So I had a mishap with this story and lost everything. So as I'm continuing, I have to repost including the new chapter. Le sigh. Anyway. I hope you all enjoy! Oh and the song is "First Love" by Adele. it's an amazing song and you should listen. Also, I own nothing.

So little to say but so much time

Despite my empty mouth the words are in my mind

Please wear the face, the one where you smile

Because you lighten up my heart when I start to cry

There he was again. Regina saw him standing behind her reflection in the mirror. She knew she didn't need to turn around because he wouldn't be there once she did. Regina had seen him every day since the moment she decided to throw all caution aside and kiss Robin Hood.

She first saw him as she was walking towards Granny's to meet Robin for lunch. Her eyes had quickly skimmed passed him. When realization hit who it was she thought she had seen, he was gone. Initially, she had shrugged it off, but then she continued to see him throughout her days. She would see him any time her mind wandered to the thief that was slowly beginning to steal her heart.

Regina knew he couldn't be real, that it was all in her mind. After all he was long gone. First, murdered by the hands of her own mother. Then, a second time, by her own. Her Daniel was long gone. So why had she been seeing him everywhere and now in her own bedroom?

Their eyes met in the reflection of her mirror. He didn't move only stood there watching. "I suppose you're here to remind me that this is a bad idea?" She spoke, knowing she wouldn't get a response. After all, he was a projection from her mind and not really there.

Robin would be over shortly. He was coming by to return her heart to her. Now that her sister was defeated, it could be returned to its safe place, her chest. She had spent hours that day trying to decide if she should tell Robin about the tattoo and what it meant to her. To them. As she sat in her room before her vanity mirror, she had come to her decision. Today, she would tell Robin Hood all about her meeting with Tinkerbell and the pixie dust. She could only hope he would understand. It was that moment, that Daniel appeared and she could only believe it was her minds way of stopping her from doing something so foolish as to opening her heart again. To be loved and by a thief of all people.

Forgive me, first love, but I'm tired

I need to get away to feel again

Try to understand why

Don't get so close to change my mind

Please wipe that look out of your eyes

Its bribing me to doubt myself

Simply, its tiring

Her focus remained on Daniel's unmoving form. His face held a sad smile. Regina exhaled slowly before speaking again. "I deserve to be happy, don't I?" She believed she could finally be happy. All her anger and her rage and need for vengeance had slowly been replaced by something else. Something less dark.

Being with Robin had lessened it all. The way he always knew where to find her when she needed someone most, even if she wouldn't admit it. He slowly began to break down the barriers she spent years building up. She knew they could be happy together. But why was her mind now doubting itself? Yes, she was afraid, afraid that if she dropped the barriers and walls and allowed Robin entry, that she would be hurt or even worse, he'd meet the same fate as Daniel but at someone else's hands. It would break her. She needed to have hope. Hope that this would be her second chance. A chance to finally get it right. Didn't she deserve it? She'd been manipulated and lied to most of her life. Now it was time for her to make a choice for her own happiness. "So why are you here?"

This love has dried up, and stay behind

And if I stay Ill be a lie

Then choke on words Id always hide

Excuse me, first love, but we're through

I need to taste the kiss from someone new

Forgive me, first love, but Im too tired

I'm bored to say the least and I, I lack desire

Forgive me, first love, forgive me, first love

Forgive me, first love, forgive me, first love, forgive me

Forgive me, first love, forgive me, first love

She was tired...she was tired of being alone. Daniel had told her to be happy again that it was okay to move on so why was he there? Didn't he want her to be happy, to find love again. To be loved truly by someone who knew all her faults and still chose her? That's when it all finally dawned on her.

Her mind hadn't projected him here to try to sway her from choosing her happy ending with Robin. He was there because until now, she hadn't truly let him go. There was a part of her that felt it was easiest to hold on to him so that she wouldn't, couldn't give herself fully to another. She still blamed herself for his death. Still punished herself for it. She knew that she couldn't fully give herself to Robin if she still held on to Daniel. She would always have love for Daniel he was after all her first love. But Daniel was her past. A past she needed to let go. A past that had caused her to lose so much of herself, that even she thought there was no redemption from. However, Robin had become one of the select few that had seen past the evil in her past and had accepted her for who she was and has become. She was just Regina. Not a queen and especially no longer an "evil" one.

Robin would be her future and if she truly wanted happiness, she would have to forgive herself and let Daniel go. As that realization dawned on her Daniel's reflection smiled with a slight nod of his head as if saying she had finally figured it out and it was okay to move on. And as her doorbell rang signaling the arrival of Robin, She smiled back at him as her eyes began to slightly water. She slowly stood before speaking the words she should have spoken so long ago. "Goodbye, Daniel." And as the words left her lips, his reflection faded away, still holding that warm smile she hadn't seen in so long. Smiling she turned to make her way out of her bedroom and downstairs, to greet her future..her happy ending. At that moment she knew it would all be alright, because after all pixie dust doesn't lie. Or so she hoped!