The Price of Magic - A Outlaw Queen Tale

by Darkmaison

Outlaw Queen POV Regina/Robin & Rumple A take on S3 - missing year in EF & SB. Written in style of show Book 1 & Book 2. Wicked Witch (pre-marian) Waking in Storybrooke Mental Health Unit, Regina must find a way to return the town's lost memories, battle a new foe and sort out her love life. Complete Tale

The price of magic -A outlaw queen tale

Book One - Regina: The past is a foreign country

Book Two - Robin: Fated

Book Three - Rumple: The Watcher

Book Four - Happy Afters

Epilogue

I own nothing

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter One -

One month ago - Storybrooke

The celling and the walls were white, old white, white that would have much whiter a long time ago.

The mattress was lumpy, uncomfortable, Regina could feel straps digging tight into her wrists and ankles.

Her was head foggy, her thinking felt clumsy and muddled, definitely drugs in her system by something was missing, she had no magic, it was there, she could feel it but blocked from her.

Breathing deeply, she pushed away the panic. Think Regina she urged herself. Where are you?

The drugs had a chemical edge, different from potions so not magic, that along with the bed style & ceilings made her wonder.

The room smelt of bleach, chemicals and old mould not the musty smell of cold walls warmed by open fires, this was the Enchanted Forest, it's Storybrooke she guessed, the ward under the hospital possibly.

Storybrooke.

Henry!

She pushed that thought away, forced her mind back through the fog, to her last memory, Henry, the yellow bug, leaving, driving away, lost forever.

Six months ago - Enchanted Forest

Lost and standing alone in the cold damp grass, a new dawn was breaking over nothing.

Just emptiness and heartbreak.

Regina stood still, barely listening to the voices around her, she may have given the appearance of being present, may have even replied when spoken to but she was not really there, she was inside her head, screaming and shaking, she was free falling into a endlessly pit of darkness, she was just trying to keep breathing, in out in, out, walk forward, breathe, walk, breathe, walk, nod, breathe.

She was vaguely aware of a plan being discussed to make their way to her castle, their castle David was calling it.

She watched herself from afar, there but really somewhere else.

She watched as men on horses rode towards them, she listened to what the words they spoke but she didn't really hear them.

She caught the words, castle and witch, she heard herself say "I think not," saw herself stride forward, heard Snow argue with her, heard herself argue back, heard one of the men intervene, he had blue eyes, broad shoulders, another even more distant part of herself thought him handsome, but what he said she had no idea, the other her must have been listening as she replied and then they were walking forward, breaking into little groups, walking and talking, the other her walked alone.

One month ago - Storybrooke

She could feel the traces lingering, a curse, a very familiar curse at that but not hers, not this time.

Her memories were in there somewhere at the back of her mind, on the tip of her tongue but everything was confused and foggy, she knew but she could not have said how she knew, that she returned again, that she had been in her realm, the realm in which she was born and now she was in this realm again, the land without magic.

She vaguely remembered her castle,something had happened, flashes of conversations ran through her mind but she was unable to pin them down into single coherent track.

Her mind felt addled, the drugs she thought, false memories of needles in her arms, pills in white cups, a cosy house, a small hand in her hers and laughing blue eyes.

Damn it she needed a clear head but it was too muddled.

The sound of the door opening dragged her back to the present, revealing a face she did recognise, memories of Storybrooke past slamming into her head.

She pushed the past away needing to focus on the here and now. "you're awake then" the nurse countered.

"Are these necessary" she asked lifting her restrained wrists to the nurse.

Does she know who I am? she wondered.

To her great relief, the nurse undid the straps and helped her to sit up, she accepted the tepid water pressed into her hand and attempted a conversation, the nurse ignored her and busied herself with prodding and poking her.

Getting nowhere fast she demanded a bathroom, she was led out of the room to the bathroom, half hoping to make a escape on the way there.

The bathroom was badly lit, with green tiles, dated and dimly lit, two shower stalls, toilet cubicles, and no windows.

No way out and still her magic remained dormant.

With no opportunity for escape and heavy limbs, she climbed into the shower, I will be waiting outside the nurse warned her.

Led back to her room, she looked around properly for the first time, a barred window with closed blinds to the left, single bed pushed up against the wall to the right, bedside table, small desk, brown carpet, white walls, old, tired and depressing. She mused that this room was actually nicer than the rooms she had given to the inhabitants in her time.

"You have company in five minutes, be well behaved, no repeats of last time or you will be sedated again" the nurse told her, locking the door behind her as she left.

The nurse had shown no sign of recognizing her, Regina was pretty sure that the nurse unlike herself, was walking around with curse memories.

Vanity taking over she peered in the mirror, found a hairbrush and some pressed powder in a drawer, she knew she still looked good, even with wet hair and no makeup.

Grateful for the shorter hair, she pulled the brush through it, thinking fast of how to handle this.

So we are back in Storybrooke, did that mean they were all back, could she leave and try and find Henry and if she did, would he want her to? She had to try.

She knew that saying goodbye to him had changed her, she felt the change as the curse had broken, a darkness had been lifted, the hole in her heart had diminished.

She remembered forced herself to stop thinking of Henry, even though she couldn't, because frankly it hurt like hell and still did.

"He's happy, he's happy with Emma and not alone, this has to be enough" she told herself over and over.

The darkness that consumed her in her reign as Queen had flickered out, the hollowness she felt during her first eleven years as Mayor was gone replaced with a gnawing sadness of life without Henry but now she was back, her heart fluttered with what she thought might be hope.

The nurse was back, opening the door and ushering in the last person she expected to see."Regina, your husband is here to see you".

"Robin" she breathed shocked.

Yes, she remembered him, Robin Hood, the thief, yes she remembered him, conflicting thoughts and vague memories, she couldn't be sure of their true relationship, the more she tried to remember the more the thoughts would slip away but husband he was not.

He exchanged a look with the nurse, who gave a small shrug and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Robin stepped forward into the room, "Daniel" he said "my name is Daniel"

She blinked and immediately felt rage, clearly this was personal.

Robin was clearly cursed, she needed to play along, if he thought he was her husband then in theory she should be able to convince him to get her out of what she now believed was indeed the mental health unit under Storybrooke hospital.

She forced her mind to go blank and tried to focus on the haze of what she presumed were her curse memories, false memories of a home, warm coloured, forest green and taupe walls, dark furnishings, over- stuffed couch, happiness?

Stepping forward, she murmured "yes of course".

He took a step towards her, smiling softly at her, she noticed how his eyes crinkled at the edges as if genuinely pleased to see her, he raised his hands then moved them back down, clearly wanting to reach out and touch her but unsure of her response, instead he inclined his head to the bed indicating they should sit.

So they did, side by side, she avoided his gaze, it was harder to keep the anger down and stay focused, all memories, true and false, were running into one, merging together, shouting at him in the castle, thundering across the plains on horse back mixed with making this Robin breakfast, it was exhausting and a little nauseating.

Swallowing hard, she once again tried to clear her head, tried to adopt a submissive pose, not easy for her, let him make the first move and hopefully get the answers she needed.

"So" he began, "you've had a good couple of nights, you looked rested" he said, she inwardly winced at the relief he was trying to hide in his voice, "yes" she said quietly.

He smiled fully this time and clasped her hand, "That's good Regina, what we need to work towards so you can come home".

Okay she thought this should be fairly easy, he clearly has curse memories and thinks I'm his wife, wants me to come home so all I need to do is play this part and maybe I can get out of here.

She felt awkward, unsure of herself, not normally feelings she had to contend with, he had curse memories so she didn't need to worry about his enchanted forest memories. Chancing a look at him, she drew a sharp breath as a memory blazed into her head, a memory of him whispering her name in her ear, his voice deep and full of lust, pulling her close to him, pressing her into him, his hot kisses on her neck.

Great now she felt guilt, maybe shame, she had used him, only to face him again in public where he shown her only amusement and an easy affection towards her.

She looked up at him, parted her lips, in a quiet voice, quieter than she had been hoping for, "I want to come home Rob.." she caught herself but was unable to say Daniel, "honey" she said.

He stroked her fingers and moved closer to her, peering into her face, she watched the movement of his hand as he raised it to gently tangle it in her damp hair,

"we miss you".

We? her face must have shown her confusion as he, pressed gently "Roland & I we miss you".

"Of course" she replied, keeping her voice steady "I miss him so much," inside she felt relief that Roland was safe with his father and anger to whoever had dared to bring the child into this twisted game.

"I'm sorry, for all this pain, everything I've put you both through but things are clearer now" she hoped her voice held sincerity, she pressed on "please, when can I come home? almost pleading now. She really needed to get the hell out of here.

Robin was sighing "oh Regina, its not that easy, you've said these things before but then" he answered

"then again with the crazy huh" she replied. God how long had she been in here or how long did he think she had been in here?

" Yes" he murmured, he looked tired, the strain showing in his eyes, tension in his shoulders.

Regina grasped his hand, feeling his rough hands in hers she stroked the outside of his thumb and leaned him towards him, "I promise, I really do feel better and am truly sorry"

He shook his head gently at this "it's not your fault, you've been unwell"

"Been?" she tried.

Robin looked away and then back at her, his gaze intense "you do seem better than I've seen you in a while, maybe I could talk to the doctor, try for a review, maybe a day out or home for the day.

"Or weekend" she faked a eager smile, "Maybe" he smiled at her. "we have to take it slowly, you know that right?" he hesitated, "Its been confusing for Roland, he knows his mummy is poorly but he is too young to understand what that means, you understand"

"Of course" she quickly agreed.

Once again swallowing her anger, partly towards herself for what she was about to do, she turned towards Robin, "honey" she whispered "I miss you".

He wrapped his arms around her so suddenly she was shocked, he pulled her into him, tucking her head into his chest, as he did she she caught the lingering scent of the outdoors on his clothes. She caught her breath as he ran his hands down her shoulders in a tender caress, "are you really back, my queen?" he wondered.

She felt herself tense at his choice of words, he must of felt it to as he pulled back from her,looking at her face "I'm sorry how stupid of me to say that" he apologised.

"why?" she queried curious.

He fumbled over his words "so silly of me, it was always our little joke but then you started having those dreams" he took a deep breath.

As she watched him struggle with this fake past, guilt sat heavy in her stomach, she had taken such pleasure in her curse, watching her enemies struggle, forced into lives they didn't want just as she had been when she married the King but here and now, on the other side of the fence it didn't feel quite so glorious.

Robin was speaking again, "You were so sure that our life together wasn't real, the obsession with fairy tales and believing that Roland, that Roland... he stopped, unable or unwilling to continue. "you remember our wedding?"

Shit, a test "of course, honey" she replied automatically. Stalling for time, she placed her head back on his chest, but he wouldn't be so easily distracted and insisted "tell me" deciding to take a chance, knowing his past a little, his mostly outdoor life, she gambled "well, I'm glad you talked me out of the big wedding although, I must confess my dress cost more than I told you" she waited unconsciously holding her breath.

He tightened his arms around her, squeezing her, she could hear the raw emotion in his voice when as he spoke "oh really, just how much"?

Without thinking, she brought her head up and smiled at him, "well that's a secret"

She was unprepared when he kissed her gently, he pressed his lips against hers and softly kissed her, hands either side of her head, he gently increased the pressure on her lips, opening her mouth with his, she found herself leaning into the kiss and kissing back. God what was wrong with her.

He moved his hands from her hair to her shoulders, and she found herself curling her hands around his neck, he deepened the kiss.

This needs to stop now she thought but her body wasn't exactly cooperating with her head right now.

She pulled back, pushing away from him, trying to catch her breath, this wasn't exactly what she had planned, she felt out of felt Robin pulling her back into him, tilting her head back to his, he captured her lips once again with his but this time, he kissed with more passion, she felt her stomach drop, body betraying her.

He broke the kiss this time, raising his hand to stroke her face.

That's when she saw it.

The lion tattoo on his wrist.

She felt the laughter bubble up inside her and she knew she couldn't contain it and it leaked out, her laughter sounded strange in her ears and the worried look on Robin's face just made her laugh harder, she tried to stop.

Robin was trying to hush her, running his hands up and down her arms in a soothing gesture, he kept glancing nervously at the door, urging her to please stop laughing but she couldn't stop.

She hadn't seen the tattoo before or had she? No, she was pretty sure she'd remember that.

The nurse rushed into the room, needle in her hand, Regina barely felt the sting as the needle went into her arm, she could feel the drugs taking effect, dragging her down, into the darkness, the inky black lonely darkness.

Six months ago - Enchanted Forest

Regina and Snow sat side by side on a semi rotten log next to the fire, both avoiding eye contact, both staring into the flames.

Snow broke the silence first, "so what now"?

Regina took her meaning immediately, she spoke calmly in a measured voice, "am I going to kill you?, I think that time has past because I always seem to lose, she chuckled softly, lost in her memories, "it seems to me" she continued "that every action I have taken against you, results in causing me pain and loss, you took everything from me, my love, my freedom, my kingdom, my mother and now we have both lost everything yet again, yet you retain your stupid never-ending optimism, it's infuriating"

"Don't you dare sit there and wallow in self pity Regina, you caused your own suffering and no amount of self justifying will change that" Snow interrupted angrily.

"Do you really think that you would have had your happy ending if your father had been alive?" Regina she sighed, "your fate would have been the same as mine, an arranged marriage, ironically your father's death led you to your Prince."

She sneered unable to stop herself, the bitterness was strong this evening and although she didn't really feel hatred like before towards the woman sat by her side she couldn't stop the words rolling off her tongue.

"My father would never have arranged a marriage for me, he didn't believe in them, he married for love."

"He didn't marry me for love, now did he? No Snow, your future was set, you were due to met your intended very soon, in fact it had been arranged before when you were 15, but Johanna and I talked him out of it, obviously he listened to her more than me but there you have it." "So I did you a favor" she laughed sadly. There now she knows some of the truth she thought bitterly.

"I don't believe you" Snow said shocked.

"Why would I lie?"

"My father would not have" Snow started.

Stupid girl, did she really not know how Kingdoms were run? Was she still so naive. "your father was a king," she told her "you forget dear, the roles of women in our realm."

"You make him sound cruel, he was not a cruel man" Snow said quietly.

"No, not internationally cruel" only to me she thought "but like I say, he was a king, a king is expected to have a wife, he married me to play that role and tend to your needs, his precious daughter, not allowed to leave the castle unless with you or him, no freedom, no life of my own. I expected at least that I would have a child but no, even in that he denied me. If it was a boy, he would have a greater claim to the throne" how that still stung, she was second best and any child would be too, she was glad now there had been no children, that Leopold had insisted on sorting that little issue for her, what torment to put an innocent child through, Henry had proved to her, her love was not enough.

Snow was talking,"Over me" she caught the words.

"Yes over you" Regina continued, not really listening, her words spilling out unable to stop them, all this time, this poison in her veins , "I heard the gossip from the court, they all thought it must be me, something wrong with me and what a poor choice he had made but that wasn't true at all"

"You had separate rooms I just assumed that" Snow trailed off

"What? that the king didn't visit his wife after dark, I was his wife Snow". Bitterness entered her voice.

"He was my father, no matter how you felt he wronged you, you had no right to take his life" Snow said.

"He sealed his own fate dear" Regina muttered darkly. "You think my curse was so terrible but oh it could have been so much worse, just give them", she nodded over at the group, "a few days and they will be wishing for their warm beds, hot showers and coffee lattes"

"You cursed us all and took away my daughter" Snow cried.

"That was your choice dear, you sent her away, she could have stayed with you, granted she would have been a new born forever"

" Oh and you would have just let me keep her?" Snow said, bitterness creeping into her own voice.

Regina laughed "perhaps, caring for a new born baby forever would have been a perfect curse for you".

Silence

Regina spoke as again, quietly "I've let Daniel go, I can let your part in it go, you were a child and my mother, well my mother was...I can understand why she had to...be stopped but I cannot forgive you yet for the way she died. You see when you handed me her heart in that box, I thought, I thought you wanted to help me" she wiped a tear away.

Snow, now visibly crying, "I'm so sorry it was a terrible thing to do, I regret it."

"I know" she said softly and she knew Snow did, without doubt regret it "but what now?" Regina pondered the question again out loud she voiced her thoughts, "I have the opportunity, the motives and no one to stop me from killing you let and yet," she soften, "my heart it won't let me".

Reaching inside her chest she pulled out her own heart, wanting to see it, did it look different? it felt different.

Startled Snow recoiled in horror, she studied the heart she held her hand, "I feel different" she whispered, "I think the hole is gone."

Snow looked at the beating heart in Regina's hand, it was dark and hard but there was a largish glowing red spot in the centre.

Lost in her own thoughts, Regina sat staring at her heart. Snow broke the silence.

"Maybe we can agree to leave the past in the past" she offered

"We will never be friends" Regina said.

"I know" agreed Snow "but we don't have to be strangers to one another either, won't you be lonely up there all on your own?" Snow asked jerking her head towards the castle, "it's not good for you to be all alone Regina, it's not good for anyone".

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Two -

One month ago - Storybrooke

The room was dark but she couldn't tell if it was night or day, again she felt awful. In fact she was being to forget a time she had ever felt well.

This was definitely not the hospital, this room smelt of open fire and old damp. Before she could take stock of her new situation, a light flicked on and a voice interrupted "back in the land of the living then love" he handed her a glass of cold water which she took gratefully. "You, you got me out of there? You know who I am? Who you are?" She rushed her words, her brain still disconnected. "Aye to all three, Regina" Hook replied. "Thank you" she murmured, she caught the look of surprise in his eyes but was too tired to make the sharp response she knew he expected.

He gestured she should get up.

"Golds cabin?" she asked, "Yes" he replied, "It's out of the way, hopefully forgotten, been here for a bit, figuring a way to get you out,"

He brought her up to speed quickly, her suspicions were correct, less than a year had past, spent in the Enchanted Forest, a wicked witch had cast a new curse and given herself the position of mayor. The rest of the town were unaware of the curse and the new mayor's true identity, not realising once again that they were living with false memories.

She was so tired, snippets of conversations, flashes of people and places would pop into her head but then slip away, it was maddening. She needed to rest, hopefully everything would be clearer in the morning, Hook agreed but surprised her by insisting she eat first and then proceeded to provide food.

She sat eating, huddled in a warm wool blanket on the leather couch while he stoked the fire, he sank into an armchair across from her, long legs stretched out on the table, nursing his trademark hip flask although he took fewer sips than before she noticed.

The silence was not uncomfortable, she was in no mood for deep and meaningfuls with him although she sensed one coming. She took a sip of the wine he had given her, foolish given the amount of drugs floating around in her system, it went straight to her head.

She hated this, years of being in charge as Mayor amongst other things, had ingrained in her the need for control, the not knowing reminded her unpleasantly of Neverland.

The lack of knowledge and planning, led her to make rash decisions, lose her composure, driven by her emotions she hated herself when the indecision or sorrow showed, sure show them the rage, the bitterness but admitting she didn't know what to do, letting that show, that was the worst.

She had been relieved when the others had wanted to find Neal, gave her a reason to leave and go find Gold. Getting nowhere fast and running out of ideas, being shot down by the Charmings was unbearable, better to take a chance, align herself with Gold.

Sighing, least some memories were still there, she put the glass down, unwilling to add to the chemical cocktail, she needed a clear head and as soon as possible.

Unfortunately Hook took the sigh as a invitation for a little chat, she could guess the topic before he even started, Emma. Always Emma, you must know a way Regina, what memories did you give her Regina, do you think she is in Boston Regina. How hell was she supposed to know? She hoped they had found a small town to settle into, she didn't like the thought of Henry riding the subway around a big city, although she suspected Emma would return to a city. She pushed the thoughts of Henry and his new life away, too painful. She wished he would stop talking, take the hint. Are you listening to me he asked her? "No" she replied honestly.

He leaned forward, removing his feet from the table, looked her direct in the face. "Sorry love, too much"? Her throat closed, she managed a nod, she could feel the tears burning her eyes. This is unbearable she thought, in the forest she could put on her mask, her costume and pull off a convincing in control appearance, be the Queen but here and now, what good would that do her.

"Regina" Hook said softly, "There is something you should know". "What"? she snapped. "You weren't hidden away down there, they all knew where you were, their memories of you are wife to Robin or Daniel, mother to Roland, assistant to the Mayor, until you had your breakdown", he raised his good hand in quotation marks. "The Mayor had you sectioned, not Robin so you wouldn't have gotten out through him". "How could she do that, over him?" she pondered thinking practically. "Well" he stalled "the thing is, as well as your boss, she is also your sister". "What?"she barked out a laugh, "that's ridiculous". "Yes" he mused but "I'm not so sure, yes perhaps it is a lie, part of the curse memories, giving her power over you, but I remember what David told me in the forest, it was your castle she took, your clothes she wore, the things she said when you kicked her out, they were personal emotional threats".

'"I don't remember, I...You think this is true?" She asked incredulously. "You think all of this is to take what's mine, to make me suffer?"

"Sounds like you doesn't it, maybe it runs in the family, out and out revenge, the rest be damned" he snarled.

"Don't push me Hook, the bindings wearing off" she threatened, flexing her fingers to prove her point. Her magic was there, getting stronger.

"Her name is Velma" he stated, she let out a gasp before she could stop herself.

"Mean something love?"

Well yes, Velma was the name of her mother's friend, who she knew very little about, she had died when she was quite young, there were rumours that Velma had a child, born out of wedlock which Cora had apparently hushed up. She'd never dare ask her mother and frankly had forgotten when she got older, what did she care about some long dead memory of her mother's only friend when Daniel was waiting for her in the meadow.

Hook was awaiting for a answer, "Maybe" she said quietly.

Hook cleared his throat, "maybe or maybe not, your mother had a lot of secrets Regina"

"My mother, you say that as if you really knew her, you didn't know her, you were nothing but a chess-piece to her, don't you speak of my mother to me" damn the arrogance of the man, how dare he think he knew anything about her mother, "you would have seen what she wanted you to see, what she allowed, don't think you know her because you spent some time together"

"I've know enough" he argued back.

"how dare you." she shouted at him, temper flaring.

He cut her off, "My point is love, I knew her well enough to know she had many secrets. You need to figure this out and you might want to figure out what you're going to about your husband while you're at it Regina, all this family stuffs getting quite messy." He smirked.

"Fake husband, fake memories, it's not hard to remember that, even you should be able to grasp the concept" she spat back at him, thoroughly infuriated with him for daring to joke about the decidedly tricky situation she found herself in.

Six months ago - Enchanted Forest -

Regina's Castle

Much to her frustration, she had a companion, a thief nonetheless.

They made their way quietly through the forest, his footsteps were so soft at one point she had hoped that he had left but no he was still there, following slightly behind.

Stifling back a groan, she lifted the hem of her dress to step over a fallen log, God she couldn't wait to get into the castle and change these bloody clothes, the corset had been digging into her some rotten for the past two days, how the hell had she put up with this before, she never noticed the weight or restriction of her outfits before, clearly she had been completely insane. Truth be told, she wasn't sure if she was completely sane now. Sighing, she could have used magic to change outfit but annoyingly Snow had been correct in her assumptions that her magic was a little lacking these past two days, it was there now, she could feel it and pulled it to her reassuring herself but still no point wasting it on something so trivial.

As if reading her mind the thief commented "I hope we won't be scaling any walls milady, I'm not sure your outfit will be suitable"

"Its your majesty" she snapped, seriously these woodsmen had no respect "and no there will be no need to scale any walls but if you have concerns about your abilities, please do wait here" she taunted.

"It wasn't my abilities with which I was concerned your majesty merely the amount of fabric and the weight of your jewels you are carting about"

How dare he! She spun round drawing herself to full height, back pulled tight, leaning into his face, "when in conversation with your queen, one does not use words such as cart" she spat

"Oh" he laughed "Forgive me, I did not mean anything by it, poor choice of words, of course I would never dare to suggest her majesty was a cart horse, although technically you are not my Queen"

"Call that an apology" she grumbled.

Her anger had flared quickly but had blown out just as fast, leaving her empty and exhausted but slight curious "where does your loyalty lie thief?" She asked.

"With my men and my conscience" he replied "I found with my previous encounters of Royalty, that they are entirely too self serving for my tastes, power does funny things to people" he continued "present company not included"

"Not included?" she asked arching a eyebrow, surely the man was not fool enough to believe that to be in any way true, she was the very essence of corrupted power.

"Perhaps at one time but not so much now I think" he replied softly.

She felt her breath hitch in her chest and swallowed deeply "we are here".

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Three -

One month ago- Golds Cabin

She awoke on the sofa in Gold's cabin, the light was starting to filter through the gaps in between the dark curtains and the fire had burnt down low, puffing into smoky head felt clearer and with relief, she had her memories, everything came flooding back, their return to the forest, the interloper in their midst, her threats and taunts, Roland, Robin and Henry. How her heart ached for him, sighing she rose from the sofa and made her way to the bathroom, deliberately making as much noise as possible to wake Hook, assuming he was actually in one of the bedrooms.

He was and it didn't take long before they picked up the thread of last night's conversation.

"Tell me everything you know Hook" she demanded.

Sighing he began "As you know, I took my leave after you chased the witch from your castle, after some adventures, not relevant to this tale, I found my ship and set sail for Aragbah. We were only halfway there when your witch approached me, offering riches, secrets, the usual temptations."

"What did she want in return?" Regina asked curious.

"Information" he returned.

"About?" she prompted.

"You" was his reply. " Aye, she knew a fair bit but wanted to know more about StoryBrooke, Henry, Emma, the Charmings etc".

Regina raised her eyes to him, looking him straight in the eye, "I did not" he told her "but she was persistent I'll give her that. Finally, it was threats and magic, my crew in danger I relented and agreed to work with her. She is hot headed, not unlike someone else I know", he smirked at her "but she is unrestrained in her madness, gives away too much and I gleaned much information of which she was unaware and some she gave away willing. She told me about the curse, how she planned to return the inhabitants to StoryBrooke, which I was not adverse to."

"For Emma" Regina interrupted.

Hook smiled sadly "but I wanted it on my terms, unbeknownst to the witch I planned to enter this curse with my memories in tact, alas she planned on leaving me behind" he paused for dramatic effect "so I sought magical help, found a willing partner in crime in the back streets of Aragbah, who has fate would have it, happened to be in possession of a sacred little book" he leaned in to Regina "a little book entitled the wizard of oz".

Wide grin on his face, he proceeded to tell Regina of how he had managed to piece together the homeland of this witch, the biggest clue being her rather green appearance.

"She's the wicked witch of the west?" Regina asked

"Aye, with this knowledge, I began to suspect her to be in possession of some rather helpful silver slippers, which I stole and used to return to this land, the land without magic and simply waited for StoryBrooke to reappear.

"Escaping the curse and therefore retaining your memories" Regina breathed.

"Yes, surprisingly easy" he said smugly.

"Well" Regina sighed, secretly she was fairly impressed with Hook's simple yet effective plan and his abilities to read behind the surface, not that she would ever admit it to him.

"The sister thing?"she asked.

"Information she gave me willingly," he told her "and as I said I last night, it makes sense, her obsession with you in our land, although she gave no details, I would guess your mother sent her to Oz, probably for Cora's own benefit" he reasoned.

"Should this be true, I doubt she is my true sister, a half sibling at most" Regina pondered "my father, although cowed by Cora, he would have told me, I sure he would have done" Regina trailed off, looking past Hook, back into the past, yes her father would have told her, if only to distract her from her pursuit of Snow, offer of family, a happier ending for the three of them with Cora banished. He must have been unaware, she was certain.

"What's her end game?" she asked Hook, "why cast this curse, she could have picked her fight in the Enchanted Forest, why this land?

"I don't know love, I know she wishes to make you suffer, perhaps bringing you back here, making you a outcast, instead of a mayor or a queen, having the town believe you have lost your reason. You are no threat to her, cannot challenge her and she can sit back and take your town for her own".

"Well she's wrong, I am a threat to her and I will take back my town and sort this mess out" she declared including the mess that is Robin Hood thinking he is her husband she mused silently, continuing out loud "but first I need to find out more about her, I need the slippers, it's time to return to Oz" she declared.

Six months ago - Enchanted Forest

Regina's castle

The hidden entrance was very overgrown, standing outside the castle grounds, not surrounded by Regina's original protection spell or hindered by the shield, the entrance had been subjected to almost thirty years of decay, the original surrounding walls had crumbled away, taken down by ever reaching tree roots of the forest, but the large tree concealing the secret door still stood. The door leading through the tree was concealed by a simple illusion of the light, it could only be seen from a certain vantage point. It wasn't originally magically although using it often Regina had strengthen its secrets through magic.

"After you" she grinned challenging him to find the doorway.

Robin began his way towards the tree, he walked slowly in a straight line to the centre of the tree then to her surprise, he lowered himself to the ground, leaning back on his haunches he looked up, then leaned to the left, then the right, suddenly to her surprise, he laid down completely flat on the ground, he humpfed his satisfaction, scrambled quickly up to his feet, "this way milady" he said, holding out his hand towards her, wide grin now annoyingly adorning his features.

Determined not to give him the satisfaction that she was a tiny bit impressed, she said nothing but strode confidently forward deliberately pushing past his arm harder than necessary, disappearing into the dark shadows that hid the secret passage.

The inside of the tree smelt dank and musty but luckily was debris free. Feeling him behind her, she held up a hand to stop him continuing, she knew he would hear the noise rather than see her hand in the pitch blackness.

She waved her hand in circles allowing the magically enchanted second doorway to reveal itself, the doorway glimmered its presence, pushing firmly she shoved the door open.

Stepping again into darkness she walked forward five steps then sent out her magic again, lighting all the torches on the wall, the flames revealing a narrow stone corridor, lifting her heavy dress again she started down the tunnel.

"Do we have a plan?" Robin asked breathed quietly behind her.

"We don't have anything" she told him "I should past the entrance to the dungeons shortly, if I take the back stairs to the left I can enter the main castle without having to cross the courtyard, I suggest you wait here while I deactivate the shield.

"And if the witch is not in the main castle?" He asked

"Then the element is surprise is lost"

"Two pairs of eyes are better than one, I'm coming with you"

"If you insist on bringing wooden sticks to a witch fight, go right ahead"

"Wooden sticks they maybe but I never miss and a wooden stick can do a lot of damage if one knows where to stick it"

She laughed at that, he was so ridiculous, did he really think he would have time to even draw his bow if the witch or herself for that matter should decide to throw magic at him.

At the top of the stairway, keeping close to the wall, they skirted the arches leading to the main courtyard, the castle was silent, the only sound was the slight buzzing caused by the protection shield, growing louder the closer they got. Still no sign of the witch, they entered a large domed room. Set to the side of the castle, in one of the main anti-chambers, the room was low and fairly small. The only adornment was a stone column, squat, it stood hip height in the centre of the room, it's flat top held a large crystal ball which shot a swirling mixture of purple, white and green magic in a beaming shaft straight up through the hole in the doomed roof.

The white magic the castle's own, the purple was hers, the green must be the witches. Regina had never seen magic glow green before hers was deep purple as hers mothers had been, Rumple's was a purple burgundy.

"Wait" Robin whispered as she lifted her hand intending to turn it off, the shield "will the witch not realize the shield is deactivated and make her way here?

"Probably" Regina shrugged, yes it was more than likely the witch would magic herself to this chamber immediately.

"So we need to be elsewhere then"

She shrugged again.

"Can you get us back into the tunnel or perhaps outside the castle walls once the shield is down" he asked

"Yes I could"

"And will you?" he asked crowding her space, mouth set in a thin line, he looked angry "I don't need a lesson on sticks verses magic your majesty" he growled.

"And I told you not to come but you didn't listen"

"So what you want to meet this witch"? He asked "start a fight without adequate backup"

"Do now you admit you are inadequate?" She taunted.

He ignored her barb "if you wish to stay and start a unnecessary fight, I'm sure you have your reasons but I have no intention of getting caught in the cross fire or hauling your dead body out of here" he paused "I think you owe your companions more than that"

Swirling round to face him "owe them more than that?" she spat "I have given them everything I had to give, the one thing that was good and pure and my everything, I've given it up for them, for him and now there is nothing left so I don't care right now, I don't care about this castle, this witch, this stupid spell, I just don't care" her anger spent, she felt exhaustion washing over her, her breathing leaving her in short sharp pants as she struggled to pull herself back together again.

"Milady" he started to say softly concern now washing his features clean of his anger, but it was too late, she had already waved her hand deactivating the spell.

The low rumbling stopped immediately and as the column of light winked out, she waved her hand over Robin safely depositing him back to the forest floor as she swept her magic upwards taking herself to her chambers.

She really didn't care about the witch, the witch would find her quickly no matter where she went in the castle but she really would like to get changed first.

Appearing in her old chambers, the witch had clearly been here and she was messy, the dresses that Regina had left behind were strewn across the floor, her dressing table a mess of opened pots and lids not replaced, knocked over perfume bottles and tangled necklaces. "No respect" she grumbled.

"I didn't think you'd care seeing as you left it all behind" the witch called to her, sat upon the railings of the balcony, the witch gave her a lazy smile "so you're back, didn't work out for you then?" she sneered

"None of your business" Regina snapped "what do you want?"

"Oh nothing, I was just curious" she replied hopping down from the railings, she crossed into the middle of the room, circling Regina and coming to a stop in front of her.

Taking in the witch Regina quickly summarized her to be reckless and over confident, dressed not dis-similarly to the former evil queen although she would never wear a hat that pointy, she thought the witch oozed smugness and annoyingly obviously powerful, she could feel the witches magic humming alongside her own.

She stepped forward "hmmm you're shorter than I thought" she told Regina studying her features.

"Love the hat" Regina purred, she squinted her eyes at the witches face, it looked strange, something about it not quite right she couldn't put her finger on it, but her skin was fairly bumpy, was she scaly under her makeup? Regina wondered.

"Yes it is beautiful isn't it, but then beauty isn't everything is it Regina, doesn't keep you warm at night, though I doubt you were very cold in this Palace", she gestured to the opulent room "what a lucky lucky girl your are" she taunted.

"Lucky" Regina snorted "Hardly" when had she ever been lucky.

"Oh yes you don't know how lucky you are, you had everything and you still managed to lose it all. Yes I'm glad I came here and I'm glad you came back, makes me so much more determined"

"Determined for what?" Regina asked

"Why determined to show you how it should have been done, but don't worry you don't have to do anything, just sit back and watch, I will show you, how to take what you what and win, you messed it all up, you stupid girl but I will do so much better and then you will see, you all will see." she crowed.

"Have you finished?" Regina asked her dryly

"Finished I haven't even started" she screamed

"Shame because I'm quite done with this" Regina really wanted her to shut up, she was tired, a headache niggled at her, the cold and dust in the chamber was beginning to irritate her throat, God she had forgotten just how awful it was here and the witches pathetic shrieking was fraying her last nerve, throwing out a magical mesh towards the other woman, she grinned as the witch sputtered incoherent with rage as she tried to un-tangle the binding web she now found herself caught in, lazily twirling her finger, Regina spun the web with its unwilling occupant towards a large mirror on the back room, hurtling both through the shimmering glass, as the mirror transformed from inert object to magical portal.

"Save it, no one cares" she told the witch as she disappeared through the mirror just as Snow, Charming and Robin burst though the door.

She sealed the portal then turned to look at her would be rescuers

"Was that your dress?" Snow asked.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Four -

One month ago - Golds Cabin

"Not so fast" Hook stated "you owe me a debt".

"Taking lessons from dear departed Mr Gold are we" Regina sneered at him.

"Not at all" he reprimanded her "I told you I had my own plans, I need you to make me a memory potion"

" and here I was thinking you wanted to save the town" she snarled "let me guess, the memory potion is for Emma? Absolutely not, I will not help you in this. Wherever Emma goes, Henry will follow and I will not have him put in danger".

"Where is the danger?" Hook asked "I do not need to tell Emma of StoryBrooke's reappearance, only my tale of seeking the silver slippers to find her, you could also come Regina, be reunited with Henry, live where they live, away from the witch. The people of StoryBrooke are in no danger from her, they have happy lives here, only you are targeted by her. Think about it, a new start, what do you say?" He asked.

She studied his face, so full of longing, of want, he was blinded to the obvious flaw in his plan, there was no way that Henry would not try to get back to here once he remembered the rest of his family there. How would it hurt him to remember them and be unable to find them, assuming the town was cloaked as before, would he dedicate his whole life to trying to find a way back to the town, like Rumple, like Emma, always searching and if she went along with the lie, would she be enough family? would he want her back?, would Emma even accept it? And if they didn't break their memory cause, what would she be to Henry, at best a friend of Emma's, assuming they could even get closer enough to them to try and be friends. There would be no magic there, she would have nothing to bring to the table to persuade Emma if she be unwilling. Worse still, when Henry found Storybrooke and discovered the lie, there would be no going back from that deception.

No, she didn't want any of that for Henry or for herself. There are only two choices, she thought, either Henry and Emma remain ignorant, lost in the happy memories she had bestowed on them or they return to Storybrooke and be reunited with everyone and for that to happen, the witch must first be defeated and their memories returned.

"No" she told Hook "that's not an option, do you really think that you can live every day with Emma and Henry lying to their faces? It is not your choice to make, I spent most of my life living upon the whims and lies of others, I will not have that for Henry, they both deserve the right to own their own lives"

"You cursed them and gave them false memories and you lecture me on free will" Hook barked out a laugh.

"I gave them false past memories but their future, their choices, since that point have been their own. I did that for them, to spare their suffering, save Henry from losing everyone, what you propose is for your own selfish reasons" Regina snapped at him. Softening at the look of shame and misery on his face, she added "I know you know that Hook, this is not the way. Lend me the slippers, I will travel to Oz and find a way to destroy this witch, then we can return Emma & Henry to us when the town is safe".

Five months ago - Enchanted Forest -Regina's Castle.

She stood at the balcony, looking down at the empty courtyard, the castle was silent the only sound, crows in the distance and the rustle of her black robe brushing against the railing fluttering in the breeze.

A month ago, she stood here facing into the room instead of out, confronting another witch dressed in black silk, lace and over-sized jewellery.

She had wondered if she had managed to split herself in two, maybe that Regina who had been walking and talking for the past month had grown bored of sharing her head and had found a new body. A taller body with red hair and a fondness for hats. There was something strange about her face though, Regina remembered but it had looked like the witch was wearing a lot of make-up, a hell of a lot, as if she had painted her face skin colour.

Frankly she hadn't cared then and she didn't care now, the witch was banished, she had ranted and raved about Regina throwing everything away, failing and how she stupid she was and how much better the witch would have been.

Regina had stopped listening after the first insult, letting the words wash over her, she was tired and wanted to go to bed and stay there until her heart stopped aching or beating which ever came first.

Throwing her power across the room, her magic had seized the intruder mid rant, she flung her through the nearest mirror and sealed it shut. Charming, Snow and Robin had rushed into the room at that moment gaping at the sight of the witch disappearing into the glassy portal.

"Where'd you send her? Charming had asked

"Infinite Forest" she'd replied.

After that Charming and Snow had decided to split the kingdom three ways, her banishment was undone, lands & villages surrounding her castle for her to manage, same with the Charming's and Philip and Aurora.

All matters affecting all villages in the land to be dealt with as a council.

It wasn't great but she didn't really care, she would have given anything to go back, back to Henry.

The nights she managed to sleep, she dreamt of him, Henry, dreamt of Storybrooke, the land without magic, the land where she had found her freedom, here now free like never before, she was surviving, lost and unsure, tired and broken but somehow surviving and now that damn thief was literally knocking at the door seeking an audience with her.

"We need a home" he said, "we can no longer stay in the Dark One's castle, now Neal is back, it doesn't seem right, I want my people, each of them, to have a proper home of their own, no more camping in the woods. The village below your castle is empty, we would repair the houses, restart the trades, others will follow"

"And what do I get from this Robin?" Regina asked him.

"To begin with, nothing but in time, taxes and produce. You will help us with building materials, money and food to start" he replied.

"Oh will I now?" She asked pouted.

"Yes, you will offer us protection from magic if the witch should return, and we will offer you protection from other threats, after all you are all on your own up there" he smiled.

"I cannot see what protection you could possibly offer me that I would need" Regina remarked "but you are correct" she continued "the villages need villagers, you can have it" she agreed.

She watched them on and off over the next few days, scurrying around with heavy loads. The Charming's had sent her some of their men to act as her personal guards. There were four of them, all youngish and bland, she was pretty sure they reported back to them so she purposely gave the men menial tasks just to annoy them all. She also had two of the women from Robin's camp apply for jobs as housekeepers/cooks, she employed them, most of the rooms were locked up so for the time being the two women were enough.

She had kept to her side of the deal and provided the materials they had asked for. Robin had visited the castle to inform her of their arrival, she did not see him, instead left it to the boring foursome, give them something positive to report back.

He came a second time again she sent him as away without seeing him. Truth was, she was in no mood for visitors, she had meant what she had said to Snow, the past was the past,she had also meant what she had said to Hook, when he came visiting demanding her help in returning Storybrooke and Emma to him, she could not help and even if she could she wouldn't. The vision inside her head of breaking the curse had been clear, she could not be with Henry so why would she help Hook when she would be unable to get Henry back.

So what should she do? She refused to return to the purposelessness of her previous incarnation in her castle, she couldn't harm the Charming's even if she wanted to but as she feared the boredom.

Restless, she sent Bland One to saddle her horse, changed into more suitable atire and strode out to the stables, hoping not to portray the sudden nervousness she felt, it had been a long time since she'd ridden.

Once on her horse, the apprehension fell away and she began to enjoy the ride, urging the horse faster she practically flew past the village, startling meandering dogs and scattering chickens.

She reached the great plain and thundered across it, delighting in the feeling of pure freedom. Spotting company she slowed to a gentle canter, annoyed at having to cut short her ride. Five people, one of them carrying something over their shoulder, one broke free from the group and began running towards her as fast as possible, shouting. The wind brought the words to her, he was asking for help, without thinking she rode forward. The young man out of breath, pleaded please please we need your horse, the boy is injured we must get him to the healer. She dismounted and rushed over to the group, where is he injured she asked. The older man carrying the boy gently placed him on the ground, he fell he confirmed, we think his legs are broken, he was conscious but he passed out from the pain some ten minutes ago.

She looked at the boy lying on the ground, small, four or possibly five years old, dark hair, she felt a pull on her heart. Where is the healer she asked? The woods to the south of the village by the evil queens castle came the reply.

Pushing the men back, she scooped the child into her arms, he was not heavy. Bring my horse back to my castle she commanded and with that disappeared into purple smoke.

Appearing in the woods as instructed she called out "healer I have need of you".

As expected, a elderly woman shuffled out from between the trees, raising a hand she beckoned her forward.

Between the trees, hidden from her previous viewpoint, she saw a stone cottage with smoke rising from the chimney.

The inside of the cottage was exactly what she would have expected, one large room, two small doors to the back. Large fireplace, various herbs, bottled liquids crowded all available surface space, a small bed in the corner, a wooden chair and of course the obligation cat sat in the window.

She placed the boy on the bed, "he fell, I didn't see the fall, his companions think his legs are broken" she stated.

"Indeed" murmured the older woman "but why bring him to me your majesty, surely your magic would have sufficed" she asked. Regina sensed no malice in her words she was simply stating a fact.

"I don't really know the healing spells all that well, I can heal a cut, get rid of a headache but that's about it" she confessed.

"Well" said the healer "I suggest you learn"'.

Regina brought the boy back to her castle, he was fully healed, between the two woman they had managed to mend his legs and treat his other wounds but the boy had fallen fast asleep. It was dark now, no point in trying to find the boys companions until the morning. She put him in Snow's old room, down the hall from hers, she lit the fire, pulled the curtains and made the child as comfortable as she could without waking him.

She was woken a couple of hours later, by the commotion, she checked on the boy first, still asleep, she ran down the long corridors and smack bang into a hooded figure, knocking her backwards and down onto the stone. The stranger was immediately in her face, gripping her by the shoulder, "where's my son"? he demanded.

"Hood?" she asked

"Where is he, did you take him to the healer, why didn't you bring him to me" he shouted.

"He's fine" she snarled at him, pointing back down the corridor, second door to the left, "he's asleep" she called after him as he raced down the corridor.

Regina watched him from the doorway of the chamber, Robin sat on the bed next to his son, gently stroking the boys hair, saying his name softly, the boy awoke at his father's voice, smiled and went back to sleep.

Robin rose from the bed, lifting the boy in his arms, stopping in the doorway next to her, he asked "why didn't you bring him to me?"

"I didn't know he was yours" she replied.

He walked past her, she followed him silently and watched him leave. She turned back into the castle foyer and put her newly acquired healing skills to use on Bland One and Two who were lying unconscious on the castle floor.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Five-

One month ago - OZ

It was marvellous, even more impressive that Jefferson's hat, she had clicked her feet together three times and then she was there, Oz.

The green city rose majestically in front of her, throwing off a golden green glow, the road was indeed yellow bricked, bright green grass flanking the winding path, small dwellings dotted the horizon, swirling to look behind, she spotted mountains in the distance, white coated tips shining in the brightest blue sky. It truly was amazing, travelling to other realms always took her breath away, making her feel small and insignificant, a tiny part of something so huge, it was beyond comprehension.

Breathing in the clean crisp air, she felt a skip in her step, she laughed a little to herself, truely was she going to skip down the yellow brick road? She bit back the laugh, gathered her skirts and started forward towards the Emerald City.

Oh how Henry would love this, she pushed the thought away, now was not the time to dwell on her son but seeing this through was her chance to get him back.

"Your business please" the doorman enquired

Stifling a laugh she told him "I'm here to see the Wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz".

The room was huge, the green and gold symbol of Oz patterned the floor, green curtains hung from celling to floor at the back of the room, four towers of flame adorned a dais in front of the curtains. She walked up the steps towards the curtains and called out to the wizard, nothing happened. She waited, called out again, hummed her annoyance, finally patience wore off and she strode towards the green curtains, intending to push then aside.

"Um miss, um please you can't um go in there" a voice called out to her.

Swirling around, she spied a man at the back of the room, he shuffled forward, broom in hand. Dressed in blue dungerees with long shaggy straw coloured hair, he was clearly a working man of some sort, caretaker? She guessed. "Who are you, where is the wizard" she called out, walking swiftly towards him.

The shy man met her half way and seemed unable to fully look her in the eye.

"Gosh you sure are pretty" he told her softly

Blinking back her surprise, she soften her tone towards him, "where is the wizard" she asked again

"He is, um, well he's not here, he had to go away for a bit' my name is Ray" he told her.

"That is unfortunate" she hemmed, jaw clenching, "I really need to speak with him" clearly the land without magic's version of this wizard was not so far off the mark, the wizard was flaky and more pressingly, absent.

"Do you know where I can find him?" She asked.

"No miss, he wouldn't say and he wouldn't tell me, I'm just the caretaker" he confessed.

"Well now, seems to me that's an important job and you are doing quite well" she smiled her most loveliest smile at him, taking a step forward, intending to push him for more information, she reached forward and gently touched his arm, well that was surprising, the simple looking caretaker had magic.

"You must be a great help to the wizard, helping him in many ways unexpectedly ways" she wondered.

He shuffled his feet, clearly uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going, "well I help with cleaning, and lists, fetching this and that and lots of things" he murmured.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked him "where I am from?"

He shuffled again, "I'm not sure" he answered "it seems to me, maybe you are from more than one place," he trailed off, unsure.

Regina leant forward, placing a finger under his chin, she lifted his gentle face up to hers, looking him in the eye, "please I need your help" she said softly.

"I think, maybe you need the good witch of the north, yes that's where you should go, I will take you" he beamed a smile at her.

Well that was easy she mused, she had tried to put the importance of his help into her gaze, sensing his magic was raw and instinctual, she wondered if he was even fully human, he had an otherworldly feel, felt more magical creature, a pure heart, she tried to focus on Henry and his family's situation, if he sensed any of her ambiguity or selfishness, she knew he would not help, luckily it worked, he hadn't noticed the darkness within, this shocked and comforted her more than she would like to admit, pushing these thoughts away, she took his arm, "then let's go" she smiled.

Five months ago - Enchanted Forest

Regina's Castle

She expected him to return in the morning to apologise but he did not.

She received word later that morning that King George had finally agreed to a meeting with her and Prince Philip, he refused to meet with David. He had little choice but she knew he would still be difficult, most of his towns people had left to join the Charmings, Philip and some had even joined her growing villages, looking for food or work. The King had made little progress since the return, focusing his energy on trying to sabotage the Charmings.

His need for revenge against her and the Charmings she could well understand but she was growing frustrated at his foolish demands, they all knew he had nothing to bargain with.

Philip had decided the meeting should be on neutral ground and had purposed his castle and annoyingly had invited Robin to speak for trades people. Apparently Philip and Robin had even arranged her travel arrangements, to which she begrudgingly agreed, logistically taking her carriage made more sense than getting there via magic but still she was not thrilled at the prospect of a day's travel with a bunch of sweaty forest men.

Sighing she prepared herself for travel, wearing her riding outfit and packing a formal dress for the meeting with the King. She missed her Storybrooke wardrobe, all the corsets and heavy necklaces were wearisome after the freedom of clothes without sewn in undergarments.

Summoning the Blands, she strode from the castle, nodded curtly in the direction of the group of villagers, one of which she noticed was indeed was Robin she climbed into her carriage fully intending to stay inside for the whole journey.

She instructed her driver to set off at a fast pace, not waiting to see if the group was ready to leave.

After a short time, she heard the sound of hooves and chatter, she knew they had caught up. Putting quill to paper, she jotted notes to discuss during the meeting, a frustrating task in a swaying carriage and one guaranteed to bring in a headache but a task she enjoy, she also missed paperwork, sighing to herself over how sad this notion was. She jumped when she heard knocking on the window.

Frowning she pushed the window down, thinking of how she also missed electric windows and toothbrushes and flushing toilets. "Yes" she asked knowing full well it would be him.

"Your majesty, would you grant me a moment of your time"? He asked graciously.

She was pretty sure he was mocking her with this tone so she just stared him down.

He didn't speak playing the waiting game.

Two can play game she thought and continued her silence.

He looked away and forced his horse forward, pleased she pushed up the window smirking a little.

A moment later she was all scowls as her carriage ground to a halt and he opened the door and slid into the seat next to her, as the carriage started to move again, he turned to her and "sorry I thought you said, yes of course, please come join me and we can have a conversation" he smiled looking pleased with himself.

"And what would you like to discuss?" She asked him in her most chilled tones, "perhaps you have come to thank me for saving your son".

"I'm sorry if I upset you Regina that was not my intention" he apologized "I was not thinking clearly, I assumed you knew he was my son"

"Why would you presume that?" she asked

"I thought Snow would have mentioned it" he replied

She gave a short laugh "Snow & I hardly hang out to chit chat" she chided him.

"I now realize you were unaware and obviously the most sensible thing to do was to keep Roland at your castle until the morning" he agreed

"I'm not in habit of kidnapping children Robin" she said coolly, not any more she thought.

"Again I am truly sorry perhaps you would allow me to apologize again, what can I do for you to forgive me" he said looking very contrite and a little amused.

"You can get out of my carriage" she told him.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Six -

One month ago - OZ

Back out into the city, Regina was relishing this anonymity, how freeing to wander round with no one looking at her, a few people did take a second look at the shabby looking caretaker and the lady in the dusky green dress but their gazes held only curiosity.

Ray talked as they walked, he seemed very fond of this good witch, extolling her wisdom and her beauty, he pointed out various sights, this person lives here, this is where such and such happened, Regina wasn't really listening but taking in the sights and wondering how the witch could have been so unhappy here, it all seemed so clean although the greenness was a little overdone.

After a good ten minutes or so, they arrived in front of another full length doorway, this one glittered soft green with swirls of silver pearl and glass. We are luckily Ray told her, Glinda is staying in the city at the moment. As they approached the doors, they swung open and a Doorman dressed in the obligatory green, greeted them "Come in, she is expecting you" he said.

Ray was right, Glinda was beautiful, her white skin seemed to shimmer, her blonde hair the purest gold, her goodness rolled off her in waves, it was like stepping into a perfume cloud that goodness, sweet and powerful. She was all things bright and shiny, all unicorn stickers and rainbows, Snow and Glinda would definitely hit off, the two of them would be an unstoppable force of hope and happiness, Regina found herself grimacing, she forced her face to smile.

Glinda smiled at Regina, clearly aware of her discomfort, "please take a seat, you have journeyed far" her honeyed voice requested.

Regina sat down hard on the chair, this is not going to go well she thought.

Glinda excused herself asking for a moment with Ray, gestering to a table filled with fruit and juices telling Regina to help herself.

When she returned without Ray, she was still smiling, probably smiles in her sleep Regina thought.

"So Regina, what brings you to Oz?" she asked.

Hiding her surprise at the recognition, she took a deep breath and began the shortest version of her tale she could think of.

When she finished Glinda had merely nodded, told her she had expecting something of the sort.

"So what I need to know."...Regina begin

"I will tell you everything Regina" Glinda interrupted "but you won't like it" she sighed.

Five months ago Enchanted Forest - journey to Philip and Auroras castle

Of course, the men wanted to stop in a few hours to stretch their legs, smoke their pipes, eat and other annoying things, she would have preferred to continue on but this was not taking into consideration, she climbed out of the carriage to make her annoyance known.

"Twenty minutes and we are leaving" she announced to the group and then stalked back to her carriage.

Bland Three approached with food and water which she accepted, spying Robin heading her way she quickly shut the door, laughing he pulled it open. "When Roland is sulking, I tickle his feet" he announced, "as such an action is likely to lead to my death I shall restrain myself and instead I shall offer you this" he handed her a small black leather bound book, "perhaps it will lift your spirits" he smiled, bowed deeply and backed away"

"I should have your neck on a block for your insolence thief" she shouted after him.

How dare he, who did he think he was? she was the Queen and he an outlaw, a handsome outlaw, a outlaw working his hands to the bone in her village, leading the villagers, training them to work the land and to protect themselves. An outlaw with ideas above his station she thought angrily and an outlaw that likes to read if the dog-eared state of this book is anything to go by.

Why couldn't people just be what they were supposed to be, he should just be an annoying thief but no he had to be interesting and honourable.

She turned the book over in her hands, not meaning to read it but the trip was long and boring, he would never know if she had read it or not she reasoned.

The book turned out to be a mixture of stories, some rather tall, some bawdy and some rather sad. She read them all.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Seven

One month ago - Golds Cabin

Regina had returned from Oz even more determined to stop her sister, everything Glinda had told her had been extremely depressing in more ways than one. She had thought so much that her head was spinning, unfortunately she was still no closer to knowing the witches plan, her sister for sure, wicked plans for all of them, she still didn't know how the curse was casted but she had some insight into the reasons behind her sisters madness and desire for revenge on her and Mary Margaret.

Digging into that and her accompanying feelings was going to take more time than she had right now, right now she needed to concentrate on making the memory potion that she had promised Hook.

Damn that man, once a pirate always a pirate. He had stolen the memory potion, one small bottle that was meant for Snow and Charming. She left the room for two minutes to go clean up and he was gone and so was the potion.

She was sorely tempted to try and track him down but she was pretty sure with the magical slippers, which she'd stupidly returned to him, he was already in New York, which is where he thought Emma and Henry were.

She wasn't sure if she could cross the town line this time round, her curse memories hadn't worked properly but that didn't mean she was completely immune to the curse, crossing the town line and keeping your memories required fairy dust and no fairies meant no fairy dust.

Damn him, how could this have happened, she'd trusted him and he had betrayed her, what a fool she had been.

While he was off gathering intelligence, which she now realised meant tracking Emma down, she had stayed hidden in the cabin, going through dusty old volumes of dark magic, studying and practising, looking for ways to break the curse and return memories to all in the town.

She had searched the other realms aided by the silver slippers looking for more ingredients for the memory potion, enough for everyone but it was to no avail, there was still one missing ingredient that she could not find hide or hair of and now she had to decide whether or not to continue against the witch or try and find Hook, would he bring them back here? she was pretty sure Henry would demand to return but Emma, well she wasn't so sure.

Hook was convinced that the witch only wanted revenge on her but Regina knew better, for whatever reasons the witch she was just bidding her time before striking against Mary Margaret and David.

Lost in her own thoughts, she did not hear the door knob turn repeatedly, stop turn turn again after a short pause, she didn't not notice the door open but she did hear the anguish cry of "Regina" uttered by a very tired looking Robin Hood standing in the doorway.

He rushed to her immediately, sliding at her feet "Regina thank God, we were so worried" he mummered "are you okay? Have you been here the whole time, oh my God, I can't believe I have found you"

Shit she thought, she should have pre-empted this, she hadn't given him a second thought since leaving the hospital, well that wasn't quite true, he had popped into her head but she had pushed the thought away guilt swimming in her stomach but she should have foreseen this, knew him to be a excellent tracker, of course, he would eventually started searching the woods, stupid stupid she reprimanded herself angrily.

He was still talking while she sat in silence, sighing deeply, she raised her hand freezing him in place, what was there to say, even if he saw her magic, how could she convince him of the rest, that she had not been crazy, that he was a victim of a curse, they were not married, he did not love her and and, better not to try. Pausing briefly to ensure she fully remembered the spell, she erased his memories sending him away from cabin with the false knowledge he had searched the area and found it empty and abandoned.

As she watched him go, she wished she could erase his curse memories as easily.

Five months ago - Enchanted Forest -Philip & Auroras Castle

As expected the dinner with King George went badly, in fact he stormed out before the feast had been called.

It had started better than she thought it would, Philip was a very calm and capable young man and had succeeded in choosing safe conversation, Robin had quickly turned the chat to the merits in working together for all parties.

Unfortunately, when crossing the room with Philip and Robin to enter the dining anti chamber, the King over heard a group of men discussing the Charmings fortunes, how they crops were flourishing and thanks to Regina and the fairies, no Ogres bothered them.

Regina had been talking with Aurora at the other end of the room but Robin caught her eye and as she made her way over, she could already hear the anger in his voice.

To placate him she took his arm through hers and drew him to one side "I know, frustrating isn't it? This the current state of affairs, I like to consider this only the beginning" leaning forward close to his ear she confided "once my kingdom is strong again perhaps things won't be so peachy for them" she gave him a knowing look"

He was not so easily fooled, he turned in her, "really Regina" he snarled "you expect me to fall for that, we all know you can't and won't hurt them because of your precious lost son. Hold onto the memories because that's all you'll have, you're a stupid fool if you think that people will forgive you, that these people he gestered around the room would lift a finger if I ripped your throat out right here right now. There just here for the free food and you're so grateful that they haven't burnt you at stake you can't see how they are using you. His face contorted with rage he spat his words out at her "You are nothing more and never will be anything but a plaything or a puppet, your own mother didn't love you and even your own son left you, you have nothing but a room full of strangers and soon you won't even have that".

She raised her arm in fury, fireball already present, her words forming on her lips, when she felt a hand on her arm and a shoulder pressed into hers, pushing her backwards and sidewards slightly. She noticed the Two of the Blands step to her side, and Robin continued to push her back so he stood in front of her and was sandwiched between the soldiers. Another guard stood behind the King, sword raised where he could see it.

"I think you should leave" Robin told the King calmly.

She looked around the room, the kings men were outnumbered by theirs.

The King laughed "oh how fitting protected by bunch of thieves, outlaws and carpenters" he sneered, turning on his heels he left the room rather quickly.

She left the dinner early having drank more wine than eaten food. Aurora was a keen gardener she was surprised to learn, earlier that day they had discussed their favourite plants, soils and shared some tips. She was keen to get as some air and headed to the gardens that Aurora had proudly pointed at through the windows during their chat.

She wandered restlessly around the scrubs and plants, stopping to feel the soil and touch a leaf here and there but really she was thinking hard about the King.

Clearly during their time in Storybrooke, people had talked.

He seemed to know enough of her life to throw it back at her, that he would go for the jugular and mention Henry was no surprise, everyone knew she loved her son but his taunts about her history with Rumple and her mother bothered her.

Behind her some one cleared their throat, hoping for anyone but him, she turned, obviously it was Robin.

"So" he said "must have been nice, seeing all that support in the room, although I'm not sure who the carpenters are" he mused.

"I'm not in the mood for your so called humour Robin" she said turning quickly away from him again, to her shame she could feel tears threatening. She choked them down silently but damn him, he must have noticed because he stepped close behind her, he put his hand on her shoulder and said "hey" softly "I meant to remind you of the fact you have friends in that room, not upset you".

She didn't turned but said "I have no friends now go away" she shrugged off his hand and made to stalk off. He followed again and grabbed her by the waist spinning her round. She had two choices, more tears or anger, she chose the latter. "Do you not understand Outlaw? I am the Queen how dare you speak to me in such a manner, I will no longer permit this, I have put up with your rudeness for the sake of the village but no longer shall I be spoken to in this manner." She shouted at him.

She expected him to mock her with an apology, perhaps add fake bow so she was surprised to see anger in his face.

"Regina I have tried with you and all I get is this damned wall of ice, do know how hard we have worked? till our fingers have bled on the ground trying to repair the damage you did to this land" his voice was low and dangerous. "My men and my son have been in constant danger since we awoke from our slumber, you have not given us one ounce of consideration for what we have been through, you only care for yourself and your feelings. I know you have suffered but do you really think you are

the only person to have lost everything, I know how to suffer Regina, I have felt the darkness, I know it's power and its temptation, why must you be so stubborn to suffer alone".

She stared at him, she hadn't expected him to say anything like he had just said, what did he mean about darkness, what sorrow was he referring to? his wife,? she knew he was a widower, Snow had told her.

He was staring at her so intensely, she was finding it hard to breath, her corset felt so tight.

She found herself taking a step back but not wanting to seem weak she held his gaze, part of her wanted to run away from him and this look he was giving her.

Standing half in moonlight and half in the shadows, he was all cheekbones and dark gaze. His body was tense, ready to fight, tension spread across his broad shoulders, top button of his white shirt undone and no leather overjacket, she could clearly make out his toned chest through the thin silk, dropping her gaze, her eyes were drawn to his hand as he clenching it into a fist and out flat again, toned arms she thought, strong. Was he going to hit her? She thought not but he was clearly angry, as angry as he had been when he retrieved Roland but he was driven by fear for his son, she understood that, what is driving him now?, frustration or something else. He followed her gaze down to his clenched fist, realising his movements he spread his hand flat on his thigh.

"I would not" he said "never, no matter how frustrating the lady in question is"

"But you would fight a man" she dared him

"If I had to" he replied, voice stiff

"A callous tyrant and his men?" She pressed curious.

"If no other choice presented itself" came the calm reply.

"A evil queen and her men?" He had fought her men and they both knew it.

"Again if I had no choice".

"But there's always a choice Robin" she didn't really know what she hoped to achieve with this line of questioning but his smugness and good intentions were annoying. Pulling the evil queen to herself, she stalked forward daring him to step back.

As before he played her at her own game and stepped forward, chin raised defiantly. There's the outlaw she thought.

"So you would hit me then" she taunted spinning away.

He grabbed her, pulling her off balance, he held her tight against him, she couldn't curl her hand to form a flame, she felt panic rise but nonetheless pushed her face into his "yes thief" she drawled.

"The question is moot" he told her, all anger gone from his face, she saw understanding there "there is no evil queen anymore"

"Oh but there is" the words left her in a whoosh.

"No I don't think so, aren't you tired of this Regina?"

Yes her heart screamed yes I'm so tired of this but I don't know what to do, how not to be her, the evil queen.

His grip on her loosened, allowing her to move away if she wanted but she didn't want, that look in his eye was back and his gaze was flickering to her lips.

She should be angry with him. They were fighting after all but now it didn't feel like they were, his touch felt almost tender as he snaked his arms around her waist, she could smell the outdoors on his clothes, the smell of grass and of freedom.

She felt her body relax, tension gone from her with the anger, just weary and strangely safe in his arms.

Looking down she realised her own hands were resting on his shoulders. It wasn't a conscious decision but when he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, she kissed him back.

Slow at first but then the kisses were feverent, hot and needy, he was pulling her into him tightly and she was gripping him just as hard. All thoughts vanished from her mind, only this mattered, the feeling of his lips on hers, the scrape of his stubble against her face, the way his hand reached into her hair, clasping and tangling in it.

His other hand sliding down to her lower back and her hand was pushing up and under his bare shirt, running flat across his toned stomach. She heard herself gasp as suddenly both his hands were gone, she looked down, he was ripping her undershirt from her dress, she could feel his callused hands as they skimmed against her legs.

God what was he doing to her, she had just let him rip her dress she opened her mouth to remand him but then his lips were on her again and his hands behind her knees, hooking her legs around him. In one smooth motion, she was fully in his arms, legs wrapped round his waist his arms fully supporting her weight, chest pressed against him, she could felt his muscles tensing as he held her in place, he was walking backwards towards the castle wall, gently backing her up against it, his mouth never leaving hers. He broke off the kiss and turned his attention to kissing her neck, he whispering her name in her ear.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Eight-

One month ago - Golds Cabin

Regina had been pacing the floor since Hooks call earlier that afternoon, and the rug was starting to wear with her constant back and forth. Sighing deeply, she paused and ran her hands though her hair, there was nothing to do but wait, she smirked to herself thinking of how different her reactions to this situation would have previously.

What the hell had happened to her, she mused.

She supposed it was a result of everything that had happened up to this point, she knew the hole in her heart had healed after breaking the curse, had felt it at the time and knew it to be true now but it was more than that, it was the witch. Listening to her rantings, seeing the destruction and madness from the other side had been what had really given her pause, she had recognised herself in the witch and she didn't like it, not one little bit.

She had spent some much time in her youth trying not to be her mother but in the end, she had been the same, just as dark, just as twisted and so it turns out was her older sister.

She wanted to redeem herself for Henry, to prove her love, make amends for all her past horrors, horrors she hoped he would never truly know, even when he was lost to her she still felt that need but some where along the way she had begun to want it for herself but it was so hard, so hard to admit just exactly what she had done, the monster she had been.

The others, they didn't truly understand, they didn't have magic they couldn't comprehend the full extent of its power over her, how it warped, when anything is possible, where is the limit, where is the line you should not cross and Rumple, always there pushing, manipulating, bending her to his will but then again he hadn't given the order to slaughter a whole village had he?

No that had been her, all her, spoken in anger and rage. Never again had she allowed that to happen but it had happened once and that was too much then and now, now it threaten to drive her to the point of madness.

She had told Pan, she had no regrets and then that had been true but now she would be lying if she spoke those words again. She pushed the thoughts away, pushed them down with the others, thoughts of her father, thoughts of Graham, the past was the past, it could not be changed but the future was not yet written, best to focus on Henry and stopping this witch and Robin at some point she would have to face him and his damn tattoo. Seriously if Hook didn't return soon, she would go full on evil queen on this town.

When Hook finally returned he brought food and little else, he had left Emma and Henry outside Granny's where Emma was to book a room for them.

Hook entered the cabin hand and Hook open and up in surrender, "now listen love" he began.

You've got no chance she thought, sweeping her magic against him, she pinned him to the wall and let him have it, shouting at him until her voice was hoarse.

"Are you finished? " He had the nerve to chuckle.

"You think this is funny, you have brought Emma and Henry here, into danger, what the hell Hook."

"I had reasons"

"Yes I know what your reasons are" she sneered.

"No you don't, Emma is the saviour and Henry has the heart of the truest believer, who better than to break a curse" Hook argued.

"That's what this is about?" she asked incredulous."why didn't you tell me"?

Hook rolled his eyes and swept his now free arm down his body indicating his position halfway up the wall "you can be quite temperamental sometimes" he snickered.

"There is however, one tiny problem and remember Regina, the town is quite fond of me and I did rescue you from the hospital"

"What's the problem Hook?" she asked wearily, if he was making a case for his life then it must be something she really wasn't going to like.

"Emma drank all of the potion, so although the boy has returned with his mother, his other mother" he quickly corrected "he does not have his memories".

So Henry is here but he doesn't know me, this is worst than never seeing him again, least before he was safe, now he is here and in danger if the witch realises who he is and worst still I am nothing to him she thought.

"Regina" Hook was calling, well choking out her name, in her anger and shock she hadn't noticed her choke hold on him getting stronger.

She let go, feeling some satisfaction as he fell to the floor with a large bang, she wondered how quickly she could get to him, perhaps she could get a couple of kicks in before he fought her off. She really wanted to kick him but he was already halfway up.

"Regina, now come on, we will get the boy his memories back and break the curse and everything will be fine, happy endings for all" he declared.

Unable to look at him without wanting to inflict serious pain, she did the only thing she could think of, pushing past him roughly she made her way to her room and slammed the door, hard.

Five months ago - Enchanted Forest - Philip and Aurora's Castle

She avoided him at breakfast and said her goodbyes early, planing to set off in carriage immediately, unfortunately the merry man had the same idea and were already assembled.

Robin climbed into her carriage again, shutting the door he leaned over and kiss her cheek as he settled in next to her.

"What do you think you are doing" she demanded

"Stopping you from avoiding me" he chuckled

"Look Regina you want it to be a one time thing that's fine but personally I would like to get to you know you better, what do you think?"

She thought, I think you are handsome and far too cocky for your good, you get under my skin, you have seen too much of me, you make me uncomfortable and comfortable at the same time, I cannot stop thinking about how you kissed me last night and how much I wanted you to never stop, about wonderful it felt to be in your arms, you make me feel guilty for not thinking about Henry, you make me feel want and it is painful, I like your kind smile and the way you watch me like you can see me but you cannot do this, its all too much and I cannot handle right now.

"You know all you need to about me" she told him.

As they sat in silence, her mind pictured a young man from her past, Olive skinned with black kohl rimmed eyes, she remembered his hot kisses, he had taught her a valuable lesson that love and lust were different entities.

She remembered how the handsome young prince had twirled her around the dance floor, he had been dancing with her all night. Their visit to the kingdom was unlike any other kingdom she had visited with the King and Snow before.

She let her thoughts drift back to that evening, it was exciting and fun, full of bright jewel colours, people laughing and talking everywhere, sprawling on large floor cushions or low couches, smoke hung in the air from the strange bottles with pipes attached and tiny brightly coloured birds flirted around the rooms freely. The food was spicy so she hadn't ate much and the drinks were very strong. The King's head had been nodding and his eyes heavy not long after they arrived, he obviously hadn't realised just how strong they were. Someone, she didn't know who but she suspected her father had ushered Snow up to bed and since then she had been dancing with the Prince.

He was so handsome, he was almost beautiful with his fine features and black eyes. His accent made her laugh and when they chatted she felt nervous that she would say something stupid and he would think her a silly young girl, as they danced he told her, "if you were my queen I would give you the most beautiful jewels"

"I have beautiful jewels"

"Ah then he said if you were my queen I would have the most beautiful dresses made for you"

"I have beautiful dresses, more than I can ever wear" she laughed

He stopped the twirling and pulled her close to him, so close she could feel the buttons of his waistcoat through her dress. "I would take you to my bed and give you hour after hour of pure pleasure" he whispered in her ear.

Shocked she pulled back from, blushing furious she stepped back and murmured she was hot and need air.

Quickly crossing the room she passed under arches leading to a veranda which in turn led to a garden set on the edge of the beach. It was a beautiful place, bright coloured plants reached high into the night sky and beyond pure golden sand and blue sea.

He followed her, pressing a goblet of water into her hand. "I am sorry" he apologized "I should not have spoken to you like that, it was wrong of me but" he took her hands and placed them on his heart, "you are so beautiful, you remind me of one of our birds who longs to fly free, I would give you that, no matter the cost, leave your king and come be mine. My father has many soldiers and powerful magicians your King would be no match for us."

Stunned she stared at him, what would it be like she wondered to live here, she believed him when he said she would have freedom here and she didn't doubt his words but what if he tired of her, she didn't know how to live this life, in this court, so unlike any she had ever seen.

Before she could speak, he seized her hand and ran, taking her with him through the lush gardens and down to the beach where he pulled her to the sand into his arms and kissed her.

She had never been kissed like this, with such passion and heat, kissing Daniel had been wonderful and they spent many hours kissing each other softly, gently and sometimes more like this but never this rushed and Daniel had certainly never touched her there, this Prince was, she knew she should tell him to stop but didn't want him to stop. Her heart pounded, her stomach fluttered as he continued touching her,"Don't" she managed as he suddenly stopped, confused and trying to control her breathing, she was pulled to her feet and bundled away.

Her father pushed her into her guest quarters concerned he asked her "are you okay Regina, tell me did he hurt you?"

"No no" she cried "Daddy what I have done?"

"Don't worry child" he consoled her "the King will never know."

"But Daniel" she said as she wept on the bed, "how could I do this to him."

"Daniel is gone" her father told her softly "you have to let him go." "Never, never" she had told him. From then on it was always the dark eyed Prince she would think of when the King bade her to his quarters.

Forcing herself back to the present, she turned and faced Robin, pulling on her most venomous smirk, her voice dripping low with hatred, "get out of my carriage thief" she commanded.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Nine -

One month ago - Golds Cabin

Emma arrived early, waking Regina from a unsatisfactory sleep.

It was awkward, awkward and familiar at the same time.

"Regina" she said

"I see your dress sense has improved" Regina greeted her with a smirk, eyeing Emma's tailored blouse as opposed the see through vests and push up bras, her past wardrobe seemed to consist of.

"I see you've down-sized" Emma replied sweeping her gaze around the cabin.

Regina maintained eye contact with Emma, then sighing turned away and gestered to the couch,

"Henry is fine, he is at Granny's having breakfast in the room we have rented, he thinks I'm here on a case" she said answering Regina's unasked question.

"Right " Regina began she did not want to think about Henry right now, it was far too painful.

"Hook bring you up to speed?"

"Yep, wicked witch of the west, green and mean, cast a curse to get back at you. Also happens to be your sister but more importantly, wants to harm my family, who don't remember they are my family". Emma concluded.

"That's about the size of it" Hook chimed in, entering the room.

"So the plan is, you concoct a memory potion and then we politely ask the witch to leave" Emma grimaced.

"You make it sound so easy Emma" Regina murmured "I'm missing an ingredient, I've travelled the realms and I cannot find it, it's so frustrating" she sighed again "but I might have a plan B, it's worth a try at least".

"Okay, so let's get that done but we also need to know what the witches ultimate plan is, Hook told me she alluded to making your life, Regina, miserable but also a vendetta against all of you especially Mary Margaret, what do you know of this?" Emma asked.

Thinking back to the past six months, Regina told Emma of the events that had transpired after she had ousted the witch from her castle, they had settled back into the routine, Regina to her castle, Snow and Charming rebuilding theirs, trade had been established, the ogres defeated with Regina and Rumple`s help. King George had been causing problems but nothing they couldn't deal with. Everything was ticking along until, about three months ago, Belle had arrived at Regina's castle in the middle of the night, the weather had been so awful, Robin and his men were staying inside her castle, Robin's men had spotted Belle in the distance and ridden out to investigate, friend or foe. Robin had immediately brought Belle to Regina, gently rousing her from her selected spot in the library. Belle had been extremely upset, frantic in her recanting of her tale.

The fog and snow that had affected Regina's corner of the land had also affected the Dark One's lands, deep thick green tinged fog had plagued them for the last two days and two nights and showed no sign of letting up.

On the third night, the thick fog rolled its way into the castle, spreading its tentacles fully into the heart of their home, puffing under the doors and sneaking through gaps in the window, it had forced its way, toxic and oozing, Belle told of her horror as she watched creatures emerge from the soup like mist and seized Neal in their grip, speeding him and out of the castle, Rumple had immediately gone after them, disappearing into the ever deepening fog, "go to Regina" had been his parting words to Belle.

A council had been called that night, Regina fetching Philip, Charming and Snow and various others arriving throughout the night as word of the attack spread.

A search party had been sent to Gold's castle, comprising of Charming, Robin, Regina, her secret favourite Bland, Snow 's secret favourite dwarf, Grumpy and a very miserable Belle. Regina had managed to dispel the fog which was indeed magical in nature but they found nothing of any use.

The only thing they knew at that point was thanks to Belle that the creatures appeared to be monkeys, flying monkeys.

"Seriously flying monkeys?" Emma interpreted.

"Yes shush" Regina shutting her up to continue the tale.

Flying monkeys indicated the foe, and a theory was formed, the visitor from Oz had returned, regrouped after her little holiday in Regina`s castle during their absence and was presumably making a new power play for the dagger which was dangerous for all. "Better the devil you know" Snow had said looking Regina in the eye.

Regina remembers being furious with herself for not foreseeing the return of this witch. In hindsight, it had been too easy to vanquish her, turf her out of the castle with a show of magical force and threats and then she had simply been forgotten, how had she escaped from the infinite forest?

She clearly was very powerful, to hide the magic in her fog, all magic leaves traces but this witch had managed to mask the traces, Regina hadn't noticed anything sinister in it, it had just been an annoyance but she had been oh so hollow and empty, trying to face the challenge of each day, trading, rebuilding, avoiding Robin and trying to make Henry proud of her had taken all she had.

She remembered Snow offering her comfort when she expressed her frustration at this failing, strangely it had been a comfort to her, Their worst fears had been confirmed when the flying monstrosities begin to be spotted daily and the green tinged fog began to deepen and roll throughout all of the land. People had begun to go missing, Philip had sent Aurora to stay with Regina for safe keeping, Snow and Charming

had also decided one base of operations was better than two and also taken quarters at Regina castle. Villagers from all kingdoms had started pouring through her castle gates and she had activated a protection spell around the castle, a great glowing dome radiating its power into the sky.

Regina pauses in the tale as she remembers the exhaustion she felt at that time, the castle and its grounds had never been so full, people needed shelter, water and food. Food they just didn't have, she had provided using magic but it was so tiring constantly calling into being food, clothing, blankets, an endless list of wants.

Robin had been the one to stop it she remembers, he had caught her when she stumbled back after refilling the banquet table in the great hall for the second time that morning. She had pushed him away roughly, refusing to admit weakness in front of him but he had realized the toll it was taking on her and organised hunting parties, recruiting the most able and experienced into little groups of hunters, gatherers and defenders, not a man or woman was lost on his watch she remembered.

Two weeks in and no hide or hair of Neal or Rumple, no direct challenge from the witch.

Knowingly what she knew now, presumably at this point, the witch was with Hook, attempting to learn more of their secrets, perhaps Hook had told her of the dark ones dagger, she would have to ask him later.

Two weeks of uncertainty and tensions mounting, it was almost a relief when the witch attacked, she had strolled into the castle disguised as a villager.

How gloating her words had been, waving Rumples dagger ridiculously in the air, Neal is dead she had crowed, Rumple belongs to me, and everyone single one of you shall suffer had been the gist of her words.

The battle had been short but horrible and she truly been afraid. The witch had been oh so cruel, pushing the memories away another quickly took its place.

Guilty she remembered Robin had comforted her then, following her back from the war chamber, he had placed his hand on her arm and asked her gently if she was ok and she had let him comfort her, letting him put his arms around her, head on his chest for a brief moment, just one moment.

"Regina" Emma prompts her, shaking her from her memories.

Regina looked at Hook, had her told her about Neal? Hook held her eye and shook his head slightly, he stood up from the chair he had been lounging in and moved to stand in front of the window, back to them.

"Emma" Regina begins gently "the witch made herself known to us at this point and I'm afraid, well there's no easy way to say this but she told us, and I believe it to be true, she murdered Neal, Neal, he is dead, I'm sorry" Regina wasn't sure of the reaction she would get and if she was honest, she hadn't even considered she would be the one to have to tell Emma this, glancing at Emma she watched her absorb the news, disbelief, shock, horror and finally anger rolled across Emma's face. Suddenly she stood up, without saying a word she left the cabin.

Hook flinched as if to follow her then thought better of it and stood his ground. Regina nodded to herself, Emma just needed a bit of time to process the news, in private, in fact leaving the cabin was exactly what she herself would have done, "give her a moment she will be back shortly" Regina told Hook.

Four months ago - Enchanted Forest -

Regina' castle

Since their return she still could not sleep, not a full night and what sleep she did manage to achieve was poor and filled with dread.

The weather was terrible, freezing fog and heavy snow had settled on their little corner of the land, the sun so low in the sky, it seemed to be eternally dusk, she half wondered if she herself were the cause of the awful weather, it certainly matched her mood.

Robin and his men had moved into the castle, she had begrudgingly offered the stables and the sheltered courtyards but the villagers had started to make themselves at home in the great hall and kitchens, she had no energy to fight them on this, let them do as they wanted, let the Blands deal with it, as long as they left her alone, she frankly couldn't care less.

Restless in the early hours, she would leave her quarters and prowl down to the library, The Blands had made sure the villagers knew this room was most certainly out of bounds.

Her plan to settle on the couch in front of the fire, and resume the book she had been trying to read for the past two weeks, sometimes if she was luckily she would doze here until dawn, if not well least she spent her time keeping her mind occupied and off the overwhelming hopelessness of life without Henry and certainly not thinking about Robin.

Sighing deeply she plopped herself down on the couch and reached for her throw, something was different, there was a small side table by the couch that wasn't there before, had deliberately been placed there and the table was not empty, upon it sat a wooden mug filled with white liquid and a note which read:

"Milady although I can think of more enjoyable ways to help you sleep instead I offer you this remedy, a family recipe, given to me by my mother when I was but a boy and a remedy which I have used on myself and my boy many a time, I trust it works as well for you" signed Robin of Locksley, in brackets (the thief) and at the bottom scrawled perhaps as a afterthought "it is not poisonous".

Frankly she didn't care if it was, she drank it, it tasted of warm milk, sweet and slightly spicy and after a few moments, she felt sleep take her.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Nine -

One month ago -Golds Cabin.

Emma did come back, with red eyes and a determined look on her face.

"What happened?" she asked sinking slowly into a overstuffed armchair. Hook crossed the room towards her, then stopped unsure of how to continue, "we don't know the details" he said softly "the witch declared Neal dead and we saw no reason to believe otherwise"

"Yes" Regina agreed, the look in Rumple's eyes had confirmed it for her, he had witnessed Neal's death she was sure.

Regina quickly recounted the tale again of the witches arrival in the castle and the events that followed.

"So she casted the curse but how and why" Emma asked.

"We don't know" Regina sighed, "only that she wishes her revenge upon her sister, Regina and your mother" Hook interrupted.

"What did the Charming's say?" Regina interrupted quickly, she was hoping to avoid the sister thing for as long as possible. However her patience at the whole situation was being to wear dangerously thin, yes they needed to try and piece together the missing parts but what she really needed was to break the curse and get Henry's memories back, the thought of him so close and yet so far away was maddening.

"Did they believe the cover story?"

Emma sighed again "I didn't speak to them" she confessed.

"What"? Regina cried out angrily.

"I'm not sure it's the best plan, why would they trust a complete stranger over the Mayor, who they believe they have been friends with forever, it's just too risky" Emma reasoned.

"Emma" Regina drew her mouth in a thin line, this pained her to say it but say it she would "when you first came to Storybrooke, you and Mary Margaret became friends very quickly and I believe that's not common for you" she paused "your true connection was still there in-spite of the curse, your souls recognised each other, and they will do again, besides you bloody Charming's always find one another" she huffed.

Emma looked thoughtfully and almost gratefully at Regina but she shook her head, "it's too soon, we need to be more prepared, I think we should give them the potion, then they can convince the rest of the town to drink it, that's what we need them for after all".

"She's right" Hook agreed, yes she is Regina thought sadly, she was unsure why she wanted Mary Margaret and David to be brought into the plan so quickly, maybe you miss them a inner voice teased, quickly stopping that train of thought she gave Emma and Hook a small nod "okay" she said tightly "I have a idea how to work around the missing ingredients".

"Right, then love's let's get started" Hook announced.

"I need to get started" she told him.

"I need to get back to Henry" Emma said

"and I need you to go spy on the mayor Hook" Regina said "She may sense the magic brewing, I need you to watch her and if you think she senses something is up, I need you to either stop her or at least warn me" she handed him the slippers and half a mirror, "take these, do not mistreat them Pirate" she warned him.

"Aye your majesty" he replied, sweeping into a mock bow as he made his way to the door, turning towards Emma he bade her goodbye softly.

Emma turned to Regina "so we trust him now? she asked with a smirk.

"I trust his motivation" Regina replied with a twist of her lips. "How is Henry?" She asked quietly.

"Good" Emma replied quickly "he's good, life was good, it was all" she trailed off.

"Good" Regina supplied

"Yes, I almost didn't come back" she admitted

"Why did you?" Regina asked

"I've spent all my life looking for my family, I found them and lost them again and although playing the Saviour again is not something I am looking forward to, I guess it is my role to play and my price to pay for my family"

Long after Emma had left, Regina found herself unable to get Emma's words out of her mind, she understood Emma's hesitancy in accepting her role, was it really all down to fate, did they have no choice but to play these roles chosen for them?

Sighing she forced her mind back to the task in hand, the only role she was interested in right now was that of Henry's mother.

Three months ago - Enchanted Forest - Regina's Castle

Frustratingly the Charmings had taken up permanent residence at the castle, Regina just wanted to be left alone to deal with the threat but the whole realm now seemed to be living with her.

They spent so much time in the war chamber Regina felt she could close her eyes and still see the brick work.

They had searched the Dark One's castle to look for clues, traces of magic had lingered but she could not discern anything new. She had rifled through Rumple's belongings and taken what she thought maybe useful, a few books, his crystal ball, some powers and ointments but overall it had been a waste of time.

Prince Philip refused to leave his people although Aurora remained with them as did Belle. The fairies had split into groups, setting up protection spells in Philip's kingdom, while the rest were searching the realm looking for traces of magic, trying to locate the witch and Rumplsklitskin.

She had no doubts the castle would hold if the witch should bring the fight to them, there was a powerful protection spell built into the very walls of the castle which would hold fast, no matter strong the magic but Rumple, well he was the unknown factor.

Regina was sure he would try to fight against the witch but Regina assumed if she had the Dark One, she had the dagger, and if the witch controlled the dagger, she controlled him.

Belle was convinced of thousand things, she thought she could free the Dark One with her true love kiss, break his curse and break him free from his captor but for now they couldn't even find him, let alone get close enough for him and Belle to lock lips. Regina wasn't even sure if this was the best plan, true he would be no danger to them but his power would be gone, power they might need to defeat this bitch.

Once again in the war chamber, she activated the crystal ball so they could check in with Philip, all was quiet there so she turned the ball's attention to the Dark Forest to track the soldiers progress, all was not well.

They looked on in horror as the situation Robin and his men had found themselves in was revealed, they were under attack by the winged creatures that Belle had described. Regina forced her power on the ball and with a sweep of her hand transferred it to one of the full length mirrors in the chamber, given them a widescreen view.

The men were fighting bravely but they could already see they had taken losses and those damn creatures seemed incredibly hard to kill, multiple arrows or sword swipes were required to keep them down for good.

At the same time, Snow and David turned to look at her, a silent plea in both their eyes.

Sighing Regina pulled her magic to her once again and disappeared in her customary purple swirl.

Purposely arriving to the side of the battle, she took a moment to assess the best course of action, there were a couple of pockets of men fighting off to the sides in the trees but the majority of the action was going down in the clearing to the right of her. She had decided what to do, it was risky but mostly for her but if it worked as she hoped it would be the swiftest way to end this with no more human casualties.

Summoning her power, she allowed her magic to build up, then she built it higher and higher still until her body hummed with it, she bent her body forward in one huge sweeping motion allowing all the magic to flow through in her hands in a giant wave, sweeping all the men back into the forest away from their tormentors and the same time, the tops of the trees around the clearing stretched and shot out dark snaking tendrils, a mockery of vines and branches which did not exist previously, bowing down towards the enemy entrapping them in place. The more the flying creatures, struggled and tried to fly away, the more the vines held them in place. With one jerk of her hand, she made the smallest gesture, such a small movement but a though deadly one, the creatures fell down dead with their necks snapped. Turning her attention to the band's of two or three still battling in the trees, she sent fireballs directly into the monkeys furthest away which left two to her left, the closest one she gifted a broken neck, leaving one more, this one she wanted alive, challenging her magic again she sent a sleeping spell its way, then quickly poofed the soldiers sword away when he went to finish the job. The surprise on the soldiers face brought a smirk to her lips, "a war prisoner" she called to him.

In all it had taken less than a minute to win this battle and she felt pretty damn pleased with herself. Clearly the men emerging from the forest felt the same as they greeted her enthusiastically, a few cheers rose and a smattering of claps for her as the men gathered themselves.

Taking stock of the situation, it was decided to retreat to the dark castle for the night, to take care of the wounded and secure their prisoner in the dungeons, she reluctantly agreed to place a protection spell around the castle.

Speaking through Rumple's full length mirror she informed the Charming's of the situation who agreed to send horses and wagons first light to return the wounded to the castle.

Feeling like her part was now played, she started to make her way towards one of the guest rooms, fully intending to use the last of her nearly exhausted magic for herself to draw a nice bath and possibly a coffee, when Little John apprehended her.

"Robin requests your presence if it pleases you your majesty" he lumbed.

"How nice for him" she snarled at the overgrown more hair than man in front of her, "unfortunately I have other plans".

"Yes, he thought you might say that but told me to let you know that he promises you will find this worthy of your attention, he finds himself in a bit of a delicate situation" little John replied not fazed by her bad temper.

"I have no intention of going to him unless you tell me right now why he dares to summon me" Regina said

"He has an arrow in his ass your majesty" was the reply.

Yep Robin was right, this was far too good an opportunity to miss, not even bothering to hide her smile she told Little John to lead the way.

Standing in the doorway she viewed his predicament with great glee.

Spotting her at the door and glaring at the look on her face "Ahh Regina a little assistance would be greatly appreciated" he asked face set in a grimace.

"Oh Robin does it hurt so very much" she asked him her tone light and sweet.

"Yes" he groaned.

"I believe what you are experiencing right now is karma at work, being a pain the ass, now having a pain the ass, I am not sure if I should intervene with such forces" she mocked.

"Indeed milady perhaps we can strike a deal, help me out and you can continue your mocking, I am in a fair amount of pain here" he suggested.

"Yes dear" she replied "that's the point and I believe the other point is right there" she chuckled.

"What will it take?" He asked in frustration.

"Hmmm such an opportunity, I may have to sleep on it, I"ll let you know my price in the morning" she said turning on her heel and hiding her smile.

"Regina, please I beg of you"

"Now that's more like it, a beg and a promise" leaning forward she waved her magic over the arrow grinning widely at his expression of relief, turning away while he righted his clothing, she jumped slightly to find him right behind her, "Thank you Regina, I am in your debt, I'm also hungry and in need of a drink, come on" he said, placing his hand on the small of her back he guided from the room.

She allowed herself to be led from the room, food and a drink did sound good and so did the chance to rib him some more.

They entered the great hall to shouts and friendly taunts, clearly Robin's little problem was no secret and she found herself enjoying the friendly banter, "come on now let the man sit down or then again maybe not" she called to the room. As the laughter started around again, one of Robin's men pressed a drink into her hand and they settled on the end of the banqueting table which had been laid with modest fare, waving her hand over the table she multiplied the quantity and quality of the food, a cheer went up, the fire was lit and someone began to play the lyre.

It was nice and despite herself she found herself enjoying listening to the easy banter of the men and their tales of past misdeeds, there was a awkward silence at one point when it was apparent she and some of the soldiers sat around the table at been at the other end of the joke in one story but her laughter had swept away the silence and the stories had continued.

Growing wearily she was aware that she practically leaning on Robin, his hand at some point had come to rest on the small of her back and as she sat there in the warmth of the room she found she really didn't care, it was just so nice and comforting however that did not mean she wanted to fall asleep at the the table. She stood to excuse herself, shocked when the men rose to their feet also, this was expected of knights but the merry men showing respect, stunned and pleased her. Wishing them good night she made her way back to her chosen bedchamber.

Robin called after her, turning around she watched as he caught up to her in corridor, holding a fire torch in his hand, I'll light the way he told her.

"I am more than capable of lighting my own way" she reminded him producing her ever ready fireball in hand. "Yes I'm sure" he chuckled but "I do insist milady".

Reaching her door, he opened it for her and stood back allowing her to sweep past him, he followed her into the room, lighting the candles and sweeping his torch into the corners of the room, "checking for monsters" he informed her.

"You haven't checked under the bed" she teased smirking as he made a grand show of sweeping back the bed linen and waving the torch into the dark space"

"Does my milady need tucking in?" he asked

"In your dreams thief" she replied

He opened his mouth to reply and then stopped himself, she would bet she could guess the direction of his thoughts, a uncomfortable silence cloaked the room, the friendly, some what flirty banter gone.

What the hell was she thinking, she chided herself, how had she allowed this to happen, she spent a great deal of effort purposely avoiding him after their last "alone" time and then spent the evening probably giving out mixed signals.

"Regina" Robin spoke softly "thank you, thank you for coming to our aid today, you saved a

great many lives and quite literally my ass." He paused, took a small breath, looking into her eyes, he continued "I enjoyed this evening and I think you did to, I know we have imposed on your hospitality, making ourselves at home in your castle, a flaw with the men I'm afraid, we tend to take over. I also know you have been avoiding me in particular and the reason why, although I cannot regret that night, I do regret the outcome, I meant what I said in your carriage Regina, I would like to know you better" learning forward he pressed a kiss to her cheek and stole out of the room before she could say another word.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Ten-

One month ago-Golds Cabin

She has everything ready, her potion's kit, stolen by Hook out of the mayor's office, her office, all the ingredients minus one, each one of the little bottles labelled, Henry, Snow, David, Dr Hopper, Granny, Ruby, Blue, Tink, the people she most trusted, if that was the right word, in the town. The hope being, if these people believed, they could convince the rest of the town, or more likely one of them could break the curse, probably Snow and David with yet another sickening true love kiss.

Taking a deep breath, she hoped this would work, the potion called for a certain elusive ingredient but she thought she could fake it if she used blood magic.

Blood magic could be used as a replacement in many spells, there was no reason to think this spell was any different and besides her blood was already intimately woven into the original curse, picking up the small sharp knife, she rested her hand over the shimmering beaker and made the cut.

Slowly the blood began to drip into the potion, swirling into the silvery liquid tingeing it pink. She would know if the substitution had been successful when the potion smoked, so far nothing. She took up the knife again, deepening the cut, more blood seeped out, too damn slowly, she squeezed the cut forcing more into the beaker, no shimmering haze as yet.

Sighing she reached for the knife again, was digging into the cut when the door flew open with a bang, startled her hand slipped and she gasped as she felt a sharp pain.

Shit, she had sliced too deep, bloody hell she had hit an artery, the blood was now gushing from her wrist, desperately she tried to stem the flow but she could feel her knees wobble, letting go of her wrist as her other hand grasped for purchase on the table she cried out.

"Regina" a voice called out, his voice.

She swore again, suddenly he was there, pulling her bleeding hand up above her head, forcing her to hold it there, while he frantically searched for a suitable torqiuet. Finding a almost clean tea towel, he pulled her wrist down towards him and began to tighten the makeshift bandage. "What did you do?" He asked, "what the hell is all that?"

"A potion" she mummered.

"A potion" Robin moaned, "oh Regina, I thought, I hoped that" he trailed off, "hold this tightly " he told her pointing to the tea towel, he reached into his pocket for his cell phone.

She wanted to stop him, if he called a ambulance everything would be ruined but it was taking all her strength to concentrate on her wound, trying magically to close the deep cut, she was managing to slow the flow of her blood but she had already lost a lot and could feel herself weakening.

"Drink it" she moaned, "drink it, please drink it, please" she begged.

She watched his confusion turn to angry frustration, "God damn it Regina, will I be cured of my curse, is that it? You ran away from the hospital, you gave up on getting better, coming home to me, to your son for this, why why would you do this" he shouted.

"Please" she begged him sinking to the floor, "you have to otherwise all is lost" Henry is lost to me, lost forever again, she thought despairingly.

"Fine then, if it stops this madness" he spat out "then I will" he snatched the finally haze filled beaker from the table. She watched him take a large gulp from the beaker before she passed out.

Three months ago - Enchanted Forest - Regina's Castle

Snow and Charming held true to their word and by first light, the group of merry men and soldiers had loaded the wagons with the wounded and the dead and were preparing to travel back to her castle.

Regina had no intention of travelling with them and had already returned to her castle via her magic, they had more than enough soldiers with them she reasoned and she was keen to get started on some of Rumple's books plus a little distance from a certain outlaw wouldn't hurt either she reasoned.

Alas her plans to distance herself from the Hood family were quickly thwarted for as soon as she had returned, the littlest Hood spotted her and was currently running towards her as fast as his legs would carry him, he set upon her, asking her where his papa was and when he would return, seeing him work himself into a crying mess, Regina pushed her impatience aside, squatting down onto the floor next to him, she tried to assure him that all was well and his papa would be home soon. The young boy would not be calmed, time to try another tactic, "come with me Roland I have something show you" looking up at his guardian, one of the merry man she presumed, there seemed to be so many of them, for permission which he granted with a surly nod, she took Roland s hand in hers and led him to her quarters.

Settling him on her dressing table chair, she bade him look into the mirror, sweeping her magic across it she summoned the mirror to show Robin's whereabouts.

"See" she told Roland softly, pointing at Robin in the mirror, "there he is, making his way back to the castle".

The small boy smiled at the sight of his father "look at how fast his horse is" he giggled at her.

"Yes, he is riding very fast to get back to you dear" she reassured the boy.

As is the way with small children, his tears quickly disappeared and he began to chatter away to Regina about how great a rider his papa was and how he hoped to be as great with a bow as his papa when he grew up,. Listening to his tales of his father, Regina smiled fondly at the boy, he was truly an enchanting child, beautiful with his dark locks and ready smile, clearly beloved by all the merry men and especially his doting father, blinking back the tinge of sadness that threaten as Henry's face formed in her mind, she remembered a conversation between Snow and herself not so long after they had first returned to the castle.

It was shortly after she had healed Roland, obviously word had spread and Snow had wished to discuss the matter with Regina to impress on her how wonderful this was and how proud she was for her. Regina remembered feeling quite nauseous at this point, shot Snow down with a snarky comment about how unimpressed she was with Snow being impressed by her good dead and tried to make her escape when Snow had trapped her with Henry's name.

She had then proceeded to share her memories of a four year Henry in her class, making Regina a mother's day card and telling Mary Margaret proudly that his mom was the mayor and a very important person and how he wanted to be as important as her when he himself grew up.

Pushing the tears away, she treated Roland to

a magically conjured slice of chocolate fudge cake. Her tears turning to smiles as she laughed at the amount of chocolate fudge he managed to get everywhere apart from his mouth.

Roland spent the rest of the morning in her chambers, watching his papa in the mirror and playing with some fingerpaints that she had conjured for him. She didn't exactly get much research done but she found she didn't really mind.

She returned Roland to the remaining merry men at lunch time, grabbing some food she returned to her chambers to begin her research into enchanted creatures, the monkey prisoner currently chained to her dungeon wall could be a source of information, but unfortunately she didn't speak monkey and was trying to find a spell that would help.

She hadn't realised it had got so late, until looking up at the sound of a knock on her door, she realised she must have lit the candles without even noticing, it must be getting on for late evening, she had probably missed the evening meal.

Standing up she walked to the door, hoping for a delivery of food.

"Yes?" She enquired at Robin, what did he want now.

"Milady, forgive the intrusion but Roland was quite insistent".

Looking down she saw the boy smiling up at her, he reached his arms up to her in the hope of a cuddle. Smiling she lifted him into arms, settling him on her hip. Her smile grew as Roland thanked her for spending time with him, for watching his papa in her magic mirror and most importantly the yummy chocolate cake. "You are most welcome" she told him.

"Can you come and play tomorrow?" Roland asked little face peering into hers.

"Come now Roland, Regina is very busy" Robin chuckled at his son, "she has a Kingdom to save".

"No pressure then" she sighed.

He looked at her, concern running across his face, she cut him off quickly stopping whatever words he was about to utter by turning her attention back to Roland, "it must be your bedtime yes?" Giving him a gentle squeeze, she popped him back on the floor and ruffled his hair, "good night Ser Roland"

"Good night Queen Regina" Roland said hopping up and down in his obvious pleasure at being called Ser".

"Goodnight Robin" she said with what she hoped was a finality shutting the door, practically in his face.

"Good night Regina" Robin called from the other side of the door.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Eleven -

Two Days Ago- The Hospital

Her wrist aches and her head is thick with drugs, again. The room is quiet and she fully expects to be chained to the bed but she is not.

Gingerly she sits up and feels for her magic, it's still there, flowing freely through her blood unrestrained.

Breathing a sigh of relief and pushing back the bed covers she is wearing a hospital gown, she can see her clothes folded on the chair in the corner. Swinging her legs from the bed, she stands, reaches her clothes, quickly dressing, hoping to make a quick escape she raising her hands to perform the vanishing spell.

"Stop"a voice calls, it's Charming, "Regina, go to Gold's shop, those that remember are gathered there" he urges her.

Giving him a small nod she locates herself and disappears into the ether.

The shield outside Gold's shop bounces her back and she stumbles back, teetering on her heels.

Good she thinks making her way round the back of the shop she knocks tentivately.

Snow opens the door and pulls her inside and into a hug, "Regina, thank God, how are you?"

Untangling herself from Snow, she replied with her customarily reply, "I'm fine," adding "what happened?"

Following Snow into the back room, she sees the room filled with the usual suspects, Tink greets her warmly with a small hi, Blue nods but avoids her eye as does Granny, Grumpy, Ruby and Belle. Hook and Emma walk forward towards her but she does not care, her eyes searching the room for the one person that matters, the question is on her lips when he walks into the room and calls "mom".

She hesitates, he is looking at her right? Not Emma, no it's definitely her, he runs towards him and she meets him halfway.

"Henry, oh Henry, I missed you so much, are you well, I'm sorry, please forgive me" it all comes out in a muffled rush, words pressed into his head as she hugs him close. She pulls back to look at him, he has grown, almost as tall as her, his face is a little sharper, losing its childish plumpness. Her heart aches and for the first time in such a long time, it is a good ache. He is smiling at her and asking her why she is apologising, this isn't your fault he is telling her. She can barely hear him over the loud thump of her heart, surely the whole room can hear it, it's so loud. She pulls him back into her for another hug and now he is laughing "mom, we can catch up later, right now we have to save the town" she laughs joyfully, the first real laugh that has escaped her for well over a year, she lets him go but not fully, never again will she let him go, shifting to his side, she wraps her arm around his shoulder, finds Emma's eyes "so bring me up to speed Miss Swan".

Emma confirms the potion worked, Robin remembered but it was too late, the ambulance had arrived, during the ride he had used Regina's phone to call Emma, realising that the Emma and her son Henry he had briefly chatted to in the diner that morning was none other than the Emma, the StoryBrooke saviour.

Emma had then rushed to the cabin retrieved the rest of the potions and gave them to Snow and David who regaining their memories and returned the favour for the others currently gathered in the room.

Hook was tasked with distracting Velma, storming into the Mayors office he announced his presence in the town and his intention of stopping her wicked ways, before disappearing via magical footwear, he had rampaged through the office, smashing her cell phone and office phone in the hope of giving them enough time to rescue Regina from the hospital before Velma got wind of her whereabouts.

Somehow Robin had brought Dr Whale's silence and David, in his role as sheriff had gone to retrieve her, it had been a couple of hours maximum. They gathered here, using magic chalk to seal the entrance while they waited for either Regina or Velma to make a appearance "and we are glad it was you" Snow chimed in warmly.

Despite herself Regina smiled at her, "where is Robin now?" she asked coolly glancing around the room.

"He has gone to fetch Roland from school, he should be here shortly" Snow informed her.

That's going to be awkward she thought, "is there any potion left?" She asked.

"No" Emma answered "but we have started to make some more with my blood but what we really need is to fully break the curse, David and Mary Margaret have already tried true loves kiss but it didn't work" Emma gave a small shrug, "kinda of out of ideas now and there's one other thing, she sighed "everyone here remembers who they are but they still don't remember the past six months".

That made sense she had doctored the potion using her blood, breaking the part of the curse connected with her but the other part wasn't hers it was Velma's. She must have twisted the original curse and added to it, the memory potion could not break this apart. She told the group this and wondered aloud where the witch was.

David returned with the news, that the witch was still in the dark about the awakened citizens of her town and Regina's whereabouts, she had tasked David with finding another escaped patient from the hospital, one who apparently thought he was a pirate and had attacked her and damaged city property.

Regina quickly removed the shield from Gold's shop, hoping her sister hadn't noticed.

It was decided to carry on as normal and cast a memory loss spell on Whale and the nurses, For the time being, they would pretend they still were in the dark, Regina would go back to Gold 's Cabin and remain in hiding.

Present Day - Golds Cabin - later that evening

Regina was once again pacing the floor, waiting for Mary Margaret and David to arrive, she had asked them before leaving Gold's earlier that day to come over as she had something very important to tell them and now she was pacing and trying to keep the her stomach from cramping in anxiety.

Finally they arrived, rushing through her hostess duties, they were finally settled at the small round table.

Three envelopes lay on the centre of the table, yellowed with age and wrinkled, the seals destroyed long ago but the writing still legible.

She had thought for a long time the best way to deliver the news and had decided just to let Mary Margaret read the letters, the way she herself had done.

Glinda had told her there was no need for Regina to read them in her presence, she had read them and knew no more than was written. Later on Regina had been grateful for this small mercy, she was unsure if her well practiced poker mask would have held.

To say the letters had been shocking was a understatement, she had no idea that her mother had known the King but she had and she had sent him a letter revealing the true nature of their past relationship.

Begging Leopold to take a chance on love and choose her for his queen "although I am but a simple Miller's daughter, I understand the people of your future kingdom more truly than any royal ever could, with your kind heart and my tenacity, we can govern this Kingdom as wisely as your father ever did, we can strengthen from the inside with the love of our subjects, you do not need to accept a arranged marriage in order to do so. My love for you and I hope yours for me, will strengthen all of us"

Regina was not fool enough to believe anything was quite that straightforward when it came to her mother, she doubted her mother's confession of love was entirely honest but perhaps she had hoped for love with the King.

"Love is weakness Regina" the words echoing was her mother's warning from experience after all?

Leopold had written back to Cora, foolishly expressing his delight upon meeting Princess Eva and confirming his decision to fulfill his father's wishes and proceed with the union with Princess Eva.

Foolish man, he was always rash in his decisions, she thought angrily.

The third letter was the most shocking, it was from Princess Eva to the captain of her personal guard, instructing him to ensure the removal of the millers daughter from her new kingdom, the mill was to be shut down, the girl and her father moved onto pastures new, a new mill, some money and the babe to be removed. Enclosed there had been a short reply from the captain to Eva, informing her the orders had been carried out but the babe had already been re-homed.

Taking a calming breath, Regina pointed to the letters "it appears there is more to our history than we were aware" she told Mary Margaret, flicking her eyes down she gestured towards the letters and instructed the dark haired woman in which order to read. Holding her gaze "I'm sorry" she told her. She rose from the table and retreated to the back room she had taken for herself, telling herself it was best to give Mary Margaret some privacy ignoring the voice inside that insisted her departure was cowardly.

Sitting on the bed she knew that Mary Margaret would not blame her for this, she had always been a forgiving person, infuriatingly so but she also knew this would hit her hard and she was unsure of how this would affect the here and now.

David and Mary Margaret still did not remember the missing months spent back in the Enchanted Forest, Mary Margaret would not remember the moments they had shared but now at least they remembered Neverland. "And we owe a lot of it to her" Regina recalled Mary Margaret's words as they stood on the docks, that still had to count for something. Hopefully everything that they had built could be rebuilt. Regina allowed the small flicker of hope to grow, fanning it's flames with all the moments they had shared that could be remembered by all. She would try to be there for her as much as possible, she could never allow Snow fully into her heart but she could try to show her she understood, after all, Velma was her sister, her sister and Snow's.

She heard the muffled cry from the living room and knew that Mary Margaret had finished reading, she heard the low mummers as Mary Margaret and David conversed.

She stood as she heard a chair scrape back, nervously she turned to the door, David beckoned her, still sat at the table, Mary Margaret looked up from the letters she was clutching in her hands, unashamed tears ran down her face. "Snow?" Regina asked.

"I'm shocked" came her answer to the unspoken question "I had no idea my mother could be so heartless and my father so thoughtless" She paused "where did you get these?

"Oz, from Glinda the good witch" Regina replied "She knew, Velma they had been friends I think, Glinda saw the route that Velma was taking and tried to stop her from her, I presume she took the letters to try and understand her motives. I truly had no idea, Cora never mentioned it and neither did Leopold, I am convinced that he did not know of Velma's existence but he must of known who I was when he married me, perhaps he thought it could recificty his past with Cora by making her daughter queen, I don't know" she swept her gaze to the floor, honestly sharing emotions was so exhausting.

In truth she did not want to think about this part of it all, perhaps that's why the King never loved her, she thought at the time being young and still somewhat naive that it was her, but now she knew it was not her fault, the King had truly loved Snow's mother and at one point, he possibly thought he could of loved her mother.

She offered Snow this "he did truly love your mother, she understood him better than I could ever have done and Princess Eva had met Cora so you can't blame her for taking a instant dislike to her" she finished dryly.

Snow smiled softly "I know, I also know that the past is the past and cannot be changed and where love is involved sometimes things get tricky and we do things that we later regret" she smiled up at Regina, her eyes as earnest, as full of warmth and love as ever, Regina wondered if Snow was still talking about her mother.

Two months ago - Enchanted Forest

Did they have this conversation about me? she wondered. Were the same people present when her fate had been hanging in the balance? probably.

She supposed they were sort of equal now, the amount of attempts on her life, imprisonment and banishment, technically she was probably still in the lead but she didn't think anyone was counting anymore. They had agreed to leave the past behind them and the Charmings held true to their word and hadn't brought it up, even when she pushed them, they ignored her barbs without retaliating.

Eventually she realised it was a little bit unfair to keep throwing the peace treaty back in their faces, although it was amusing and it definitely was expected of her, so she had taken to taunting Robin instead but not to harshly and never in front of his boy.

She was startled from her thoughts as Charming slammed his hand down on the table, causing the group gathered around it to jump slightly, herself included.

"I can't believe we have to through this again, another damned curse" his anger evident in his tensing neck muscles.

She felt herself tense waiting for the inevitable get at Regina digs but Blue was talking, in her irritatingly condensing tone, the curse had not been casted yet perhaps there would be time to stop the witch.

Round and round in circles they went, discussing the witches motives, shutting her down when she suggested a face to face meeting with the witch, Snow was as always arguing against it, she is enjoying her taunts and she will cast the curse, you know this Regina, you never stopped when we offered you the chance.

"Can we bind her?" Charming asked.

Regina shook her head, she couldn't find that spell and they would need something of the witches for it to work and that they just didn't have.

They were for all intensive purposes trapped inside the castle, leaving to find the witch would mean fighting the monkeys, they were running precariously low on fairy dust.

Regina and Tink had sneaked out, hoping to gather dust, earning themselves a massive telling off from Snow which Tink had taken to heart but Regina had just shrugged off.

The fairy dust was gone, presumably stolen by the witch. It would have been worth it, if they had gotten the dust and Snow giving her the cold shoulder for two days had been a reward in itself, two days of peace and no breakfast time chats about the weather, for God's sake.

The witch really did have the upper hand and no matter what was discussed in this room that wasn't going to change.

Finally they decided to tell Philip so he could prepare his people and when the curse arrived they would tell the public but for now they were to carry on as normal, they still had Snows birds searching the land for the witch and Regina would continue her research, with Belle's help, looking for a protection spell, she was also looking for Hook, casting her mirrors throughout the land, he knew how her mother had protected some of the realm before, if she could track him down maybe she could find out how.

Deep in thought she hadn't noticed Robin lingering by her side, startling when he gently touched her arm and pulled her to one side, away from the dispersing group.

"Regina, may I ask you something" he asked. Something about his voice made her hold her sharp tongue.

"it's not about the curse but it is about magic" he confessed.

She nodded her agreement, curious to what he would ask.

"Roland has been saved twice by magic now, first when I stole from the Dark One to save my wife when she was deathly ill in her pregnancy and once when you saved him, I worry that he pay the price for this?"

He gaze soften as she wondered how long he had thought about this and why he hadn't asked her before, probably because you are so horrible to him a little voice berated her. Stole from the Dark One and magic nonetheless, she hadn't known that, how desperate must he have been and quite brave. She thought hard what to tell him and settled on the truth "I doubt Roland will pay a price, the magic you stole to heal your wife was performed on her not Roland so he would not be affected by that and the magic the healer and I used was minimal, pain relief and knitting back together of bones, it would not call for a heavy price, it's too close to light magic" taking a breath she continued "the darker the magic, the heavier the price".

"The magic I stole for my wife was dark magic, did she pay the price?" He asked guilt lacing his words.

"I cannot say Robin" catching his hand in hers she gave it a gentle squeeze "but if you hadn't used the magic, you would have still paid a heavy price, the loss of your wife and your son, somethings can never be a cause for regret".

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Twelve-

Two Days Ago - Gold's cabin

She was exhausted, Mary Margaret and David had left over a hour ago, since then she had found herself staring into the mirror, watching Henry as he moved around his room in the the B&B. She was half tempted to magic in there, just to be with him but it was too dangerous, the dwarfs were watching the B&B and as Emma had been careless enough to use her real first name with Robin and God knows who else, she knew she had to stay away, it wouldn't take long before Velma figured out who she was, although the official story was that Emma and her son were staying at the B&B as their house was being remodelled they were placing a lot of stock on Velma not knowing who was who in her version of the cursed town, it only took one passing comment for the whole story to fall apart.

She wondered how Roland was getting on in this curse land, although she was relieved he was with his father, the curse memories would be troubling for him. He was so young he wouldn't understand, she wondered what Robin had told him. God this was such a mess, waving her hand she changed the mirrors location, vaguely remembering a mirror in the living room in the home she supposed shared with Robin.

Roland was sat at a round dinning table, drumming his legs against the chair legs, face screwed up in concentration as he focused on his paperwork, smiling she remembered that expression from the time she had spent with him back in their realm. His Uncle John, Little John she recalled entered the room although she couldn't hear their conversation, she daren't increase the magical power of the mirror lest she bring it to the witches attention, she could imagine their words, Roland was proudly showing his not quite uncle his picture and the giant of a man was praising it. Robin must be at work she thought, she was going to have to talk to him soon, he had been trying to catch her eye in Golds shop and honestly she didn't know what to say to him, she had grown fond of Roland during the past few months and Robin had been good to her, he seemed to have a knack of giving her what she needed but what did he want from her, she was unsure. She had briefly entertained the idea that he just wanted to mess with the evil queen but realised that he truly was a good man and now that she had seen his tattoo, she didn't know what to think.

She heard a light tapping at the window plane and there he was, looking hopefully though the window and making the universal signal for let me in.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door,

"Regina could we talk please'"

"Yes I suppose we should" she agreed

"So" they both say at the same causing her to wince a little at the sudden memory that played across her mind.

She indicates that he should sit, he sits heavily in the chair and looks nervous.

She had never truly experienced curse memories, hers were practically non existent, she knew the story of her supposed life with him but it was just a story to her, she supposed it was different for him, she had never asked the others how it played out for them but she was sure curse memories felt real so no matter what had happened between them in the past, right now Robin would not be thinking clearly, she needed to put her feelings, confused as they were to one side, she could figure it later, besides he deserved better than her anyway.

"I realise this may be uncomfortable for you Robin but I assure you it was beyond my control, I am sorry you were dragged into this mess, I assume you were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"The wrong place? He asked confused

"You and Roland were staying in my castle, along with many others, your men were in the village as we attempted to track down this witch" she told him wanting to keep strictly to business, he didn't need to know anything more than necessary right now.

"So you think it was a proximity thing?" He hemmed

"Yes probably, I am told your curse memories should fade away soon enough" she told him firmly.

"And you don't have these curse memories?"

"No, the curse did not work on me"

"I see" he said "so in the hospital when you remembered me, that wasn't real?"

"No I was uncertain at that time the exact nature of my predicament and my memories of the past months were hazy but I was aware that something was very wrong, I'm sorry that I played along with your curse memories but I am sure you can understand why I did so" she replied stiffly.

"Yes I suppose so, one never knows what one would do until in the same situation, you were trying think your way out of a tight spot, I can understand that".

"Good" she nodded so "that clears that up then" she stood indicating this chat was over.

"Right" he said seeming unsure.

She showed him to the door relieved this conversation was soon to be over.

Hand on the door knob he turned "May I something of you"?

Damn she thought but said nothing nodding at him once that he should continue.

"Roland, he is only five, I fear when we truly break the curse he maybe confused and if that should be the case and he wishes to see you, spend some time, you would grant him this?"

"Yes of course" she didn't mean her voice to sound so quiet and soft but it was too late, he had as so often in the past disarmed her with his request.

"Thank you" he told her, he looked like he wanted to say some thing else but whatever it was he held back. He opened the door and stepped through "well goodbye then Regina"

"Good bye Robin" she told him shutting the door she leaned her forehead against, taking a deep breath before straightening, she locked the door and walked back to the mirror, focusing it on the one thing that mattered, her son.

Two months ago - Enchanted Forest -Regina's Castle

The curse was coming and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

She had felt it activate but the curse cloud was still far away, they had a few hours at least.

It was funny really she mused, the witch insisted Regina was a failure but here she was playing copy cat, she had already tried out her castle for size and her clothes and now she was borrowing the curse, of course that didn't mean the curse the witch had enacted would take them back to StoryBrooke in the land without magic, Regina couldn't believe the witch would be quite so unoriginal but maybe she would, just to make a point that she could do it better, either way it didn't bode well.

It certainly was interesting being on the other side of the curse, she had even found herself offering comfort to Snow and Charming.

Snow had insisted on addressing the kingdom, the three of them standing side by the side on the royal balcony, the Charmings spoke of hope and family. She had played her part, her very presence the point Snow hoped to make, look what could be achieved when we stand together. She supposed she should be angry at the assumption she would stand there merely decorative, just like Leopold used to expect but she understood the point and they didn't want panic on their hands. The crowd had clapped roused by the stirring speech of their reining monarchs but she could not but think it slightly lacklustre, perhaps the terror of such curses had worn off. She recalled a private conversation between two guards she'd been eavesdropping on earlier that day, lamenting their fate yet again and wondering what lay ahead, another guard had pipped up and told his fellows not to worry, these curses make no difference to the likes of you and me, it's them he had said jerking a finger towards the throne room, that come off worst. She had smirked at that, he had a point after all.

Snow and David had invited her to take early supper with them, which she had accepted gratefully, eager not to spend the evening alone with her thoughts.

Throughout the meal, Snow had kept sending worried glances at her until David grasping his wife's hand, told her to stop and reminded her that they would find each, family always does he added, smiling at Regina, she rolled her eyes at their ever sickly motto but now she wondered if David had meant her too.

She left after they had cleared their plates, wanting to give the couple some alone time.

The castle was silent as she made her way to her room, the servants and guards had all been given the night off to spend with their families.

Suddenly she didn't want to go back to her chambers alone, and she found her feet taking her in a different direction.

She found herself knocking at Robin's door, acting on a sudden urge to say goodbye to his son. Roland would probably be sleeping and although she didn't want to wake him She needed to see his sweet face one more to reassure herself that for this moment in time he was safe.

"Milady" Robin bade her welcome into the room he had taken for himself and the boy, his presence in the castle so frequent, he had taken a room for ease and to keep his son close.

The room contained four chambers, a small living parlour in which they now stood, two doors, one to the left, one to the right contained the sleeping quarters, another door at the back of the living area where the washroom would be.

Clearly her throat and feeling ridiculously nervous as she told Robin the purpose of her visit.

"Of course" he smiled pointing at the door to the left standing ajar slightly, dim glow of candle filtering through.

She nodded and smiled her thanks at him and quietly entered the room. The boy was indeed asleep, she knelt by the side of his bed, watching him breath in and out softly, unable to resist urge she gently ran her hand through the boys soft brown curls, stay safe Roland, sweet boy, she whispered. She placed a kiss to his forehead, allowed herself one last look and left the room.

Robin pressed a glass of wine into her hand, she hoped he didn't notice her hand trembling, silly Regina she scolded herself, you barely know the child but it wasn't really true, he had worked his way into her heart, ever since he boy had realised she was the one who rescued him, he would seek her out whenever he could, clambering over the high backed chairs in the library to ask her what she was doing as she poured over old dusty tomes, writing nonsense in the dust, confessing his fears over the monkey he knew to be held in the dungeon, begging her to look in the magic mirror to watch his papa when Robin left the protected walls of the castle, suggesting that cake would make him feel better and one time when he was feeling unwell with a sore tummy crawling into her lap seeking comfort.

Blinking back tears, she took a grateful sip of her wine, expecting the homemade brew to burn her throat and disguise her tears but the wine tasted sweet and good "stealing from my wine cellar?" she enquired

"Ooh I wouldn't dream of it" Robin winked

He damn well had but she would let it go tonight of all nights.

She hummed her disapproval but said nothing.

"So" they both said at the same time. Robin laughed out loud and gestured to the couch.

She sat down smoothing her gown, back straight clutching her glass with both hands, staring forward. Robin tucked his legs to the side, turning his body towards her, his relaxed demeanour the stark opposite to hers. "So" he repeated "how are you holding up milady?"

"I'm fine" she said quietly "you?"

"I must admit I'm slightly terrified" he confessed although his eyes remained strong she knew he would be thinking about his boy

"Its unlikely you will be separated" she told him, turning to look at him she added softly "the curse may take away memories but it cannot stop the soul from recognising loved ones, it certainly worked that way for the Charmings, they did not know each but were drawn to each other just the same"

"Thank you Regina" reaching out Robin tugged one of her hands away from the wine glass that was threatening to crack under the pressure of her grasp.

Squeezing her fingers, "and you milady I'm concerned for you"

She barked out a laugh "don't worry about me thief, I will be fine, if she wanted me dead, I would be by now"

"We both know there are worst things then death Regina"

"You certainly know how to cheer a girl up Robin" she told him

"Ahh yes I do seem to be in rather a melancholy mood tonight, more wine I think" he refilled his glass and topped up hers.

Sinking back into the sofa, she sighed "I certainty didn't see this coming", there's a certain poetic element in all of this I admit, being on the other side of a wicked witch, I just wish she would settle her differences with me, whatever they may be and leave the rest of the kingdom out of it"

"You still don't know the cause of this resentment?" He asked

"No, I must have wronged her in some way but how and what I don't know"

"You can't blame yourself for this Regina"

"Of course I can" she scoffed "this is entirely my fault, it's all my fault"

"Perhaps" Robin agreed "but you can't live in the past, with guilt and regrets, trust me it's no way to live"

"Yes I should focus on the future, I don't see any problems with that, oh wait there's a small matter of a wicked witch and her big fat curse"

Robin laughed again "well apart from that everything is just peachy"

"Just peachy" she agreed smiling at him.

At some point he had managed to close the gap between them and as she lent back into the couch she felt his arm draped onto her shoulder, "what no yawn" she teased, laughing at the confused look on his face "never mind" she assured.

If Robin was going to offer her comfort, then this time just for tonight she was going to take it, she shifted her weight, practically snuggling into him, right now she didn't care, that she was a queen and he a common thief, those were just titles and neither were particularly true.

She hoped he would take the hint and he did, leaning forward he placed his wine glass on the table and gently took hers from her hand placing it on the table next to his, turning back to her "Regina" he said softly, gaze upon her face flickering to her lips, yes he definitely wanted to kiss her

"Hood" she matched his tone

He leaned forward and kissed her softly, pulling back he brought both hands to the side of her head, kissed her again longer, threading his fingers into her hair. Wiggling forward to meet him, lips never leaving his, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

They fell into each, he pressed her back into the couch, his body crowding hers deliciously. "Shall we?" He asked flicking his eyes to the unoccupied room to the right

"We shall"

Grinning he pulled her to her feet and kissed her deeply, hands sliding down her body and finding her hands he walked backwards leading her towards his room.

Once again gathering her to him, he stopped in the doorway, pressing her against it, hands not leaving hers, forehead on hers, his breath gently caressing her face "Regina, are you here because you won't remember in a few hours"? He asked softly.

Refusing to break eye contact she answered him honestly "this was not my intention in coming here this evening but right now I want to be here, I cannot speak for tomorrow any more than you can" she pecked a kiss upon his lips, he hummed against her cheek.

"For now then milady"

"Yes for now thief".

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Thirteen-

One Day Ago- Gold's cabin

"I'm not changing my mind Regina, I'm still going to meet Velma but yesterday you wanted to speak to Belle and I and I got the impression it was important" Emma insisted.

"Your plan is idiotic and as I told you and the others yesterday, the very fact that you are a stranger here will make her suspicious, she will not trust you and you will make yourself and more importantly Henry a target" but she really did need to talk to Belle and best to do it now before Emma's idiotic plan went belly up and chaos followed.

Finishing her morning coffee, she walked towards the mirror on the back wall, sending her magic at it until the inside of Gold's shop appeared, checking various angles of the shop using any mirrored surface she could detect she was satisfied that Belle was alone.

She weaved her transporting spell around herself and Emma startling Belle with their appearance.

"Good morning Belle" Emma greeted the younger woman "apologies for the intrusion but Regina has something to discuss with you"

"I do so hope it is an apology" Belle snipped

Is she joking Regina frowned but apparently not, Belle refused to back down, accepting the fact she was going to have to address their history, Regina huffed a deep breath "okay Belle yes I'm sorry for the past. Rumple and I have a complicated history, there was a time I needed certain insurances against him and unfortunately that happened to be you"

"Great so I was a insurance policy for you, do I get to keep the no claims bonus or perhaps you are hoping to pull that little trick again Regina" Belle snorted at her "seriously you kept me incarcerated for almost thirty years and that's the best you can manage"

"She has a point Regina, that's a pretty poor excuse" Emma chimed in.

"Its not an excuse, you have no idea you have never met the Dark One only Mr Gold and its not the same trust me."

"That maybe but Belle has always been Belle" Emma reasoned.

"Yes and Belle knows how things work in our realm, the rules are different".

"The rules are different" Emma scoffed "that's crap besides you locked her up here too so you owe her a double apology"

"Yes I know" Regina snapped

Turning to Belle she relented "Belle I'm truly sorry for the way I treated you, I admit it was wrong and I don't expect you to forgive me, although you, unlike Miss Swan are fully aware of the differences between this world and our realm, I appreciate I was cruel to you in both."

She waited out the silence, finally Belle asked "what did you want?"

Regina wasn't sure if her reply meant that Belle had accepted her apology or not but she knew that Belle was not ignorant of the inner workings of Rumple's mind and she wasn't making excuses when she spoke of the differences between this world and theirs, theirs was a world of Kings and Queens, where the whole Kingdoms were subject to the whims of their rulers, it was a world of magic where you could be dinner for a dragon or die of a small cut, theirs was a world of magic, where wars were fought by soldiers who had no choice but to fight for the ruling class, you took what you could and you survived anyway you could, the rules were different. Yes but you could have changed the rules a small voice inside her whispered.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, "perhaps we could sit?" she asked, this conversation was about to get even more unpleasant.

Taking another deep breath, "the day we broke the first curse, I had a late night visitor, Gold"

She had returned from this very shop where Snow, Henry and the others had been waiting for her to Cabin, now officially her temporary home, wanting nothing more than to soak in the tub with the wine Hook had purloined for her and forget everything, forget the look on Snows face when Regina told her the about their parents past, forget the look on Robin's face when she practically threw him out the door, wishing only to think of Henry and how he now remembered her and more importantly accepted her, as much as she had wanted his memories to return, part of her had been terrified that when they he did would reject her again and renounced her as the Evil Queen but he had not, he clung as tightly to her as she had to him.

Just as she had been about to draw a hot bath, Gold had appeared and with him, at that small flicker of hope she had been entertaining for a painlessly resolution to the mess between her sisters had been blown out.

Forcing herself back to the present, she realised this was the third time in less than two days she had been the bearer of bad news, a twist of fate, that she so often the cause of people's misery was now the chronicler of it, a lesson in compassion perhaps.

She paused waiting for the inevitable gasps and questions.

"Is he okay? Belle asked

"Yes and no, he is alive but Velma has his dagger, and as you know she has full control over him here as she did in the missing months. Velma was using the dagger to recast the shield spell over StoryBrooke, concerned over Hook's appearance, it takes a great deal of power and she was distracted, Gold managed to escape and find me."

"How?" Emma asked

"He has great knowledge of my magic seeing as he was my mentor" Regina explained.

"Does he know her plans?" Emma interpreted again

"No he does not and if he had any suspicions he didn't share them with me but he did tell me how the curse was casted. I'm truly sorry, there is no way to say this gently so I'm just going to tell you exactly what he told me" Regina waved her hand over the counter, puffing into existence a bottle of scotch and three glasses, planning on breaking her no daytime drinking rule just this once, "he said Velma ripped out Neal's heart, she casted the curse in my name and forced me to crush it into potion"

"That evil bitch" Emma cried out

"Rumple oh Rumple" Belle sobbed.

"I'm sorry I truly am" Regina patted Belle's hand softly quickly pulling it away at the expression on Belle's face.

She doubted she would ever forget Rumple's words, the look in his eyes, wild with self hatred, savage with anger, she must pay, she must be stopped I will kill her` he raged. The chill that had gone through her when he told her his awful truth, her thoughts automatically turning to Henry, imagining Henry in Neal's place, had lingered long after his departure. She could barely imagine how he felt, being forced to destroy his own son, the son that he had fought so hard for, the price of the Dark One's magic had truly been paid.

"Belle" Regina said gently "he has a request, it is dangerous for you but I believe it could work, he wants you to break his curse, like you tried before when you first met"

"With true love's kiss?" Belle breathed

"Yes and I believe it will work, it will free him from Velma's clutches, the dagger will become inert and I believe it may also break the remaining memory curse, due to his connection with it"

"Like our blood" Emma said

"Yes" Regina confirmed "will you try Belle? for the town and also for Rumple, I would imagine that breaking free of this curse may help give him come to terms with this"

"The sacrifice of his powers in Neal's name" Emma said quietly.

"Yes Miss Swan, glad to hear that you do understand some of the rules of our realm" she snipped.

"How do we get to Rumple to do this" Belle asked.

"And why didn't you bring this up yesterday?" Emma said sharply.

"I hardly thought it appropriate to discuss in front of the whole town" Regina exaggerated "besides it won't put an end to Velma only Gold's powers, we still need to figure out her game plan and her weakness. Any other accusations you'd like to fling at me Emma?

"Its not an accusation Regina" Emma sighed "but I do have a delicate question if I may?" Without waiting for a reply she continued "Surely Belle and Mr Gold have shared kisses before, why would true love's kiss break his curse now?"

"Clearly you weren't paying attention when I told you earlier you hadn't met the Dark One. Here Rumple is not the Dark One, he is Mr Gold but with Velma controlling his dagger, he is both more truly now than ever before in Storybrooke so there is a chance that this will work" she explained.

"It will work, I will do this for Rumple and for Neal" Belle promised.

Granny's parlour

Later that day, Emma had called yet another meeting so here she was again in the back room of Granny's B&B, waiting for the others,

She and Emma had already discussed the two main topics of conversation privately, the Rumple situation and Hook's report on his spying activities. Emma was still referring to Velma as her sister and gave no indication that she knew anything different, obviously Mary Margaret and David had not told their daughter their true relationship to the witch and now to Regina, knowing how much family mattered to Mary Margaret she couldn't help but feel a little hurt by this, believing the wicked witch was the evil queen's sister was one thing but the sister of the ever pure Snow White, quite the scandal, did Mary Margaret wish to hide the truth from the others, was she to carry the burden alone?

Mary Margaret would have to get over it as her sisters true plans were now known to them.

Hook had held true to his promise and along with David his snooping had finally paid off, while searching her house, which was actually Regina's, looking for the dagger, he had stumbled across what he suspected was a spell, bringing it to Regina she had confirmed it was indeed a spell, the curse of the empty hearted. Yet another spell she herself had planned to use at one time.

Regina was now convinced her sister plan was three fold, besting her by reenacting the curse putting herself, a well liked mayor in control and banishing her middle sister to a life of misery, Regina strongly suspected the fact that she survived the curse with her memories in tact was not part of her sisters plan but a side effect of Velma piggy-backing off the original curse. She suspected Velma had planned for Regina to believe her curse memories and suffer true madness but she thought with grim satisfaction she hadn't.

Unfortunately for Rumple, her plan for him had indeed been successful and his suffering would never end, the best they could do for him now was to try and free him from her clutches and in time he may find some solace.

Regina was unsure what Rumple had done to Velma to cause such hatred but knowing first hand what the Dark One was capable of, she was sure it was personal.

So if Velma's revenge focused on destroying the things they held dear, taking her town from her, her control, her victory, the thing she had sacrificed her own father for, oh it was so cruel, giving her the one thing she had longed for, a family who loved her, if the curse had worked on her properly, she would have been cursed with two lives in her head, one happy but fake and the other, well hers but darker and bleaker, trapped in hospital forever both lives swirling in her head.

From Rumple, she had taken the one thing from him he had fought so long and hard for, so many lives destroyed for the Dark One to find his son and then after decades of searching to find him to force him to take Neal's life, she could not think of a crueler fate.

She had taken his soul, her sanity and for Snow, she was aiming for the heart.

Regina was sure the curse was for David, she planned to take him for her own and break Snow's heart.

"What I don't understand" Emma said breaking their silence as they both pondered this new information, "is why has she not cast the curse as yet?"

"Perhaps she is missing an ingredient" Regina wondered.

"What the heart of your enemy? Emma said

"Maybe, it's mine" Regina scowled

"No I don't think so, I think something is up with her plan, something she hadn't planned for, she's distracted, you have been missing for days now she should be tearing this town apart looking for you but she's not" Emma said.

"Of course, the monkey" Regina exclaimed.

"The what now?" Emma asked

Sighing Regina began yet another tale.

FLASHBACK

Three months ago - Enchanted Forest - Regina's Castle

It had taken a few days but she had finally found something that might she thought might work.

Bounded with magic, keeping it restricted to a small semi circle area inside its Dungeon cell, it had room to stretching its legs, reach its food and water but it was not happy, screeching and squawking its annoyance at its captivity.

Regina didn't much care for the noise or for the smell, she waved her hand silencing its infernal racket.

She had promised Robin she would wait for him before she tackled the monkey and she would keep her word but the man was late and her irritation was growing.

The spell would work best if the monkey took the potion directly and that was a two man job, an unpleasant job and he did owe her a favour.

"Good day milady" he greeted her.

"Robin" she nodded, cutting straight to the matter in hand, she handed him a needle dipped with potion.

Robin raised an eyebrow "where does that go?" He inquired.

"A direct route is needed, right nostril should suffice"

"Mine or the monkeys" he joked, jerked his head towards the silently screaming beast.

Regina rolled her eyes, "what do you think?"

"I need it awake, so I suggest you are quick"

Reaching forward Robin took the needle from her "right you are". He stepped towards the magical barrier separating the monkey from them, she gave him a small nod then raising her hand she simultaneously removed the barrier and froze the monkey, if Robin was surprised by her help he did not show it, approaching the monkey straight on, he murmured calmingly "this might hurt a little but I will try to be as gentle as possibly".

Carefully he inserted the needle into the beasts nostril and then quickly darted back.

If the monkey felt any pain, it was unable to unable to show it. Robin sent her a questioning look, "a hair" she instructed.

Robin did as he was bid. She threw him a vial which he naturally caught, "a tear"

"How?" He asked

"Use your imagination" she told him.

Robin looked aggrieved but he held the vial under the creatures eyes and quickly jabbed his finger into the beast 's eye socket, causing its eye to water. "Sorry" he told it.

Regina rolled her eyes again but beckoned Robin back towards her, she waved her hand again, unfreezing the creature and reinstating the barrier once again.

The monkey slumped immediately to the floor, it's eyes unfocused. "It's working" Regina breathed.

Taking the hair and vial from Robin she poured both into a bowl then added the rest of the potion.

"Have you done this before?" He asked

"Not this spell, no" she replied.

"What happens now" he asked.

"Now I drink this, if the potion works correctly, I should see into the beasts mind, see what it has seen, obviously it's a monkey with a monkey brain so I'm not sure what will happen, the book indicated to expect images, I hope some will be useful."

Getting to the real reason she needed him here, "while I perform the spell, my magic may become unstable" she flickered her eyes to the monkey "you need to keep an eye on our friend, make sure it stays put" she told him.

"It is dangerous for you?" He asked

"No I don't think so"

"You don't think so but you're not sure, maybe this isn't the best plan" he interrupted

Ignoring him, Regina reached for the bowl and brought it to her lips, swallowing half of it in go one, she heard him curse her as she fell to the floor.

"Dammit it Regina" Robin muttered as he caught her in his arms.

When she awoke, the room was dark, obviously some time had passed, although she wasn't sure how much.

"Regina" Snow called her voice tinged with concern and annoyance.

"Snow" Regina mimicked her tone back at her.

"Well was it worth it?" Snow asked.

"I'm not sure" she replied.

Frustrated she shook her head, trying to make sense of the fading memories and she wasn't sure what to tell the Princess, "I need some time to think" she requested. Snow took the hint and left the room, instructing her to let them know if she needed anything.

Settling back into the bed, Regina pursed her lips and thought through everything she had felt and seen.

The potion didn't work or didn't work completely, that was the only thing that made sense. Images had flashed through her mind, a young girl, perhaps just twenty, face ruined, bleeding and features twisted, hiding her face, weeping on the floor, she felt shame and disgust slam through her but the image was gone, replaced by another time and place, another girl's face, pretty and unblemished, a twist of guilt in her stomach.

A scream, a flash of green smoke, blood on the floor, the pain and sorrow of loss.

A high pitched laugh, twisted hate upon a twisted face.

Exhausted by overwhelming emotions not her own, Regina fell back into restless sleep, she dreamt of betrayal and rage.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Fourteen-

One Day Ago - Granny's

Ruby, Robin and Belle had already arrived, as had a few of the dwarfs, the rest were watching the town hall to make sure the Mayor stayed in her office.

Emma was in the diner, with Henry, he had promised to come round the back later for a quick catch up with her, he had argued his case to join the meeting but with both his mothers in agreement for once, he didn't really stand much of a change of winning this argument.

They would have to tell him soon about Neal, he had been asking after him was since his memories returned, Henry was a clever boy, he needed to be told soon but Emma was stalling for more time.

Sighing she waited impatiently, the Charming's were late. This would be their first meeting since Mary Margaret had discovered the truth about their family connection and she wasn't looking forward to it.

"You look tired Regina" Robin told her, lost in thoughts she hadn't realised Robin had approached her, she shifted her weight back, angling away from him.

"I am" she confessed "with everything that's been going on, it's been difficult to switch off"

"How's Roland?" she asked quickly changing the subject.

"He's okay, he found out from some older boys at school that you are missing so he's a bit confused at the moment but he is a strong boy, he will be fine"

"Oh Robin, I'm so sorry" she could feel the tears threatening and blinked rapidly trying to avoid detection.

Too late he had spotted them "hey now, don't get upset, it's not your fault. I shouldn't have told you I'm sorry" he reached an arm around her giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

How could he bear to comfort her when she was one of the reasons for the misery they were all suffering was beyond her.

Looking up and across the room she noticed Emma had entered and was watching them, she stepped back quickly distancing herself from him.

"I need to talk to Emma" she told him making an excuse to leave, she didn't want Emma looking at them and wondering.

Emma was wondering "I didn't realise you knew Robin that well?" she asked, "I thought Velma's curse picked a handsome stranger for the role of your husband" she said

"I don't and its none of your business if I did" Regina snapped at her.

"Okay, calm down, I was merely surprised to see him survive daring to touch you that's all"

she called to Regina's retreating back.

Pushing her way past the others, Regina escaped into the corridor, she just needed a minute to pull herself together, God what was wrong with her, she really was tired. Come on Regina pull yourself together, she needed to get her head on straight, the meeting to discuss the best way to get Belle to Gold was going to start soon and she would need to be on top form to shoot down the idiotic ideas bound to be suggested.

She lent back against the wall, Robin had followed her and was asking her if she was okay, damn that man, why couldn't he just leave her be.

"Regina, are you okay, did you and Emma have words? I fear this is my fault"

"Robin, no , I, like I said I'm just tired, I'm fine, there is no need for you to check up on me"

"Can't help myself, that's what I do" he grinned "if you like we could grab a drink after the meeting, a problem shared and all that" he enquired.

"No I can't " not with you she thought,"I'm meeting Henry" she told him.

The more time she spent with him the harder and harder it was to get squash all her memories of him from the forest and how good he had been to her but he didn't remember that, he had false memories of a life they did not share, she struggled to ignore that that little voice inside her, the one begging her to give Robin a chance, the one chiding her for running away from him away, that voice sounded a lot like Tink's and it was getting louder and loudly, without thinking she pressed her hands against her ears as if she could physically shut it out, coming to her senses, she cursed herself because now Robin wore an even more concerned look on his face and there was no way she was going to get him to back off now.

"Hey come on now" he told her softly, "this isn't like you" hand on the small of her back, other arm reaching round to the door behind her, he ushered her into a empty room. "Regina what is it"?

Unable to stop herself "it's everything" she cried out "I should be happy, I'm back in Storybrooke and Henry is here and he remembers me and he loves me but I can't stop thinking about has happened to Gold and Neal, Henry's father is dead and he doesn't even know because Emma refuses to tell him, Snow won't look me in the eye and I haven't even spoken to her since I told her we are sisters" she sobbed

"Sisters?" Robin exclaimed.

"Yes half sisters, Snow, Velma and I, it's all so messed up and we now we know what Velma plans to do and I keep thinking about how I did this, I did the same things to these people and its bloody awful. I'm so angry at myself and my mother and everything"

She drew a ragged breath, all the events of the past few months were hitting her with their full force now and she couldn't stop the tears from falling.

Robin said nothing, he pulled her into his arms, stroking her back and her hair softly, waiting for her to cry herself out.

After a few minutes she managed to calm herself, his hand on her back helping more than she would admit, she tried to disentangle herself but he would only let her pull back but not away, keeping his arms encircled around her waist, "feel better? sometimes all that's needed is a good old cry" he told her.

"Yes thank you" she sniffed

"Regina you mustn't bottle this up, what you've just told me is a lot to deal with,especially considering your history with the people involved, you mustn't be so hard on yourself".

His hand was stroking the side of her face and she wondered if he was even aware of his action, it came so naturally to him, the ability to comfort and show compassion to others, she had seen it many times in the Enchanted Forest, with her as well as with others, sometimes with his men, always with his son ,sometimes with perfect strangers.

He had a pure soul, a kind heart and a strength to him that made a rag tag bunch of thieves believe in honor and justice, He could command the loyalty of the darkest of hearts with the strength of that soul, he would lay down his life for another without question. He could chase away her darkness just by merely holding her and when she looked into his blue eyes, eyes that sparkled with life and love and wisdom she knew then what she had always know from the first moment his lips had touched hers, she loved him, she was in love with him, she couldn't deny it to herself any longer, she would keep it from him for his sake but yes she loved him.

Blinking back more tears, she realised she was staring into his eyes and he hers, lowering them quickly lest he read anything there he shouldn't, she bowed her head. Robin dropped his head to hers resting his chin on her dark hair.

She hear him sigh "I know my memories were fake Regina but I cannot help but feel that I know you"

Surprised she lifted her head to look at him, again he automatically raised his hand to stroke her cheek, his gaze lowering to her lips, she didn't stop him as he brought his lips to hers. As he kissed her and she kissed him back she knew she was falling deeper in love with him, she knew she was trembling, could feel her pulse racing and desire building, she wanted him, wanted to be in his arms again, as before in the forest when the curse hit again, somehow it had been bearable being with him, she had shared her body with him and that night and unsure if she would even survive the next day, she had shared her heart.

Responding to her as she to him, they deepened the kiss, moving together as one, her hands threading through his hair, his scent enveloping her, just one minute more, one more kiss and I will stop this she thought.

He breathed out her name and captured her lips again, it was so good, this kiss, this embrace, it felt right, he smiled into her neck, trailing his hand though her hair, one more kiss, one more kiss and then another and another and now it was wasn't so soft and gentle, now there was heat in their kisses and she needed to stop this.

"Robin " she pulled back "enough"

"Regina, God I've wanted to do that for so long" he told her

"Robin you are not thinking clearly, your curse memories are confusing you"

"No it's not that Regina and I know you feel it too, that kiss, us, the way you look at me, there is something isn't there, did Velma pick me for a reason?, were we together in the missing months? he asked her, "it's the only explanation I can think of for why I feel this way, that I know you so well and really I shouldn't know you at all"

"No no Robin" she cried "it's the curse, it's just messing with you, it's what it does"

"Regina, I would ask you to tell me the truth"

"I am Robin" she choked back a sob.

"Then tell me this, if that is the case. Why did you kiss me back and why are you so upset? I'll ask you again Regina, were we friends or more in the missing months, what are hiding from me?"

She took a deep breath, moulded her best mayor mills expression onto her face "like I said Robin, there is nothing to tell and here and now, you merely caught me at a vulnerable moment, it won't happen again, I assure you". With these parting words, she stalked from the room, firmly shutting the door behind her.

Book One - Regina

The past is a foreign country

Chapter Fifteen -

One Day Ago - Granny's

Standing outside the room where the others were gathered discussing, monkeys, mad men and broken hearts, she collecting her thoughts, shaking Robin from her mind, she buried her love for him as deep as possible into the depths of her traitorous heart.

Shaking back her hair, she entered the room and greeted those gathered there with a scornful glare.

"We started without you" Emma told her "we weren't sure if you were coming back"

I'm not sure either she thought not sure about anything right now.

Present Day

"Are you ready?" Regina asked Belle nodding at her with a slight smile on her face when the young woman replied with a determined yes.

It was now or never, Charming and the dwarfs were in the mines, about to create a controlled explosion that should hopefully keep Velma occupied.

"Do you think the diversion will work" Belle asked her as they started to make their way through the woods,

"I hope so. That area is unstable, I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with a sinkhole, hopefully she will be so distracted she won't notice the fairy dust until it's too late." They planned to capitalize on the element of surprise and tackle the two obstacles in one go, free Rumple then restrain Velma with the dust, just like they had tried with her hoping unlike Regina wouldn't see it coming.

Granny and Ruby had tracked Rumple's scent to the clock tower, where he was apparently being kept.

They reached the edge of the woods and waited for the sign that operation water bucket, Henry's code name, was underway. Both woman looked up at the sound of the loud bang and accompanying rumbles, spotting a cloud of dust rising into the air from the east, Regina took hold of Belle's shoulders and they both disappeared.

Reappearing at the top of the tower, Regina gasped at the sight of Rumple. He was clearly a broken man, his clothing was disheved, hair hanging in greasy locks but it was the haunted look in his eyes that had her gasping.

He was being held inside a silvery cage set off to the side of the stairs, he would be able to see the street from here but be obscured from those below. The cage was small, about the size of a large dog cage, there was no door and the cage seemed to shimmer every so often. Rumple sat in the middle, away from the sides, she could see a angry looking red burn on his wrist, peeking though the frayed cuff on his jacket.

Belle rushed towards the cage intending to set him free, Regina grabbed her arm pulling her back, "dont touch the cage" she hissed.

"Rumple" Belle called out

Rumple barely seemed aware of their presence, Regina glanced at Belle, the look on her face was enough to break even the hardest of hearts. She raised her hand sweeping it over the cage, magic strong and dark, there was no way she would be able to break the enchantment quickly. Trying a different tack, she tried to focus her magic on

pulling Rumple out from the cage but it rebounded the spell back to her causing her to stagger back slightly.

"Belle, it going to take me days to break this spell, I think we should leave and try again"

"No" Belle shouted I'm not leaving him here, "Rumple please it's me Belle"

Crouching in front of the cage, careful not to touch it, Belle whispered and coaxed Rumple trying to get through to him.

Regina watched, feeling sorrow and dread take hold of her heart, she raised her hand to her chest as if she could physically push it back down. There was no love lost between her and Rumple, too much water under the bridge but there was a time when she had considered him more than a mentor, she thought he had understood her, wanted her to succeed but she had learnt the hard way, he could only be counted on if their interests were aligned.

His voice interrupted her thoughts, "there's no way out of this cage" he whispered "the witch is playing you"

"She is looking for her lover?" Regina asked him "but she can't find him, she needs his heart for the spell"

This time it wasn't a question, she knew she was right, the monkey she had captured, the one Robin had killed, was her fiancee and he left her. "he left when Velma was disfigured, you fault I assume?"

Rumple looks up wearily, looking his three hundred years, "It was an accident, she was my student before you but she was too eager to learn, she was injured and yes her lover left her, she became unstable and I banished her back to Oz"

"The lover is dead, she cannot perform the spell, although I supposed she has plenty of hatred to go round perhaps another heart will suffice"

Rumple shakes his head "No I think not, I think when she realises her plan is not going to work, she will destroy the town"

"And everyone in it?

"Yes"

"Rumple, how do we get you out of the cage" Belle asks.

He snorted dryly, "you need the dagger, this cage is forged of the same metal the dagger and only it can open it, you have to get the dagger first, she never lets it out of her sight, she changes its form daily, sometimes a hair pin, a broach or a pen"

"No" Regina said "I'm tired of this, tired of these games, this needs to end now, our plan will still work, if you lose your powers, the dagger will be inert and the cage will be just a cage. We just need to find some way to get Belle in or you out. The magic can be tricked". Just like the memory potion with the missing ingredient, which she had substituted with blood magic, there must be a way to trick it, thinking furiously, blood magic, blood tie. Henry is the grandson of the Dark One, his mother the Saviour, her mother, the pure hearted Snow White, her sister a powerful sorceress as was she, yes it will work but the magic would come with a price, would she pay it? Yes if she casted this curse, she would be the one to pay.

Swallowing hard "I know what to do, I just need to get something" bringing forth her magic she disappeared.

There wasn't much time, she needed to get to Henry, Emma, Snow, Velma and back to Rumple asap.

Henry was with Snow in the loft, Emma should be with the dwarfs in the mines and Velma somewhere above them. The loft first she thought.

Appearing in the middle of the room, she stalled their questions with her raised hand "there's no time to explain, I need to improvise, sorry this will sting a bit" she told them. Grabbing Mary Margaret's hand she pricked it quickly with a conjured needle, she whimpered at the contact but Regina paid no heed, hastily transferring the blood into a glass vial. Henry held out his arm with a huge smile in his face, delighted at being able to help in some way "I knew you would rescue Mr Gold he told her.

"Henry I love you, always and forever" she told pulling him in for a tight hug, she kissed his head, turning to Mary Margaret, she clasped the women's hand, unsure of what she wanted to say, decades of hate and sorrow could not be erased with a few words but she had to try, she remembered the past months and how far they had come even if Mary Margaret didn't "I'm sorry" she told her, "I'm sorry, I wished we had known our true connection, things may have been different, if we had known the past perhaps I would have understood my part in it better and we would truly be family"

She could feel Mary Margaret trembling under her grasp, her eyes filled with tears "we are family Regina, no matter happened in the past" she said softly.

Letting go of the other women's hand she ran her hand across her face, wiping the tears that fallen "take care, I love you Henry" she whispered.

Ignoring Henry shouting for her she disappeared.

"Careful Miss Swan" she snorted angrily as Emma pointed her gun into her face

"Regina you startled me, what are doing here?"

"Change of plan, I need to concoct a potion, your wrist please" she snapped impatiently

Emma dutiful rolled up her sleeve and presented it to Regina, "what's going on?" she asked again, "magic" Regina sighed "with a price, promise me you will take care of the rest. I don't need to tell you to take care of Henry but if you could look in on Robin and Roland, I would be grateful. Goodbye Miss Swan, it was certainly interesting," without giving Emma a chance to reply she disappeared.

Reappearing above ground, she surveyed the scene, the site of the explosion was as they had hoped, busy verging on chaotic, she spotted Leroy running in and out of the crowd, shouting at them to get back, warning them of imminent danger, whipping the crowd into more of a panic, smoke was still continuing to rise from the hole in the ground, bits of dirt and rubble counting to shift, a temporary barrier had been throw up around the perimeter, the fire-crew and ambulance crew guarding it.

She blinked back memories of herself standing the other side of a similar barrier while a ten year Henry was lost deep under ground, trying to prove she was the evil queen to Emma, it seemed so very long ago, she fought back the tears that threatened, how far they had come, her and Henry, he would barely look at her when she pulled him into her arms, his eyes searching for Emma and how that had hurt but now she knew he loved her and that was enough.

She saw David approached Velma, he would not use the fairy dust until the curse was broken but he was playing his part as sheriff and staying close to Velma, her right hand man throughout this crisis.

She had an idea of how to get close to Velma, curling her lip at the slightly disgusting idea yet it was fitting, she transformed herself into a flying monkey and drove right at her sister, laughing inside at the look of pure shock on her sisters face when she flew right up to her and clawed her long talons into her arm, not at all gently, taking what she needed she disappeared into air.

Returning to the clock tower in her proper form, vial now filled with blood, she added her own, turning to Belle "this spell will remove Rumple from the cage, you must kiss him immediately and break the curse" giving the young woman no time to reply, she poured her magic into the vial, the blood inside began to shimmer purple and red hues, she was vaguely aware of Rumple calling her name in the background.

The room grew dark, a wind picked up inside the room, purple red tinted smoke enveloped Rumple and the cage, she felt her legs give out underneath her but as she fell to the floor she continued her incantation.

There was a almighty flash of light and Rumple was free, sprawled on his side, Velma trapped inside the cage.

"Now now" she urged Belle.

Belle grabbed hold of Rumple, forcing his head towards her, "I love you Rumple, I love you now and forever, who you are and who you have been, this may be your darkest hour but I will be here by your side to help you through this and this sacrifice is your gift to Neal, l love you" she repeated and kissed him.

An golden whoosh of light emanated from them spreading outwards and upwards, Regina allowing its warmth and wonder to envelop her, smiling, love the greatness strength, she thought as she closed her eyes forever.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter One -

Six months ago - The Enchanted Forest

The wind rushes through his hair, there is no greater feeling than riding a good horse as fast as possible, he thinks. The horse thundering across the plain as the sky thundered above him, he feels the magic sweep through him, tightening in his veins, leaving him gasping for air. The feeling passes in a moment, a curse is broken he thinks but knows not, how he knows.

He slows their approach cautious, recent events leaving him wary. He recognises Snow White, every man, woman and child who every entered this kingdom would recognise her face, the wanted posters plastered throughout the land and her feud with the Queen legendary

The group is quiet, it is not a victorious return he thinks.

He addresses the princess and the man next to her, he presumes as her Prince.

"Welcome back" he greets "my name is Robin of Locksley and this are some of my merry men" he sweeps his arm behind indicating his traveling companions. They remain seated on their horses, nod their respect but no more, he and his men bend no knee to royalty.

"Snow White, Charming" the princess introduces

The Prince reaches out a hand in greeting "David" he confirms.

Robin watches as the group grows around him, he recognises Neal and Belle and says so, jumping down from his horse, he clasps Neal's arm and smiles widely at Belle.

They smile back but the smile does not reach their eyes.

"What has happened?" He asked before he can stop himself.

"Much" Snow White declares weary "we need to get to Regina's castle" she tells him.

Robin raises his eyes "the only castle still standing" he intones.

"Yes, do you have..."

He interrupts her "I'm afraid that won't be possible, a powerful sorceress from another realm has taken up residence in the castle so unless you are prepared for battle or have magical assistance, I fear you need to make other plans"

"I think not" calls a voice.

He watches, eyes narrowed as she pushes through the crowd, clad head to toe in black, an ostentatious hair piece adorns her raven hair, ridiculous black feathered cape, a outfit dripping menace, larger than life, it seems to swamp the woman standing in front of him. She is demanding answers and he gives them, tone neutral but inside he is thinking of the dead look in her eyes and if she is really present, he knows this look has worn it on his own features for far too long, grief, gut wrenching, heart breaking grief he thinks.

One month ago Storybrooke - Robin's house

The four bedroom house is not small,although it would never be called large, but now it feels cavernous with her gone.

It's late, very late, he should be sleeping, his son will wake in a couple of hours ready to start the day. He wonders again if he should have left the boy with his Uncle John but he knows the boy will need him, now that his mother is gone.

He swigs his whiskey, this won't help either he thinks but he thought that at the second glass and it didn't stop him from pouring the third and fourth.

He picks up the photo again, she is smiling in his arms, her beauty amplified by the wide smile on her face, so happy and care-free, she is not looking at the camera that he is holding with his out stretched arm but at him, her eyes crinkling and nose scrunched. She had just told him she was pregnant with their son, Roland and he had wanted to mark the occasion and snapped a quick shot of the two of them.

He misses her, his beautiful wonderful wife, mother to their son.

He blames himself, how could he not of seen this coming, she had always been a little tightly wound, he teased her merciless over the years regarding her hot headed temperament but he would not have her change one bit of herself for the world.

He had feared it was medical, now he wishes it was, mental break they called it, caused by stress, blaming unresolved issues in her past, she had always blamed herself for her father's death and she had never got along with her mother, who had died before they could reconcile, but she had her sister and they had been close, working together and spending time with them.

He thought she had been happy with their family, that she, their son and her sister made her happy and she had put the past behind her but she had changed over the last few months, become cold and withdrawn.

She starting having nightmares screaming that she had murdered her father, ripped his heart out, that her mother had murdered her true love, screaming his name over and over. He tried to reassure her that he was here, right here and her father had died in a car accident, driving too fast after arguing with her over her mother but nothing would calm her in the middle of the night. He tried to talk to her in day but she would push him away and refuse to talk to him or Velma.

She avoided him and Velma, skipped work, disappearing god knows where, slept in the spare room when she was home.

He came home one night to find her sat on the couch waiting for him, calmly she had told him his name was Robin not Daniel, they were not married, Roland was not her son and they were cursed, clutching a leather bound book she begged him to hold it and believe her. He must believe she said because the truth was tearing her apart and she needed him to remember so she could find her true son Henry.

He was devastated and overwhelmed, he had no idea what to do.

She fought tooth and nail when Dr Hopper sedated her, it took both of them holding her down and two sedatives before she was still.

That was two weeks ago, since then she had been practically catatonic and it broke his heart.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Two -

Six months ago - Enchanted Forest

He watched the Royals argue back and forth, it had been two days since they had arrived back, two days spent in Robin's camp.

He had been pleasantly surprised by the Prince and the Princess, they were not like other royals he had met before, they were grateful for what was provided for them, not one word of complaint about roughing in the woods. Even the Queen had hummed a thank you at him when he offered her lunch, her features even more beautiful when not twisted in a scowl.

He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised given the Princess had spent some time living outside of her castle, running from the very woman she had spent the last two nights sitting next to and staring into the fire in a still yet not uncomfortable silence, he swore he had seen the Princess squeeze the Queen's hand at one point.

Now they argued, like sisters squabbling he mused. The Queen who he had established quickly did indeed have rather a quick temper was demanding to take back her castle "it's been two days, how much longer do you suggest we tally here, two weeks, two years" she huffed.

"Regina" the Princess reasoned "Yes it has been two days since we arrived back but it's also only been two days since you broke the curse and not long since Neverland, are you entirely sure you are fully recovered, your magic I mean" she asked softly

"Yes of course, do you think I would say so otherwise"

The princess clearly did think something of the sort as she took care with her reply "no it's just, we don't know anything about this witch, I don't think we should go in all guns blazing"

"What's a gun?" he heard little John ask

Robin shrugged turning his attention back to the argument.

"I'm not suggesting that, there are other ways into the castle"

"Really?" Snow asked

"Of course dear, it's a Castle" she sneered like it was the most obvious thing in all the realms, which of course it was, .

Some of his man chuckled at this, nodding their agreement, of course castles had secret passage-ways, trap doors and all manner of secrets, Robin and his men all knew this.

Snow turned to look at the men with a appraising glance, "Fine, perhaps some of the merry men could lend a hand" she suggested.

Robin nodded "it would be our pleasure majesties"

"Unnecessary" Regina's reply rang through the air "the witch may not hear them coming but I'm sure she will be able to smell them" she retorted.

Robin bit back a chuckle "Men, the Queen's concern might be valid, it has been at least a month for some of you, to the river"

"Who has the rose water?" little John quipped

"If you are bathing in the river, I suggest we all step back to avoid the tidal wave" Regina told him.

A flash of anger crossed Little John's face, gone as quickly as it came, smiling he replied "True Milady but I find it keeps the eels away"

Robin laughed "My men are called merry for a reason" he told the Queen smiling softly at the shocked look on her face that her insult had failed to reach its target, "we find a good sense of humour helps make even the most unbearable situations tolerable"

"Perhaps you wouldn't find yourselves in intolerable situations if you chose a different profession thief" she snarled.

"Indeed" he replied "but who then would keep you royals on your toes"

Charming laughed "indeed my friend indeed" clapping Robin on his back, "come now Robin, choose your most fragrant companions and let us make a start for the castle"

"This is not a joke" Regina declared "were you not listening" she shot a murderous look at Charming, which he just smiled at. "Regina" he said "you're not going alone but I agree less is more in this situation, perhaps at least one or two men

"I will go" Robin heard himself declare.

All eyes darted back to the Queen, sensing she was fighting a losing battle, rolling her eyes skyward "fine but you bathe first" she retorted as she stalked away.

One month ago - Storybrooke -Robin's house

Sweeping the five year old into his arms, he tickled his belly, rejoicing his sons bubbling laughter. "Were you a good boy for Uncle John" he asked

"Yes Daddy" the little boy replied butter wouldn't melt eyes.

"Hmm well go wash up for dinner then" he set the boy down and watched as his little legs sped up the stairs "I'm gonna be batman tonight" he called down

"Lets hope he means the pjs this time and not the fully batman play outfit, I'm not sure I can go through that again" Robin groaned at his friend.

Walking though the hall both men entered the kitchen, Robin flipping the kettle on and reaching for two mugs.

"So how was she?" John asked levelly.

"Good, good" Robin grinned "she called me Daniel, she was awake, you know, her eyes were alive, she was really there, present" he grinned happily.

Regina had really looked at him for the first time in two and a half weeks, he had seen his wife, she had let him hold her, made a small joke, talked about their wedding and shared a kiss "I'm so relieved John, I know that this battle is not won but it's a start" feeling the wetness there he wiped at his eyes "right that's get some food, I'm starving" he announced.

That night he slept better than he had for a long time, even with Roland's bed invasion at three am and the small boy kicking him, he slept deeply and didn't hear the phone ringing.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Three -

Five months ago - The Enchanted Forest

He wasn't entirely sure about Princess Snow's proposal, his men were used to sleeping in the open air but the Prince and Princess were trying to put the kingdom back together and he'd offered his men's assistance, he just wasn't expecting her to suggest he rebuild an entire village, especially the one by Queen Regina's castle.

It might do Roland some good, he mused, a proper home, if they were successful others would come and there would be children, maybe they could even start some form of schooling and he was sure Roland would enjoy the company of children his own age.

Of course, this was all dependent on the Queen and after what happened at the castle he was pretty sure she didn't like him much.

He really hadn't expected her to say yes and quite so quickly but she had.

Although she had been avoiding him ever since, sending her men to see him instead.

Rumour had it they were actually Charming's men on loan and that wouldn't surprise him. He had seen them scurrying around the castle performing pointless tasks, he'd watched while waiting for over a hour sat in an anti chamber as two of them had fussed over the placement of furniture that she had ordered re-arranged.

He could hear them moaning under their breath that this wasn't what they had signed up for and the furniture didn't need moving.

He bit back a laugh when she appeared directly behind them making them jump out of their skins, "no it doesn't" she smirked "put it all back".

She threw him a look of disdain as she exited the castle, he wondered where she was going,she wasn't dressed in her customary overblown gowns instead a form hugging riding clock lined with fur, black leather pants and corset, does the Queen like to ride he wondered, he had heard tales of her prowess on horse back but thought the tales of her leaping across the great river, fireball in hand greatly exaggerated but then if anyone could it would probably be her.

One month ago - Storybrooke -Mayor's office.

"I feel like I'm going out of my mind" he confessed

Velma nodded at him in sympathy, "I know, I know" placing a cup of tea in front of him "sorry it's just tea" she apologized.

"No it's okay, I'd probably just fall asleep if I had a drink now"

"Maybe that's not such a bad idea, you look exhausted Daniel"

"I just can't believe she got out of the hospital, I mean how did that even happen?, why weren't the doors locked? it's supposed to be a secure hospital" he said angrily

Rubbing his hand across his face and through his hair, he sighed for the hundredth time that day it seemed "she seemed so much better yesterday"

"Did she?" Velma interrupted sharply

"Yes, better than I've seen her a while, I hoped" he trailed off.

"Where could she be?"

"Where indeed" Velma mummurred "if I were my little sister in the middle of a mental breakdown, not at all safe to be on my own, where would I go?" she wondered

"Oh my God, you don't think she'd try to hurt herself do you?" Robin gasped

"Oh no, of course not, don't listen to me, I was just thinking out aloud, I'm sure she wouldn't do anything like that again"

"Again?"

"Oh Daniel, I'm so sorry, I guess I'm just tired and I'm letting my mouth run away with me although I'm surprised she didn't tell you but then you know my little sis, always liked to keep her secrets"

Robin was beginning to wonder if he knew his wife at all "when?" he managed

"Oh it was years ago, tried to jump off a balcony, she said she fell but, well I always wondered"

"Why would she do that?"

"I don't know really Daniel dear, like I said it was years ago, I think she said something about a bad relationship but the guy seemed okay to be, she was just a teenager he was a bit older, you now how it is" she patting his hand "let's not worry about that now, we need to find her, I have some discreet volunteers from the fire brigade and obviously the sheriff is on it"

"This town's not so big, I'm sure we will find her soon" Robin tried to convince himself

"Oh yes I will find her" Velma agreed.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Four -

Five months ago - Enchanted Forest

The whole village was talking about it, the Evil Queen had saved Robin's boy.

Had appeared out of nowhere, whisked the boy away in a blaze of magic and stole him back to the castle, healed him and not returned him to his father.

He had to go there and get him that brave Robin Hood they gossiped, he tried to put the record straight, she did not kidnap my boy he growled, guilt lurching heavy in his stomach.

He knew the villagers preferred their own version of events and even Little John had commented that accordingly to some stories he had heard it wouldn't be the first time she had kidnapped children. You shouldn't listen to gossip Robin admonished him.

In truth, he was grateful to the Queen, she truly had saved Roland, the boy had been far from the castle, if she hadn't have been there and if it wasn't for her magic, his boy would may not have made it.

Twice now, magic had saved his son and it worried him, magic always came with a price, losing his wife had taught him that. Years old fear churned in his belly, he ran his hands through his hair and down on his face, wishing he had his hip flask, he could do with a strengthening nip but he had stopped carrying it a couple of years back when he found himself relying upon it a little bit too heavily.

He had made wrong decisions, wrought with grief over the death of his wife, chosen the wrong people to place his trust in, a mistake that had almost cost one of his men their life, that had been enough to shake him from that path.

Drinking wasn't a great example for his boy or his men and he had vowed never to depend on anything so heavily again. His men, his boy and hopefully a quiet life, that was all he needed.

What paths had the Queen walked? he wondered, he knew it was none of his business but he found her intriguing, he knew all the tales and she hadn't denied her past when he practically called her on it to her face.

He had heard the stories from the returned townsfolk, they spoke of a child, her child but shared with Snow 's eldest daughter, what must that be like he wondered, such a tie to the people you had spent years trying to destroy. Family he thought, you can't pick them, he wondered if it was really that simple, he strongly suspected it was, he was certain that the Princess viewed it as such, she had referred to the Queen as family twice in conversation, once overhead and one in his presence. If the Princess thought as much and went as far to press upon anyone that would listen that Queen Regina was their ally then who was he to disagree.

Rising from his seat, he checked on his boy once again, still sleeping peacefully, he resisted the urge to stroke his brown curls lest he wake him.

Leaving the door ajar, he walked to his room, he had a trip to prepare for, now was not the best timing but he had given his word and besides he would get the chance to apologise to the Queen, as part of the travelling party, there was no way she could avoided him he smirked.

One month ago -Storybrooke -

Velma is acting strangely Robin thinks, she doesn't answer her phone, he wonders if she is deliberately avoiding him.

Her attitude to Regina's disappearance seems more anger than concern, like her sister disappearance is a hindrance to her, she does not share Robin's worries that Regina may have left town, she wouldn't dare she scoffs.

He thinks that Velma seems less put together than normal, she's a bit off in her demeanour too, sometimes her voice is too shrill, her gestures jerky, Robin feels guilt for thinking badly of her, maybe the stress of Regina's disappearance is getting to her but then he remembers how she flirts with David Nolan, the Sheriff, sometimes he seems not to notice, sometimes he seems embarrassed by it and his guilt fades.

Robin remembers the little things that have niggled him over the years, how she would needle Regina unnecessary, turn up late, change their plans to suit her and take pleasure in it, would give Regina the lions share of the paperwork.

Regina would just shrug say she's family, she's busy or I don't mind.

It made him uncomfortable, Regina was never one to back away from a fight, even as Velma's PA, the contractors she dealt with were intimidated by her but she was different with her sister, would bend easily to her will, he didn't like it.

If he is completely honest with himself, he doesn't actually like Velma, although he is the only person who feels this way, his boss, the School Principal thought she could do no wrong and at least one of the citizens of StoryBrooke would praise their Mayor to him on a daily basis and it irritated him.

He knew he was biased but he and Regina worked very hard to juggle their careers with raising Roland, often falling exhausted into bed after working long hours.

Luckily, John was always on hand to help with Roland but Velma the boys Aunt and Godmother, never pitched in.

Even now when Robin and Roland needed her the most, she was no-where to be found.

Robin finally finds her, by accident, she is leaving the library which is currently closed for refurbishment and has been ever since he can remember.

She is not happy to see him, avoids his questions, tells him she wanted to visualise the reworked plans for the library physically, walk the room and imagine how it will look. Robin thinks this is bull crap, she looks flustered, wants to get away from him, quickly makes her excuses and leaves.

Robin thinks again that he dislikes her.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Five -

Five months ago - Enchanted Forest

He was disappointed she taken her carriage, he was curious to see the great redeemed

Queen astride a horse, he caught a glimpse of her striding across the courtyard wearing her customary scowl.

He chuckled as her carriage flew through the gates, not waiting for the rest of the party, patience was not something the Queen seemed to possess.

The journey was pleasant, pretty perfect riding conditions, his men and their fellow travellers rubbing along nicely together. The returned towns folk were full of stories of the faraway land, the things they described seemed so impossible to him, they said it was science not magic but it seemed the same to him. What struck him most about those that had returned, was the change in their ideals, apart from the bitter King George, the others seemed softer, mellowed, the other land had treated them well and they had forgotten the dangers and darkness that lurked in their realm, he wondered if this applied to all, he was eager to hear more tales of this land without magic, his interest pipped not by tales of cooking without fire but the relationships fascinated him, long term family feuds, forgotten, battling families becoming neighbour's, servants and lords mixing on equal grounds, it truly was a marvel, so far the reawakened memories and return here had not weakened these changes.

True some had disappeared into night upon

their return and some bemoaned their lot but Robin knew that people were people, some adjusted some did not. The biggest change seemed to be the attitude to the Royals, the Princess and Princess still had the people's loyalty, it was not hard to see why, Snow and her Prince were much loved and ruled with a fair hand and the Queen, well she was tolerated by the people, still feared by many and distrusted by most but there was a grudgingly respect from some. He had heard many stories regarding the Queen and her nemesis, the Savoiur, the stories always flattering the Savoiur but there was understanding there towards the Queen and the situation with her son.

She did herself no favours, storming around her castle, all sneers, scowls and bad attitude but he had caught glimpses of the pain underneath, he remembered her words in the domed chamber, felt a chill run through him as he pictured his boy. It was grief and sorrow and heartbreak, just how long had her heart been broken he wondered.

Had he been so different when he had lost his wife? He had shut the world out for a long time, the world, his men and his boy.

Sorrow makes people do terrible things he knew from first hand experience.

He knew the whispered tales of her mother, how she accused the princess of murder, in every tall tale there is a grain of truth.

His men teased him, joking and calling him Robin the Bard but in truth he loved stories, never could get enough when he was a boy and he loved them now, especially the real life tales, told by word of mouth, each story teller adding something new to the tale, and the tale of the Evil Queen and Snow White must surely be something.

It was approaching midday, the men would wish to stop soon to stretch their legs and grab a bite to eat, he needed to speak to the Queen, he owed her a debt for the life of his boy and an apology, consumed by fear, he had behaved appallingly, not only had he broken into her castle and taken down her men, he had also knocked her to the ground, granted by accident and taken his boy without a word of thanks. His chances of survival were greater if he approached the Queen in public to make his apologies but his chances of receiving a honest reaction were better in private, besides she must be bored couped up in that carriage, pulling his favourite leather bound book from his backpack, he made his decision and urged his horse towards the black carriage.

One month ago - Storybrooke - Robin's House

Guilt woke Robin early, he had not slept well, he should be looking for his wife but instead exhausted he had fallen asleep on the couch mid afternoon. John had picked Roland up from school and taken the boy for a early dinner leaving Robin to sleep, he was grateful to his friend but wished John had woken him, he had wasted at least four hours of daylight sleeping, John was working the late shift tonight at the animal hospital where he volunteered and Robin felt he could not ask the man to watch his boy again, he toyed with asking other friends to watch Roland that night but with the weather so miserable and his boy playing up for John, he needs his father John had told him, he had decided not to go out. Robin knew he needed to do right by his boy but he felt torn between comforting their son and searching for his wife.

He treated the boy to a movie, popcorn and the promise of bedtime one hour later than normal. Spending time with Roland had helped him forget his misery but after the boy had gone to bed, the guilt and worry came flooding back. He called Velma and the sheriff's station hoping for an update although he knew he would have heard if they had. He called her cell phone, left yet another message urging her to call him, he called back just to hear her voice on answer-phone.

It was the weekend and John had offered to watch Roland that afternoon so he had the morning with his son before he could resume his search.

In hindsight it had been a mistake to take the boy to the castle playground but the weather had cleared and Robin always preferred being outdoors if he could.

In the early morning light the town looked clean and uncluttered, he had to give it to Velma she worked very hard to bring her latest project of regenerating the town to fruition. Most of the council building had been given a face-lift, the local business encouraged with incentives to do the same, it seemed the whole town was getting a make-over. Regina had been involved with the project, she was in charge of enhancing the public greens and parks, until she had stopped going to work.

Reaching the playground, Roland sped off towards the slide as fast as he possibly could, it was still early so they had the park to themselves, smiling at his son he sat on the bench, keeping one eye on the boy, he pulled the town maps from his pocket, thinking of where to start later that afternoon.

He didn't get over far with his task before Roland was demanding his father play with him, pushing Roland on the swings he looked around the playground marveling at the invention of it. She had designed it, she had shown him many scribbles and rejected designs before finally showing him the final blueprints, he had been so proud of her and she truly enjoyed the pet project, a welcome relief from endless amounts of paperwork.

His blood ran cold as he remembered where the design had come from, that damned book, yes he could see it now, the playground was the indeed a miniature version of the castle in her book, it had started with this perhaps, how had something she had taken such pride and joy in had turned so destructive.

Looking down at his son who was complaining that his swing had stopped, Robin had to reach for the swings frame to steady himself as the wave of despair rolled over him

"Daddy are you sad?" Roland asked

Crouching down to the boy he shook his head and forced a smile "no it's just my turn for a swing" he teased the boy pretending to remove him from the seat so he could gave a go

"Daddy you're so silly the boy giggled "do you miss mummy? I miss mummy, when is she coming home?"

Lifting the boy off his seat, he swung him onto his shoulders and he gave the same answer he had given the boy for what felt like a hundred years, "soon son soon, let's go get breakfast" he told him.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Six -

Five months ago - Enchanted Forest

It was still early when they returned from Philips and Auroras, the meeting had not gone well, the Queen had disappeared to her quarters immediately, her mood considerably worse than earlier that morning, she shoved his leather book back at him, turning as she swept past him, "you can read, therefore I assume you can write" she snarled "inform Snow and David that the meeting was a waste of my time and they can fight their own battles from now on"

Turning to one of her guards "You, take the letter, you may want to discuss what it says beforehand incase his scribbles are illegible" she sneered.

Robin watched her go, unease in the pit of his stomach, if anything she was even colder and more brittle than before. She had been silent when he walked her back to her guest room last night but she had allowed him to kiss her cheek before shutting the door firmly in his face.

He knew he had grossly overstepped the boundaries when he kissed her but she had reciprocated at first, she hadn't pushed him away immediately and although he had torn her gown and held her close to him, things had been heated and gods he had wanted her but they hadn't crossed that line but he had thought it was the start of something.

He hadn't meant to kiss her, wasn't his intention upon approaching her but then he hadn't meant to shout at her either but he had, she was just so damn infuriating and he'd wondered why he bothered but then her mask would slip and he would see the pain underneath and he would remember she was just a woman, dealing with God knows what, alone. It wasn't sympathy or empathy that made him reach for her or even lust, although he is sure she is most beautiful woman he has ever seen, he couldn't define it but he felt it every time he was with her, even in a room full of people there was this little pull between them, something indefinable and he swore she felt it too but maybe he was wrong. Although she spoke to him in same cold tones she addressed her staff, same smart mouth, he thought it lacked real venom, felt she was playing her part with him, a part she felt she was expected to play but they both knew it was just surface, he fancied her tone softer when she spoke to him, her barbs more humorous than hurtful, her glaze lingering on him as his on her but now he feared he had been mistaken, had all been ego on his part?

Sighing he made his way back down to the village, looking in on his boy, who was happily tucking into lunch and looking much better, he lingered there for a while before doing the rounds of the village checking everything was as it ought to be, mentally listing the jobs to be undertaken.

The village was coming along nicely but there was still so much work to be done and they would soon require more supplies from the Queen, though he doubted she would grant his requests now, sighing when realises his mistake may affect the whole village, what was he thinking, honestly he could kick himself.

"That's a big sigh" Little John chuckled handing him a mug of hot tea, "do I take it the royals were difficult?" he guessed

"Ah yes, you have no idea" Robin replied.

"Let me guess the Queen"

"No, actually, King George"

"So no help from that quarter then"

"The man's a fool, letting his own selfish wants cloud his judgement, it will be his people that suffer for it" just like mine if I don't resolve the Regina issue he thought.

"What did you expect Robin" Little John asks him "they're Royals, the Charmings are the exception"

"Prince Philip is a good man" Robin chimes in

"And turns there's the Queen" Little John barks out a laugh.

Robin doesn't reply, not wanting to talk about the Queen. Little John continues "I mean the woman's a nightmare, you know she sent her guards down here to dig vegetable patches as punishment for falling asleep on guard duty"

"Least we got something out of it, besides they shouldn't be doing that" Robin finds himself defending her but the punishment was helpful and men cannot afford to become complacent even in times of peace.

"She made him dig in the middle of the night and that's not all" he continues

Robin cuts him off "I don't want to talk about the Queen John" he tells him

His friend gives him a puzzled look, surprised, previously Robin had actively encouraged conversation of the Queen, especially after a visit to the castle when he wanted to sound off upon his return.

"What's going on Robin?" John asked him quietly.

The man was Robin's best friend, he trusted him with his life and the life of his son, John had been there for him through thick and thin, he owed the man much.

"Robin" John pressed

Running his hands through his hair, "it's nothing, I fear I have upset the balance between the queen and I"

"You had a balance?" John queried

"We had, what I thought was a understanding but I fear that I" he trailled off "I fear that I have upset her"

"She's a grown woman, she'll be fine and I highly doubt she actually listens to a single word any of us say so to offend her, you would have to get under her skin and I doubt she'd allow that" Little John comforted him

"Maybe" Robin allowed but he was pretty sure now he had gotten under her skin and if he had done so maybe he was right about that little spark after all.

"Listen Robin, you and I we live by our code, the past is the past and the future is not yet writ but we both know, from bitter experience I may add, that dragging the past around with you is not good for anyone and even I can see that the Queen doesn't know how to let hers go, perhaps in time she will find a way but right now, the only person that can help her is her"

"Who said I wanted to help her" Robin grumbled

"You did by the look on your face the very first time you met her" Little John replied.

One month ago - Storybrooke

Robin has spent the morning talking to Doctor Whale who was unhelpful as ever and Dr Hopper who kindly gave Robin hours of his time, he returns home armed with books on various disorders and leaflets.

His search is getting nowhere and he is beginning to panic that she has left the town, he thinks if he could understand her issues maybe he can figure out where she would go, he has searched all the likely places and the unlikely, there a few abandoned buildings in the town, he had searched these five times over.

The books are hard going and his head is spinning, feeling useless and restless, he pulls on his coat and heads for the door, thinking to check the woods, shaking visions of Regina cold and alone in the woods from his head.

When he returns home later, he realises he has been gone for three hours but it feels like less, his head aches, sharp pain behind his eyes.

He feels like he has forgotten something important but can't for the life of him remember what it is and when he removes his coat, it smells of Regina's perfume and he gives in and allows himself to do something he has not yet done, he sank to the floor and wept.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Seven -

Five months ago - Enchanted Forest

The next time he sees the Queen it is late afternoon, she is shouting at David in war chamber, the Princess Snow looks bored, he assumes the argument has been going on for a while.

They are not as safe as they thought they were, a new threat or possible a threat that they had considered gone has returned, Belle's arrival last night had been shocking and her tale even more so. The green fog that she spoke of and the grey fog and snow they had been grumbling about, seem to be connected somehow.

He gathers the argument is regarding the missing Dark One, Regina wants to go search the castle, Robin agrees the plan makes sense, she wants to go alone, Robin disagrees with this, David wants to send half the army, Regina thinks this is foolish and Robin silently agrees, Snow suggests a compromise, from her tone Robin thinks this is not the first time she has suggested this.

Robin watches Regina and concludes she is enjoying her argument with David, she is letting off steam Robin thinks, she is angry she did not notice the turn in weather to be unnatural and concerned about the Dark One, although he knows she will never admit it,Snow and the Prince know this too, which is why Snow stays silent and David bats away Regina's barbs without really listening to them.

It intrigues him, the relationship between these three, they truly act like family, he wonders if they know this, he watches as David rolls his eyes at Regina's latest snarky comment, observes Snow hide a small smile, they know, he thinks but whether or not Regina knows is a different matter, he thinks sadly that she does not.

Robin interrupts "How is Belle"?

Snow shakes her head sadly "Devastated"

Robin furrows his brow, it seems they can't catch a break, the news has him worried, worried about his boy, his men and the villagers.

The Dark One's disappearance is more than troubling and his heart aches for Belle, to her he owes his life and he tells the Royals this, "I owe my life to Belle, I wish to help her and the realm of course but Belle I owe a debt, I will accompany the Queen along with a few chosen men to the Dark One's castle, I suggest we leave immediately, let us meet in the courtyard in half an hour".

Robin does not wait for their reply but turns on his feet and leaves the room. As he reaches the door, he hears Regina tell Snow she is not to come and smiles as David agrees.

The second time he sees the Queen that day she is pouting in the courtyard waiting for them, impatience sitting on her lovely face.

When they gather around, she whiskes them to the Dark One's castle and he thinks he hears her laugh at the gasp of surprise his men make.

The Dark Castle is quiet, chillingly so, the remains of the inhabitants supper can barely be seen through the thick green fog that suffocates the castle.

The Queen, her solider and Belle had disappeared into the library leaving the others to search the rest of the castle, unsurprisingly they found nothing. The Queen returns after a short while and dispatches the fog from inside the castle, her solider by her side, staggering under the weight of four or five rather large leather bound books and what looks suspiciously like a crystal ball.

Robin offers to accompany Belle to her quarters for any personal items she may want, Belle accepts his offer and the two of them make their way to her room. "How are you?" he asks her.

"I know in my mind Rumple is very powerful and Neal is a survivor but I am struggling to convince my heart of this" she confesses.

Robin nods his head at her, he has no love for the Dark One but for the soft spoken young women by his side, he would put his personal feelings aside and help her, "we will find them" he reassures her.

"I know" Belle smiled bravely "good always wins, remember".

Robin wonders just whom she is referring to, Belle undoubtedly, is a good person, him yes and no, he has dedicated his life to helping others but that doesn't make him a saint, he has committed his fair share of sins, Rumplestlkin, most definitely not.

The Queen sends them back to the castle via magic and disappears yet again to a library, this time hers, she hadn't spoken to him or even looked in his direction once the entire time.

Unable to quiet his mind of concerns regarding the safety of the castle, Roland and his men, he thinks about the witch, what she wants they don't know but Regina thinks it personal, he tries to think about the flying monkeys and ways to protect against any attack they may make, he wonders about Belle's suggestion of the witches homeland but he is distracted by thoughts of how beautiful Regina's hair had looked shimmering in the half light, how luscious her lips had looked when she stood there pouting, how her leather traveling pants had clung to all the right places and when she lifted her arms to counteract the green fog, how glad she seemed her spell had worked, so he volunteers to take first watch that night.

The third time he sees the Queen, it is late, almost the next day, she is still in the library, candle burning low, her head is resting upon the table, she is asleep and it amuses him to see her so human, asleep at the table, then he worries because it cannot be comfortable sleeping like that and just how tired must she be to fall sleep in that position. His concern grows as he watches her head twist on the table, her shoulder tense, her hands claw against the hardwood table, she moans, a deep pain filled sound, he thinks she is speaking but he cannot make out her words from her harsh breathing, he hesitates, wants to wake her but fears her reaction, he does not want to give her any more reasons to push him further away and this he thinks would, his dilemma resolves itself as Regina screams herself awake.

He watches completely hidden from her view as she takes a moment to steady herself before glancing around the room, eyes wide and worried, he knows he made the right choice to stay hidden. She stands, hands pressed flat on the table, turns, crosses quickly to the door and shuts it firmly.

Robin swirls away from his hiding place and continues his rounds, mind more troubled than before.

One month ago - Storybrooke - Robin's House

Robin wakes early, it is still dark, he wakes John in the spare room and tells him he is going out and Roland will have toast for breakfast, with jam not peanut butter.

He cuts the padlock lock at the back of the hospital with wire cutters, forces the rusting wire gate open, security is lapse, the staff apathetic but he takes his time making his way through what passes for gardens, overgrown and neglected, this part of the hospital is grim and uncared for, much like it's inhibitations. Palming the stolen keycard, he swipes it across the lock, it beeps and it opens.

He goes first to the office and takes Regina's file, then he goes to her room. He finds nothing of hers that he wants, the brush, pressed powder, not hers brought to her by her sister, the nightgown the same, he cannot see his Regina wearing them, although he has, they are not real to him, he closes his eyes and sees black gowns, plunging cleavage, leather pants, dark hair, red lips. He shakes his head, the air in the hospital is thick, he is tired and his mind is not cooperating as it should.

He checks the room once more, finds nothing and leaves.

He returns to his home in time to take Roland to school, his alibi if needed.

He goes to work, smiles and nods at his colleagues, some ask some do not, he prefers it when they do not.

He stays for after school soccer club which he has not done for awhile, it had been his favourite club and he misses the team of ten boys and one festy girl that he coaches, he missed their latest game and he feels guilty.

Regina always finished work early so he could coach, he would stop and pick up take away on the way home and she would grumble about his bad habits but steal his fries anyway.

He brings pizza home for John as a thank you, he kisses Roland, draws him a bath, reads him a story and kisses him good night.

He reads the hospital files on his wife three times but it is a variation of a theme, similar to the notes he has from Dr Hopper.

He drinks, he doesn't mean to but he finds the drink in his hand and finds himself refilling it, as he drinks he reads the book.

It sat on the coffee table since she left it there, mocking him, Roland has scribbled on some of the pages, he has written his name on the inside page under another name, the page reads Henry Mills, Roland Locksley.

The book contains fairy tales some he recognizes some he doesn't, he turns the pages skimming the words, looking at the pictures, Roland has been here too, colouring a flying monkey purple, scribbling lines over a wicked imps face, Robin's heart cracks slightly when he sees that Roland has scrawled my mommy next to a picture of the beautiful Evil Queen.

He shuts the book and goes to bed, pouring the rest of his drink down the sink.

He dreams that night, he dreams of forests filled with fog and snow, he dreams of horses and castles, of flying monkeys and he dreams of corridors, endless corridors where he chases a lone figure, never catching up, always out of reach, long dark hair, dark cloak, white teeth, red lips, he runs towards her but she is gone.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Eight -

Three months ago- Enchanted Forest

More people flood into the village, the fog grows thicker and darker in colour, taking on the green hue they observed in the Dark One's lands. Snow continues to fall and it is cold, Robin misses the spring they never had.

The Queen has activated the castles protection spell, expanding it to the village, he sees her often but she does not talk to him, his boy does and she indulges him and Robin is grateful to her. Roland thinks this is one big adventure, he runs through the village talking to the newcomers, kicking up snow, gorges on the food always on offer, he loves visiting the Castle where he helps Queen Regina in the library he says, Robin warns the boy not to made a nuisance of himself but he is glad Roland spends his time inside the protective walls of the castle.

The news from the other villages is not good, no news on the Dark One or his son, it seems they must play a waiting game with this witch.

He talks to Belle, tries to offer her comfort, he owes her a debt and wishes to take some of her pain away but he cannot.

The Charming's arrived for good a few days ago and are staying in the castle, Princess Aurora is due to arrive today, her Prince fearing for her safety and that of their unborn child has sent her to Regina for safe keeping. He wonders how she feels about this, her solitude in her castle in broken, he is weary already and he knows the true battle has yet to begin, all eyes are on the Queen, their safety in her hands.

He worries about her, she looks exhausted and he knows she does not sleep well, still beautiful and strong but tired, he longs to speak to her but does not know what to say.

He watches her in the council meetings, she wants to investigate outside the castle, alone, she argues the fight is hers and wants to confront the witch, she is as hot headed and impatient as always. He argues with her and tells her no, Snow placates her with compromise, as he leaves he hears Snow tell her that she is not responsible for this but he sees the look on Regina's lovely face and he knows she has taken the burden upon herself.

He catches her when she stumbles back, he scolds her gently for giving too much of herself away with her magic, squeezes her arm when she tells him, it's all she has to give.

He speaks quietly to David, who was unaware but unsurprised, has she done this before he asks? Yes David confirms in StoryBrooke to stop the town turning back to forest.

Robin organises hunting parties, he chooses his best men for the job and they venture back into the woods he knows so well and he misses, so different now, the low lying green tinged fog changes the feel of the forest, it is unnatural and feels clammy against his skin.

Everything runs smoothly, they are lucky and stumble across wild boar with in the first ten minutes, he sets traps amongst the snow and sends men to the lake, not yet frozen with trawling nets, they return satisfied with their haul. The second and third time run as smooth but the fourth time, the woods are strangely quiet, he feels uneasy, unseen eyes on him and his men, they check the traps, find them empty, he orders the men to leave.

He reports back to David and she is there, Regina, she looks better, rested and he lets go of some of the worry he didn't know he was holding, she looks up at him, all dark lashes and white teeth, she questions him, what didn't he see, he says nothing and then he realises he hasn't answered the question she asked, he thinks and answers again, the woods were empty he tells her, no birds and no animals but something was there. That night the patrols are doubled as the weather darkens and the fog, that Regina cannot abate, continues to roll across the land.

One month ago - Storybrooke

Robin sits in the diner, nursing a cup of coffee, he needed to get out of the house. He wanted to speak to Velma but she was in a council meeting, palming the cup in his hands, he twists it round and round, in truth he is angry at Velma, her sister is missing and she is carrying on as normal, laughing and talking with the board members. How could she be so cold hearted? John thought it her way of coping and told him so but Robin could not be so charitable.

Frustrated he shoves his chair back without looking, hearing a groan, his turns around and realises he has shoved his chair directly into the shins of a young women stood behind him. "Apologies my milady" he said automatically, milady? Where had that come from.

The blonde bent over rubbing her shin, she looks up, a questioning gleam in her eye."I'm sorry" he repeated "I didn't realise you were there, I was distracted"

"Clearly" the blonde replied giving him a small smile. She reminded him of someone but he couldn't quite place it or her for that matter. "Are you hurt?"

"I will live" she told him.

"Let me get your drink?" He offered, feeling bad that his carelessness had caused her pain.

She smiled her thanks and ordered a hot chocolate with cinnamon but told him not to worry as she was ordering for two, pointing to a young lad seated the middle booth, his attention focused on his games console.

"Your boy"? He asked, taking another look at the woman and her boy, he wondered if it would be rude to press for more information, he didn't recognise her, the town wasn't small but he knew most of them, especially the parents.

"You are new here?" He asked

The blonde hesitated briefly, "oh no, we've lived here practically all my life" she confirmed

She was definitely lying, Robin wondered whether or not to or pursue this, it wasn't any of his business but the boy looked to be about thirteen and Robin was sure he had not come across the boy before, as teacher at the high school, Robin took pride in knowing all the children in his year, remembering all their names and who their parents were.

"Daniel" he offered his hand, "head of year and physical education teacher at the school" he informed her "your boy does not attend?"

She took his hand, gave it a firm shake "no home schooled" she smiled

Robin hummed a slight disapproval before he could stop himself, he was passionate about education, believing good schooling and a positive teaching environment to be of the up most importance.

"The school offers many opportunities outside of the curriculum, we run a few after hour clubs, soccer, basketball, martial arts and archery, your boy would be most welcome"

The woman raised her brow, "archery?" she mused, she looked at him as if reaching some kind of internal conclusion "Emma" she told him.

He was about to reply when his phone rang, glancing at the screen and seeing Velma's name flash upon it, he bade her farewell and made his way out of the diner to the mayor's office, all thoughts of Emma and her boy vanishing from his mind.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Nine -

Four months ago - Enchanted Forest

A thaw has occurred between him and Regina, he is pleased and all it took was a arrow in his arse, it is a small price to pay he thinks.

The men that died and those that were injured, now healed courtesy of Regina has given them a lead, the men's deaths were not in vain, this is something they can tell their families.

The news of the captive monkey brings hope to the overflowing castle, it is something tangible they can work with.

Regina works on a spell to communicate with the beast, she is strengthened, her rescue of the soldiers and his men and the subsequent healing of those that returned had earned her respect amongst his men and has lessened some of the hate the suspicious villagers throw at her.

He has not observed any more nightmares from her, though he watches her nightly as she struggles to find rest, hiding in the library at night. He is grateful she takes his sleeping remedy, although she has not mentioned one word to him about it nor has she mentioned the hunting parties but he knows that she watches in the mirror when they are out because Roland has told him so.

Her manner to him is less defensive, she lets him finish his sentences before telling him he is wrong and one occasion said nothing, merely nodded her agreement, he was so shocked, she laughed at him telling him to close his mouth before he caught a fly and when he laughed out aloud, she smiled back.

He thinks this is good, he hopes she will see this is the power of helping people, this is why he does it, why it brings him such comfort and it is selfish in nature because he takes comfort in his kind deeds and pride in it, hopes one day the shadow on his soul, the part of his heart that whispers of darkness will be kept at bay.

He remembers how relaxed she was in the dining hall with his men and the soldiers, where she was Regina and not the Queen and most definitely not the Evil Queen, he hopes for more.

He flirts with her openly now when they are alone, but they are not alone as often as he would like, he gives her enough space and in time he hopes she will miss him.

His boy needs no encouragement to seek her out and although he would never influence the boy either way, he is pleased that Roland has taken to her, he likes to watch her with him, she is a natural with his child and it delights him to see a genuinely smile on her face and that of his son.

He knows, they all know that attack will come soon, the woods have been quiet for two days now, the fog grows thicker, pressing up against the protective bubble.

Snow tells him later that night that the spell Regina performed on the monkey, the spell which caused her to collapse in his arms, weakening the barrier between them and the beast, that had him drive his knife into the monkeys chest, forcing him to kill the pitiful creature as it attack him with a unconscious Regina in his arms, did not work.

One month ago Storybrooke

He has found her but she is not alone, the blonde from the diner is with her, they are talking intently and Robin's instincts tell him to wait and watch.

They are stood at the kitchen counter, side by side facing each other, the counter top is covered by what looks like a chemistry set.

Despite his joy at finally finding her, Robin can feel the beginnings of anger twitching at him, what the hell is going on, who is this woman, she is helping or hindering, the chemistry set bothers him but he is not sure why.

He is sure more than now before that the blonde lied to him in Diner, his mind whirls as he thinks who she could be, Robin knows he has never seen her before not even in a photo, he is good with faces and names a skill learned from years of teaching.

Regina looks well, better than he has seen her in a while, her face is determined and she shakes her head animatedly, sweeping her dark hair back, it's longer Robin notices.

The blonde looks like she is leaving and Robin scoots away from the window, his footfall quietly than he thought himself capable of, he pushes back into the woods, keeping a safe distance, he watches the blonde disappear into the woods.

He waits a beat or two then jogs back to the cabin and flings the door open.

Regina is cutting into her arm, holding it over a beaker which fills with her blood. She jumps when he flings the door open and she has cut too deep and the anger that whispered before is now a burning fire within him, realization dawns on him, she is insane he thinks and the horror of it leaves him breathless for a moment, he is shouting at her as he forces her arm above her head, searches for something to stop the blood flow.

His anger is a raw violent thing, he has never broken like this before but his wife has run away to a cabin in the woods, leaving her son motherless to open a vein which she believes is magic.

The blood flow is slowing, although there is a lot of blood she has not nicked the artery as he first feared, otherwise the flow would not be so easily stopped by a tea towel.

He fumbles with his phone as he calls for help, he barks the directions down the line and hangs up, tightening his grip on Regina's arm.

He should be relieved but he is furious, furious at her, she's begging him to drink, the foul beaker filled with her blood and God knows what else, madness he screams at her madness and he is seized with it, lifting the beaker to his lips he swallows.

It tastes foul he thinks and then he is staggering back as the strangest feeling overwhelms him, a whoosh that begins in his stomach and sweeps upwards, burning his lungs, tightening his throat, squeezing at his temples as images flash through his mind, a dual layer of weddings but two brides, his sons birth but two different women, a life lived outdoors and a life lived indoors, the two different realities shimmer in his mind, one strengthening the other weakening.

His eyes open wide, not madness he realises but truth and the Evil Queen lies unconscious at his feet.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Ten -

Four months ago - Enchanted Forest

The attack comes in the middle of the night, they were expecting it but it still takes them by surprise, David and Snow run through the castle, royal robes thrown over their bed clothes, Regina is fully dressed but her hair is down, floats around her face, Robin cannot take his eyes off her as she strides past him, the witch is in my castle she hisses.

The witch was indeed in the castle, sneaked in disguised as a villager, turned off the protection spell at midnight, for dramatic effect she tells them proudly flaunting her disguise their faces, it's witching hour she taunts and disappears in a green swirl.

They run to the battlements, his men assembled, the soldiers and those villagers that can fight in the great courtyard, the old, young and those not made for battle, gather in the great hall.

The fairies arrive, a great drone of wings and bright lights. Regina waits for the fairies to pass the boundary of the protection shield, she waits until the first swarm of flying monkeys appear, diving towards the castle then she activates the shield, the creatures smash into the shield burning upon impact, they let out a collective breath but their relief is premature, the wind picks up and Robin feels magic rush across his body, the men in the courtyard are frozen. The castle is silent, nothing moves, every breath held, the men start to move, they twist and shake, their bodies turning in circles, they scream and groan, holding their heads, clutching their limbs, wings sprout from their shoulders, tails from their back, faces elongated.

A beat then screaming the creatures rush forward, beating their wings, rising into the air.

Robin stands shocked, thinks of the beasts he killed in the forest and the monkey in the dungeon and is sicken. He cannot order his archers to attack, these are their people but he cannot allow them access to the others inside the great hall.

"Regina" he says.

She is furious, he has never seen her look so angry and she has been plenty angry with him her eyes flash, mouth pursed, eyes narrowed, he does not rush her, he knows she is trying to think a way out.

"Robin" one of his men calls as the monkeys make their way closer, flying and climbing up the castle walls, hurtling against the castle door, smashing windows in the courtyard, he orders warning shots only, the arrows fly through the air, plunging into wings, grazing across the muscular bodies of the monkeys.

Regina is talking with the blue fairy, the fairies form a tight circle and Regina pulls her magic around them, the fairies enclosed in a protective bubble of purple and shimmering white, fly down fists full of dust, targeting the closest monkeys. Robin is relieved when the monkeys begin to transform back into men.

Regina disappears, Snow and Charming run from the battlements and he follows, repeating his instructions to the men.

Regina is stood in the main hallway, her back to the great hall, flinging magic at the monkeys who have scrambled through broken windows, she is screaming at them to come at her, egging them on, she is terrifying and magnificent all at once. Robin stands by her side, bow ready, he lets loose a couple of shots, catching the creatures and pinning their wings to the floor until she can target them. It is done he thinks as the last monkey twists back into human form.

He turns to Regina but she holds up a hand to stop him "where is Snow? She asks.

He does not know, he had followed David and Snow into the great hallway, they should be here but they are not.

Regina strides towards the great hall, flings the door open with magic, the gathered crowd shrinks back, she pays no heed but Robin feels the insult keenly.

Snow and David are not there.

"Looking for something?" The witch cackles.

"What do you want?" Regina asks, her voice cold and deep.

"Was bored" the witch sighs "I was waiting for you to come and find me but you didn't so I thought I'd come pay a visit"

Robin swears he can feel Regina throwing him a told you so look but when he glances at her, her attention is focused on the witch "and now you're here" Regina drawls.

"Indeed I am" the witch replies "and I brought a friend" she waves her hand and the Dark One appears by her side.

"You all know each other right? Well Rumple has a new name now, I call him my pet, don't I my pet," she crooned.

"So you have a new toy and you wanted to show if off, how very grown up of you" Regina needles her.

"That's not all there is to tell, shall I tell them or do you want to my pet?," she asks the Dark One, Rumplesklitskin says nothing stares into space, hand twitching.

"Oh don't mind him, he's just upset over the death of his son, Baelfire or is it Neal,? It's so confusing who can keep up, well whatever his name was, doesn't matter now does it" she giggled.

She circles closer to Regina, Robin's hand tightening instinctively on his bow.

"Can you feel it Regina" she draws out Regina's name, spitting it through her teeth "my power, it's stronger than yours and guess what? I'm stronger than you"

"That's nice dear but why don't you just get to the point, none of us are getting any younger here" Regina looks bored by the witch but Robin can see her pulse thumping in her neck and he knows she is listening intently to everything the witch is saying.

"So impatient Regina" the witch sing songs at them "but you are right, I've got things to do, places to be, you know how it is, busy busy, do enjoy your time here won't you" and she is gone taking the Dark One with her.

The silent room erupts with noise, Regina spins on her toes and walks quickly from the room, the soldiers formerly monkeys and his men from the battlements stand in doorway and part for her silently. Robin barks out his instructions, head counts he requests, check the perimeters, double the patrols, escort those that what to return to their homes, find beds for those that don't, he reminds them the queens tower and library are out of bounds, lowering his voice, he pulls his most trusted towards him, the Princess and Prince are missing, find them he urges.

He catches up with Regina but she pays him no heed, she turns to the dungeons, runs down the stairs, past the secret tunnel to what he knows to be the castle crypt. He calls her name again but she runs faster. His feet slide on the cold marble of the crypt floor, she is pushing at the great hunk of stone that covers the Kings resting bones, she does not use magic and it takes him a moment to figure out why, she is panicking he thinks and he had never seen this in her before.

He helps her push and finally the lid moves, Regina gives a quiet sob as she helps the Princess climb out of her father's tomb, where the witch had sent her, hidden amongst her father's bones.

The Princess does not cry but she trembles and Robin wraps an arm around her shoulder, she asks after David and the Kingdom.

Robin reassures her, he glances at Regina, she leans against the tomb when she feels his glaze upon her she straightened and he watches as she pulls her mask upon her face, head held high she leaves the crypt, as Robin follows, he hears the sound of stone on stone as the tomb of King Leopold seals shut.

David is found staggering from the castle waste pit, covered head to toe in animal excrement, the dwarfs take care of the Prince and Robin leaves them.

He knows Little John is with Roland and he is safe, he will find them shortly, first he needs to see the Queen.

She is leaving the war room when he catches up with her "sheep shit?" she asks, yes he says.

He says nothing as he walks her to her room, reaching her door, he wants to ask her how she knew where the Princess was but instead he asks if she would like him to bring her anything, maybe the sleeping remedy he suggests, she tells him no and to go to his boy, he nods his head as she turns to enter her room, he pulls her towards him and hugs her, runs his hands through her shining dark hair, feels her heart beating next to his and sighs his relief into her, she allows him one moment and for one moment he feels her press back against him, tighten her grin on his forearms, gives a little squeeze and then she is gone, door closed.

Storybrooke

Robin sighs, he has his memories now but Little John and Roland do not and it has been hard to explain why he pulled Roland from school for no reason.

Both of them have been questioning him, Little John thinks he has news of Regina which he is not sharing which is true and Roland is just confused.

He pretends he just wanted to spend time with them but the excuse sounds weak to his ears, especially since he had started going back to work before going awol again.

What he really wants to do is shut himself in a quiet room and think through what he has learnt but they are supposed to be playing Ludo and Roland is blantely cheating and Little John has called him on it, twice he has called John by his nickname, causing the big man to look confused and slightly hurt.

Fed up of Roland and John's arguing, he packs up the game and tells John he is going to the shop to sort out dinner but there is food in the freezer, it's just a excuse, he needs to get out and think.

Out in the fresh air, Robin tries to sort through his memories, accordingly to Mary Margaret he has spent the last two months desperately searching for his wife, two months of heartbreak and guilt not to mention the previous months of watching his wife have a break-only down and be committed to the mental health facility, now to discover Regina is not actually his wife at all but in fact a complete stranger. He has heard of the Queen of course, fought and escaped her guards a few times during his past real life but they had never met.

Now he sees her face when he closes his eyes, he smells her perfume on the clothes hanging in the closet and he knows it is the perfume she wears because he smelt it on her when he drank the potion.

He thinks back to the three times he has actually met the real Regina here in this cursed land that is not his own.

The first, he thinks was in the hospital, she had been different from his previous visits, ironically more like his wife but he had thought that she was getting better but now he realises that time had just started for them, the past memories were truly false, how they met, their marriage, Roland's birth all of this had occurred in non-existence time.

Robin groans as the guilt of forgetting his true wife, Roland's mother hits him.

A wave of grief hits him as he mourns the lost of this woman, all his memories slamming into him at once.

Time passes and Robin manages to bring his thoughts back to the present, he needs to clear his head for his sanity.

The curse has left him confused, Regina has left him confused, the woman he met in the hospital did not seem like a Evil Queen, she had seemed so fragile and at ease with him but this had to be a lie, she was just trying to escape he realised angrily and he had kissed her and she had kissed him back.

Mary Margaret and David were convinced that Regina could be trusted, that she had broken a evil wizards curse costing her in the progress, her son and that alone meant she had changed they proclaimed.

If her son was truly her motivation then could he really blame her for using any tool to her advantage? even if he was the tool he mused and was who's to say if she truly had been in her right frame of mind at the time, she had started laughing and been unable to stop her, he remembered feeling scared for her and the feeling lingered.

Thinking of the second time, he had found her which made him feel proud, hadn't lost the knack of tracking after all, she had erased his memories but the potion had unlocked that portion of his mind too. She had seemed so sad, in fact every moment he had seen the real Regina she had seemed sad, he felt his heart tighten as he remembered the look on her face as she casted the curse on him.

The third time he found her, she was practically bleeding to death, his fault catching her by surprise causing her grip on the knife to slip. He remembers the rage in his false memories when he caught her but now it seems so familiar, catching her and holding her.

He needs to see her he thinks, he needs to see her now when his mind is clear, to talk to her and then he can put this behind him and focus on his son and how to help his men remember who they are.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Eleven -

Two months ago - Enchanted Forest

The men are angry and he can't blame them but he does not share they view that they could have avoided the curse if they had just gone back to their forest and not helped the Royals in the first place, it wouldn't have made different he argues.

Little John steps in suggesting the high possibility that if they had returned home they would be monkeys by now.

Robin agrees but Alan continues his argument blaming their prolonged stay on the fact that Robin is sweet on the Queen.

Robin is shocked into silence. He hadn't realised he had been quite so obvious. Little John lets out a gruff laugh at the look on Robin's face, claps him on the back and tells him not to worry, he is sure not everyone knows, just castle and the village maybe some in Prince Philip's realm oh and some of the fairies but apart from that his secret is safe.

Robin wonders if she knows, she must do, she was there when they kissed after all and he has made it as clear to her as he dares that he wants to spend time with her but he knows she needs time, she is grieving the loss of her son and he will give her time, allow her to shout at him if she needs to, give her the small amounts of comfort she permits.

She is in his thoughts most of the time and he thinks of her now, allows himself, for the first time, to admit to himself, just how badly as Alan put it, he is sweet on the Queen.

He wonders how she feels, the curse memories will take all she has left of her son, he thinks, her memories of him and his heart breaks for her.

He decides not to tell Roland, he tells the boy there is a storm coming but no more than that to explain the behaviour of the men and the villagers. He keeps the boy inside away from the others gathered in the courtyard although he longs to see Regina's face, he must put his son first.

Storybrooke -two days ago

His feet have taken him to the cabin, he peers through the window, it would be better if Regina were alone, he doesn't want to have this conversation in front of strangers, which is funny really because that is what they are really.

She is alone and looking into a mirror, a action associated with this realms version of her and it takes him by surprise, a vision of Regina elaborately dressed sitting in front of a far more ornate mirror flashes through his mind, he tries to grasp at the image but it slips away.

He taps the window pane and sees her jump in surprise, when she opens the door she looks wary and tired.

His instant response is to tell her he means her no harm but he pushes the thought down and awaits for her response, he will take his lead from her.

She says nothing and he realises she is just as unsure as he is, so he begins and she lets him in.

She is colder to him than before, the sadness is there, she is trying to hide it from him, focusing on facts but it flows from her into him, he thinks if he stepped closer he could read her mind.

He knows what every gesture means, every little movement she makes, smoothing down her dress, she is nervous, twitch of her jaw, she is biting back a remark, eyes flicking down, she is lying.

It throws him, this knowledge of her, is this the curse?

The memories weaken over time, the others told him and this is true, he can barely remember their fake wedding day yet his and his late wife's is still indelibly etched in his mind, so why has this knowledge of her remained?

She apologizes to him which surprises him but he means it when he accepts it, he would take any measures necessary to get back to his son if he was gone from him so he understands but as he thinks of Roland, the niggling concern he has of Roland's memories grows, what if his take longer to fade, children of his age are little sponges soaking up knowledge, when the boy remembers his memories it will be of a fake mother and an absent one, will he be willing to let the only mother still available go? Robin thinks probably not, any way it plays out, Roland will be confused and Robin's heart breaks at this thought.

She wants him to leave, she is making it quite clear opening the door and practically throwing him out but he needs something from her and he asks on behalf of the boy, she agrees immediately, her eyes infinitely sadder than before, perhaps she remembers more than she is willingly to admit he wonders.

Regina, as beautiful in real life as in his fake memories, is hiding something, he isn't sure what and he wonders for the first time, why him?

Regina had implied it was merely due to proximity but surely the castle had been full of people, why not a guard or another of his men if there were all there?

This curse was her punishment but he and Roland are suffering too and this makes him angry.

He wants to direct his anger towards her but he finds he cannot, he could not find a trace of a Evil Queen in the women he just met.

He hoped that this meeting would put his mind at rest, he wishes he could have heard her tone and seen a cruel hard women but he hadn't, he'd seen the women beneath the mask and he hadn't wanted to leave.

Book Two - Robin

Fated

Chapter Twelve -

Present Day - Storybrooke

He shifted his weight and leaned forward, spotting a flash of purple in the distance, to the left of the tree line the other side of the mine collapse, lifting the spying glass he had borrowed from Hook to his eye, he quickly found the spot "Regina" he breathed what was she doing here? She was supposed to be in the clock tower, why was she standing watching her sister, he span the spy glass, following Regina's presumed line of vision, yes definitely watching her sister.

What she did next he would never of expected in a million years, he watched astonished as she transformed into a flying monkey and flew straight at Velma, claws outstretched, was she attacking what the hell was going on?

The attack was short and sharp and over before it had really began, the flying monkey that was Regina attacked once and was beating a hasty retreat before dispersing into a puff of purple smoke.

If Velma had restrained from using her magic to avoid panic, it was pointless as the crowd started to scream and shout, chaos quickly follows.

Robin waits a beat, sees Velma disappear in her own cloud of green smoke and then starts running as fast as he can towards the clock tower.

Book Three - Rumple

The Watcher

Chapter One - The Enchanted Forest

He floats and he watches, floats, watches, floats, watches. He is unsure what he is, he knows who he was, Rumplesklitskin, The Dark One, Mr Gold, he know he is all three of these men but at the same time he knows he is none of them.

All things have been returned with the curse and he wonders if he is one of those things.

He feels stronger around his boy, his beautiful fully grown boy, he sees the man is now and he feels pride but still sees the boy, the boy with the begging eyes, screaming at him to jump but the man he was, was a coward and he knows it.

He sees the Queen, he sees she does not cry and this seems worst some how, he has seen so many of her tears over the decades, he wonders how he didn't drown in them, so many tears, real, fake, contrived, bitter, scared and angry tears, mostly his doing but he does not care, he was a selfish man and he knows it.

He sees Belle, his beautiful, innocent, clever Belle, oh how he longs to hold her, wipe away her tears, he is glad his boy is there, he will take care of her, he feels jealousy at this, he is a jealous man and he knows it.

He sees the Charming's, David Nolan and Mary Margaret Blanchard, it amused him endlessly to see so much of the young Regina in the pure of heart Snow White, he sees none of it in the Princess now, in either woman, both are broken. Both will survive, he knows it.

He sees the others approach, he knows them. The merry men, the irony of their name is not lost on him in this moment, he hears their words but he does not care, he is a uncaring man and he knows it.

He watches their leader, watching the Queen, he sees a flicker of green, a shimmer of something past, some past magic lingering briefly, he wonders, he is a clever man, this he knows.

Chapter Two - Storybrooke

He sits in his silver cage, rocking back and forth, the horror re-playing endlessly in his mind, he knows he needs to let it go otherwise this with drive him mad, he knows he is close the edge.

He hates endlessly, he pictures all the terrible things he wants to do the bitch, he hates her but he hates himself more.

He chose power, power over blood and now he is paying the price.

He knows he needs to survive, his cleverness, his mind must remain in tact, he needs this for his revenge.

He sits and he thinks and he plots but he knows he must bide his time and wait. Waiting is something he is good at, this he knows.

Chapter Three - Enchanted Forest

She wakes him from this spirit form, his beautiful wonderful Belle, his clever brave Belle, this woman he loves with every ounce of his dark heart, how can you love me so he wonders but she does and he is glad of it.

It is the best time of his life, the three of them living in his castle, it is more than he ever imagined, ever dared hope for.

His son seeks comfort from him, turning to him and confiding he understands the pain of losing your child, giving him up because he is safer elsewhere, even if he is not there, he understands, the hunger to fight against, to rip the worlds to shreds, to change everything for his own selfish desires, love is selfish sometimes he thinks.

Rumple agrees, he is a selfish man and he is greedy, greedy for more of his son's love, greedy enough to take a chance, to peer into a crystal ball late at night and summon her with the power of the Dark One, he rips her from the infinite forest, he is greedy and he now knows, what he suspected before, has been showed a new vision, she has something he wants.

Chapter Four - Storybrooke

She is ranting and raving, she is quite mad and he knows it, is tired of her madness, he wishes for his Belle, wishes to be back in their realm with his Belle and his boy, wishes to take his dagger and slice her apart bit by bit, down to the bone, slide that ruined skin off piece by piece, dig out the diseased flesh until she is nothing but skin, blood, bone and gore then he would burn her, burn every last stinking piece, hear her spit and crackle as she roasts.

He is a fool he thinks, it is quiet, she has gone, he know longer listens to her words, he knows the colour of her hate, it is green like phlegm and snot that sticks in the throat and nose and snuffs out breath, it is green like creeping mould and suffocating moss, it clings and grows a living thing squeezing and overpowering. It is green born of envy, of hate turned inward, of poison, a poisoned soul and face.

The poison that splashed onto her body in accident, his fault, she was reckless, he should have paid her more heed but she was too eager and he was eager to know her secret, the secret he suspected was the answer he sought. That poison, seeping through her veins, coursing in her blood, pumping through her heart, that poison had taken her beauty, ravaged her face, leaving a ruinous mess of boiled skin, cracked and split, that poison had found its way to her soul and stayed there.

Chapter Five - The Enchanted Forest

He is stronger now than ever before, the time spent floating feels like forever ago, he still marvels at his wondrous Belle at her determination and her bravery.

He had told her once, all things return from where they are from and she had taken this to heart, found the well of lost things.

His brave boy had climbed into the darkness and found the lost thing that was his soul tethered forever to the Dark Ones curse, forever linked with the cold metal, linked until another soul claimed it's place, but no other soul had staked a claim so his soul remained chained, displaced.

Now he will reward these beautiful people with a gift, for the life he owes them.

He calls her forth and she is surprised but recovers quickly, he glimpses the madness within briefly but then it is gone and she is thanking him for her rescue. He looks upon her ruined face, feels guilt and offers her the one thing she wants, knowledge and power "would you like to made him pay? Would you like second chance he asks, after all he has been given one? why not her, he sees the greedy look on her face, he recognises a greedy soul when he sees it.

Chapter Six - Storybrooke

She is careless still, lesson never learned, she rushes the magic eager to protect all that she has built in this realm, the realm that gives her a pretty face, that shows her respect, that suits her better than it suited both her sisters, where she has almost won, almost has a happy ending, her madness now her sisters, a charming prince to be hers, to be ripped from the other and her gift for him, leaves him broken weeping on the floor.

But she is careless and she has left him alone and un-caged, he thinks of his only hope, the same one he poured all his hope into many years before, molding her in his image, removing the light and leaving only the dark, his hope for hers, his desires snuffing out hers, his darkness hers, his puppet, would she dance for him again?

He cries her name, sees pain in her eyes, wonders if it's for him, thinks it is, feels relief, she is still there behind the queens mask, her flaw he fought so hard to break it but now he knows it is her strength.

He pours his pain into her, sees her shudder, take the strain, burden shared he takes from her again, he is a greedy man.

Chapter Seven - The Enchanted Forest

He is a fool, he saw the madness but he ignored it thinking himself oh so much better than her, so much stronger, so much more clever but his arrogance had blinded him to her wicked plans, her magic three times more powerful than her younger self, she had been busy building an army while he had been playing king of the castle, she had been battle ready and he had been spinning gold.

He had shown her his weaknesses, his love and his boy and she had shown him her army and her hate, had rolled throughout his castle disguised as fog, swirling clouds of green toxic mist. He had forgotten the taste of hate and revenge but she had reminded him and now he tastes the ashes in his mouth, nothing can ease the foulness of his bitter bile.

The pirate has the slippers and he laughs and laughs into the darkness.

Chapter Eight - Storybrooke

His beautiful Belle is there, bold and as lovely as always, she promises him, promises he does not deserve but needs her words, he needs to be free of the witch, to avenge his son but they do not have the dagger, Regina has rushed in hot headed as always, their plan is weak without it.

Stupid girl he wants to hiss at her but she is here, she need not of come and he knows this.

Regina is talking about the boy, the one who left and took what remained of Velma's sanity, he is replying to her but his words sound far away.

The dagger, the dagger he insists, Regina is shaking her stubborn head, he can see her thoughts whirling, he sees her make a decision, she looks sad and then determined. He wants to ask her what she is thinking but she is gone and Belle is whispering her sweet promises again.

Regina is back, her mask in place, barking instructions to Belle.

The price of magic had been paid he thinks, he has paid it with Bae's life and she has paid it twice over for him.

He is free but he is only a man now, just a weak cowardly man but he promises he will try, try for his Belle, try for memory of his boy and for the girl, woman really he thinks but always a girl to him that lies on the cold hard ground, still and silent.

Book Four - Happy Afters

Rumple -

Regina lies in her vault, the door is left open so visitors can come and go.

He keeps the contents of the vault safe in his shop, lest curious hands get hold of it.

He visits daily to perform the preservation spell but he knows he would go anyway even if it was not needed.

He sees Henry at the Vault every day, mostly alone but sometimes with Mary Margaret, sometimes David, sometimes both.

Henry asks him to save her, he replies he is trying, Henry gets angry with him shouts Grandpa at him, the boy with the heart of the truest believer, does not believe him and it gnaws at him.

Emma visited once, he listened as she spills her guilt and rage at Regina for leaving Henry, he leaves when she starts to cry, I'm the Saviour, we could have found another way

she says.

Rumple thinks maybe but magic has a price and someone would have paid it.

Robin is angry, his rage is a raw physical thing, he refuses to allow him to enact his vengeance on Velma.

Rumple wants her dead but Robin wants her alive, he thinks Velma will know how to bring Regina back, Rumple bides his time but Velma will die, he does not care that she is no longer a threat, her magic stripped by Regina's spell, she will die and he will do .

Mary Margaret -

Regina looks as beautiful in death as she did in life but death has soften her features, wiped away the scowls and sneers.

Mary Margaret smooths down Regina's dress, she had picked it for her, spent hours staring at the clothes trying to chose, she knew Regina would prefer black but Regina wears white.

White just like her when she slept her endless sleep, Regina isn't asleep, Mary Margaret knows this but she can pretend when Regina wears white.

The white is a symbol of hope, white the colour of the pure and Mary Margaret thinks Regina's blackened heart must surely be pure now, her sacrifice calls for it.

David wants to move on, wants a new beginning, a baby to complete their family now the town is safe, Mary Margaret thinks their family is not complete.

She bares her souls to Regina, just like when she was a child, she tells Regina all her thoughts, jabbering on, smiling when she knows this Regina as past Regina would roll her eyes and tell her, please dear do be quiet but she carries on, she tells her, she misses her, has missed her for years, tells her she is sorry for everything, apologises for keeping her silence about her father and Velma, the one secret Regina needed her not to keep and she had kept it until it was too late.

She tells Regina she loves her, takes her hand and calls her sister.

Emma -

Henry is angry again, any little thing sets him off, he looks just like his other mother when he scowls, pouts and pours scorn at her.

She understands his anger, waits for it to boil away, wakes him in the early hours, takes him to the castle, not the same one that they first shared a bond but it is one built by Regina for Henry and she thinks it should be here that she talks to him.

He is silent for over an hour, she allows him to drink coffee from the flask she brought, he eats the breakfast she made for him, he breaks his silence to tell her Regina's breakfasts were better, Emma doubts this, she had tasted the other women's food.

Finally he breaks as she knew he would and it breaks her heart as Henry confesses his sins, she died for me he cries, he sobs as he recounts the terrible things he thinks he has said to Regina, how she was evil, how she didn't love him, how he told her she wasn't his mother.

He cries and cries and Emma tells him, yes he did say those things and Emma knows them to be true, Regina was the evil queen, she didn't know how to love, she wasn't his biological mother but she reminds him of the other things he said, things that are also true,that she loves him, that she wasn't a villain anymore, that she was his mom.

The past is the past and Regina of all people lived with that and she knew you loved her Henry, she tells him.

She asks him if he believes her, holds her breath waiting for his reply, yes he says and she breathes out deeply.

She asks him what did you want for Regina, she knows the answer, he wanted her to be happy, to be happy he confirms and what does she want for you she asks, to be happy he replies.

Robin -

"You lied to me" he tells her still form, "you told me, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, the curse had picked me randomly because of proximity" he spits out the last word "you were in my arms Regina, in my arms before the curse broke, we were lovers, I loved you then and I love you now and you lied to me, why?" He begs of her.

"You told me, the mind may forget but the soul knows it's loved ones, that's why Snow and David found each. Why I couldn't let my curse memories go, you were supposed to be a stranger to me but you were not and I knew you and you knew me and you lied to me"

"So much time wasted" he sighs "we could have been together but you ran again, why? Because the great and terrible evil queen doesn't deserve a happy ending? Is that why? I told you the first time I met you that the title was out-dated and I meant it".

"Now you're gone, really gone, for the whole town, for Henry and I think for Snow, David and the others and for me, I know you loved me Regina as I love you"

He kisses her forehead, her hand, her lips, hopes against hope that true loves kiss will wake her but the magic does not come and he knows why. He loves her and she loves him and Henry loves her and she him and Henry has tried too but Regina does not love herself so she does not wake.

Regina -

She can hear them all but she can't see them, time passes fast and slow and then seems not to pass at all.

She hears Rumple explain the curse to those gathered.

He explains "Regina has paid the price of the magic, she used blood magic, both light and dark and all connected. By mixing the essences, she cursed Velma and the dagger, rebounding the formers will against her, twisting the daggers magic, causing Velma and I to physically switch places" he tells the group.

"With the magic tied to Velma and Velma controlling the dagger, when Belle broke the Dark curse and its magic left this world, Velma did too."

She hears Emma's voice interrupting "I didn't think magic was like that, I thought it was all spells and curses read from books?"

"Yes but those spells have to start somewhere" Rumple tells her

"So she made it up?" Emma wonders

"Yes" he agrees "she did, it's quite a feat, stupid but quite a feat".

The group falls quiet, she wonders if they are going to ask the question and what Golds answer will be.

Henry asks it and her heart breaks a little more at the sound of his voice, "she will wake up, true loves kiss breaks any curse" he says.

"Possibly but this is new magic and it is strong, we do not know what form the price has taken"

"Is she dead Gold?" David demands and Regina is surprised at his sharp tone.

"I do not know" he replied "she has no breath but she shows no signs of decay" he says softly.

"There must be a way to check, you must have some magical item or spell" Emma asked.

"I have tried" Gold confesses "but I'm no longer the Dark One dearie, things don't work as well as they should, I have lingering magic but it is not natural to me, I don't know if it will stay"

"Then you need to hurry up before it fades" Mary Margaret 's voice, Regina thinks.

"Henry, why don't you try" Mary Margaret tells the boy.

Emma hums, Regina knows her reluctance is not for her but for their son, he will be devastated if it does not work and Regina doesn't know if it will, if this is a sleeping curse she should be in the fire room, in the in-between but she is not.

Emma finally voices her concern but Henry must have kissed her anyway, she feels nothing but hears Henry cry out. I'm sorry she tells him silently I'm sorry.

They all come one by one and others too, voices she does not recognize, stealing down to catch a glimpse of the infamous evil queen, gloating she thinks.

Henry tells her of the flowers and cards that people had brought, she pictures a shrine and it amuses her.

Mary Margaret tells her she loves her and cries her apologies, Regina silently accepts them, she thinks of Snow's father, he didn't deserve his death she sees now.

She thinks of her mother, she thinks of how she banished her and doesn't regret it, she thinks of how her mother told her she loved her and really meant it, the last words the first true words she ever heard from her. She thinks Snow gave her this gift and she forgives her.

Emma comes and shouts at her, she finds it amusing, all the rage she has directed at Emma over the years, Emma sends right back at her because she is dead.

Emma shouts that she is the saviour, Regina knows she means they should have worked together, they are stronger together in a group like in neverland, like family.

She understands Emma and Emma understands her, they are a lot alike she realises.

She silently forgives Emma for taking Henry, she was right to take him, Henry deserves his family, the whole family, his family and my family. She thinks back to the last night in the forest, David's words he had meant them, he had included her in them, they were family.

Gold is always there it seems, muttering under his breath, sometimes Belle comes and keeps him company, she hears their chatter, hears Belle turning pages of her book.

Gold talks to her of magic, of how his fades and he fears it will be gone for good and it concerns him but part of him is relieved.

She thinks he must think her dead as he has never spoken to her so honestly before, never given her a straight answer. He thanks her for apologising to Belle, he apologizes to her for not telling her about Velma and Snow, she finds she does not care.

He tells her he is proud of her, twice she has broken the curses, the first leaving a hole in her heart but she fixed it, second giving up Henry, she is better than he will ever be he tells her, she thinks if she had breath she would be holding it.

Gold whispers his apology in her ear, I should have never of taught you dark magic he confesses, I should have found another way, I'm truly sorry he says, he asks for her forgiveness.

Robin comes at last and he shouts at her, she is growing bored of the shouting and the apologies, it seems you have to die for people to tell you their truths she thinks.

Robin is angry at her, she is glad she cannot see his face. It astounds her how well he knows her, gets straight to the heart of the matter, it is love between them he tells her but it was her that pushed it away because she was scared, because she felt didn't deserve him, he tells her he understands.

She wishes she could take it back, wishes she told him she loved him, wishes she could tell them all that she forgives those that asked for forgiveness and she is sorry too.

She wishes she could see them all again, wishes she could tell them, wants Robin to hold her, wants Henry's arms around her, thinks of Roland's curls, wants to love and be loved like she deserves.

Every thought, every feeling runs through her, a great whoosh of emotion, of family, of love, of heartbreak and of hope.

They love me and I love them she thinks as her eyes open.

Epilogue

Regina wakes in Robin's arms, smiling she watches him sleep and counts her blessing, something she has promised herself she will do everyday.

Yesterday was the best day of her life and today seems to be shaping up the same way.

She had woken in the vault alone, laughed out aloud when she saw what she was wearing, searched for her magic and found it glowing and white, it was astounding, she had never felt so light before, so happy, didn't know she could feel so free.

She thought back to her words to Tink almost a year ago, her concern that she would float away but she felt like she was floating now and it was wonderful.

She ran through the cemetery, Henry was at the loft she could feel practically hear his heartbeat and suddenly she was there, standing in the Charming's front room.

A crash of cutlery and a shout, then Henry was in her arms and crying, she was crying and Mary Margaret and possibly David too, hugging her and she hugged them back, God she even hugged Emma, briefly.

David pressed tea into her hand and Mary Margaret fussed over what she wanted to eat.

She was hungry and happy to be there but she longed to see Robin, she wanted to tell them she needed to go but Henry was talking animatedly at her, asking her how she awoke, was it Mr Gold?, was it Robin?

"No, it was me, I heard everything you all said and I realised that it was me holding myself back that you had all forgiven me but I hadn't forgiven you or myself and while I know that I will always carry my past with me and have many amends still to make, I cannot let the past define me. I will never be the Regina you first met Snow but I will never be the Evil Queen again".

God it had felt so good to be there with those people and Henry and they all loved her in their own way and she them, she would never openly wear her heart on her sleeve like Snow or David, never have Snow's pure heart or David's true courage or Emma's resolve and she was pretty sure there would be no more group hugs but she would never again let the darkness pull her down, never listen to the voices that called her weak for loving, loving deeply was her strength and she would embrace it not hide from it and when danger came to their town again which she was sure it would, she would fight with them.

The reunion with Robin had been sweeter than she could ever have hoped for.

Leaving Henry had been hard but she knew she knew see him soon and never again have to worry if she could.

"Its okay Mom, go get him" Henry had laughed at her.

"Regina are you blushing" David teased.

Shooting him a dark look she pulled her magic to her, stunning the room, she smiled into the white smoke.

Deciding against appearing directly in the house, she rang the doorbell and waiting, heart pounding, she pulled herself together, thought about what she wanted to say but her words died on her lips when Robin opened the door, he looked tired and careworn.

"Regina" he gasped

She stood there silently, words on her tongue but none seemed enough, she wanted to say I'm sorry, wished for him to pull her into arms and stay there forever.

"I love you Robin" she said gasping as Robin reached for her and swept her into a bone crushing hug, resting his forehead against hers "and I you milady" he told her before crashing his lips to hers.

Roland had run to her immediately and calling out "mommy".

There was plenty to talk about, she wanted Roland to know the truth, his curse memories fading, Robin should tell him about his birth mother, she didn't want to take that from them, she knew that she and Robin needed to talk but there was plenty of time and they would work it out together.

They spent a lazy day at the house, chatting about moving back to her mansion or whether to stay in this house, she confessed her hopes to Robin that Velma could be, for lack of a better word, saved.

Henry came for lunch and Mary Margaret and David popped round to invite them for dinner at Granny's.

The whole town seemed to have the same idea and had congregated there, she would need to talk to Gold and figure out what to do about Velma but for now, sat wrapped in Robin's arms, Roland on her lap and Henry by her side, everything was perfect.