So, to keep OQ alive and participate in Outlaw Queen Day, I thought I should post something today. I have a bit too much work to do on a full chapter of any fic of mine, but I've had this oneshot in my to-post list that I've never quite gotten around to. So this is a little snippet pre-KH (about a month after OQ met and took up residence in the Castle) that's been occupying my thoughts.

Hope that y'all enjoy, and I just want to say thank you to the OQ fandom for still having the strength to support each other and still encouraging writers and artists to keep posting.

You all rock and I love you.

...

When in an unfamiliar place, sleep always evaded Robin until he knew his surroundings like the back of his hand. And even though most nights he had spent wandering around the castle until he was too weary to stand properly, four weeks in a new environment such as this was still not enough for him to feel comfortable.

Tonight he took a new route, taking right turns instead of the lefts he had originally started with. Now he wasn't entirely sure how to get back, but he could just as easily ask a random passer-by. They'd probably know.

Though the next person he saw was not a 'random passer-by'; it was the Prince and Princess, talking between themselves in hushed tones with worried frowns etched into their brows.

"Is everything alright?" Robin asked the moment he was within earshot.

The two looked up at him, seemingly surprised at having company.

"Everything's fine," Charming assured, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist before leading her past Robin.

But Snow stopped, mumbling something Robin couldn't quite catch before she turned back to him and asked; "Have you seen Regina?"

"I'm afraid not," Robin answered with a shake of his head, and then remembered the worry across their faces when he first saw them. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine," the Prince answered, once again trying to guide Snow down the corridor.

Though the Princess was stubborn, holding her ground as she continued talking to Robin. "She stormed out of a meeting early today, and nobody seems to know where she is."

"I'll keep an eye out for her," Robin promised, smiling when gratitude filled the Princess' face.

"Thank you."

Robin nodded in acknowledgement, preparing to continue his trek around the castle when Snow called him back.

"She's..." Snow started, licking her lips as she tried to work out the best way to phrase whatever she had to say. She settled on; "...not in a good mood."

The implications set in, and Robin carefully asked; "You think she's going to hurt someone?"

"No," Snow immediately responded, before pausing and frowning. "Yes? ...I don't know. I just know that she can be rather... destructive when she's upset."

"I'm aware," Robin murmured, thinking back to self-administered sleeping curses and finding something to live for in having 'someone to destroy'. "If I see her I'll let you know."

"It's much appreciated," Charming smiled, before finally succeeding in leading his wife away.

It was only when Robin could no longer see them that he realised he hadn't asked for directions back. So... He'd just have to explore a little more than he had planned.

Though now, he doubt he could sleep without knowing Regina was alright. He was still unsure as to how the not-so-evil-anymore Evil Queen incited these feelings of worry and care inside him - irrespective of how she treated him.

It wasn't as if she was terrible to him - sometimes she could even be classed as 'pleasant' - but she knew enough about him to know his weak spots, his pressure points, what words to say to make him leave her with a rising wave of anger and a slammed door.

But she was hurting, grieving, and was constantly doubted about how she was coping with it all. If Robin was in her position he'd do all he could to be left alone too.

Though he still felt concern. The darkest times after his wife's passing had been when he was alone. The anger and pain and heartbreak had taken over and someone - usually him - had always ended up becoming injured.

Robin may have been willing to give the Queen the space she desired, but he wanted to know that she would be safe first.

...

It was about another fifteen minutes of walking down castle hallways, of lingering thoughts of the Queen, before he heard a faint smash down one of the corridors.

He paused, strained his ears, listening for any other sound.

There was a low growl, then a large thud, and Robin's feet were taking him to the source before he even realised it.

He ended up in an area of the castle that looked less taken care of than the others; a smattering of dust coated the floor and on top of aged picture frames, cobwebs hung in high corners and under the occasional table.

The door separating him from the frequent thuds and smashes looked no different than the door to his own room; plain wood with two bevelled panels at the top and bottom.

Though he was pretty sure what he'd find behind the door would not be his chambers.

His hand gripped the brass door knob, his lungs inhaling as he momentarily wished for the comfort of his bow to combat the fear of the unknown. But then there was another crash, and a low groan, and Robin pushed the door open.

The immediate carnage had him taken aback, pausing just to take it all in.

There was a broken mirror on the floor, shards of glass littering empty window panes, heavy curtains smouldering with fire, furniture broken or upturned… And the Evil Queen standing in the middle of it all.

Her back was to him, her concentration focussed on the vase lifted in the air in front of her, a purple bubble of her magic surrounding it, constricting the pottery until it fractured, then split, then broke into smaller pieces, then smaller still, until it was nothing but dust trickling down to the floor…

"Your Majesty?" Robin started, clearing his throat to announce his presence, unsure what was possessing him to interrupt a woman so dangerously hellbent on destruction.

He barely had time to duck to avoid the ball of fire aimed his way, his eyes following its path over his head and watching as the flames licked at the brick wall behind him before dissipating.

Warily standing, Robin turned to face the Queen.

Her dress was torn, her hair falling out of place, her hands fisted at her sides. But it was her eyes that unnerved Robin the most. All the stories of the Evil Queen, all the tales of absolute death and carnage that he had accepted as Regina's past, didn't seem quite so much of a separate entity anymore. Darkness consumed them. The beautiful brown eyes that Robin had found himself admiring on more than one occasion were now close to black, the constant, expressive quality that always belied her steel façade now an empty chasm.

It was the first time he was hit with the reality that he was sharing a castle with the same woman who had once been feared by the entire kingdom. And it was the first time Robin felt uneasy thinking about what she could do to him.

But despite the rising urge to leave, something within him refused to let it control him. She wouldn't hurt him, he was sure of that. And he wasn't going to leave her. Not now.

"What do you want?" The Queen seethed, her jaw clenched so tightly he could see her pulse throbbing in her temples.

Robin paused, wanting to choose each word carefully to prevent upsetting Regina more. "I wanted to make sure you were safe."

"I'm not going to kill anyone," she spat. "So you can tell whoever sent you that they don't need to worry."

"That's not what I meant," Robin spoke, his tone even and controlled. His eyes drifted over her form, falling upon the tears in her dress and the obvious tension held in her body and asking; "are you injured?"

"I'm fine," she replied, and Robin almost scoffed at how not-fine she obviously was.

"Pardon me for saying so, Your Majesty," Robin began, taking note of the small flinch at her title and vowing not to use it again until she told him to, before he continued, "…but I don't believe you."

"I don't care what you believe," she snapped. "And I don't need some common thief pretending to care about my welfare, so do yourself a favour; leave me the hell alone!"

Taking a deep breath and realising he may make things worse before making them better, he calmly told her; "I'm not going to do that."

"Do you have a death wish, thief?"

"You won't hurt me," Robin boldly stated, gingerly stepping across the room's threshold and hearing glass crunch under his boot.

Regina's voice turned low, her entire being radiating danger as she asked; "Are you willing to bet your life?"

"I don't need to," he replied, taking another step forwards. "I trust you."

She scoffed, a momentary light flickering behind her eyes before it was gone again. "Oh, so you do have a death wish."

"My only wish is for you to be safe, milady."

The Queen tipped her head back and let out a cold, empty laugh that Robin couldn't help but frown at. But suddenly she stopped, righted herself in a split second before she lowered her voice to say; "then you're wishing for a lost cause."

"The Princess doesn't seem to think so," Robin offered, immediately knowing it wasn't the ideal thing to say.

"Urgh," Regina scoffed with a roll of her eyes. "What does Miss. Happy-Go-Lucky know?"

"She knows you well enough to predict you'd likely be making a mess."

Regina met Robin's gaze, staring him down in defiance before her eyes swept the carnage she had created.

But with a wave of her hand she put the room to rights again, rearranging its broken furniture, replacing the glass in the windows, recreating the burned furnishings... Then she turned back to Robin, quirked a brow and taunted; "what mess?"

Robin's jaw dropped as he marvelled at the power behind the Queen in front of him. The magic she possessed was not only capable of great destruction, but also of great reparation. The thief just wished that some of that healing could be applied to her own heart too.

"Hiding the damage doesn't mean it never happened," he said, when his eyes met hers again.

"Don't get philosophical with me," she sniped. "I've been hiding the damage my entire life."

For a moment her mask slipped, so much pain flashing behind her eyes that Robin wondered how she was still standing. Was this how she coped? Tearing something apart only to mend it again.

"I'm here if you need anything, you know?" Robin offered. And just like that, the Queen's mask was back in place.

"A thief like you? Please."

"You should talk to someone, Regina," Robin advised, and upon seeing her open her mouth to argue back - and probably throw yet another insult at him - added; "It doesn't matter who. The world doesn't end if you ask for help."

"Yes it does!"

Robin's voice rose to match the Queen's volume, frustrating leaking into his tone as he responded; "Why?"

"Because everyone I..." she started, before she caught herself, took in several deep breaths to reign in her temper, lowered her volume and stated; "I'm not having this conversation with you."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to be near you," she snapped. "Don't follow me."

With that, she stormed past Robin - powerful enough for him to feel the displacement of the air around him - intending on leaving him standing in an empty room.

But Robin had other ideas; his feet followed her out, determined to catch up with her despite her apparent abhorrence for company. She shouldn't be alone right now.

Of course, his chivalry was unwanted, and the moment his hand reached out to cup her elbow, she disappeared and he was left grasping at smoke.

His feet fell still, his hand dropping to his side.

This woman...

She was obviously lonely, and yet any attempt to offer company was rebuffed with insults and threats.

She was a walking paradox.

She had ice in her eyes yet fire in her heart. The darkness of night fighting for the light of the day.

She was violent waves crashing into the shore, and yet an ebbing tide that was just too far out of reach…