A/N: This was originally posted on my tumblr and it seems to be pretty popular. So I'm continuing it as a multi-chapter story. My plan is to have this mirror a half-season on Once, so there will probably be about twelve or thirteen chapters.

I also want to get one thing out of the way: I loved the ending scene of the season finale. I loved that it was Emma who sacrificed herself. I loved how it added to the Emma/Regina friendship. This is in no way meant to detract from that.

The idea came from the twitter user Imagine_OQ: "Imagine Robin saving Regina from the darkness and he became the new dark one to protect her." I saw it and decided to run with it. It's going to be interesting exploring Robin's dark side. So thank you Imagine_OQ and WoolGrillRegal.

I hope everyone enjoys this! Also, if anyone would like to make a story cover for this, I'd be really appreciative.

Thanks for reading!


Chapter 1: The Dark One

Robin grabbed Regina's hand, enjoying their moonlight walk. After everything they had gone through-both in this reality and the alternate one-he enjoyed just being with her. Neither said anything for a long time as they strolled through the empty streets of Storybrooke.

"I love this place," she said with a sigh.

He wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. "Me too. I hope I never have to cross that town line again."

"I don't think I'd let you. Not after last time." She stopped walking, using his leather jacket to pull him closer. He smirked before she captured his lips in a searing kiss. They stood in the middle of the deserted street, under the glow of a streetlamp and the green tint of the traffic signal. It wasn't the moonlight he had promised but for them, it was perfect.

It was Storybrooke.

Something changed in the winds and Regina pulled away, frowning. Robin watched her, confused and concerned. "What's wrong?"

"There's something in the air."

"Rain?"

"I pray it's only that." Regina sighed, taking Robin's hand again. "But we should head back anyway."

Disappointment washed over him...until he remembered they had many more days to do this again. He wasn't going anywhere this time. Neither was she. They were staying put in Storybrooke and staying together. So he smiled until they turned the corner.

David and Mary Margaret stood in the middle of the street, looking concerned. Emma and Hook ran up and Regina let go of his hand, darting forward. His stomach sank. Couldn't this town have more than a few hours of peace?

"What's going on?" Regina asked.

Emma turned to her, eyes wide. "The Apprentice separated the Dark One from Rumpelstiltskin and now it's loose."

"What?" Regina appeared calm but Robin could hear the panicked tremors in her voice. She looked between the others. "Where is it?"

Mary Margaret shook her head. "We don't know. It just flew off."

"No," Emma breathed, eyes darting around. "It's still here, surrounding us."

Hook stepped closer. "What's it waiting for?"

Regina gasped as the black sky reached out for her, enclosing her in darkness. She was pulled away from the group as it swirled around her, her body convulsing as tears ran down her face. The streetlamps around them flickered from the power surge caused by the Dark One.

"What's going on?" Robin demanded. "What's it doing to her?"

Emma's voice was strained as she responded, "It's snuffing out her light."

Robin understood. The darkness was trying to claim Regina completely. After her battle back from evil and her continual fight to be good, Robin wasn't going to let it. He would always be her partner, though she wouldn't ask him, and he'd help her in this battle.

"I won't let it." He ran at the dark cloud but felt like he hit a brick wall instead. A shock ran through his body, making breathing difficult He hit the street hard.

Emma knelt down next to him. "You can't defeat it that way. The Apprentice says we have to do what the Sorcerer did. We have to bind the Dark One to a person."

"Who?" Hook asked.

Robin saw the dagger clutched in Emma's hand and knew what he had to do. Regina had come too far to be dragged back to her dark ways. He was going to do the very thing he had failed to do in Isaac's twisted world-protect her. Grabbing the dagger from Emma, he raced toward the cloud again.

"No!" Regina yelled. "You can't do this. Think of Roland. You're all he has."

"He has you and Henry now along with the Merry Men. Keep him safe for me."

More tears poured down Regina's cheeks as she shook her head. "I won't let you do this."

"You have no choice, milady. And neither do they." Robin motioned to the Charmings behind him. "I'm going to do this."

"Why?"

Robin smiled. "Because I love you. And I trust you to save me."

Before Regina could protest more, Robin thrust the dagger at the darkness. It encircled him as Regina dropped to her knees in the street. Emma and David gathered her up and helped her to safety. Regina looked up at her friend. "Stop him. Please."

Emma nodded, leaving Regina in Mary Margaret's arms before taking back off toward the darkness as it swirled around Robin. Like it had done to him earlier, Emma was repelled and flew back until she hit the street. Hook rushed forward, checking on her.

"It's too late," Mary Margaret said. "The Darkness can't be stopped."

Regina met Robin's eyes. With a small smile, he was fully consumed by the darkness. Powerful winds and a bright light assaulted them before dying down. The dark cloud-and Robin-was gone. All that was left behind was the dagger with a new name written in ornate lettering:

Robin Hood


Three months.

Regina stared at the calendar she kept on her desk. It had been three months since Robin had become the new Dark One. There were no clues as to where he had gone, though Regina was certain he hadn't left Storybrooke. It was just a feeling she had.

They had settled into a new routine, her new little family. Roland had finally stopped crying himself to sleep and seemed to accept living with her and Henry. Henry, her not-so-little prince, had really stepped up and helped her keep the boy happy. He taught Roland how to ride a bike and play video games. Now, they were working on his reading skills with Henry helping Roland read a new book each night.

Yet Roland still crawled into her bed at least one a week, curling up against her.

Since Robin's disappearance, Will Scarlet had stepped up as the leader of the Merry Men. Regina and Emma were impressed with how the man had turned himself around and how helpful he had made the Merry Men. They kept searching for Robin and Will confessed to Regina he believed the same as she-Robin was still around.

"I figure he's at war with himself," Will told her, pouring them both generous helpings of alcohol. He handed her one of the glasses.

Regina took a sip. "What do you mean?"

"Well, look at it this way. Robin always strives to be an honorable man." He held out his right hand before his left. "Now he has this darkness inside him. Both sides are warring for dominance, no doubt."

She sighed. "The Darkness is going to win. It's too strong, even for Robin's honor."

"I know," Will said, softly. He took Regina's hand. "But we're going to be stronger than it. I know it."


Regina returned home, relieving Henry of babysitting duties. The house was still neat and Roland was already in bed. She kissed her son's forehead, once again noting how he was becoming a man more and more each day. She was proud he was turning out to be a good one like David and Robin.

Choking back a sob at the thought, Regina turned away from Henry. He placed a hand on her arm. "Don't worry, Mom. We'll find him. I don't think he's going to go very far."

She hugged him. "Thank you, Henry."

"Good night, Mom." He kissed her cheek before heading upstairs.

Regina climbed up them after him. She peeked in on Roland, who slept soundly in his bed. Creeping into his room, she kissed his forehead before tiptoeing back out. Time to head to her room and another night of nightmares.

As she entered her room, something felt off. It was dark and the light switch didn't seem to work. Her window was also open, the curtains billowing in the wind. Every fiber of her being was on edge as she crossed to the window, closing it. Breathing heavily, she yelled: "Who's there? Show yourself and I might not incinerate you."

Deep chuckling reached her ears before a strong arm wrapped around her waist. She was pulled flush against a hard body and lips found her neck. "Well now, we both know you wouldn't do that to me," a husky yet familiar voice whispered in her ear.

"Robin?" Her voice barely rose above a whisper as her heart beat faster both from fear and excitement. "Is that you?"

"Who else would sneak into your room?"

"You'd be surprised."

He chuckled again. "Who else would sneak into your room and not be trying to kill you?"

"Once again, you'd be surprised."

A growl rumbled from him as his arms tightened around her. Good thrills ran through her. Regina knew she should be frightened and that this wasn't the Robin she knew...but there was still something exciting about how being the Dark One had changed him.

He nibbled her neck and Regina knew she would have a purple mark to hide in the morning. "I think I should show you why you won't be having any more guests in your room...or your bed."

This possessive side unnerved her a bit but she didn't have time to think about it. Robin scooped her up and deposited her on the bed. As she laid there, magic pulsated from him. "What did you do?" she asked.

"Sound proofed the room. Don't want to disturb Henry and Roland."

"You've mastered your magic?"

"No," he admitted, almost sounding like the old Robin. "But I'm working on it."

"I could help you."

"I don't want to hurt you." He kissed her forehead, hands unbuttoning her shirt. She realized that conversation was over.

"Can I turn on the light? It's been so long since I saw you."

Even in the darkness, she could see Robin shake his head. "Not yet. I want you...I want you to picture as me as I was. Can you do that?"

That scared her more than the fact Robin was the Dark One. She tried to reach out to touch him. "What happened?"

"Nothing for you to worry about now." He grabbed her hand and kissed the underside of her wrist. "Now, no more talking."

With a flick of his wrist, Regina's clothing disappeared and she felt his go as well. His lips found her breasts as she leaned back, weaving her fingers through his now longer hair. A part of her knew she should try to let the others know she found Robin, that she should do something to keep him there until they could gather to help him.

But it had been so long since she had felt his lips against her skin. Since his fingers had teased her open and sent pleasure flooding through her. Regina wondered if he was pleased at how wet she already was before he replaced his fingers with his tongue. All rational thought fled from her mind as she gave herself to him.


He was gone the next morning.

Regina recalled feeling him kiss her forehead. It had been what had woken her up. But by the time she had opened her eyes, there was no sign of him in her room...except for the open window, sunlight streaming in through it.

She sat up, glancing over at her nightstand. A beautiful purple vase now sat there, holding a single black rose. Her heart sped up as she saw a white piece of paper leaning against it and she picked it up.

Regina,

No amount of darkness will ever stop me loving you. I had to see you last night and I know I'll see you again. But for now, you need to let me come to you. I'm too dangerous right now.

Thank you for taking care of Roland. Give him a kiss from me and tell him I love him. That no matter what happens, I'll always love him.

I wait for the day you find out how to help me.

I love you.

Robin.

Regina pressed the note to her chest as tears fell down her cheeks. She stood and pulled on her bathrobe, left hanging near her bed by Robin. Crossing to the window, she tried to see if she could spot any sign of Robin out there.

"I love you, too," she whispered. "And I will save you."