to swipe through his hair.

"No." The woman—Regina—shakes her head. "I don't know how to get back there." Robin notices how she ignores his son's first question.

If he didn't know any better, he'd say that the woman looks almost hopeless as a brief flicker of despair crosses her dark eyes. So for the first time this night, Robin begins to feel bad for her.

"Do you have anywhere to stay tonight?"

Silence, as the brunette continues to stare at him. "… I'm fine."

"Well, you don't look fine."

"But I am. I'll manage."

"And how so? You appeared out of nowhere. You obviously have no idea where you are. And as much as I'd like to, I can't just leave you here with nowhere to go." Robin sighs exasperatedly, tugging at the roots of his hair.

"She can stay with us!" Roland suggests, suddenly lighting up like Christmas. He looks to his father with a broad smile. "We have room, don't we, Papa?"

Robin gazes at Regina. Heaving another large sigh, he runs his eyes once again down her petite form. He's thoroughly confused as to why she'd wear some sort of plain gray dress and cardigan, her long dark locks pulled back into a modest low ponytail, if she is really the queen she claims herself to be. Something doesn't add up, which only fuels his belief in thinking that she might not be quite right in the head. But upon looking into her eyes, Robin cannot deny the hidden story that they tell. But is it enough to render her not crazy? The man isn't so sure.

"Fine," he replies, stretching a hand towards Regina. "You'll come with us." He looks at her sternly, almost daring her to argue with him.

Thankfully she doesn't, though refuses to take his hand as they start to guide her down the street.

"I realize we haven't been formally introduced," Robin says as they walk along, "I'm Robin. Robin Locksley. And my son Roland." He gestures to his boy who beams up at Regina with a small wave.

The brunette nods quietly, smiling a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

As they approach another intersection, Robin calls a quits on walking and hails a cab after deciding that he has had enough drama for one day and thus needs no further torture to himself and those in tow with twenty more minutes of walking.

It's an awkward cab ride as Robin keeps an eye on their new companion in his periphery, watching with intrigue as she shifts uncomfortably in her seat. He doesn't miss the way she subtly wrings her hands together before pushing them down into her lap. By the time they arrive, Regina appears to be more than happy to leave the car's enclosed space and follow them up the steps into the apartment.

Their humble home is somewhat larger than most apartments in the city. Though, it still sports the typical low ceilings and small rooms; the largest of which making up the majority of the small living space. It duals as both a living room and a kitchen, with all the elements of the latter pressed up against the wall on one side and a television, coffee table, and couch settled on the other. Adjacent and just down the narrow hallway lie one bathroom squished between two small bedrooms. One of which—Roland's room—is the smallest, having previously been a walk-in closet.

---

Regina is quiet as Robin leads her into the dimly lit living space. Arms wrapped protectively around herself, she gives the main room a quick half-hearted survey, though far too exhausted to pass any further judgment. But the one aspect of the room which does earn her usual disdainful scowl is the lumpy old couch that Robin directs her towards while sporting somewhat of a sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid that's the best I can do," Robin says as he steps around the couch and grabs a couple blankets from a chest beside it. "Feel free to freshen up in the bathroom if you'd like. It's just down there, the second door to the right." He nods in the direction of the dark hallway.

Regina sighs, trying not to pout that much as she approaches the offending couch, lip curled in a sneer. She sits down slowly, as if she is to anticipate sitting on some sort of needle. Beside her, she splays her fingers out on the well-worn leather, brushing them softly against the thick material. A movement catches the corner of her eye and Regina looks up to see both father and son gazing quietly at her. With effort, she tries not to display her irritation at their intrusive staring.

"I know it's not much," Robin adds with an apologetic dip of his head and a hand raised to rub anxiously at the back of his neck. "But I hope you'll at least find it comfortable. Then I guess tomorrow, we'll just go from there."

He speaks quietly, like she's a child in need of comfort. But it does nothing except heat Regina's blood, for she is anything but that. Visibly sulking, she eyes the poor man as her frustration continues to grow. She supposes what annoys her most is that the man has absolutely no clue, no control over her predicament, yet he is trying to help in the best way he can. And it's that generous offer which sours her mood even further. Regina hates this, being in need of any such assistance. She neither is used to it nor wants it. In fact, she wants nothing more than to curl up on this smelly couch and disappear.

But she knows that it's not fair to take all her negative emotions out on Robin, and most certainly Roland, for the child is the most innocent out of all of them. So, like she had done so many times before, Regina sucks it up, forces the bitter expression from her face, and utters a quiet "thank you."

Wisely, Robin doesn't push her further with any more needless assurances. He only smiles gently, dips his head, and bids her goodnight before ushering Roland from the room. And Regina is left there sitting stiffly, alone in the dark.

She lies down, clasping her hands on her stomach as she stares blankly up at the ceiling. That all too familiar feeling of loneliness settles heavily in her gut as Regina allows her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. There's a soft muffling coming from the direction of the hallway. The insistent sounds of a younger voice paired with an older and gentler one are both indicative of some kind of intense discussion between father and son. Regina has half a mind not to listen. Yet, she can't quite seem to tune out the conversation, especially since she is certain she knows exactly what, or rather who, they're talking about.

The wooden floorboards are freezing against Regina's soiled bare feet. Her hair has become a tangled, ratted mess whose loose ends fall from her ponytail and end up all in her face. The bloodied cuts on her palms have crusted over. She did not dare show Robin lest he'd fuss over her more. Yet, it does no good now in helping her feel better in the very state she finds herself in. Regina feels like a vagrant, ashamed of her very appearance and appalled at the fact that just days ago, she'd been strutting about her castle in heeled shoes, clothed head-to-toe in diamonds and wearing the finest satin and silks the world had ever seen.

She nears the first bedroom, palms pressed against the wall as she creeps forward. Keeping her ears attentive, Regina starts to feel her heart sinking as the voices become clearer and the conversation unfolds around her.

"Roland, I know you want to help, but we have to be careful. She's a stranger."

"No, she's not," the boy persists, "She's the Queen. Papa, we have to help her get back to the Enchanted Forest."

"The Enchanted—Roland, that's crazy talk. You can't possibly believe that."

"It has to be true! She says it is. That's where she's from."

"Roland, no. She's just a confused woman passing by. Tomorrow, we'll get her help, at a shelter… or hospital. I don't know. But she can't stay here. I don't know her. She doesn't know us. It's too dangerous. She could be dangerous."

There's a pause. And a soft sniffle. "Mama always said to help those in need…"

"I know, my boy, I know." The man sighs deeply. There's a shift in movement and Regina can imagine him wrapping his arms around his little boy. "But if helping gets in the way of your safety, I can't risk it. You mean too much to me."

"You just don't believe. You really are just like Kelly…"

Regina turns away, her eyes shining with tears. She can't bear to hear any more, so she trudges back into the living room towards that desolate couch. Upon laying down again, she pulls the soft blankets up to her chin and focuses her eyes back on the ceiling. She thought she had gotten used to other peoples' fear of her, their anxiety, their rejection. Yet, Regina's chest clenches in a pain that is unknown, one of which she cannot figure out for the life of her. It's eating her up inside. Some punishment this is.

In the morning, Regina wakes with a start, her back and shoulder blades creaking in protest as she slowly pushes herself up to sit. Flashes of bright white lights, searing pain, firm hands, and sapphire blue eyes invade Regina's mind and send a chill down her spine as the memories of yesterday's events come flooding back. They overwhelm her brain so much so that she wants nothing more than to curl back up under the blankets and fall heavily back to sleep.

It's rather early. Regina can tell by how soft the sun's rays are as they peak in through the windows of the small apartment. Providing sufficient light to the room, they now allow her to lay eyes on all the details that she hadn't noticed before. And truth be told, it's an absolute nightmare.

The place is a sty.

Empty containers of what appear to have held food lay strewn about the entire place. Dirty dishes fill the sink while cups and coffee-stained mugs line the countertops. Newspapers are haphazardly thrown about on the table, on the floor, and on the chairs of the miniature dining area. Particles of dust linger about the atmosphere, dancing in the sunlight and making Regina want to hold her breath.

How can someone possibly live in such a filthy establishment, let alone a child? Regina shakes her head. No, no. This will never do, not if she's here to do something about it. If she's to stay here, even if it's just for a day, it has to be better than this.

Regina growls. Clenching and unclenching her fists, she pushes herself to stand and marches her way towards the despicable mess that is the sink. After another indignant sigh, she picks up the first sullied thing she sees and begins to do the dishes. Whilst doing so, she glowers at her hands as they automatically scrub off the stained ceramics. Regina grumbles to herself at how preposterous it is that she would even think of lowering herself to become that of a scullery maid.

She's still muttering when she hears a soft padding of footsteps approach from behind. Upon turning around, soapy plate in hand, Regina frowns when she sees little Roland give a large yawn and rub at his eyes.

"What are you doing?" He asks, blinking sleepily up at her.

Without hesitation, Regina feels guilty, finding herself hoping that her disgruntled banging about hadn't woken the poor child. "I'm cleaning up," she answers coolly, "It's a mess in here."

Roland chuckles slightly. "That's what Kelly always says."

Regina raises a brow at that name, recognizing it from the conversation the night before. "Who's Kelly?" She asks, turning to rinse off the plate. Thank God it's the last one.

"Papa's girlfriend," Roland says, "Though, he's probably gonna marry her soon."

At this, Regina whips her head back around, both brows now raised. "Is that so?" Her eyes shine with amusement at the boy's blatant discontent. Though, she decides not to press on the subject. Quite frankly, she doesn't care.

"Yeah, Papa says he loves her but…" Roland ventures closer, dropping his voice, "I don't really think he does."

Regina can't help but throw her head back and laugh aloud. "Well, dear. I suppose it's your Papa's fault then if he decides to go through with it. You are quite the perceptive one, aren't you?" She squints at him, drying off her hands with the dishtowel.

Roland shrugs. "I guess."

"How old are you?"

"Eight. How old are you?"

Regina's eyes widen as the boy shoots her question right back at her with such sass. How incredibly rude. It takes her aback. "Old enough."

"Old enough for what?"

"Old enough to know that love really doesn't matter." She smirks humorlessly.

"What do you mean?" Roland presses, peering up at her through his thick little lashes.

Regina shrugs a shoulder. "Love is a weakness. You must know that."

"That's not what Papa says," Roland responds innocently.

"Well, then maybe your Papa needs a new lesson." Regina leans to the side, peering down the hallway from where she stands. "Where is he?"

"Still sleeping. He doesn't like to get up early."

"I can see that." Regina glances at the clock on the wall. It's seven o'clock. "So what happens now?"

Roland perks up. "You mean for the morning? Daddy gets up soon. I get dressed. We have breakfast. And… I guess today Kelly's gonna come over to take me to school."

"Huh."

"You should probably get dressed too."

Regina furrows her brow. "Excuse me?"

Roland shrugs. "Well, you can't walk around in that."

Regina sighs, glancing down at herself. "I suppose not."

"Yeah," the boy laughs, "You wouldn't wanna get found out, right?"

"What?"

"Well, with you being the Evil Queen and all."

Regina sighs again. God, never in her life has she ever hated that moniker more than now. "Yes, I guess not."

Roland steps back. As he surveys her form from head to toe, he puts on an expression very similar to his father's. Regina bites her lip, forcing herself to stand there awkwardly and allow the boy to do his thing—whatever it is. It takes just two minutes before he's lighting up with newfound energy.

"That's it!" Roland exclaims, clapping his hands together.

"What's it?" Regina asks, confused.

"You can wear Mama's clothes. I think you can fit into her size."

"Oh I don't know if your father—"

"Well, you gotta be dressed in something," Roland insists as he reaches forward, grabbing Regina's hand.

Her eyes widen as she watches his little fingers curl around his. And soon, she finds herself to be doing the same.

"Come on!" Roland beckons, grinning so widely his dimples carve deep.

And Regina, upon seeing no other way out of this, allows herself to be dragged from the room.

---

Robin is sound asleep, busy dreaming of enchanted forests of magic, fairies, and evil queens galore, until the bedside alarm jolts him back to Earth and he is startled awake. Robin groans, swiping a hand down his face before turning to shut off that annoying beeping. As his dreams return in broken fragments, Robin snorts softly, shaking his head as if to clear his mind of them. He sighs aloud, mentally scolding himself for what he could be getting himself into by helping this strange woman, this Regina, this self-proclaimed Evil Queen. Speaking of whom, he hadn't heard a peep from. Because surely, he'd expected to wake a little earlier from her—well—he's not so sure what.

In fact, the apartment is silent… perhaps a little too silent.

With another groan, Robin hauls himself up and out from beneath the comfort of his sheets and ambles his way to the door. He steps out into the hallway, not even caring that he's wearing nothing but his boxers and a simple gray t-shirt. When he makes his way into the living room, there's no sign of the mysterious brunette anywhere, except for the fact that all of his dishes have miraculously been cleaned and put away—and his son is sitting perched on the couch, still in his pajamas, and looking every bit like the cat that swallowed the canary.

"Where's Regina?" Robin cautiously questions as he approaches his son.

"Getting changed."

Robin's brows summit his hairline. "Changed?" He repeats, perplexed, "Into what?"

And as if on cue, he suddenly hears what he presumes as the bathroom door opening and a clicking of heels that jolts his heart. With his organ pounding, Robin spins on his heel to witness the person of interest stride into the room—wearing none other than one of Marian's old skirt-suits. Ignoring the brunette's raised brows and pursed lips, Robin swallows hard, taking in the deep crimson-colored scoop neck blouse beneath a form-fitted, perfectly tailored black blazer and skirt that encases her legs and hugs her hips in a way that's just sinful. Robin is not sure what to think. She looks… good… in Marian's clothes. Fuck.

"I hope you don't mind." Roland's voice behind him is small as Robin continues to stare slack-jawed at the woman before him. For the moment, he is unaware of her shifting uncomfortably beneath his gaze, clasping her hands in front of herself. He's too distracted, because in a way (and all other inappropriate thoughts aside), she resembles so much like her—like his Marian. And somehow, deep down, that very thought tugs at his heartstrings.

"No," Robin whispers, swallowing down the knot in his throat. He forces a smile at Regina. "You look great."

The woman ducks her head, smoothing her hands down the front of the skirt. "You have a clever son," she replies, peeking up at him from beneath her lashes.

"Indeed I do," Robin says, surveying her once more. "You cut your hair."

Regina sighs, swiping a hand through her wavy brown tresses. They reach just above her shoulders now, a valiant change from the hip-length locks she'd sported just yesterday. "It got in the way," she dismisses, meeting his eyes.

If Robin didn't know any better, there's a slightly pinker tint to her olive-toned cheeks. He gazes at her quietly, standing captured in those swirling pools of chocolate. So many questions run through his mind as he can feel the allure mounting. Robin cannot deny that he feels somewhat drawn to this woman, the enigma that she is. Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't mind having her around for a while longer.

It's the doorbell that suddenly breaks the two from their trance-like state. And Robin clears his throat, tearing his eyes away from the stunning woman in front of him to go and greet their visitor.

"Robin," Kelly greets, her smile wide as she swoops in, pulling him to her chest. The smell of her strong rosy perfume invades Robin's nostrils. "How have you been, my darling?"

"All right," Robin answers with a slight shrug, "We've been a little busy."

"Honey, you're always busy," the redhead laughs, flipping a mass of curls over her shoulder as she pushes her way further into the apartment.

Robin sighs, following after her. "I know, but I need to tell—"

"My goodness!" Kelly exclaims, eyes settling instantly on the clean kitchen as she moves like a whirlwind of clicking heels and bouncing hair into the main room. "Look how clean the place is! Don't tell me you got a maid."

"No, well I—"

Robin doesn't even have the chance to explain before Kelly gasps aloud, her green eyes suddenly fixed on Regina who stands idly by the couch. He watches with his heart in his throat as the two women simultaneously and quite noticeably stiffen while sizing each other up.

"Well," Kelly sniffs, almost sneering at a Regina who glares back daggers. "That explains a lot."

"Kelly—"

The redhead turns on her heel, hair whipping around as she pushes past Robin and marches back towards the door.

Robin runs after her. "No, Kelly. Please wait!"

"I don't want to hear it, Robin!"

As Kelly opens the door, Robin reaches her just in time to slam it back shut. "Please, it's not what you think. Can we just talk?"

"Talk about what, Robin?" Kelly spits, "How you never let me stay over because of Roland. How foolish of me to not realize—"

"No, no, no! It's not like that."

"Then what's it like, Robin? Hmm? Explain yourself."

Robin shakes his head, his eyes wide and desperate. "She's just a woman passing through. She needed help, a place to stay. That's all."

Kelly narrows her eyes. "Oh really? She doesn't look like she needs help. She looks like someone who can be just fine on her own."

Robin shakes his head again, more fervently this time. "No, please, just trust me on this one. Please stay."

"No. I can't."

"What do you mean, you can't?"

"I mean, I'm leaving, Robin." Kelly opens the door.

"No, no, wait. What about Roland? What about taking him to school?"

"So you can spend more time with your pretty new friend? I don't think so."

So it's with a wave of her auburn hair that Kelly rushes out the door, promptly shutting it in Robin's face. Robin lets out a frustrated groan as he slams a closed fist against the doorframe. Breathing heavily, he rests his forehead against the wood, blood pumping in his ears.

"Papa?"

"Roland, get dressed." Robin's voice is stern and not a tone to be argued with.

"O-okay."

Robin watches his son run off. The boy brushes past a still silent Regina who stares at Robin from a distance in the hallway, still looking as beautiful as ever.

"She seems delightful," Regina remarks snidely, breaking her silence with a deeply amused upturn of her lips.

That does it.

"Really?!" Robin explodes, "That's all you have to say for yourself?"

Regina rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. I've hardly done anything. She'll be over it in two seconds. Just buy her flowers, give her a big kiss, and it'll be all better. She seems like that superficial type anyway."

"Are you having a laugh? Because this is not funny!" Robin scrapes his fingers through his hair, approaching the brunette with his eyes dark with anger. "Look, I don't know who you are. I'll get you a ticket for the bus, train, plane, whatever. I'm trying to help you but this is going way too far. Now I have yet another problem that I need to deal with."

"My deepest condolences but I didn't ask for help in the first place," Regina retorts, eyes flashing dangerously.

"Yes, but you damn well needed it, and now look what happened."

"If you want me to leave, I'm more than happy to. But it's not my fault you fell in love with some stuck-up halfwit with no self-esteem."

"That's a real load coming from the so-called Evil Queen."

Regina throws her head back, breathing a laugh that sends a chill down Robin's spine. Though, it's not one of fright. "Oh, dear, there's more where that came from. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Robin glares at her, so vexed that he can do nothing but march past her and straight to his room, now intent on ridding Regina from his life as fast as he can… if it is the last thing he does.

---

So they both end up taking Roland to school, having to endure yet another awkward ride to and from said school, and then from there, to Robin's workplace downtown. It turns out he is a lawyer, and a rather good one at that. Upon Robin's announcement that he needs to promptly deal with a client, Regina has no choice but to follow him into his lavish office building and wait until he finishes so that he can then decide what to do with her next. It amuses Regina to think that even while he's still angry with her, the man can't help but continue to offer his assistance. It's downright laughable.

Regina faithfully follows Robin into the spacious lobby that sports a very modern look,

complete with fake potted trees and a large fish tank. All around her, people dressed similarly bustle about, talking to one another or on various devices (she still has yet to discover what exactly they are called). It's all very interesting to say the least.

However, her interest levels drop once again as Robin forces her to meet his secretary, a spritely little blonde named Bella, and places Regina under the woman's care as if she is a child in need of being looked after. Sulking again, the brunette sinks down onto one of the plush chairs.

"So, Ms. Mills, where are you from?" Bella chats just shortly after Robin takes his leave. She gives Regina a smile that's far too bright and eager for Regina's liking.

"Nowhere you'll know," Regina mutters. It's an answer proving successful in deferring any further petty conversation when the blonde takes the hint and looks back to her computer screen.

Regina sighs. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat, still getting used to the strange feeling of this world's clothes. It's not that they're completely different from those of the Enchanted Forest. It's just the material, and the strangeness of feeling the blouse fit not as tightly to her body as her gowns did or the way her legs feel so bare. Breathing out another breath, Regina runs a hand through her now short locks, grimacing slightly at the way her fingers meet the air far too soon upon reaching the ends that hang just a couple inches below her ears. She had wanted it cut however, the long length of it having reminded her of the shame she felt as the Evil Queen who is now defeated, living exiled in this strange new place. Regina thinks back to the feeling she had when she happened upon those scissors lying in the bathroom drawer. It felt liberating to run them straight through her hair, cutting those long wavy locks that her mother and the King had so adored. Oddly enough, when she was finished, Regina felt more like herself than she had in a long time.

Yet, there's still that burning thirst for revenge on those who had done her wrong, those who had banished her here to this godforsaken place—amongst many other things. It's just as her thoughts darken that a couple bursts from a nearby room, shouting at one another and throwing hateful words back and forth, saying how nothing neither of them does is "good enough." It all hurts Regina's head. Fuck. She really needs to get out of here, needs to find a way out of here.

It's a long hour before Robin emerges from his office, trailing behind yet another unhappy couple. So they call this process "divorce." Regina chuckles humorlessly at the irony: in her situation, the only way out of a marriage was by the death of her husband. Here, she can just sign a piece of paper? Ridiculous!

---

"How's she doing?" Robin asks as he approaches his secretary's desk.

Bella glances over at Regina before offering him a sweet smile. "All right, I guess," she reports, "She's been very quiet, but her face just says everything. It's obvious she's a very troubled woman."

Robin sighs, glancing at Regina who appears to be miles from here. "I know. I really do worry for her."

"It's so kind of you to help her out. I'm sure she appreciates it."

Robin shrugs. "I hope so," he murmurs, "I'm putting my engagement on the line for this."

At this, Bella tilts her head. "So you are going to propose to Kelly."

"Well, I was. But now, I don't know. She stopped by this morning and saw Regina. And let's just say that she didn't take it very well."

Bella smiles sympathetically, laying a soft hand on Robin's forearm. "You'll figure it out," she comforts, "Just have hope."

Robin chuckles slightly, raising his hand to scratch at the back of his neck. He steps back from the desk. "That's all I seem to have been doing lately." He swivels around and strides towards a still faraway Regina. "Are you okay?" He asks, approaching her.

His voice seems to do the trick as he watches her jump, expressive dark eyes gazing up at him. "Yes," she says. Her voice cracks before she clears her throat and answers more steadily, her signature line of, "I'm fine."

Robin chuckles again, shaking his head at the incredibly stubborn woman before him. He can't help but smile warmly at her now, all anger from before having dissipated. He just doesn't know what it is about her that makes him act this way. "Of course you are," he teases gently before offering his hand. "Come. Let's go grab something to eat."

He watches at the brunette's eyes flicker from his to his proffered hand. This time, though with some hesitation, she does take it, fitting her hand right in his. The feeling of her soft palm against his skin, the way her slender fingers wrap around his, sends a spark up his arm that leads to a blooming warmth in his chest. Robin bites the inside of his cheek and pulls Regina to stand, unable to tamper that scary feeling that arises within him.

"Shall we?" He asks, promptly letting go of her hand. Instantly, he misses its warmth.

Regina nods, and without another word, they make their way back outside into the bustling city.

One new fact about this woman, which Robin has come to learn very quickly, is her (apparently newfound) love for burgers. No sounds could ever be sweeter, hotter, and scandalously sexier than Regina's moans when she takes that first bite. Robin would rather die first than admit how exciting it is to watch her eyelids flutter closed and her brows pull together in complete ecstasy at the taste. It's mesmerizing, and highly arousing.

"I assume you like it?" Robin teases, grinning at Regina as she peeks her eyes open at him.

"Mm." For once, she doesn't appear to be annoyed. "It's delicious," she compliments before taking another hearty bite.

Robin laughs softly. "I can tell," he remarks, thoroughly amused.

Dark brown eyes peer at him from over the burger, narrowing ever so slightly. "Are you laughing at me, Mr. Locksley?"

"I dare not, Ms. Mills," Robin retorts, his grin spreading, dimples on full display.

"Mm," Regina grunts again before ducking her head to finish off her meal. It disappears in no time. And soon, Robin has the pleasure of watching the brunette daintily lick off one, two, three fingertips before she catches him in the act and sheepishly turns to use the napkin to clean off the rest.

"Always so proper, I see."

"Well, I am a queen, and therefore a bit more refined."

"Says Her Majesty who still has ketchup on the corner of her mouth," Robin points out, stifling another shit-eating grin.

Regina's eyes widen as she ducks her head and swipes at the corners of her rouge lips with the napkin.

"Say, if you are a queen, then where is your crown?" Robin continues to play along, still very unsure as to what to think about all of this.

"It fell off." Regina deadpans.

Robin laughs. "Is that part of the explanation as to why you weren't dressed like one when we found you?"

"Maybe." Regina lowers her gaze. "That's a long story."

"I can imagine," Robin hums pensively.

He watches quietly as Regina heaves a soft sigh. She turns her head to gaze out from their outdoor seat at the bar and grill towards the open stretch of green across the street. Again, he witnesses that same distant look about her face.

"Do you like it?"

Regina quietly nods. "It's strange to see a big open space in the middle of this… gray city."

"That's Central Park."

"Central Park," Regina repeats.

Robin nods. "Would you like to have a look around?"

Regina turns back to him, her sparkling eyes capturing his just as they did before, giving him that same profound look that tries desperately to figure him out just as he does her.

And then… she does something, for the first time ever, which completely melts him to the core.

Regina really, genuinely, smiles.

---

She can't help but grin as she makes her way into the open expanse of green. There's a subtle breeze that dances through the trees and brushes through her hair, kissing her cheeks along the way. It's peaceful and refreshing, reminding Regina much of what it was like when she'd take her beloved Rocinante out for a ride on the hillside of her family's chateau. She certainly feels the same way too as she allows her eyes to slip closed and her lungs to inhale that fresh, cool scent of trees and grass. In the background, there's the expected hum of city life. Though, it's not so intrusive as it was before. And Regina is more than happy to leave it behind for a few minutes and exchange all previous feelings of being overwhelmed with that of tranquility. In a way, a sense of freedom builds inside her chest, a sensation that which the former queen has not experienced for a very long time. How ironic it is to feel such a thing in a place where she is to live banished and "alone with her misery." So, it is with that silly thought that Regina can't help but tilt her head back and laugh.

It takes a few good minutes for Regina, contentedly lost in her (for once) happy thoughts, to realize that she's being watched. Upon opening her eyes, she turns around to find Robin standing idly by, his eyes fixed upon her almost with a look of slight admiration. There's a small smirk playing on his lips, prompting the brunette to raise her brow.

Robin smiles at her inquisitive expression. "You know," he says as he takes a step towards her, "From this angle, it seems to me that this self-proclaimed evilness is a bit of an overstatement."

Regina's second brow meets the other as both arch towards her hairline.

"Bold and audacious, perhaps, but certainly not evil."

Feeling a blush spread across her cheeks, Regina bites her lip and dips her head. She lets out another breathy laugh, feeling very much like the lovesick teenager she was when Daniel had lived so many years ago. It's the same rise of heat, that same fluttering of her heart, which Regina had experienced the moment she'd stepped into the main room this morning, watching with a knot in her throat at the way Robin had looked at her in that same manner he does now.

Regina steps forward, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "The name has served me well." She lets a smirk pull at the corners of her lips as she gives a playful little wiggle of her eyebrow. "Fear is quite an effective tool."

Robin chuckles again, eyes sweeping Regina up in a sea of crystal blue. "So you say," he comments.

Regina's smirk widens, allowing it to come off as both playful and a little cryptic, before she turns and continues walking down towards the inviting stretch of pond before them.

"Roland seems to really have taken to you," Robin comments from behind her as she can hear him hurry to catch up. "So you can't be all that frightening."

"He's a sweet boy," Regina replies simply, keeping her eyes trained on the lake's sparkling waters. "He's innocent. It's best to keep him that way."

She almost misses the way Robin's eyes flicker briefly with both confusion and unease at her last statement. "He seems to really believe this tale of yours, this idea of you being some Evil Queen."

Regina crosses her arms, turning to face Robin once more as she reaches the pond. Her eyes flit back and forth, trying to read his expression. "And what do you think?" She asks somewhat defensively, "Do you believe all of this?"

At her questions, Robin sighs, shoulders sagging as he swipes a hand across his stubble. Regina can't help but let her eyes wander towards it… and his mouth. "I honestly don't know," he answers and her eyes quickly flick back up to meet his. "All my life I've been raised to believe that fairytales are just that—stories meant only to give us hope. Otherwise, when compared against the real world, it's nonsense, much like Kelly would say."

"Kelly?" Regina questions as she starts forward once again, making her way now along the pond's perimeter.

Robin nods. "She can be very much of a no-nonsense type of person, believe it or not. I suppose there's something of an allure to that. She reminds me much of my father, telling me to stay focused, stay on track, keep my head down, and keep working hard. After Marian died, she was the first person to pick me up off the ground, so to speak, and force me to get my life back together."

Regina frowns. "Marian," she repeats the name, "That's…"

"Roland's mother," Robin clarifies before abruptly sweeping his eyes down and up Regina's form, "the woman whose clothes you're wearing. That blouse used to be her favorite one."

Regina bites her lower lip hard, her cheeks hotter than ever as a knot of something squeezes deep in her gut. Her thoughts flash back to little Roland who so generously suggested, without even a second thought, that she wear his mother's precious clothing. That memory of this morning tugs at her heart. "Oh…"

"It's crazy to think that it has been over a year and a half since my wife died. And seeing you wearing one of her most favorite outfits, it was a bit surprising to say the least."

"I—I'm really sorry," Regina mumbles, feeling quite subdued as she lowers her gaze and squeezes her arms tighter around herself. She's not sure as to whether he means this as a particularly good thing. The way he puts it, her wearing these clothes seems utterly disrespectful. Thus, a bout of guilt suddenly threatens to consume Regina, making her feel like even more of a monster for dishonoring this poor man's deceased beloved in such a selfish manner.

"Oh no, please don't be!" Robin insists. Regina halts in her tracks as he turns around her, stopping her in her path. He sighs, swiping a hand through his hair. "I… can understand why you'd think that I would be horrified. But, I'm really not. As I look back on it now, seeing Marian's clothes again, seeing you move in them with such poise and elegance like she did, I felt like it revived her spirit somehow. But at the same time, perhaps it was I who was being the disrespectful one. You looked absolutely breathtaking."

The compliment makes Regina's insides melt, a feeling she is quick to push down and even quicker to refuse to dwell upon. "What was she like, this Marian?" she asks instead, stepping around Robin to continue on her way. Her own question surprises her, as she didn't think she had it in her to care. Though, Regina quickly puts such curiosity down to the fact that, oddly enough, she likes Roland and wonders who it was exactly that he'd lost. She'd witnessed the sadness, though fleeting, in the boy's eyes when they were going through Marian's small chest of clothing.

"She was beautiful," Robin answers with a small fond smile at his wife's memory, "She had long wavy brown hair, dark eyes much like yours, soft tan skin. Her laugh was like music. I've never heard anyone laugh like her. She just lit up the room whenever and wherever she walked. She was incredibly sweet and understanding, and an amazing mother to Roland."

"She sounds like a lovely woman," Regina replies honestly, feeling somewhat disheartened at the thought that she may never be anything close to the apparently perfect woman Robin had just described. The darkness in her is far too great.

Robin nods, still appearing to be lost in his thoughts. "When she died, it was like the whole world ended. It certainly felt like it, and I wanted it to be so. But I had Roland to look after."

"And you have Kelly."

Robin breathes a laugh. "Yes, Kelly."

"Is Roland fond of her?" Regina questions with a tilt of her head as she looks to Robin. They continue to walk side by side.

Robin shrugs a shoulder. "I think so," he says, though Regina can tell it's not quite as confident as perhaps he'd intended. "I think he's starting to warm up to her, or at least I hope so. It's not like she's unkind to him. It's just a difference of interests. Roland loves stories, fairytales in particular, hence his quickness to believe yours. Kelly is more engrossed in material aspects, not really finding the time for imagination."

Regina nods pensively. "I see."

Silence falls as Regina suddenly becomes interested in the sound of both her heels and Robin's brogues clicking against the concrete path.

"I suppose, since I've shared with you what's going on in my life, that perhaps you could do the same?" Robin asks, breaking the few moments of quiet, "I'm quite interested to learn a bit more about the woman who calls herself the Evil Queen."

Regina balks at that, letting out an indignant snort. "Trust me, dear, I take no pleasure in bearing that name."

Robin laughs. "Then how exactly did you come by it?"

Regina shrugs. "Just fundamental differences of opinion between myself and others. A misunderstanding, I suppose one could say."

"That's quite the vague answer."

"It's the truth."

"Perhaps a little more specifics? What exactly are the circumstances that could possibly have led to a woman being literally dropped out of thin air, in a flash of white light, onto me no less. Not to mention of course that she claims to be the Evil Queen from a faraway realm called the Enchanted Forest. You realize that had anyone else found you, you'd be locked up in the blink of an eye."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Regina mutters bitterly.

"Excuse me?"

Regina looks at Robin, dark eyes swirling with emotion. "Robin, if you had a past like mine, no doubt you would wish to keep it to yourself. You just have to believe me when I tell you that everything I've said about me thus far is true. I am from the Enchanted Forest and I have no way of getting back there." Her eyes darken. "I'm trapped."

Robin sighs, incredulity written all over his features as he swipes a hand through his hair. "So what are you going to do?"

Regina gazes into his eyes, that all too familiar feeling of helplessness and of being weak creeping up her spine to weigh heavily once more on her shoulders. "I have absolutely no idea," she admits, "But I have to find a way somehow to get back. But I've got nothing here. No magic, no—"

"Wait, did you say magic?" Robin interrupts, eyes widening.

Regina blinks at him, a frisson of panic lacing through her at the realization that she could have spoken too much. But then again, here she is saying outright that she is some fairytale character. "It's something about this world," Regina speaks again, a bit more cautiously this time. "It's energy, something about it is just blocking my use of magic. I don't know why. It's the first land that I've ever encountered of its kind, this Land Without Magic."

Shaking his head, Robin sighs as he takes a step towards her. "I can imagine this must be very confusing for you, scary even."

Regina looks away. "I really don't need your pity, Robin."

"Then, what do you need?"

The sound of Robin's breath is gentle as Regina takes comfort in the view of the lake, sadly watching a lone bird take flight from one of the surrounding trees. It bats its wings, gliding swiftly through the air above glistening waters. Oh, to be that bird. The further the animal flies, the further Regina's heart sinks at the thought that she may never have a place anywhere—not in this new world, not even back in the Enchanted Forest. Slowly turning her head to face Robin once more, Regina meets his eyes with a distant expression as she tries to keep all emotions at bay. Though, she is most certain the man can read past the coldness of her eyes. And that really is what scares her the most.

"What do you need from me?" Robin asks again, his eyes so expressive they nearly melt Regina on the spot.

Yet, she is successful in maintaining her composure, just like always. "Nothing… nothing you can give me."

---

What does one say to an answer like that?

Robin supposes he should be offended by such a reply. Yet, the weight that it bears, the heaviness in her voice, suggests that those words spoken were done so in a way that they were not born of contempt, but of a deep sorrow. So, it's to that effect that Robin smiles sadly, pouring forth as much understanding as he can through his eyes in attempts to tell her that everything will be okay. For anyone else, it would be difficult to find the ability to feel such empathy for someone with such a seemingly preposterous story as she. Yet, there's something about Regina—and Robin can't quite figure it out—that is convincing, this niggling feeling deep down that urges him to believe.

Perhaps that's why it is so easy for him to picture her as who she says. In every way, Regina is every bit the complete picture of a royal: the way she carries herself with her head high and shoulders back, the way she sits so primly with her spine as straight as a rod, the way she speaks in somewhat of a formal manner and tone. Robin could very well see her in a magnificent gown with a large glittering crown on her head, perhaps carrying a scepter in one hand—all the typical stereotypes of royalty.

And then on the flip side, there's that happy, carefree woman who smiles simply at being in the park, laughing at the way the wind feels on her skin and blows through her hair. Such sentiments had only been for a moment, but they were ones that must certainly be cherished as they happened so fleetingly. For a brief second Robin saw her barriers, that hardened exterior and regal facade, break down. Perhaps, what he had witnessed were simply remnants of a woman long gone. Or, perhaps they were pieces of her that are still intact, still there, though heavily suppressed by the weight of whatever had happened. Regardless, Robin can't ignore the desire to make her feel like that again, to make her feel happy—a strong feat in favor of someone he'd only met yesterday. Though, it unfortunately brings him back to the present predicament in which he has absolutely no idea what to do, or even what to say as he continues on wordlessly trailing behind Regina on their journey around the lake's perimeter.

No further words are exchanged as Robin decides to keep a small distance behind, allowing Regina to do her own thing. That is, until the brunette passes a small flower stand whose owner, an older forty-something year old man, steps out into her path with a wide grin on his lips. "For the lady," he says, presenting a single rose.

Robin bites the inside of his cheek and watches as Regina turns to him. He can imagine the way she must be lifting her eyebrows at the stranger. Nevertheless, she takes the proffered gift from his hands. And when Robin approaches her side, there's a small smirk playing on Regina's lips as she continues to eye the man who looks overly pleased with himself.

"I was wondering if—"

"And we best be going," Robin interrupts quickly. Without thought, he reaches out to wrap an arm around Regina's waist. In his determination to steer her away from the man's wandering gaze, he almost misses the way Regina sucks in a quiet breath as he pulls her into his side.

Lost in his thoughts and clouded by (truly an unnecessary) fog of green, Robin walks swiftly, keeping Regina snug against his hip until she gives a little indignant sound. The feeling of her hand pushing at his arm brings him back to earth, and he stops and releases her immediately. Then, the guilt comes, settling uncomfortably in his stomach as he stares meekly up at her perplexed expression.

"I apologize if I overstepped," is all Robin can say. He kicks himself for what feels like the hundredth time these past two days for acting like an utter fool.

"'Twas unexpected," Regina acknowledges as she pushes a lock of hair out of her face. Her lips quirk upwards. "Just what exactly were you planning to accomplish with such intrusive behavior?"

Robin shakes his head. "Many men would throw themselves at your feet, surely you'd know. But many of the men here…" He shudders at the image of Regina walking down the city's streets, followed by hungry men whose tongues would reach down to their navels.

"Oh, so you were protecting me?" Regina says, her eyes glittering with amusement. She crosses her arms. Shifting her weight to one foot, she sticks out a hip.

"Well I—"

"How incredibly honorable of you."

She's grinning now, and Robin isn't quite sure what to make of this mockery. God, he's such an idiot.

"Are you sure that's all, Mr. Locksley?"

Robin lets out a nervous laugh as he swipes a hand over the back of his neck. "Think nothing of it," he reassures, "I'm just worried about your safety, what with you being new to this place. That's all…"

"O-okay." Regina beams at him. She tosses her hair while turning on her heel before strutting off, hips swaying a little more so than they did before.

Robin curses, shaking his head as he lets out a small laugh. He's not sure how or why, but he's certain that in one way or another, this woman will be the death of him.

Their walk proceeds as the following: Regina wandering about, taking many liberties to stare wistfully out across the pond, while Robin quietly keeps the pace beside her. From above, the sun shines down from partly cloudy skies. Its rays of light augment the little flecks of auburn in Regina's hair, whose ends had begun to curl in the slight humidity.

Robin wouldn't class the atmosphere between them as necessarily awkward, however still tense, as he wouldn't dare make any other move to render himself even more stupid than he already is. Yet, there's something about the way he held Regina to his side for but a few moments, the way her body fit perfectly against his like a puzzle piece finding its place, that makes Robin positively ache for more. Now, there's a sort of emptiness left inside of him that started the moment she pushed him away—an emptiness he had not experienced before.

"Surely, you have a family or someone you can call for help?" Robin inquires, jogging back up to Regina's side as he realizes he'd fallen behind.

Regina gives him a side eye. "No one that matters," she replies, offering him a bland expression.

"No one," Robin repeats, "Not a brother or sister, or even a friend?"

Regina snorts a laugh. "I don't have friends."

"Right," Robin amends with a shake of his head, "Evil."

Regina stares at him quietly. "For a man who doesn't know whether to believe it or not, you do seem quite hung up on that word."

"It's a strong one," Robin replies, "I just can't see what in the hell you could have possibly done to have earned such a fearsome title."

There's a pregnant pause as Regina lifts her arms to cross them around her torso once again, a gesture that Robin has come to realize as something she does when uncomfortable—a physical barrier complementary to that of the intangible. "You'd be surprised at what one is capable of when in anger," she says, her voice soft and somewhat sorrowful. "You'd be surprised at the damage one can do when out of control, driven only by the need to justify that anger, that hurt. It can make you crazy, make you do unspeakable things that can turn you into something of a monster."

"But you aren't like that. The woman I see in front of me is the furthest thing from a monster."

"You don't know me."

"Perhaps not," Robin acknowledges. "But I think I know and have seen enough. Whatever happened, it must be—like you said—some misunderstanding."

"I think it's clear that I'm no saint. The misunderstanding is an understatement, one that cost me my whole life. I'm not about to justify my actions, because the people those actions were directed towards deserved every bit they got."

Robin swallows thickly, witnessing the fire in her eyes as she speaks. Regina has it in her to seriously hurt someone should she feel it necessary, and Robin always had that inkling. She most certainly gives off the air of someone who should not be trifled with. Her passion is seductive, and the way she speaks about the pain of these so-called enemies is poetic. And it's certainly something about which to be worried. Yet, in Robin's heart, he can't find the will to neither fear nor condemn Regina of anything, no matter how bad it could turn out to be.

"You're human, Regina," Robin justifies, stepping closer, "It's okay to be angry, to be in pain. God knows I was."

"How so?" Regina asks, tilting her head.

"Marian was killed by a drunk driver," Robin explains, "He lived. And with a supposed clear record, the judge let him off with a simple four-year sentence in prison." He shakes his head, the muscle in his jaw bulging as he recalls the events. "I was so angry, I honestly could have killed the bastard myself would it not have been for Roland. But I realized that killing him and throwing my life away as a result of it, would never satisfy the anger and the pain I'd felt. And ruining Roland's life even more would be the last thing I'd want to do. He'd already lost his mother, and I'd hate for him to lose his father too."

---

Regina stares at Robin, her eyes glistening with a bout of fresh tears that had begun to well up upon hearing his words. A jumble of emotions hits her all at once, coursing through her heart and mind like repeated flashes of light. She's angry, furious at Robin who had unknowingly lectured her about how her own thirst for that same kind of revenge would render it and the very act useless in her fight to finally find happiness. And of course there's the deep, depressing despair at the thought that perhaps everything that Robin says is right. But then, Regina is profoundly envious of the fact that he could get over his anger with such ease and say all of these things about not needing revenge, all because he had someone to live for. Regina didn't. As far as she's concerned, when she lost Daniel, she lost everything and everyone. Yes, she still had her father whom she loved very much. But he was a weak man, doing little in comforting her and even less in making her realize that there's more out there than the overwhelming need for what she believed was justice. Before his very eyes, Regina had descended deep into the darkness, and he did absolutely nothing to pull her back.

"Regina," Robin calls softly, snapping the brunette from her dark thoughts. "Are you all right?"

A long sigh escapes Regina's lips as she nods slowly. "I'm fine."

There's that soft touch again, the tender brushing of the pads of his fingers as Robin methodically slides his hands up her still tightly crossed arms. Regina focuses her blurry vision on them, watching the way his fingers lightly press through the thin material of Marian's blazer, sending little bolts of electricity down her spine. And unbeknownst to her, something warm grows deep in her stomach. Regina can tell that it's dangerous the moment it prompts her to lean into Robin's touch, her heart thudding against her chest.

"Hey." His voice is soothing, gentle, as if she's but a frightened lamb. And for once, Regina doesn't mind. "Look at me."

She opens her eyes, unaware she had even closed them in the first place. The moment her swirling chocolate orbs meet the dense oceans in his, all breath is stolen from her lungs. Their foreheads are close, just inches away from touching. Robin's breath on her lips is warm, igniting a powerful desire to capture his lips with her own and to feel his stubble against her skin. Stuck in that very trance, Regina's lips pop open. But it's a sudden buzzing sound emanating from Robin's pocket that breaks the enchantment. And Robin is abruptly pulled back and away from her to take the call.

"Kelly. Uh, no… it's fine. I'll get him." Robin glances at Regina. "What? Yes, I know, I just… Yes. Okay. I'll see you soon."

Regina raises a brow at him. "What does she want?" Her question comes off as a bit harsher than she intends.

Robin gives her yet another meek stare. "It's Kelly."

"I heard that much."

"She was wondering whether she should pick Roland up like we planned before."

"Oh."

"But I said we can do it."

"We?"

"Yes, 'we,'" Robin smiles a little. "I think my boy would really like it if you came. No doubt he'd be questioning otherwise."

Regina nods.

"And then I figured you two could spend some time at the arcade."

At this, Regina's brows push together. "Arcade?" She has no idea what that is. But that's beside the point. "Why?"

Robin gives somewhat of a defeated sigh. "Kelly wants to talk, you know, clear the air."

Regina arches her brow in response. "Is that what you want?"

"I want to make things right. I feel horrible having made her think I was being unfaithful. And this couldn't have come at a worse time."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm… going to ask her to marry me."

At his response, Regina's eyes widen ever so slightly as she fights to keep a blank facade. She remembers briefly that Roland had told her this. But a lot has changed in the small amount of time since she'd brushed off the subject, not truly caring in that instance. A lump forms in her throat, thick and stifling as her stomach steadily sinks to her feet. She supposes she should be happy for the man, or in the very least offer him her best wishes. But that's not the person she is, nor is that how she feels. She's selfish, jealous of the happiness he'd previously found. But who is she to stand in the way of that?

But wait. Since when did she suddenly care about anyone else's happiness besides her own?

"Then you must make things right with her," Regina forces out, plastering on as much of an encouraging smile as she can muster. She nods. "Maybe a bouquet of flowers would be in order."

Robin laughs softly, gazing at her with his eyes as wet as her own. "Thank you," he replies sincerely, giving her bicep a gentle squeeze.

The journey back into the heart of the city is a silent, melancholic one. All else aside, the simple delight of being out in the open has faded considerably as the cab makes its way back through the jungle of stiff gray buildings. From her seat, Regina watches the world go by, further taking in more of the city's strange landscape. She idly wonders how anybody could ever be happy here, walking amidst the crowded streets, surrounded by loud honking and screeching sounds that hurt her ears along with the ceaseless shouting. For once, she wishes to be back behind the enclosure of her castle. Yes, it had been a prison to her for quite some time, but at least it was quiet.

Roland's school building looks like all the others on this block: an older brick edifice that stands tall, blocking out the sunlight. Children rush from the rickety double doors, pouring out and around Regina and Robin. Regina sucks in her breath, biting her lip as they dodge her form, swerving dangerously close. The last thing she needs is to be knocked down. Beside her, she is certain Robin can sense her unease, however he is suddenly pulled away by the call of his son's voice.

Regina looks up to see a bouncing mass of curls making a beeline straight for them. But instead of going right towards his father, like she had anticipated, Roland rushes right up to Regina and throws his arms around her waist in a surprisingly public display of affection.

"You came!" Roland squeals in delight, looking up at her with sparkling brown eyes.

Regina can't help but smile a little as she tentatively returns the hug. "I did."

"Roland, I was thinking you can maybe show Regina the arcade this afternoon," Robin announces, grinning down at his son.

At his suggestion, the little boy's eyes widen with absolute glee. "Really?!"

Robin laughs. "Really, really," he confirms before pulling out his wallet. "Here, take this. Keep it safe, and please don't spend it all on one game."

In his excitement, Roland snatches up the two twenty dollar bills and promptly starts jumping up and down. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Robin laughs again as he ruffles the boy's hair. "You best be going now. And I want you home by five sharp."

Roland grins as he grabs Regina's hand. He proceeds to tug her, with a surprising amount of strength, down the street, not even letting her spare a moment to say goodbye. "This is gonna be so much fun," he breathes, "You can learn to play my favorite game!"

If Regina thought the streets of New York City were loud, she would have no way of preparing for the piercing cacophony of sound in the arcade. Flashing neon lights, children running all over the place with their deafening squeals of delight, talking machines whose voices make the hair on Regina's neck stand up on end, it's all one big mess of sensory overload.

"This way!" Roland cries over the noise, pulling Regina through swarming little bodies and their equally as anxious parents. The brunette follows stiffly behind, stumbling over herself in attempts to not lose grip on his hand. Getting lost in this place would be an absolute nightmare, as far as she's concerned.

They stop twice amidst the crowd: once at a booth to pay for tickets, and the second time directly in front of a large gaming consul with two full size two-wheel vehicles (similar to what Regina had noticed before on the streets) attached to the front. She eyes the apparatus with a slight bit of trepidation, not sure exactly what to make of it.

"What now?" Regina asks, having to practically yell even in this cramped space.

Roland beams up at her. "It's a motorcycle race game," he says, climbing onto one of the motorcycles. "It's my favorite! Hop on!" He gestures towards the second one. "It can be a two-player game!"

Regina stares at the vehicle's "saddle" suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah!" Roland encourages, "Please try, it's so much fun!"

Having nothing else to lose, Regina sighs. Upon stepping up to the motorcycle, she grabs what she supposes are the handles and swings a leg over the side, mounting it like she would Rocinante. Well, this isn't so bad. It's comfortable, even.

"Just grab the handles, pull your hand back on them both to rev the engine and go forward," Roland instructs, leaning over to show her the controls. "Then you tilt your body left and right to steer!"

Oh! So the apparatus moves. Regina tilts the entire motorcycle from one side to the other, smirking slightly at how silly she must look. All because of this little boy called Roland.

"You good to go?"

Regina looks over at him and nods. She watches the screen as he selects the "Beginners" track from the control on his motorcycle. And then they're off!

The vehicle shoots forward on the screen and Regina's eyes widen as she struggles to get it under control. Riding a horse indeed, though she moves nowhere physically except on the screen before her. On one hand, this is quite fascinating. On the other, Regina has no clue what to do except make her poor virtual motorcycle knock into every barrier possible. Gritting her teeth, she "revs" the engine like Roland said and her player shoots forward once again in a burst of energy. Again, and she's going faster and faster. Ah! A boulder appears in front of her and Regina leans to the side on instinct to avoid it, taking the motorcycle with her. So this is how it works! The motorcycle continues to speed forward as Regina slowly but surely gets the hang of it. The number in the corner of the screen shows her position in the race. Seventh, eighth, fourth, third, second… And Regina glides across the finish just shy of first place, feeling ridiculously proud of herself. Turning to face a cheering Roland, she gives him a stupid grin.

"You did it! And for your first time, that's so awesome!" Roland praises, smiling widely.

"Thank you dear," Regina replies. She beams back at him, a warmth blooming in her chest at the boy's expression as he looks at her with an overwhelming amount of amazement.

"Can we go again?"

They slot two more tickets in and proceed once more, this time with the "Intermediate" track.

So, this is how it is for a good hour and a half as the pair make their way around the arcade after that second round of motorcycle racing. It takes Regina a few good tries to warm up to each game, and even longer to get used to the overwhelming atmosphere. But surprisingly enough, she slowly begins to enjoy herself, of course putting down said joy to be because of little Roland and his infinite enthusiasm for each and every game they encounter. Regina even declares a favorite by the end, that is a shooting game, of which she had quickly found herself to be quite good at. In fact, it turned out to be an excellent way to exercise her many demons, as she allowed herself to virtually kill her enemies without any consequence whatsoever. And, loathe as she is to admit it, it was indeed at her request that they played three more times.

It's almost four o'clock when Regina and Roland make their way from the arcade and back out onto the streets. The city seems a lot quieter in comparison. Though, the brunette is sure that her ears are slightly plugged from the high volume in that damned, but very fun, facility. Surprisingly, there are five or so dollars left, so Roland convinces—or more so directs—Regina in buying him an ice cream, to which she obliges.

"You know, you're pretty cool," Roland says, happily licking away at the sweet treat as they slowly walk in the direction of home. These residential areas are thankfully far quieter than the city's center.

Regina turns to look down at the young boy, her brow arched. "Cool?"

"Yeah, like you're really fun."

The brunette blinks in surprise. She's not sure if she has ever been called that before. "Really? You think so?"

Roland nods. "Yeah. Kelly would never go out and do this with me."

"I see."

"You know, it's kinda funny that you're here."

"What do you mean?"

"I always wished that my favorite fairytale characters would come alive."

Regina frowns. "The Evil Queen is your favorite character?"

Roland nods again, eagerly. "I always liked her," he asserts proudly, "Snow White was way too princess-y."

Regina can't help but chuckle softly in reply. Much agreed.

"Say, don't you have a magic mirror, like in the stories?"

"Well," Regina says, "As a matter of fact, I do."

"That's so awesome. So you can do magic and stuff?"

Regina sighs. "Well, I used to. But…"

Roland looks to her, his little brows frowning in deep curiosity. "But what?"

"For some reason, in this world, I can't access it."

"What do you mean?"

Regina crosses her arms, turning from Roland to stare distantly down the road on which they walk. "I can feel it inside of me," she explains, "Deep down. But for some reason, I can't get it to rise to the surface so that I can use it. It's hard to explain. I suppose it's like trying to describe something, an emotion perhaps, but not quite finding the words to explain it, though you have it on the tip of your tongue and know exactly what you want to say." She glances at Roland, brows pulling together as she watches the boy try and make sense of what she's saying. The fallen queen is certain he doesn't quite understand, but that doesn't seem to deter him in the least.

"Can't you just try?"

Regina inhales deeply, slowing her pace to a halt. Unfolding one arm while leaving the other remaining tightly wrapped around her stomach, she shakes out a hand. Then, she brings said hand between herself and Roland, furrowing her brow in deep concentration as she extends her palm upward. Fingers flexing, Regina stares at her empty hand, eyes darkening as she tries with all of her mental strength to will her magic forth and produce a fireball—anything. Both she and Roland hold their breath.

But nothing happens.

Letting out a puff of air, Regina groans in defeat, dropping her hand. "It's no use," she whines, staring up at the sky for a brief moment as if to plead with the heavens. It's only the gentle touch of Roland's hand on her arm that brings her gaze back down and towards his sympathetic brown eyes.

"You can do it," Roland encourages with all the innocence of a child, "I know you can!"

Regina shakes her head, shoulders sagging. "It's useless," she says, "Whatever's in this world that's counteracting my magic is far too strong."

"But there has to be some way, right?"

"I don't know," Regina murmurs, "That's why I have to find out. I must, if there's any chance of going back to the Enchanted Forest."

"But why?" Roland questions, suddenly looking forlorn. He seems to have changed his tune from the night before, from wanting to help her find a way back home. "Why do you have to go back?"

"Because I—" Regina swallows thickly. How can she possibly tell an eight-year-old this? "—I have unfinished business."

"What kind of business?"

Regina shakes her head. "Just matters that need attending to," she answers a bit roughly.

"Is this because of Snow White?"

Regina starts to walk again. Rounding the corner, she recognizes this street as the one on which Robin's apartment is located.

"You don't have to beat her, you know. You can just live here, with me and Papa."

"Roland," Regina sighs, "I'm just passing through. Your Papa has enough on his plate. Having me around would just be a burden."

"But, I like you! I want you to stay." Roland sticks his lower lip out at her, his eyes welling up with tears.

They're almost enough to make Regina cave. But she's a woman on a mission now. If she can find a way to reignite her magic, she can start working on finding a way back to the Enchanted Forest. She can't have any more distractions now, and she certainly cannot let herself become tied up with Robin and Kelly's relationship no matter how she feels about it—if she feels anything at all—which she's certain she doesn't.

"Roland," Regina says, bending down to his level. Hesitantly, she lifts her hands, placing them both on his shoulders, a tender gesture that feels ever so strange but oh so right. "I need to go," she states, looking deep into the child's matching chocolate eyes, "The Enchanted Forest is my home. I have to go back there. This world, this… New York City… it's too dangerous for me now. I don't belong here. You and your father will be better off without me."

"But how do you know that?" Roland whimpers, his shoulders sagging, "We just met you."

"I know it because it's right," Regina insists, "You and Robin—your Papa—have been nothing but kind to me. And… that's something that I haven't had in a very long time. But I need to leave, for all of us. You and your Papa and Kelly are about to become a family." She smiles sadly. "And I can't stand in the way of that."

Roland sniffles, refusing to meet her gaze. "I don't want Kelly," he cries, "I want you."

It's that statement that tears Regina's heart apart. But she knows that's a dream that will never happen. That's why she needs to get away, away from Robin so that nothing bad will come of either him or Roland. She'd already caused a rift in their perfect life. Who's to say that something even worse could follow should she decide to stay? She is a walking recipe for disaster. That's why Regina can feel nothing but anger at herself for letting those tight barriers fall. Just a simple look in those deep sapphire eyes and in a span of two days, she is reduced once more to that of the terrified teenager she had once been, trifling with an emotion that brings nothing but pain. It's a weakness, one to which she, even after all these years of darkness, finds herself to be most susceptible. And so, such a weakness must be put to an end today.

---

There's something wrong. Robin can just tell by the way Roland trudges to his room and Regina to the couch after both having uttered the bare minimum of a greeting each.

The atmosphere is not great, and even worse now with the fact that Robin remains particularly on edge after his meeting with Kelly. They have cleared the air, yes. Robin had reassured the anxious redhead that Regina was just a woman who needed help, who was only passing through, and nothing more. They'd shared a kiss, Kelly clutching fiercely onto the small bouquet of lilacs that Robin had gotten her as a means of apology—just like Regina had suggested. Everything should be all right. With Kelly now assuaged, everything should be back on track for Robin's proposal. He should be happy, should be relieved. But no. It just doesn't feel right anymore. And he can't quite understand why. Perhaps it's just something like cold feet, except before a marriage proposal. Perhaps all of this excitement with Regina has thrown him off course.

Robin sighs, swiping a hand through his hair as he looks to the brunette who stares quietly at him with an expectant gaze. Though, she looks just as morose as he.

"So, how did it go?"

The man shrugs. "Everything's fine now. Kelly's fine."

"Fine?"

"Yes. I made her understand that you're just…"

Regina frowns as Robin trails off. "Just what?"

"Temporary," he blurts without even thinking.

The brunette blinks at him, visibly forcing herself to appear the least affronted as possible. "Temporary," she echoes, scoffing, "So that's how you see me."

"No, Regina, I—"

"No, it's true, Robin," Regina intercepts as she comes to a stand, "I am that. Just the way you put it was rather—"

"Harsh, I know," Robin acknowledges, "And I apologize."

Regina shakes her head. "So I guess I'll best be leaving."

"Are you sure?" Robin steps towards her. "I don't mean to kick you out."

At his backpedaling, Regina frowns at him, crossing her arms firmly over her chest once more. "You just said that I was temporary," she says, "Don't you want me gone?"

"What?" Robin breathes, "No! I'd never just send you off into the cold."

"Then why tell Kelly something that's not exactly true?"

"Because, what am I supposed to say? She thought that I was sleeping with you!"

Regina breathes out a bitter laugh. "And what will she say when she comes back and I still happen to be here?" She shakes her head. "I can't afford to be caught up in your mess. I'm leaving." She starts forward, brushing past Robin.

"Regina, wait!" It's as if his hand has a mind of its own, reaching forward to grab her wrist and halt her in her tracks. "Please, don't!" It surprises Robin to no end that he's suddenly so vocal and vehement about her not leaving.

"Why?!" Regina demands, swiveling around to face him, her eyes blazing. "Must you make this so incredibly confusing? What's it to you if I go? I am just temporary, aren't I?"

Robin winces as his own words fly right back, hitting him square in the chest where it hurts. He lets Regina yank her hand from him, staring at her with a conflicted gaze.

"Just answer me this, Robin, because I'm curious. Why would you even think of having me around after what happened with Kelly? I am not someone who can be pushed about and used for whatever your goddamn purpose is!"

"No, Regina! It's not like that."

"Then let me leave! I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself."

Robin glares at her. "Regina, if you go out there, I will have no choice but to follow."

"Really?!" Regina exclaims, "What about Kelly? Do you have any regard for her at all?!"

"Of course I do!" Robin cries, "I am going to ask her to marry me." The sentence feels like more of a confirmation to himself than to anyone else.

"When?"

"Tonight." Robin ducks his head, swiping at the back of his neck. "At the King and Queen's Costume Ball."

There's a silence before Regina laughs, really laughs. "You have to be joking."

"No, I'm not."

"You said Kelly hates those sorts of things."

"Perhaps not, but it was her idea to go. She likes anything, I suppose, where she'll have the chance to dress up, regardless."

Regina snorts, shaking her head. "So you've made your decision." She looks up at him, her eyes glistening.

Quietly, Robin gives a slow nod, breathing out a sigh. "Yeah."

"Will you let me go now?" Regina asks, "You must see that this is not right, especially with what's to happen tonight."

"Regina…" Robin blows out a breath, wracking his brain for an excuse to make her stay despite his better judgment. "Please stay. Just for tonight. I need someone to look after Roland while I'm away at the ball. Can you do that for me?"

Regina breathes deeply, the vein on her forehead bulging as she thinks it over. "Very well," she answers, "For Roland, I will."

At her reply, Robin smiles. "Thank you," he adds sincerely.

But Regina shakes her head, hugging her arms around herself in silence. "Do you love her?" She asks suddenly, breaking the short pause between them. Her voice is just above a whisper.

"What?"

"Kelly. Do you love her?"

"I…"

Regina raises her brow at him. "Is that so hard of a question for you? It's just a simple yes or no answer."

Robin looks at her, feeling the most conflicted than he'd ever felt.

"If you don't love her, then why don't you just leave?"

"Because I—she's expecting me to…"

"So you're just going to propose to her because she expects you to?" Regina snorts. "I really didn't think you to be so weak."

This really heats Robin's blood. And a switch flips. "I'm not weak!" He argues back, "I want this too!"

"Then act like you do," Regina spits back, "Quit playing with all of us!"

"Oh, you want to talk about play, Regina?! You show up here spouting nonsense like being from the Enchanted Forest and that you're some kind of infamous Evil Queen, yet you won't even breath a word of anything more. Why you're here, what happened to you in the first place. Nothing. So don't even think about accusing me of playing when you are doing the exact same thing!"

"There are reasons why I don't divulge such things!"

"Oh, because you are such a great evil," Robin mocks. "I can see past that, Regina. My entire job is about breaking through people's barriers. You can't fool me. I know that look in your eyes. I can see the pain. I want to help!"

"Why?!"

"Because I feel for you, Regina!" Robin exclaims, finally bursting forth his pent-up emotion. "Because I know what it's like, to be at my lowest point."

Regina grits her teeth, absolutely seething. "You have no idea how I feel," she growls, balling her fists. The look she gives him is positively evil.

But Robin won't back down. "Then make me understand," he pleads, "Please. I know it hasn't been that long since we've met each other but let me in. You don't have to go through this by yourself."

Regina stares at him, her lower lip wobbling ever so slightly. Her eyes are charcoal and her breathing clipped. Without another word, she pushes at his chest, shoving him out of the way before marching straight towards the door.

"Regina!"

"No. Let me be."

"Regina stop, we can—"

"I said leave me alone!"

Eyes flashing, Regina whirls around. It's almost automatic the way she thrusts her hands out. And immediately, Robin goes flying. Hit by some invisible force, his back slams against the wall, all breath knocked straight out of him. As he gasps for air, Robin watches Regina through blurry vision as she too inhales sharply, looking down at her hands in utter shock.

"I did it," she whispers, turning her hands over.

Robin groans, shifting his weight to lean up against the wall, his back protesting. "Did what?" He breathes.

"My magic," Regina says, her lips breaking into a watery smile, "It's back."

---

Regina can feel the very buzzing of its electricity, zapping her bones and coursing through her veins, awakening every nerve and muscle fiber to life. Brought upon by Robin's incessant pleading and the rapid growth of Regina's anxiety and fear because of it, her magic surges forth in a brilliant display of force. It knocks Robin against the wall, leaving Regina just as stunned as he.

Now, as she gazes at her hands, her palms tingling and fingertips sparking, she can feel nothing but a deep, fulfilling triumph bursting in her chest.

"So it's true…" Regina looks to Robin as he staggers to his feet, pressing a hand against his lower back.

Slowly, the fallen queen nods, still far too shell-shocked to answer. She looks at Robin, assessing his state of mind to still be much similar to hers. But then a thought hits her and suddenly her heart gives a small jolt in her chest as realization slowly sets in. He could run at any moment. He could take Roland and leave, just like that, without even glancing back in her direction. But, as Robin stands before her, there's no sign of any of that. Instead, he takes a cautious step towards her. But Regina's defense mode kicks in, and she automatically steps back. "Don't," she says, holding her hands up, "I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't think you will," Robin replies, bravely continuing to approach her.

"You're not running," Regina breathes, hugging herself firmly around the waist.

Robin shakes his head. "I'm not afraid of you."

"But you really, really should be."

There's another firm shake of his head. "It makes no difference to me." Then, he does something truly risky. Robin reaches an upturned hand towards her, smiling softly.

Regina gazes down at his palm, her heart thumping against her chest. She makes no move yet, but Robin waits patiently, a gentle look in his eyes—a look that tells her that everything will be okay. And it's without hesitation that she finds herself to believe him. So she takes his hand, feeling the warmth and softness of his skin. It sends a familiar tingling down her spine, which Regina tries to ignore as she allows Robin to lead her back to the couch.

"Is this how you were brought here?" Robin asks gently upon taking his seat next to her on the plush cushions. "By magic?"

Regina nods silently, taking her hand away from him to clasp both hands tightly in her lap. "It was a portal," she explains in a whisper, "A magic portal created by a magic bean."

"And you just…fell in?" Robin searches her eyes, the desire, his yearning to understand so evident amidst his swirling blue orbs.

Regina shakes her head. "Not exactly."

Robin's brows furrow.

"I was banished," Regina says slowly, "Banished here on the order of Snow White and her Prince."

"Oh…" Robin's voice is but a breath and Regina can just hear the wheels turning in his head as everything clicks into place.

The fallen queen squeezes her eyes shut, the desire to tell him more is stronger than it ever was before, having been repressed by fear—of which she now realizes as fear that he'd see her just like everyone else had. And from the first person who had ever shown her true patience despite all uncertainty, his true fear and that of Roland's truly would have been the final thing to ultimately break her.

"I was sentenced to death, at first. But Snow decided to spare my life and instead send me to live in exile."

"What did you do that would warrant such a thing?"

Regina's eyes flicker up at him, suddenly burning with a bout of fresh tears ready to spill. But she holds them in. "I just wanted to be happy," she barely whispers, "I wanted justice."

"Justice," Robin slowly repeats. "Justice for who?"

"Daniel," Regina says, a small tear rolling down her cheek, "He died because of her… and because he loved me."

---

Realization hits Robin like a truck racing down the freeway. It all makes sense now. Everything Regina mentioned in the park about anger and the thirst for revenge clouding someone's judgment, making him or her crazy—everything she said is true. She isn't evil. She's just misunderstood. And now, Robin realizes that both her and he have something far more in common than he'd thought: the pain and rage over a lost loved one.

"I'm sorry," Robin whispers as he lays a hand atop hers, his thumb swiping back and forth over her smooth skin.

"I've done some pretty horrible things…," Regina admits as she wipes away the tear on her cheek, "things that are unforgivable."

"Hey," Robin says. He has no qualms in reaching up with his other hand to cup Regina's cheek, gently forcing her to look him in the eye. "Everyone is redeemable."

"But villains don't get happy endings."

"You're not a villain, Regina," Robin asserts firmly, "Yes, you may have made bad choices but you're not evil. I've seen it, the way you were at the park and the way you look at Roland. You just have to see it in yourself that there's still good left inside you."

"I don't know…"

Robin sighs deeply, lowering his hand. "Thank you for telling me," he says softly after a few moments, "Really, thank you."

Regina tilts her head in acknowledgement. Though Robin is sure that this isn't the whole story, it is a significant start. And maybe, just maybe, in the future—if there is one—she'll one day find it in herself to reveal to him her story in full.

"You don't have to do this, you know." Regina's voice is soft, breaking through the heavy silence between them.

Robin looks into her eyes, completely melting at how innocent she appears. "Do what?" He asks, continuing to rub the back of her hand with his thumb.

"You don't have to propose to her…"

Robin sighs, lowering his gaze. "Regina, I—"

"You have a choice, Robin. I didn't. And look where I am because of it."

Robin lifts his eyes, taking in Regina's watery gaze. And she doesn't even have to tell him that she is queen not by choice but by force—an incredibly dark twist to the story he had thought he'd known.

"Regina, I'm too far in," Robin says, sighing heavily, "And Roland needs a mother."

At his sorry excuse, the brunette gives him a crumbling look. That unspoken desire is so clearly written across her sorrowful features. And it's with no doubt that he wants it too. But it can never be. How can it when both come from two completely separate lives, two completely separate realms? Robin knows she shouldn't belong here. And who is he to hold her back?

"I know," Regina whispers, avoiding his eyes. "I'm sure she'll be a wonderful mother… and wife."

---

Puff… puff… POOF!

Roland's eyes widen, a grin spreading across his face as he claps his hands. "That's so cool!" He exclaims, bouncing in his seat on the bed.

Regina chuckles softly, unable to stop the proud smile that she wears as she watches the small fireball in her palm blaze brightly, luminating Roland's small dark room.

"What else can you do?" Roland asks, reaching over to flick on the bedside light once again as Regina extinguishes the fire in her palm.

Regina can't help but beam at the boy's enthusiasm, chuckling softly. "I can teleport, go from one place to another. I can conjure things, you know, make things appear. And I can move things without touching them." She can also reach into people's chests, rip out their hearts, and crush them to death. Though, that's certainly not something to disclose, especially to an eight-year-old.

"Can you make an ice cream appear?" Roland giggles as he flops onto his back beside her.

Regina laughs aloud. "I don't think your father would appreciate that, especially after you've eaten already," she says with a fond shake of her head. Though, the mentioning of Robin sobers her up some, reminding her of where he is currently: dancing the night away with his new fiancé.

"Aww," Roland whines, though still keeping a wide smile on his lips. His eyes sparkle up at Regina. But unfortunately, she doesn't feel the same sentiment as she stares now melancholic out into nothing. "Gina? What's wrong?"

Regina blinks, looking down at the little boy sitting patiently by her side. The nickname takes her aback just a bit, though it's not at all repulsive in the least. "Nothing," she sighs, "It's nothing."

"Are you sad that Papa's away?"

At this, the brunette frowns. "Why would I be sad?"

"Because you like him," Roland states so bluntly that Regina's eyes widen. Leave it to a child to tell it like it is.

She swallows thickly. "Roland, I—"

"I saw you looking at him when he left," Roland says, "You were sad he was going. So that must mean you like him."

"Roland…"

"I think you should be with Papa. Not Kelly."

Regina darn well almost chokes on her spit. "Roland!" She coughs, "Where in the world did you get that idea?"

But all the boy does is smile sweetly up at her. "What? Don't you wanna be with him?"

"I don't know, I…"

"Don't lie," Roland scolds, "Papa says lying is a very dishonorable."

Okay then. "Yes," Regina sighs defeatedly. Her shoulders sag. "Yes, I suppose I do. But that won't ever happen."

"Why not? All you have to do is go be with him."

"Roland, it's not that simple."

"Yeah it is!" Roland encourages, "Just tell Papa that you wanna be with him. I know he'll feel the same way. I know it!"

Regina groans, lifting a hand to pinch at the bridge of her nose. She's just this close to getting a raging migraine. "I don't know, Roland," she repeats, slightly frustrated at the fact that it's a child no less who's urging her to do things from which she'd normally run. "The ball has already started." And Robin may have already proposed. It could be too late.

"You gotta try," Roland insists, looking rather authoritative from his stance on the bed. He crosses his little arms, pouting. "You gotta!"

"Okay, okay!" Regina exclaims, throwing her hands up in exasperation. With a huff, she stands from the bed, having exactly no idea how to go about this. "I don't even have anything suitable to wear," she protests.

"Oh I know!" Roland says, smiling eagerly, "You can con-con—"

"Conjure something?" Regina raises a brow.

"Yeah, that!"

Regina exhales. She has just regained her magic. Lord knows how unstable it is. After shooting Roland somewhat of a withering look, she closes her eyes and waves a hand over herself. And much to her delight, that signature purple plume of smoke rises, swirling around her body for just a brief moment. Regina opens her eyes, finding herself to be standing in the exact same spot, dressed head to toe in her former, regal glory: a tightened corset, a thick feathered cape with pointed shoulders, skin tight leather pants, sky-high heeled boots, blood diamonds, and makeup dark enough to scare any person, child or adult. Roland gapes at her as his large brown eyes slowly move up and down her body, taking it all in at once.

"What do you think?" Regina asks tentatively, staring down at the little boy who appears much shorter due to the significant change in her height.

"It's a little… scary." Roland says, tilting his head to the side.

Regina laughs. "A little?"

Roland nods. "Yeah. Maybe go for being a princess."

Regina laughs again, shaking her head. "Dear, I am so not a princess."

With a wave of her hand again, the magical smoke reappears. And when it clears, Regina stands in an entirely new outfit. Still regal as ever, this look is a far cry from the "scary" getup she donned just seconds ago.

"Much better!" Roland nods in approval. A wide grin spreads once more across his face, showing off his little dimples that remind Regina so much of his father. "You look so pretty!"

Regina smiles shyly. As she looks down at herself, she rubs her hands over the velvet material of her new attire, content to finally feel its softness against her skin after so long. "Thank you, my dear."

"Now you can go!" Roland cheers as he hops up from his place on the bed.

Regina's eyes widen as she watches the young boy dash from the room. Gathering her skirts, she follows quickly, heels clacking loudly against the wood floors. "Wait! Roland, I don't even know where—"

"This is where it's at," Roland says, handing her an envelope that he'd snatched from the kitchen counter. Inside appears to be some sort of receipt, which had accompanied the now vanished tickets.

"Are you sure?" Regina asks, "Woolworth Building?"

Roland nods. "Positive," he affirms. "Can you poof there?"

Regina lifts her brows. "Poof?" She echoes.

"Yeah! Do your magic smoke thing and appear there."

The brunette lifts her chin in understanding. "Oh, well, I guess I can…" She glances back down at the name. She really has no idea where this building is or what it looks like, and will therefore need to simply trust in her magic. "Well," she declares, handing the envelope and receipt back to Roland, "Off I go."

Roland bounces up and down before her. "Good luck!" He says excitedly.

Regina smirks slightly, shaking her head. "Please behave," she bids, "If this little scheme of yours doesn't work, I'd hate to have your father angry with me about leaving you alone on top of all of this."

Roland nods firmly. "Don't worry," he assures, "I'll stay right here."

"Good." Regina exhales. As she closes her eyes, she bites her lip, praying to whatever god is up there that this works. In her mind, she focuses on the name of her destination as the magic begins to unfurl around her once more.

When she opens her eyes, she is greeted with a deafening horn and a car that swerves around her, just barely missing by an inch. Regina jumps back, her heart knocking against her ribcage.

"Get out of the street!" A man yells. And Regina doesn't need to be told twice. Lifting the ends of her dress, she rushes to the sidewalk. Well, she supposes, this could have gone worse. Sucking on her lower lip, Regina takes stock of her surroundings, feeling rather foolish standing fully dressed in her Enchanted Forest attire in the middle of the city. Woolworth Building. What a strange name that is, indeed.

Regina does a three-sixty, turning in a circle from where she stands to see if she can spot any sign of such a building. And that's when she sees them, a young couple dressed similar to she, along with elaborate masks and hairstyles to add, crossing the street and headed directly towards a building that towers up into the night sky. That must be it. Gathering her skirts once more, Regina rushes after the couple, though is careful to keep her distance as she follows them across the street and into the building. From there, she faces another problem, which is not having a ticket to present to the guard. However, Regina is lucky enough to catch a glimpse of those of the couple before her. And with a sly grin, she is able to reproduce one of her own by magic.

The guard is an older man who looks quite taken aback by Regina as she hands him her ticket. In that brief time engaging with him, she watches him lick his lips and eye her up and down. But paying no mind to his prying gaze, Regina moves forward and up the stairs towards the muffled sound of music.

Now, she is getting worried. With every step she takes, her heart thumps harder and her stomach squeezes into a tight ball of nerves. What will he say? What will he do? Is this all just a mistake? Regina pauses just shy of the double doors, allowing the people behind her to pass. Roland doesn't think so. He seemed quite certain that this will work out. But he's a child. And since when does Regina ever listen to a child? … Since she'd unwittingly fallen head over heels for one. Placing a shaking palm on one of the door's handles, the fallen queen worries her lower lip one last time. The embarrassment she is sure to feel from going through with this, the foolishness she feels in throwing all caution to the wind, is Robin really worth all of that? Regina swallows thickly. Raising her chin, she composes herself. Yes. Yes, he is.

And it's with that thought on her mind that Regina, with a burst of newfound determination, grabs both handles and throws open the doors.

---

It's a grand medieval tune that the orchestra is playing. Dressed in a blue tailcoat with ornate gold trimming that decorates its lapels, Robin glides about the floor with Kelly. His hair is lightly gelled so that it remains pushed from his forehead. Before him, Kelly is dressed magnificently in a green and gold medieval gown made of thick brocade and intricately woven beaded designs across the bodice. Red ringlets are pinned up like a crown atop her head.

She smiles happily at him. Though, he can't quite return the sentiment. Robin is unable to deny the fact that while he remains here dancing with the supposed love of his life, his heart takes him back somewhere else—back to someone else.

"Darling, this is really best night of my life," Kelly croons, distracting Robin from his thoughts. "I can't think of anything that could make it better." There's another of those familiar furtive glints in her hazel eyes, one to which Robin heaves a silent sigh. She'd been dropping hints all evening, not even taking the care to be subtle about what she believes so wholeheartedly that Robin will eventually do. After all, why else attend such an extravagant event?

But much has changed.

And instead with a heart excited for this highly anticipated next step, Robin feels the burden of the ring box in his breast pocket and something in the universe urging him to continue stalling the big question.

He spends the entire dance drifting back and forth between his own heavy thoughts and Kelly's rambling about the future, their future. When the dance ends, Robin is thankful, clapping robotically along with everyone else at the band's conclusion. The pleasant hum of the crowd falls quieter as the ball's participants eagerly anticipate the next song. They're at the perfect volume for Robin to not miss the sound of the grand double doors opening. Several heads swivel to look at the newcomer, including Robin. And the sight that he's met with is one of which he'd never in his life expected.

For there stands Regina atop the staircase, a vision in deep red velvet. Unlike the other gowns that spill out from the women's hips in voluminous skirts of ruffles and frills, hers is one that fits snugly to her body, hugging her torso in a way that's both elegant and deliciously sinful. Her gown reaches to the floor, extending out in a short train behind her. A plunging neckline covered by thick intricate black lace appliqué that extends out around the bodice, up over the lightly padded shoulders, and decorating the ends of the long sleeves, this gown is one truly worthy of a queen. Regina's hair is restored to its original length: long waves of ebony reaching down and almost past her hips, half of it pinned up elegantly atop her head. Her full, rouged lips would shame that of Snow White's. Her eyes are lined, their lids shadowed with charcoal. Amidst of all the other things he's feeling in this moment, Robin wonders if this is exactly what she looked like, what she wore, back in the Enchanted Forest. Something tells him yes. How terrifying it must have been to encounter the Evil Queen, not only because of the horrible things she had done but because of the danger of seduction brought on by her impeccable beauty.

Regina starts forward down the steps, her eyes scanning the crowd as a few people continue to stare. But she looks right past them. Robin can do nothing but swallow, heart pounding in anticipation. Beside him, Kelly stiffens, grabbing tightly onto his hand. But it does her no good when both he and Regina finally lock eyes.

"Robin," Kelly warns.

But Robin lets go of her hand. Walking to meet Regina amidst the throng of people, he is drawn to her as if by some magnetic force.

"Robin, you can't!" Kelly shrieks from behind him, "How could you?"

"Well, folks, it's that time of night," the master of ceremony's voice booms over the grand ballroom, effectively drowning out Kelly's rage. "I'd like to ask each gentleman to invite a lady he did not accompany this evening to dance the King and Queen's Waltz."

Robin approaches Regina, meeting her in the middle. Their eyes never part, gazes connected with one another even as the music begins to play. Regina's dark orbs are shining. The dim ballroom lights reflect beautifully in them, making her eyes look as if they hold the stars. Never has she looked more stunning.

"What are you doing here?" Robin breathes, not wanting to get close just yet. He's so afraid that if he reaches towards her and touches her, she'll disappear as if it all is just a dream.

"Snow said that in this place, maybe I'll find a second chance," Regina answers, soft and sincere, "So, I'm not about to let that slip away."

A slow smile spreads across Robin's lips as his heart takes to the sky. Nothing matters anymore now. They are here, so very close. All of the cards are laid out on the table. This is it.

Robin slips an arm around Regina's waist. Pulling her close and throwing all caution to the wind, he kisses her deeply as if she's an oasis and he the exhausted traveler amidst a scorching desert. She melts right into him, their lips moving in tandem, fitting absolutely perfectly with one another.

They are breathless when they part. And Robin is overwhelmed with a profound sense of elation.

"Shall we dance?" he breathes, extending his hand. This time, it's without any hesitation that Regina nods eagerly, placing her hand in his.

And before he knows it, Robin is whisking the queen away across the dance floor.

---

Regina floats across the dance floor, her feet barely touching the ground. Her eyes stay fixed upon Robin's: a silent exchange of profound feeling, of passion. In her heart, she'd never felt more content. She's not certain of what the future holds, of what this all means. But Regina knows that here, in Robin's arms, she finally belongs.

"Stay with me," he whispers in her ear, her back pressed against his front as they sway to the music.

Regina's eyes lower to their connected hands, a smile breaking across her lips. "I will," she answers, wanting nothing more than this.

Revenge be damned. But is she ready to leave it all in the past when it's something she has worked so hard and spent so much time to achieve? Maybe, maybe not. But at least it's far easier to think this way when finally, there's the prospect of something better.

It's no doubt that they have a long way to go. Regina and Robin have only just met, and they've barely scratched the surface of getting to know one another. There are still secrets, many more secrets to uncover, and far more stories to tell. And there's absolutely no certainty that all this will work. But that's okay. At least they've given themselves the chance.

"So close to reaching

That famous happy end

Almost believing

This one's not pretend

And now you're beside me

And look how far we've come

So far we are, so close"