~Not while he's around~

Disclaimer: I don´t own the show or its characters . I wish I would but I don´t . All rights belong to their rightful owners .

A.N: This is my first OutlawQueen story so please don´t be too harsh with me! I seriously never thought that I would love this pairing so much but it happened! This story is mostly a résumé and nothing more than a monologue filled with Regina´s thoughts about her feelings for Robin. I hope you´ll have fun. Please let me know what you think of it!

Dedicated : As always to my faithful friend and beta-reader Nosferatu´s Cigarette-Binche . She does write awesome OUAT stories , just so you know ;)

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.o.O.O.o.O.O.O.o.o

In a small town in Maine.

In a house belonging to someone, who had been known as the Evil Queen not even a long time ago.

On a perfectly cleaned and polished table, lay a golden ring that was attached to lots of memories.

In front of said ring, Regina was sitting on a chair and fumbling with a lock of her silken black hair.

The ring was one of her most precious treasures, always being a part of her heart and a constant reminder of her beloved Daniel.

Now though, she wasn't thinking of Daniel, nor the sparkle of his eyes or the smell of his skin and hair.

Now she was thinking of whiskey, of warm masculine skin that had been so close to her, a charming little smile and a lion tattoo.

What would Daniel say about Robin? Would they have liked each other? Would they have gotten along? Was it even important to wonder about questions like this?

She had suffered for so long, her heart had been aching for years, feeling like it didn't really belong inside of her chest and now... now it was finally starting to find its rightful place again.

"Did it work?" she remembered the voice of Robin in the woods. The fear of herself still made her shiver, even now after their plan had worked. It had been a risk but he had promised her that he would keep the heart safe.

How was it that she had trusted him so easily? Was it because he reminded her of Daniel? Was it because of the caring in his eyes, or the simple fact that they always seemed to find each other, no matter what?

"That depends. Is it still here?" she had asked that night and her fear had been obvious in her shaking voice. The light of her torch, enlightening hints that Robin might have been hurt for this short moment of distrust.

She hadn't planned to distrust him, she didn't mean to offend him or hurt his pride, but how long had it been since she gave away her heart to a man?

She had to get used to it again but it felt right. Would he give her the time that she needed?

"My sister was right about something, she said I don´t always realize what I have right in front of me..."

Why had it been so hard for her to just agree that her heart was falling for him? That the curiosity and the warmness in his eyes helped her to believe in true and innocent love again?

What was she afraid of ? What was it that she couldn't tell?

When her gloved hands had reached for his, when they had touched, she knew that she had wished to feel his skin, to feel the heat of his body, to feel the comfort.

She not only trusted him with her heart, she gave him a promise. A promise that she allowed their love to flourish, a promise that they both deserved a second chance.

"You can't steal what´s been given to you."

And she meant what she had said.

Now when Daniel's ring was resting in front of her eyes again, it didn´t hurt to look at it. She was sure that her fiancée wanted her to be happy. It didn´t matter any longer that the people had called her the Evil Queen.

For all that really mattered right now was that the Evil Queen was slowly falling in love with a Thief.

He already possessed her heart and it would be in no time that he was about to win her body and soul as well.

For the first time in a very long and sufferable time Regina Mills felt like there was a flicker of hope just waiting for her to grab it.

The End... or maybe not?

A.N : Reviews are appreciated