Chapter 1

Right after she left Granny's, Regina ran home. She didn't turn around to check if someone is following. Who would? They were all happy, celebrating Marian's return.

Robin didn't even look at her. All he was seeing was his long lost wife, who was suddenly alive. And that lost and confused look on Emma's face… IF she didn't hold herself, she'd strangle her with her bare hands.

Roland's "Mama" has put a dagger through her heart and all that happiness was twisting it and pushing it deeper, making bigger and more painful hole.

She felt that lust, she thought was long gone, forgotten, replaced by new love, love for Henry, Robin and Roland. That lust that was making her hands burn from inside, her brain almost exploding from all evil thoughts she was thinking, her whole body shivering under dark magic spells which were trying to jump from each of her body cells, ready to hurt, to kill, to revenge on Emma, Hook and Charmings.

Regina closed her eyes just for a second, took a deep breath, and remembered all good that happened to her during the past months. Smiles, hugs and kisses of her son and Roland, stolen moments with Robin, those feelings she had for him were mutilating now her soul but on the other hand giving her strength to push away that fire, to hold herself up and gave her chance to leave the diner in peace.

But now, sitting in front of the fireplace, where she sat with Robin just couple of hours ago, drinking wine he opened for them, the urge was coming back. Good memories were being pushed deeper into her mind and dozens of bad one were coming up.

"Then love again." She heard his voice like it was yesterday.

"Oh Daniel, I did. I do. And look where it got me again!" She pulled a pillow from the sofa, wrapped her arms around it and started crying. Her tears that were running down her face like strong waterfalls were immediately being dried by the pillow. Only when dry sobs coming deep from her soul were the only thing leaving her body and the pillow was through to through wet, she lifted her head and started staring into the fire, not feeling anything.

She heard her phone ringing two times, she heard three texts she got, but didn't move, not even blinked. She heard the doorbell urgently ringing, but didn't react. They'll go away eventually, was her only thought. Too deep into ignoring she didn't hear that someone unlocked the door and was approaching her and then sat behind her on the sofa. He put his hand on her shoulder, she seemed like she didn't notice.

"Regina" he said. She shrugged under the tone of his voice, but didn't say anything. "Regina" he repeated, moved his hand towards her head, stroke her hair. Still no response. She was still staring into the fire. "Honey, can you at least nod that you are okay?"

Okay. She tsks in her mind and turns her head to the left, facing him. Only then he spotted the wet pillow and her face, her eyes tired and red from crying. He sits down next to her, her eyes follow his movement, he takes the pillow away and she allows him to, he tries to hug her, but she pushes her fists against his chest. He doesn't let her go, hugs her stronger, she fights, keeps hitting his chest, he again strengthens the hug. After some time she gives up and starts crying again, her face buried in his chest. When his shirt is soaked with her tears and she continues on crying even after dozens of minutes pass, he kisses top of her head.

"I love you." He says. That makes her cry even more. After some time he repeats, "I love you, please talk to me." She feels like she cried out all her body fluids. There's nothing left to cry. She lifts her head, looks into his eyes and sees that he's being honest. And that fact hurts. It hurts so much that she can't bare it. Her hands are still on his wet shirt and his are still holding her back. He's looking into her hurt eyes for a while, thinking what his next move should be. He kisses her. As passionately as never before, so violently that he takes her breath away.

When she catches her breath again she returns his kiss, strongly pushes her palms against his chest making him lie down, copying his movement she ends up on top of him, not breaking off their hug nor mouth connection, and they make love over and over again as it was the last night of their lives.

Fire burned out hours ago, but they still remain in warm embrace covered just with a blanked that he pulled down from the sofa to cover them when it was over. Her head resting under his clavicle, her right ear right above his heart listening to it's not calm and slow beating. As the passion is ebbing away, it's being replaced by pain. This pain needs to stop, otherwise I'll be burning with hatred again.

"Did you tell her?" her voice takes him back to reality.

"What?" not following her thoughts.

"Did you tell her?" she repeats and sighs. "Did you tell her that you love me? Did you tell her where are you going? Did you tell her anything at all?

"I did." He deeply inhales.

"What? What did you tell her?"

"That I love you."

"And that's it?" she insists on knowing everything.

"No. I told her that I missed her, that I thought she was dead and after a long time I was lucky enough to find love again, that I've found you.

"But you love her as well." One tear leaves side of her right eye and colds his chest.

"I do. I mean I did. I still do in a way." He moves and wants to look into her eyes. She sits up, so he sits up as well, their legs are still interlocked, he takes her hand and kisses it.

"I've loved her for many years. Back then I thought she was the love of my life. She gave birth to my son. We've lived a really good life together." He swallows. "But then she died. And I was hurt. I've missed her so much! Luckily I got over it. However I didn't completely stop loving her. I think I never will. There's too much history in between us."

Regina closes her eyes, tries to absorb all that he said.

"Please, try to understand, that connection I have with her…" he continues, but she butts in. "You thought she was the love of your life?" her eyes glued to his face, wanting to read his answer before he says it.

He smiles. "Yes. I thought that. Only after meeting you I discovered true love. Those feelings I have for you are much stronger than those I had for her. When I'm thinking about you, my pulse fires to stratosphere. When I'm with you, I don't even want to let go off your hand, leave you embrace, loose sight of you. Simply, I can't imagine my life without you anymore. I love you too much, Regina." He pulls her closer and hugs her. "Roland is one half of my life and you're the second." He kisses her behind her ear and remains still, inhaling her gorgeous smell.

"I love you." She whispers into his left ear. "Don't let me go. I don't want to loose you. I can't loose you." A dry sob comes from inside of her. "I won't survive other heartbreak."

He takes her right hand with his left and puts it on his chest above his heart. "My heart is yours. And if you want a material proof, you can take it."

She looks confusedly at him, then at her hand placed over his heart, back at him and the hand, in her fingertips she can feel how his pulse raises. Or is it hers? She blinks quickly, shoos couple of bad thoughts and voices that are telling her to do it. Looks into his eyes and speaks offended: "What do you think about me? Do you really think I would do that? It'd make you my slave. You'd have to do what I say for the rest of your life." She shakes her head in disbelief.

"No, I don't think you would. You don't need to hold my heart in your hand for me to do what you want. I'd do anything to make you happy."

"Anything?" she frowns.

"You know what I mean!" he answers.

"Yes, I do. And thank you for your offer, but no, thank you. I don't want to enslave you, nor anybody else. If everything you say is true I'm happy as I could be right now. And that's enough." She puts her right hand into his hair and kisses him. "For now. There are always things that could be better."

"If? If?! Regina, what else do you want me to do to prove you that I'm being honest?" Robin irritated answers.

"I want to believe you Robin. Just answer one question." She inhales, rethinks if she should really say it aloud, but then she does. "How can you love a person, who ordered your wife's death?"

He takes her shoulders into his hands and pushes her away a bit, just enough so that he can see into her eyes. "Honestly, I don't know. When Marian told me, I wasn't surprised nor angry. One would think that I should be, but I'm not. Look at you Regina. You are a changed woman. You don't hurt innocent people anymore. You are a mother with a huge and loving heart. And I felt in love with this Regina. For me, the old one is a different person. And that's it." Then he keeps looking into her eyes and waits for her response.

"I believe you." She finally says. "Thank you for being here for me. I hope I won't disappoint you and you'll never have to regret your decision."

He smiles, kisses her and hugs her. "That my beloved is now only up to you."


When she opens her eyes the next day in her bedroom, her hand automatically goes to check if he's there. It finds just wrinkled cold sheets and empty right side of the bed. She lifts herself a bit on her elbows, looks around and tries to find a proof that the things she remembers from the last night really happened. But she finds none.

Maybe I've had too much wine. The possibility that it was all only an imagination hit her like unexpected tornado. She can't breathe; the pain is killing her last hope she had.

Suddenly the door opens and first thing she sees in them is for her well known naked butt, pushing open the door. Then appears Robin wearing her apron, holding a tray in front of his belly with breakfast. There in the middle is a small crystal vase with red rose. His face is totally concentrated on a task not to spill their coffee nor juice, his eyes follow the level of liquids. This picture makes her forget again so quickly that she bursts out laughing.

Only then he lifts his head up, stops and looks at her. At first he's surprised by her reaction. "What?" But her laughter is so beautiful and contagious that he starts to laugh as well.

"What are you doing?" she asks still laughing.

"What do you think I'm doing? I made us brunch."

"Like that? Where are your clothes? And what time is it?"

Robin puts the tray on the night table. "It's 11.30am. And I'm not sure, but they should be still in the living room." He looks at himself from the toes to his chest and smiles. "You don't like my outfit or what?"

Regina crawls closer to him, pulls the strap of the apron and it fells down. "I prefer this outfit." And she kisses his bellybutton.

"I see. I'll have to wear it more often then." He bents and kisses her. "Good morning by the way."

She smiles. "Morning."

"And now, taste the brunch I made." He sits next to her, passes the tray and puts it on the bed. He made omelet and pancakes, coffee and apple juice. "I didn't know if you'll be in a mood for sweet or salty brunch. So I made both. What do you want? He looks at her with the question in the eyes.

She looks at the tray and at him and smiles. "I've had enough sweet at night. I'll go with omelet."

He smiles. "Thank you and here it is." He cuts her a piece, gives it to her and takes one for himself as well. They eat and talk about weather, avoid mentioning what happened in the evening the day before.

When they finish, they are leaning against the wall, holding hands and looking in front of them, thinking.

It is her, who breaks the silence. "So, what's gonna be next?

He starts to rub the top of her hand. "I don't know. I don't know what I should do. I don't want to hurt her more than she is, but I want to be with you. I think I'll have to go there and talk to her."

Regina nods after each sentence, but says nothing.

"She's staying at Granny's. Could you perhaps come with me there so that she see you for whom you really are now? Maybe it'll be easier for her to understand and accept."

She's quietly thinking for a while and then agrees on going. "OK. I don't know if it'll really be helpful, but I want to be by your side. And I want to apologize to her." She admits.

"Let's get dressed then and go. Or should we rather invite her for lunch or dinner over?" Robin asks.

"That's actually a good idea. A meeting without curious witnesses. I'll make lasagna, but I can't make it on time for lunch. Invite her for dinner. And I'll tell Henry to come over as well so that he can entertain Roland while we speak. What do you think?" she looks at him.

He looks at her as well. "Sure. That'd be the best."

She smiles, kisses him and they dress up, take the dishes and leftovers downstairs and clean the house. Regina calls Henry and he agrees on coming for dinner.

Robin goes to Granny's to convince Marian to come. To his big surprise she has no objects and promises to come at 6pm with Roland.

In the meantime Regina starts cooking dinner and baking apple turnovers. When Robin comes back, he helps her.

Henry comes sooner, helps with setting the table and then plays PS3 in the living room. When Robin goes to bring wine from seller, Henry appears in the kitchen. "Mom, are you okay?"

Regina shocked turns in the direction of his voice. "Henry! You scared me." She exhales, holding her palm above her heart.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." He apologizes.

"No problem. Come here." She spreads her arms. Henry comes to her and hugs her. "Promise me, that however this ends with Robin, you will never leave me." She kisses the top of his head.

"You are my mom and I love you. Why would I leave you?"

"Oh Henry, I love you so much!" she hugs him stronger.

"Mom, mom! I know, just let me breathe please." Says half-suffocated Henry.

"I'll think about it" replies Regina, but immediately weakens the hug and starts to laugh. Henry laughs with her.

In that moment Robin shows up with two bottles of wine. "What is this?" he smiles and puts the bottles on the counter. "Group hu-u-ug?" he makes puppy face but stays put.

Regina with one hand gestures him to join them. When he does she says: "No. Family hug." Robin smiles realizing this fact.

"Cool." Henry mumms.

Regina gives them one more squeeze and says. "Now, let me finish the dinner."

"Mom, can I help you with something?"

"No, thank you honey. It's almost done. Go and continue playing your PS3." She strokes his hair.

"OK then." He moves towards the living room, but then he stop and turns to her. "By the way, thank you for buying that activity extension. It's awesome!" and he walks away.

"You are welcome honey. I'm glad you like it." She shouts after him. "Robin, can you please check the dining room if everything is alright?" worried.

"Sure." He goes there and finds everything on its place, so he comes back, food ready for serving and Regina leaning with her hands against counter, her head slouched between her shoulders. Robin comes from behind and hugs her, what surprises her, so she straightens up but she immediately realizes that it's Robin, so she relaxes and leans against him. He kisses her neck and places his head on her left shoulder. "What are you thinking about?"

She sighs. "You, Roland, Marian, me, us, the past and the future, everything." She flings back her head for a while and then continues. "I don't want to be again that person, but she's still inside of me. You can't imagine that fire that was burning inside me from the moment when Marian showed up. The only thing I wanted to do was, to hurt Emma, because she destroyed my happiness again.

Robin snorts. "Oh I can, I've seen that fire in your eyes when you decided to destroy Zelena. But you didn't. You've outgrown that person."

"Hm. Maybe. There's too thin line between me and the other me. And it'll always be there." She sadly admits.

"Regina. I love you. I believe in you." Her mouth forms a smile, but he sees from the side that her eyes remain sad. He turns her, so that they face each other. First he kisses her eyes, then her cheeks and then her mouth.

She's convinced by his charm and after couple of seconds she returns his kiss with passion, stands up on her toes and wraps her arms around his neck. They for a while forget time and place and what's going to follow after this stolen moment.

The doorbell rings and makes them stop. Robin gives her one quick kiss. "I'll go open."

She closes her eyes, inhales deeply and waits for them to come in. First is Robin and Roland follows, holding his father's hand and in his second hand he holds tightly his plush monkey he got from her. Marian is at their heels.

When Roland notices Regina, he lets go Robin's hand and runs towards her. "Regina!"

She bents and Roland jumps into her spread arms. She lifts him up, hugs him and kisses his cheek. He smiles and kisses her. "Hi Roland!" still holding him.

When Roland runs towards Regina, Marian tries to catch him, but Robin stops her with a gesture of his hand, so she presses her jaws together and remains on her place.

"Look Regina, my mama returned!" Roland happily points at Marian. If only you knew. Regina thinks for herself.

Disturbed by voices, Henry comes to the kitchen, but stays at the door.

"Welcome." Regina walks and offers Marian her hand, but she instead of accepting and shaking it takes Roland violently from Regina's arms.

"Don't you dare to take away my son from me. You have no right to do that. I won't let you hurt him. He's mine!"

Regina shocked by this behavior doesn't say a word. Robin goes to support her, wraps one arm around her and says: "Marian! Stop it! She'd never hurt Roland. And please, don't do this in front of the boy ever again!"

"Mama, no!" He pushes his little hands against Marian's chest, he's obviously upset and uncomfortable, making her to drop him on the floor. "I like Regina." He hugs Regina's legs. "She's nice and my friend."

Regina touched by Roland's confession bents and kisses his cheek. "Thank you honey." For couple of seconds that seem like hours they just stand there, Marian so tense that even Roland feels more comfortable holding onto Regina. Henry feels like it's time to at least try to break this emotionally tense silence, he coughs so that they notice him.

"Henry! Come, I'd say meet…"Robin's not sure how he should title her, but in the end goes with the safe. " …Roland's mom, but you already met yesterday, right?"

"Yes, we did. Briefly." Answers Henry, watching her from the distance.

"Marian, this is Regina's son. Henry." She nods as greeting.

Follows another awkward silence that is broken again by Henry. He's really growing up. "Roland! I have a new game, do you want to see it? We can play after dinner." He smiles at Roland.

"Yes! What game?" Roland runs to join Henry, already forgets all that distress.

"Regina, shall we have dinner then?" Robin asks dubiously.

"Sure. It's ready. Just take it to the dining room." Regina replies with absentminded look on her face.

"OK. Marian, go ahead." Points to dining room. "I'll help Regina to bring it there." Marian frowns, but goes there.

"Robin, I don't think this was a good idea. She's not open to any discussion nor apology! We're wasting our time and I'm loosing my cool every time she insults me!" She shakes her head.

"Honey, don't give up on her just yet. She's hurt. It's understandable. We'll see how this will end." Robin encouragingly smiles.

"I wish I had your temper." Regina turns and starts loading the trolley tray...